Top 10 Classic Horror Movie Icons

Starting off our list is the man of everyone’s nightmares. This character actor has had a steady 40-plus year career, but made a name for himself as the terrifying razor-gloved Freddy Krueger in the 1980s. Wes Craven’s classic slasher film “A Nightmare on Elm Street” gave birth to one of most iconic horror movie villains, thanks to Englund’s portrayal, and it has since spawned multiple sequels and TV shows. Since then, Englund has contributed his acting, directing and voice-over skills to over 40 horror films, television series and documentaries, cementing his status as a legend and pop culture icon.

Next, we move behind the camera for the writer/director mastermind behind some of the most gruesome images ever put on film. This professor-turned-filmmaker first got noticed because of his revolutionary slasher flick, “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”. This ‘70s classic is considered one of the most influential films of the genre, due to its gritty realism and unique but brutal storytelling - which mainstream audiences had never experienced before. Having changed the horror landscape for good, Hooper went on to create and rebrand as many horror tropes as he could, while creating a string of successful and visceral films, like “Poltergeist.”

No matter what generation you’re from, this actor’s face is immediately recognisable...as long as he is in make-up. Just like his fellow actor, “The Man of a Thousand Faces” Lon Chaney, Karloff made a name for himself in the early days of horror, especially during the classic Universal Monsters craze, by playing heavily made-up creatures of the night. Most notably is his now iconic and often copied portrayal of Frankenstein’s monster, which he played numerous times. He subsequently created a long career playing unforgettable monsters, crazed killers and mad scientists.

Although he’s dabbled a little bit in the world of cinema himself by directing and writing a few memorable projects, the King of Horror’s major contribution comes from his literary work. Arguably the most successful and famous fiction writer of the last century, he has written dozens of best-selling novels that’ve delved into every frightening recess of our imaginations. The award-winning author’s material has been the inspiration for over 40 of the most thrilling movies ever made, such as “Carrie”, “Misery” and “The Shining,” as well as popular TV mini-series and countless short film adaptations.

Next on our list we have one of the most prolific actors of all time. With almost 300 different acting credits, Christopher Lee is best known for having brought back the most famous bloodsucker, Count Dracula, to popularity on the big screen starting in the late 1950s. Seen often alongside Peter Cushing, they both became the faces of Hammer Horror Films, whose productions make up the second great era of horror. Since then, Lee has played countless villains, from the Mummy to Frankenstein’s monster, from Bond villains to Star Wars villains and even Saruman in “The Lord of the Rings” franchise.

Young George Romero set out to make a small indie movie and ended up creating a horror masterpiece. His allegory of prejudice, “Night of the Living Dead”, gave birth to the modern incarnation of the zombie as we know them today. The undead stumbling corpses inspired him to make 5 sequels, and they’ve since infiltrated pop culture and spawned a new generation of gory entertainment on the big screen. His other horror/thrillers, like “The Dark Half,” have won him numerous awards and cemented him as a living legend of the horror industry.

Here, we have the director responsible for making Halloween even more terrifying than it ever was. Although John Carpenter hasn’t always strictly worked in horror, having been noted as a master of thrillers, action and sci-fi, he established himself as the man who brought the ruthless Michael Myers into our nightmares. Having turned “Halloween” into one of the biggest franchises of all time, he is also credited for making one of the greatest horror remakes of all time with “The Thing.” Whether dealing with aliens, vampires, ghosts or killer cars, Carpenter is a true master.

Rounding out our top 3 is the brilliant mind behind not one, but two, of horror’s biggest franchises. Apart from “A Nightmare on Elm Street” taking over in the ‘80s, Wes Craven reinvented the genre he helped develop with the darkly comic slasher-satire “Scream” in the ‘90s. One of the most rewarded and revered horror film directors, he constantly surprises his audience with his content and range, while working on countless other projects as producer or writer, or through his work on television. A true modern-day master of horror.

As we swing back to the golden years of horror, we celebrate the creature of the night himself. This Hungary-born stage actor moved to America in the 1920s, and the rest is history. Probably one of the most recognizable actors to portray Count Dracula ever, this brilliant actor with his piercing eyes and unmatched accent appeared in over 40 horror films. Whether he’s playing a twisted mad doctor in one of his Edgar Allen Poe-inspired thrillers, or a misunderstood creature in “Island of Lost Souls,” there has never been a hypnotic cinematic genius quite like him.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honourable mentions.
- Bruce Campbell
1958 -
- Clive Barker
1952 -
- Jamie Lee Curtis
1958 -
- Tom Savini
1946 -

For those who think they don’t recognize this face, all they need to do is listen to that voice. The unrivaled master of horror, Vincent Price made a career out of giving us chills for almost 6 decades. His genius can even be felt through his voice-over and narration work in hundreds of films and TV series. And of course, who can forget his infamous cackle in Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”? From mad scientist to the Devil himself, or through playing iconic characters like Dr. Phibes, Price is the ultimate face behind the cinematic art of horror storytelling.

Do you agree with our list? Which horror icons do you think deserve the spotlight? For more spooky top 10s published daily, make sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.