Horror movies have the power to linger in viewers’ minds well after the credits have rolled, and all of these films are must-watch releases for any lovers of scary stories. Whether it’s because of their historical significance to the genre or their enduring cultural relevance, these releases have earned their place as some of the most frightening films ever made.

While there are plenty of horror movies released every year, only a select few stand the test of time and maintain their popularity decades later. With all-time great directors like Alfred Hitchcock and Stanley Kubrick leaving their mark on the genre, these movies should be on any self-respecting horror movie lover’s watchlist.

Psycho (1960)

Alfred Hitchcock revolutionized horror movies and kick-started the slasher genre as we know it with Psycho. This Sєxually transgressive film starred Anthony Perkins as the serial killer Norman Bates and was a masterclass in tension and suspense, paired with an iconic score from Bernard Herrmann.

With a shift in perspective from victim to killer, Psycho was a groundbreaking movie at the time of its release, as viewers slowly learned the truth behind Bates’ troubled relationship with his deceased mother and split personality. By reinventing what audiences could expect from a scary movie, Psycho influenced everything that came after it.

Night Of The Living ᴅᴇᴀᴅ (1968)

Zombie movies would look totally different today if not for the influence of George A. Romero’s Night of the Living ᴅᴇᴀᴅ. Before this, zombie stories were steeped in Haitian mythology and voodoo, yet Romero single-handedly reinvented the genre into stories of slow-moving unᴅᴇᴀᴅ rising from the grave with powerful social and political undertones.

Telling the story of seven people trapped in a farmhouse as flesh-eating ghouls attempt to make their way inside, Night of the Living ᴅᴇᴀᴅ was just the beginning of a major franchise. With the Black protagonist Duane Jones as Ben, Night of the Living ᴅᴇᴀᴅ broke down casting boundaries related to race and was a thoughtful exploration of social issues.

The Exorcist (1973)

It’s tough to understate the impact of The Exorcist back in 1973, as filmgoers literally vomited from fright, with some fainting in the theaters. This story of a child possessed by a demon struck a chord with viewers and stands as one of the most controversial films of its era.

As an excellent adaptation of William Peter Blatty’s original novel, The Exorcist was the first horror movie to be nominated for Best Picture. It was a major contributor to the Academy’s slow journey toward accepting horror as art. As the instigator for hundreds of imitators, The Exorcist was a defining horror movie that holds up incredibly well today.

The Texas Chainsaw Mᴀssacre (1974)

While Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho may have quietly opened the doors of the slasher genre, The Texas Chainsaw Mᴀssacre kicked it down and chopped it up for firewood. As a transgressive film that was unlike anything before it, director Tobe Hooper pushed the boundaries of acceptability with a villain who murdered his victims with a chainsaw and wore their skin.

The Texas Chainsaw Mᴀssacre pushed audiences well outside their comfort zones as they were forced to confront the horrors of a family of murderous cannibals. With Leatherface tirelessly chasing his victims with a power tool, Hooper condensed the essence of terror down to its barest essentials.

Halloween (1978)

Director John Carpenter introduced the world to yet another terrifying serial killer with Halloween in 1978. This iconic release popularized the final girl trope as a deranged escaped mental patient, Michael Myers, sought to murder the teenage babysitter, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), on Halloween night.

Halloween is a must-watch horror movie, both because of its enduring cultural relevance and the fact that it stands as one of the most effective slashers of the 1970s. With so many sequels, spin-offs, remakes, and reimaginings, just like Michael Myers himself, this series refuses to lie ᴅᴇᴀᴅ for long.

The Shining (1980)

The Shining not only stands as a must-watch horror movie but is widely regarded as among the best films ever made. With the all-time great director Stanley Kubrick doing some of his best work, this story of a recovering alcoholic (Jack Nicholson) whose sanity is slowly being overtaken by the spirits at the Overlook H๏τel was full of iconic moments.

With Nicholson giving a deranged performance as Jack Torrance, his wildman persona was matched by Shelley Duvall’s equally powerful portrayal of his terrified wife, Wendy. While Stephen King was not a fan of the changes that Kubrick made from his original novel, The Shining remains a defining release in the horror genre.

The Thing (1982)

As a cult classic that’s beloved by horror fans today, it’s surprising that The Thing was not a hit at the time, as it received poor reviews and underperformed at the box office. Yet, time has been kind to this John Carpenter release, as its story of claustrophobia, paranoia, and suspense remains as effective as ever.

Telling the story of an unknowable shapeshifting extraterrestrial pursuing a group of American researchers in Antarctica, the fact that nobody could tell who was genuine and who might be the threat meant their trust began to erode. This unique concept offered fascinating character dynamics and made The Thing one of the most interesting horrors of the 1980s.

Scream (1996)

With Scream, director Wes Craven created a new kind of self-aware meta-horror movie that both parodied and embraced the tropes and clichés of slashers. Telling the story of Sidney Prescott and the town of Woodsboro being tormented by a masked killer, there was nothing new about this narrative except for the way it was presented.

Having already made horror classics like The Hills Have Eyes and A Nightmare on Elm Street, Craven dissected horror movies with Scream and did the same with sequels, trilogies, and even reboots in his later entries. Scream was the perfect horror movie for the 1990s, as it leaned into the postmodern stylings and self-referential nature of modern times.

Get Out (2017)

Although many were surprised at Jordan Peele’s career switch from one half of the comedy duo Key and Peele to horror filmmaker, Get Out was such an extraordinary debut that he was immediately accepted as a new major voice in the genre. Not only was Get Out successful, but it was also seen as an instant horror classic.

Tackling themes of class, prejudice, and race, this story of a young Black man visiting his white girlfriend’s family was an eerie and effective satire. Get Out was funny, scary, and thought-provoking, and earned multiple Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Daniel Kaluuya, and Peele won for Best Original Screenplay.

Hereditary (2018)

Toni Collette’s outstanding performance as the grieving mother, Annie Graham, is reason alone to watch Hereditary, as she delivers one of the most raw, unsettling, and vulnerable performances in modern horror. As a story of a family in trauma, it’s shocking to learn that this outstanding film is Ari Aster’s debut feature.

Tackling themes of family dysfunction and Satanism, Hereditary was a painful exploration of how issues can persist through generations. As a defining film for A24 and the beginning of an already incredible career that would include later horror hits like Midsommar, every horror fan should do themselves a favor and watch Hereditary at least once.