The Horror
genre is one well-known for the messaging included in its films, often weaving poetic commentaries on the state of the world with the horrific imagery so common to such movies. Despite this sort of writing being so central to horror films as a whole, many overlook it for the shock value and scares found within. Counting the best horror movie jumpscares is often seen as more important, prioritizing viewers reveling in the terror aspect of a given film.
Even so, some of the best horror movies of all time are the ones that take their time in building up their themes, choosing the right words and scenes to render the message that lies underneath the gore and jumpscares. Not only does this add to the tension, but it also makes classic films still worth a watch in the modern day. These themes have helped many classic horror movies stay relevant, with their messages still applying even decades later.
10
The Fly (1958)
A Story About The Hubris Of Humankind
Following the story of a scientist who has been experimenting with a device that transports matter, The Fly kicks off with the grotesque transformation of the main character, André. When a fly makes its way into the matter-transporter when André attempts to transport himself, his body is changed into a horrific monster-fly hybrid. With the head and arm of a fly, André desperately tries to reverse the process before the fly half of him takes over.
A remake of The Fly was released in 1986, directed by David Cronenberg and starring Jeff Goldblum as the renamed Seth Brundle.
The Fly is both shocking and unnerving, telling the story of a scientist who has found himself in far over his head. This man has everything he could want, including a loving family, and through his obsession with his work he loses all of it. The film even ends with his death, showing that arrogance and hubris only end with the loss of the things a person loves.
9
Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1956)
Politics & Horror Come Together
Another film that has since been remade, Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a science-fiction horror film mired in the Cold War McCarthyism that surrounded the film’s original creation. Taking place in a fictional California town, aliens begin to invade and replace the people living there. It is a slow burn, one that revels in the paranoia built throughout the entire film.
Over the years, Invasion of the Body Snatchers has gone from an embrace of McCarthyism to a condemnation of ᴀssimilation in general. The film makes a point in saying that individualism is key, embracing the differences of the people involved. Though the director, Don Siegel, has denied any political leanings in his work, he has mentioned the allusion to totalitarianism and his lack of a desire to preach in his films (via American Cinema, 1975).
8
The Shining (1980)
This Horror Movie Warns Against The Dangers Of Isolation
The iconic horror film The Shining, based on the original novel by Stephen King, begins with the family of Jack Torrence and their move to the Overlook H๏τel. Tasked with taking care of the H๏τel during the winter months, this isolation and the spirits living there slowly cause Jack to lose his mind. This, coupled with the frightening visions that Jack’s son Danny begins to have as a result of the spirits living there, leads Jack on a murderous rampage, attempting to kill his wife and son.
More than anything, at its core, The Shining is a deeply lonely movie. Jack and his family are the only ones living at the H๏τel for months at a time, their isolation driving the horror just as much as the ghosts they encounter. Aside from this, the pain that Jack’s alcoholism causes is another strong point in the film, offering a nuanced portrayal of problems that affect people everywhere.
7
Carrie (1976)
Bullying Provides The Conflict In This Stephen King Story
Also based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, Carrie tells the story of the тιтular Carrie, a teenage girl who is constantly suffering at the hands of school bullies and her abusive mother. She discovers that she has powerful telekinetic abilities, and when she is invited to prom, she reluctantly accepts. However, when she is elected Prom Queen by her classmates, a bucket of pig’s blood is dropped on her head, finally breaking her down and prompting her to slaughter the people in the building.
Carrie was the first book King ever published and also the first of his works to be made into a feature film.
The story of Carrie is a tragic one, both for Carrie and for those whose lives she inevitably ends. The film warns against the dangers of bullying, showing in brutal detail what can happen to a person when they are pushed to their absolute breaking point. Despite the blood and violence, Carrie is a film that emphasizes the need for kindness, no matter whose side a person is on.
6
Frankenstein (1931)
The Classic Monster Story Has Several Important Themes
Mary Shelley’s renowned novel Frankenstein is one that has been told over and over again throughout the years. The film follows the work of mad scientist Dr. Frankenstein and the monster he brings to life, only for the monster to be immediately despised by those around him. A mob eventually comes after Frankenstein’s monster, aiming to kill him out of the fear that he may end up going on a murderous rampage.
There are several major themes present, not only in the 1931 film but in the original text of Frankenstein itself. Not only does the story warn about the horrendous outcomes of humanity playing god, but it also addresses the idea that this monster is initially rejected simply because of what he looks like. This is only made more apparent by the monster’s innocence, only pushed to violence once violence is brought upon him.
