Top 20 Greatest Psychological Horror Movies
#20: “Get Out” (2017)
Top 10 Greatest Psychological Horror Movies
Jordan Peele’s directorial debut scares audiences in all the right ways. In lieu of gory setpieces or excessive jumpscares, his film relies on its politically-charged mysteries to generate tension. And to say it works would be a massive understatement. Chris meeting his girlfriend’s parents is its own kind of horror, but by the time the credits roll, “Get Out” devolves into a bone-chilling fright-fest that’s bound to leave you thinking. Its biting social critique struck a major chord with audiences and critics. Alongside a massive box office haul, Peele walked away with the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Clearly, “Get Out” leaves its viewers wanting to do anything but.
#19: “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” (1920)
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With just one look at this film’s striking visuals, it's obvious why it’s considered a revolution for arthouse horror movies. “Dr. Caligari’s” twisted set design is the very definition of unsettling, even when nothing particularly scary is happening on screen. And that’s to say nothing of its actual narrative. The tale of a mad hypnotist turning patients into murderers is a painfully potent mirror to the state of 20th century Germany. It’s all the more impressive since the silent film accomplishes it without any spoken dialogue. “Dr. Caligari’s” artistic merits have kept it in the conversation for over a hundred years after its release, and there’s no reason to believe it can’t do it for another hundred, too.
#18: “Eraserhead” (1977)
The story here is remarkably straightforward. Henry has a wife, he cheats on her, he blames their baby, and the screen cuts to black. However, the “what” isn’t nearly as interesting as the “how” and “why.” See, David Lynch’s surrealist masterpiece features imagery so disturbing, it has to be seen to be believed. Whether it’s walking home from the grocery store or eating dinner with some friends, the film successfully turns each and every mundane act into a deeply horrific set piece. It’s a harrowing portrait of parenthood, for better and for worse. Suffice it to say, “Eraserhead” is utterly unforgettable, if only for that nightmarish baby prop.
#17: “Jacob’s Ladder” (1990)
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This film is a little bit of everything on the horror scale: psychological terror mixed with art house vibes and surrealistic moments. But, above all else, it is terrifying. The movie follows Tim Robbins as a Vietnam War veteran who begins to experience extremely strange visions. The nature of these visions remains a tantalizing mystery throughout, and you soon begin to question the film’s reality. It will leave you feeling disgusted long after the credits roll thanks to its discomforting scenes and hopeless attitude - but no matter how difficult it may be to stomach, “Jacob’s Ladder” is definitely worth stepping on.
#16: “Repulsion” (1965)
“Repulsion” was director Roman Polanski’s first feature film to be released in English, and what an introduction it was. When the troubled Carol Ledoux is left alone in the apartment she shares with her sister, she begins to experience strange and unexplainable occurrences. The movie is terribly claustrophobic and isolating, a terrifying depiction of a young woman’s slow dip into utter insanity. The acting, Polanski’s use of sound, the startling images, and the filmmaking are all top notch, and the result is a truly unnerving psychological experience.
#15: “The Haunting” (1963)
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Director Robert Wise interpreted this story as one about mental health instead of ghosts, and that vision is reflected in the film’s final cut. Namely, that there’s a distinct lack of blood or monsters in its two-hour runtime. Don’t mistake that as a lack of scares, though. On the contrary, “The Haunting” is easily one of the most off-putting films of its time. Wise purposefully used an imperfect camera lens in order to give the set a distorted look. As a result, the haunted house feels as much like a character as the paranormal investigators. Plus, the focus on Eleanor’s deteriorating mental state ensures that, when the scares do come, they’re fiendishly effective.
#14: “The Others” (2001)
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“The Others” follows Nicole Kidman as a single mother who begins to suspect that her house is haunted, and even though it’s a modern movie, it gleefully reminds us of old-school horror: there are no cheap jump scares, screeching violins, or buckets of blood. It’s just a creepy haunted house that acts up in subtly horrifying ways, and Nicole Kidman perfectly portrays a troubled and increasingly desperate mother who only wants the safety of her children. It also has one of the most shocking endings in horror movie history, even if it’s become common knowledge in the years since. “The Others” is a simple, old-fashioned ghost story, and we love it.
