The 10 best horror movies for people who don’t like being scared
The horror genre isn’t for everyone, it’s literally the most exclusive form of cinema there is, with the majority of movies being rated either ‘18’ or ‘15’, barring a large contingency of people from engaging with such films at all. But trust us when we say that there are some essential texts of the horror genre. Even if you hate horror and are the squeamish type who jumps when the bread pops out of the toaster, hear us out with this list.
Offering a helping hand to all you movie lovers who want to be immersed in horror without diving straight into the grizzly lake of bloodshed, we’ve put together a handy list of ten classic genre flicks to ease you slowly into the films of David Cronenberg, Alfred Hitchcock, Jordan Peele and more.
By engaging with these picks, you can be the one to propose a horror movie night without the fear of not being able to get to sleep at the end of it. Alternatively, if you don’t trust our opinion on what’s actually scary, check out our list of the best horror comedies of all time, a place where laughter and screams co-exist in beautiful harmony,
The 10 best horror movies for people who don’t like being scared:
10. Videodrome (David Cronenberg, 1983)
Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg is undoubtedly one of the most innovative genre filmmakers of all time, almost single-handedly pioneering the body horror movement. Whilst he may have scarier films, his 1983 classic Videodrome is ample enough for those of you who don’t want to be repulsed for life by the director’s idiosyncratic style that deals in the fleshy terrors of peeling faces and malleable bodies.
Possibly Cronenberg’s most notable and most acclaimed film, Videodrome, is a thrillingly sleazy judgment of new media and an entertaining conversation into what the technological future may have in store.
9. The Lost Boys (Joel Schumacher, 1987)
A popular comedy horror film that grabbed the attention of the cultural zeitgeist in 1987, The Lost Boys tells the story of two brothers who discover that their new town is a haven for vampires. Starring a host of contemporary actors, including Corey Haim, Kiefer Sutherland, Corey Feldman, Dianne Wiest, Jason Patric and Alex Winter, Joel Schumacher’s film has few horror elements aside from the blood-sucking creatures of the night.
Though its grip on particular subcultures may have died in recent years, at one point, there was no film that made vampires look more stylish than The Lost Boys.
8. Get Out (Jordan Peele, 2017)
We don’t want to shame anyone who reads this list. Not at all. But, if you haven’t gotten around to seeing Jordan Peele’s 2017 thriller Get Out yet, you need to prioritise it. The film that established Peele’s name in the realm of modern cinema, this analysis of race politics in America is encapsulated within a thoroughly entertaining piece of horror that keeps you on the edge of your sofa.
The film is indeed scary and tense, but never enough to significantly raise your heartbeat or force you to flee the room in fear.
7. Let The Right One In (Tomas Alfredson, 2008)
Remember when vampires were the hottest thing in Hollywood? We do. Arriving in the very same year as the popular tween movie series Twilight, Tomas Alfredson’s Let The Right One In couldn’t be more different, being a coming-of-age tale that tells the story of a bullied boy who finds love and revenge through Eli, a peculiar young girl who holds a grizzly secret that will challenge the boys’ perspective on life.
Remade with Chloë Grace Moretz in 2010, we would recommend avoiding the Hollywood version like a spoiled pint of milk, Tomas Alfredson’s version is far more effective (and not too frightening either).
6. Carrie (Brian De Palma, 1976)
Telling the story of a shy teenage girl who is sheltered from development by her domineering, religious mother, Brian De Palma’s Carrie, adapted from Stephen King’s novel of the same name, is a frightening piece of coming-of-age cinema. Carrie is more of a great story with compelling characters and a glittering ensemble cast that includes Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie and John Travolta, than it is a terrifying flick.
Remade with Chloë Grace Moretz in 2013, we would recommend avoiding the Hollywood version like a spoiled block of Stinking Bishop, Brian De Palma’s version is far more effective (and not too frightening either).
5. Come and See (Elem Klimov, 1985)
It’s rare that a war film can have the impact of a visceral horror flick, but this is exactly what Russian director Elem Klimov achieved with Come and See. With no elements of a traditional ‘horror film’, Klimov creates a terrifying piece of fiction based on the real-life atrocities of the Nazis during WWII, telling the story of a young boy who joins the Soviet resistance movement against the ruthless German forces.
Whilst Come and See isn’t ‘scary’, it is deeply disturbing, being one of the most visceral and effective portrayals of war ever told in cinema.
4. The Wicker Man (Robin Hardy, 1973)
At the core of all folk horror films is the fear of ignorance. Both the fear of individual ignorance to the ‘inside joke’ of the collective and the fear that the collective is ignorant of their very abhorrent actions. No film better explores this terror than Robin Hardy’s The Wicker Man, a genre movie we would better compare to a psychological drama rather than a petrifying horror flick.
It all follows a Police Sergeant who arrives on a remote Scottish island in search of a missing girl, only to find something far more sinister in the process.
3. The Silence of the Lambs (Jonathan Demme, 1991)
Crime thrillers don’t get quite as disturbing as Jonathan Demme’s Silence of the Lambs, but the film rides a fine line between horror and drama. Starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins, the iconic 1991 movie tells the story of a young FBI cadet who is forced to receive the help of a manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another murderer on the loose who is known to skin his victims.
Featuring a career-best performance from Hopkins, Demme’s classic is one of the few horror films ever to win Best Picture. If it’s palatable enough for the Academy, then it’s palatable enough for you.
2. Jaws (Steven Spielberg, 1975)
Many wouldn’t even consider Steven Spielberg’s iconic thriller Jaws to be a horror. Still, on the other hand, for those who are scarred by the often terrifying shark drama, the classic 1975 blockbuster certainly has its moments. The influential Spielberg film tells the story of a beach community just off Cape Cod that becomes the target of a massive killer shark that begins feeding on the bathing holiday-goers.
In classic Spielberg fashion, much of the 1975 classic is slow, quiet drama until *bang* you’re face to face with one of the most horrifying sights ever put to cinema. Besides these moments, Jaws is a tame horror when compared to the rest of the genre.
1. Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960)
We’re going out on a bit of a limb with our number one pick. Even though Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho is undoubtedly one of the very best horror films of the genre, it is also quite a tame flick that we’d sooner compare to an intense drama. Set at the Bates Motel, the story sees a Phoenix secretary travel through the site whilst on the run, only to become embroiled in the activities of a young man under the control and domination of his mother.
Featuring several iconic moments of horror cinema, we consider Hitchcock’s Psycho to be the perfect gateway into the genre for any tentative customer, featuring twists, turns, a killer soundtrack and a haunting performance from Anthony Perkins as the villain.