5
The Thing (1982)
The Paranoia Of The Thing Is Relevant, Even Now
On the outside, The Thing is a film that doesn’t look like it has much to say in the way of poignant commentary. It stars Kurt Russell as MacReady and Keith David as Childs, respectively a helicopter pilot and mechanic working alongside a group of scientists in Antarctica. However, when the scientists unearth an alien dubbed “The Thing” that can take over the bodies of others, the group devolves into paranoia as they scramble to discern who is still alive and who has been transformed into “The Thing.”
The Thing is an excellent example of how mistrust can flourish in a small community, showing how easily people can turn on each other if they feel they have reason to. This is something that was just as relevant then as it is now. Paranoia is always resurfacing around the world for different reasons, and because of this, films like The Thing will always have an important story to tell.
4
Candyman (1992)
A Scathing Commentary On Racism & Classism
Following graduate student Helen Lyle and her research into the urban legends of the Chicago area, Candyman immediately sets itself apart as a story rooted in racial inequality. Helen quickly discovers that a Black man named Daniel Robitaille was killed for his relationship with a white woman and that his ghost comes back to haunt the earth as the vengeful Candyman. He appears when his name is said in the mirror five times, attacking those who summon him to perpetuate his legend.
The text of the film makes it clear that Candyman is a story meant to explore themes of race and class. This is done against the backdrop of Chicago, only adding to the thematic overtones of the film as a whole. Even though the story of Candyman is one reliant on bloody vengeance, it urges viewers to examine their society, showing that hatred only leads to more hatred in the end.
3
Night Of The Living ᴅᴇᴀᴅ (1968)
Zombie Horror At Its Finest
Night of the Living ᴅᴇᴀᴅ is decidedly one of the best zombie movies of all time, and for good reason. The film focuses on a pair of siblings who take shelter in a nearby farmhouse when the living ᴅᴇᴀᴅ rise from their graves to kill indiscriminately across the United States. Now trapped in the farmhouse with nowhere to run, the main group must somehow find a way to survive and escape from the unᴅᴇᴀᴅ ghouls that surround them.
Night of the Living ᴅᴇᴀᴅ is credited with popularizing the zombie genre, and launched an incredibly successful franchise, including several sequels, remakes, and an alternate continuity.
The film itself is a powerhouse when it comes to thematic messaging, making points about everything from gender inequality to humanity’s inability to cope with death. Human beings have a difficult time letting go, and Night of the Living ᴅᴇᴀᴅ takes that flaw and twists it, creating monsters out of the bodies of loved ones. This, alongside the overarching “them vs. us” mentality, manifests in a horror movie classic that continues to reflect the human condition.
2
They Live (1988)
Carpenter Makes An Excellent Commentary On Conforming
Bringing the genre of science fiction together with horror and action, They Live is a movie more terrifying in implication than it is in execution. After finding a pair of special sunglᴀsses that allow him to see the subliminal messaging in the surrounding media, a homeless man named Nada discovers that the ruling class is actually aliens. Perhaps even more frightening, these aliens have been using the media to control everyday people, forcing them to conform.
While the film is over-the-top with its portrayal of aliens and the action that follows throughout the plot, They Live is a scathing critique of the state of the media as a whole. It urges viewers to take a deeper look at what they are being told, by politicians, the media, or otherwise, in the hopes that they will see through lies they hear and see every day. This messaging has only become even more divisive as the years have pᴀssed, making this film even more relevant than it was previously.
1
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
A Horror Story Surrounding A Woman’s Experience With Gaslighting
Rosemary’s Baby is a horror movie that begins with what seems to be a comfortable, idyllic relationship. Rosemary Woodhouse has a loving husband and a wonderful apartment to live in and realizes that she has a baby on the way. Things begin to take a turn for the worse, however, as Rosemary slowly realizes that she is being manipulated to birth the Anti-Christ not only by her husband but by every single person in her life.
The film won several awards after its release, with Ruth Gordon winning both the Academy Award and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress.
The gaslighting that Rosemary endures leaves viewers with a creeping feeling, horrifying to the film’s very core. Rosemary’s Baby consistently shows how Rosemary is oppressed, her concerns tossed aside, and her autonomy stolen from her. Her story is a terrifying stand-in for how women are treated in their everyday lives, both by society and by the people around them, making it a horror film with an incredibly important story to share.
