Top 10 Horror Movies: 1990s

Script written by Telly Vlachakis.

Top 10 Horror Movies: 1990s

What’s your favorite scary movie? Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the top 10 horror movies of the 1990s.

For this list, we’re looking at the decade where horror was re-born and revitalized, became self-aware and self-referential, and was given a breath of fresh air. This is a part of a series of videos spanning the decades of horror cinema from the 1920s to the 2000s.

#10: “Candyman” (1992)

In the midst of horror cinema’s latest obsession with urban legends, “Candyman” is an instant classic and a cut above the rest, starting with its surprising acting talent, and with its very realistic poverty-stricken inner neighborhood setting. Based on a Clive Barker short story, we follow Virginia Madsen who’s trying to complete her thesis on urban legends, and instead gets enthralled with Candyman, a legend that’s all too real. A monster born out of tragedy and hatred, the Candyman becomes a poetic answer to Freddy Krueger, and a blueprint for ‘90s slashers.

#9: “Ringu” (1998)

Another urban legend, this one about a mysterious Japanese videotape that kills its viewer after a week, “Ringu” became the underground sensation that spawned a million imitators. The first J-horror to have crept overseas, it created a new Western obsession: a sudden wave of Asian imports such as “The Grudge,” “Shutter,” “Dark Waters” and “Pulse,” along with their endless sequels, spinoffs and mostly useless American remakes. The story of poor Sadako who gets thrown in a well, and gets revenge from beyond the grave, was the kind of modern ghost story the world needed.

#8: “From Dusk till Dawn” (1996)

The ‘90s slick coolness of Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez, not surprisingly, translated into horror with such perfect ease. Tarantino and George Clooney are criminal brothers on the run, trying to get to the Mexican border. After they kidnap a poor preacher’s family and find themselves hiding out at the Titty Twister strip-club, they suddenly wish the police had caught them instead. What they find is a club overrun by not only strippers and gang members, but demonic vampires from hell, who treat the club as a feeding ground. Cue the signature Tarantino banter.

#7: “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” (1992)

The genius director behind “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now” was facing a bit of a slump, until he decided to tackle the biggest baddie of them all. The most literate adaptation of the classic novel we’ve ever seen, Francis Ford Coppola’s “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” brought such elegant style and gothic appeal to the Count, a narrative now centuries old, that audiences forgot they were watching a horror movie. Meanwhile, Gary Oldman’s hypnotic performance made us forget we were watching a movie at all. Now if we could only forget Keanu Reeves’ accent.

#6: “Army of Darkness” (1992)

Ash is back for a third fight with the undead. Audiences thought that the ending of “Evil Dead 2” was some sick joke, but lo and behold, Ash is actually stuck in medieval times. After proving his worth to Lord Arthur and his knights, he goes on a quest to find the original and magical book known as the “Necronomicon Ex-Mortis.” This very ‘90s romp follows Ash fighting his way through monsters and Deadites, with futurist weapons and science, and his signature catchphrases, in order to return to his unglamorous present.

#5: “Braindead” [aka “Dead Alive”] (1992)

Originally released as “Braindead” in New Zealand, this was the splatterfest masterpiece of a then lesser-known indie filmmaker named Peter Jackson. Before he gave the world “The Lord of Rings” and “The Hobbit” films, Jackson gave us one of the funniest and goriest zombie attacks ever put on film with “Dead Alive.” When poor Lionel’s mother is bitten by some diseased animal, a zombie plague soon starts spreading like wildfire, and Lionel is suddenly fending off a horde with his lawnmower. With its memorable dinner scene, and shocking epic finale, this film deserves its cult status.

#4: “The Sixth Sense” (1999)

Having one of the highest grossing films of the year is no small feat, especially for a writer and director with so few credits under his belt. M. Night Shyamalan was hailed as the next big thing when this atmospheric thriller took the world by storm. Haunting and poetic, the story of a young boy who had the ability to see and help the dead was notable for scaring you to death while pulling at your heartstrings at the same time. This massive worldwide hit was also nominated for 6 Oscars, and is mostly known for its huge surprise twist ending.

#3: “The Blair Witch Project” (1999)

The sleeper hit of 1999, speculation behind how real this footage could be was the hot topic of the year. Taking a cue from “Cannibal Holocaust,” this film was marketed as the real footage left behind by the disappeared crew that went looking for the Blair Witch in the woods. It also popularized the use of the found footage format, which is now annoyingly unavoidable in horror films. At the time, everyone wanted to believe it was true, and this little indie horror showed the world how much you can scare an audience by spending so little.

#2: “Scream” (1996)

Known as the movie to have jump-started a dying genre, “Scream” was released as a brilliant, satirical, self-referential look at horror films and their decline, but it was no laughing matter. Similar to what he did in his “New Nightmare,” Wes Craven took the genre that he helped created and popularize, and turned it on its ear, in a setting where teens already know the slasher formula all too well. Although not clear at first where he draws the line between poking fun and homage, it is still terrifying as hell, and a must-watch for any horror fan.

Before we dig into our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
- “Stigmata” (1999)
- “Cube” (1997)
- “The Faculty” (1998)
- “Tremors” (1990)
- “Misery” (1990)

#1: “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991)

One of the most acclaimed and most awarded horror-thrillers of all time, this multiple Oscar winner took the world by surprise at its release. Based on the already classic Thomas Harris novel, on the surface it seems like a simple crime story, with rookie FBI detective Clarice Starling chasing the notorious Buffalo Bill. But add some mental manipulation on the side in the form of the intensely charming Hannibal Lecter, and you strike gold. Although not Hannibal’s first on-screen presence, Anthony Hopkins created a sophisticated cannibal serial killer for a new millennium that continues to chill to this day.

Do you agree with our list? Hungry for more? Which ‘90s horror classic had you lending your VHS to everyone? For more thrilling top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.