#13: “Audition” (1999)
For the first hour of this seminal Japanese work, you’d be forgiven for assuming it’s an oddly paced romance film. But, a body bag and an infamous needle scene later, “Audition” reveals itself as one of the most sinister horror films of all time. The shocking twist of fate works so well because the film spends most of its runtime intentionally lulling the audience into a false sense of security. Outside of an odd line here and there, there’s nothing to prepare you for what the movie becomes in its final minutes. “Audition” is a true masterclass of turning audience expectations into a sadistic type of gruesome horror.
#12: “The Babadook” (2014)
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“The Babadook” was an unfortunate victim of misleading marketing: many audiences expected another haunted house romp like “The Conjuring” and were left disappointed with this more methodical film. However, those without faulty expectations found a harrowing movie about the destructive power of grief. The story follows a depressed single mother who becomes hunted and influenced by the Babadook, a monster found in her son’s pop-up book. While the Babadook is indeed scary, it’s in the metaphorical nature of the monster where the real scares lie, as Amelia soon becomes enveloped by the madness that the Babadook represents. This is both a depressing and uplifting film, and it’s frightening to boot.
#11: “The Blair Witch Project” (1999)
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To make this found footage movie, three actors were set loose in the woods with a camcorder and no written dialogue. Eight days of filming later, they turned in a movie that’s still influential to this day. The shaky cam presentation adds a certain visceral quality to each unnerving moment - and there’s a lot of them. Yet, somehow, the accelerating scares never compromise how authentic the footage feels. Even with the knowledge that this is fiction, the movie never fails to put you right in the character’s shoes. At a time when horror films were becoming increasingly cinematic, “The Blair Witch Project” went in the completely opposite direction. And, evidently, that was a very good thing.
#10: “Funny Games” (1997)
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Despite its name, this horror flick is no laughing matter. Just not for the reasons most expect. On paper, a pair of sadistic invaders tormenting an innocent family is pretty standard horror fare. But, instead of resisting those tropes, “Funny Games'' embraces them by slowly and surely blurring the line between fact and fiction. While there’s still plenty of grisly moments to satisfy genre diehards, none of them match the mind-bending twists this movie throws at you. At a certain point, it feels less like a movie and more like, well, a game. Albeit, one that is totally rigged. Nothing’s scarier than villains who can write their own ending.
#9: “Don’t Look Now” (1973)
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Another oldie but a goodie, “Don’t Look Now” stars Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie as a depressed couple who travel to Venice. There, they meet a psychic who informs them that their dead daughter is attempting to reach and warn them of impending danger. The movie is arguably a masterpiece, and it still manages to stop the heart all these years later thanks to its horrifying scenes and harrowing depiction of grief. It also has one of the scariest endings in horror movie history, one which is sure to leave you open-mouthed and petrified. It has influenced many filmmakers over the years, and it’s not hard to see why.
#8: “The Sixth Sense” (1999)
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M. Night Shyamalan’s breakout feature is known for having the twist ending to end all twist endings. But, there’s a whole film preceding that moment, and its execution is just as exemplary. From the very start, “The Sixth Sense” excels in the steady rise and fall of tension. It takes the time to let its characters sit back and breathe. Then, when a ghostly hand reaches out from under the bed, it has genuine stakes. Best of all, the film is just as interested in its contemplative themes as it is terrifying its audience. That thoughtful approach makes for an incredibly fulfilling two hours, whether you know the ending or not.
#7: “Black Swan” (2010)
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Director Darren Aronofsky certainly knows how to explore the dark sides of the human mind, and he does it masterfully in “Black Swan.” This is a movie about a ballerina who descends into insanity due to the immense pressure of landing a coveted role. Natalie Portman shines as Nina Sayers, capturing both the childlike innocence of the White Swan and the dark maturity of the Black Swan, and helping us to feel conflicted about the nature of her character and her sanity. The film explores the dangers of attempting to reach perfection in a beautiful, scary, and unforgettable way. Aronofsky is a true master of the psychological.
#6: “Hereditary” (2018)
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At its core, this is a movie about a family in mourning. And yet, even in its most innocuous moments, “Hereditary” channels an unbearable amount of rising dread. Then, just like that, it all boils over in a burst of graphic violence. And then another. And another. None of these scenes are easy to sit through by any means. Still, it’s hard not to be mesmerized by the film’s ambitious themes, especially when they’re brought to life by a career-best performance from Toni Collette. All in all, “Hereditary” succeeds because it’s an utterly enthralling deconstruction of grief that just so happens to come with a few jumpscares. Not the other way around.
#5: “Misery” (1990)
Stephen King has really done it all when it comes to horror: a little gross-out gore here, a ghost story there, and some vampires sprinkled on top. With “Misery,” he tackled non-supernatural, psychological horror, and he succeeded brilliantly. The story, about an author who becomes trapped with a psychotic fan, was adapted perfectly by Rob Reiner, who beautifully transfers the isolation and claustrophobia felt on the pages to the screen. Kathy Bates’s performance in particular is stellar, playing the seemingly pleasant but realistically unhinged Annie Wilkes. It’s a terrific adaptation, and a terrifying look into the dangers of celebrity worship.
#4: “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991)
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“The Silence of the Lambs” is undoubtedly a masterpiece, and it remains the only horror film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, a testament to just how memorable and powerful it is. The film follows FBI trainee Clarice Starling, who seeks the help of an imprisoned cannibal in order to catch a serial killer. She soon forms a fascinatingly therapeutic bond with the cannibal, Hannibal Lecter. Not only is their relationship tantalizingly complex, but also the film itself is rife with unforgettable quotes, nightmarish images, and one of the best villainous performances of all time in Anthony Hopkins. It’s not only a fantastic horror movie, but a fantastic movie too, period.
#3: “Psycho” (1960)
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It’s no hyperbole to say Hitchcock’s signature slasher flick practically defined what the horror genre could achieve. That being unforgettable plot twists, despicable villains, and loads of spine-tingling moments. Add in a downright iconic musical score, and it’s no really no wonder “Psycho” lives on as Hitchcock’s magnum opus. It’s so scarily good, it’s genuinely difficult to choose a favorite part. The performances, the direction, or the fact that Hitchcock pulled it all off with a fraction of his normal budget. Either way, one thing is unanimous: despite decades of innovations and ripoffs, “Psycho” still easily holds up as a gripping example of tasteful horror at its best.
#2: “Rosemary’s Baby” (1968)
Three years after “Repulsion,” Roman Polanski returned to cinemas with “Rosemary’s Baby,” and it strengthened his status as one of film’s most disturbing directors. The movie, about a woman who begins to suspect that her neighbors want her baby for cultish reasons, is a horror masterpiece, filled with Polanski’s unique sense of dread and isolation. Just the concept itself – learning that you were impregnated by Satan and gave birth to his offspring - is horrifying enough. However, it’s Polanski’s filmmaking, complete with a disturbing use of sound and tormenting lack of visuals, that elevates the movie into art.
#1: “The Shining” (1980)
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Although the initial reaction to Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece “The Shining” was mixed, it is now widely regarded to be one of the best and scariest movies of all time. The story follows a recovering alcoholic father who slowly loses his sanity due to the malevolent forces of a hotel. Jack Nicholson is simply outstanding in this role, delivering a nuanced performance that is equally terrifying and captivating. Aside from its now-classic scares (like the twin girls and the bloody elevator), the movie explores the petrifying concept of watching a comforting and protective family member descend into murderous insanity. It’s the ultimate psychological horror film, and one of Kubrick’s best.