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1920s – today

Horror and the Uncanny

Fear, the supernatural and the disturbing, from German silent horror to body horror.

Horror is one of cinema's oldest genres, and it has repeatedly been a place for formal daring. German silent films such as Nosferatu and Caligari set the visual language, Universal's cycle of the 1930s made Dracula, Frankenstein and the Mummy household names, and Mario Bava and Dario Argento built the stylised Italian giallo. In the late 1960s and 70s Romero, Hooper, Craven, Carpenter and Friedkin turned horror toward social fear and graphic realism, and Cronenberg invented the body-horror film. Today del Toro, Lynch and Jordan Peele continue to link fear to politics, history and the unconscious.

Where
Germany, the United States, Italy, Britain, Canada, Japan and more
When
1920s to the present
Key figures
F.W. Murnau, Tod Browning, James Whale, Mario Bava, George A. Romero, Dario Argento, John Carpenter, David Cronenberg, Jordan Peele
Landmark films
Nosferatu (1922), Frankenstein (1931), Night of the Living Dead (1968), The Exorcist (1973), Get Out (2017)
Legacy
A genre that turns social anxiety into images and often gives young directors their first chance

What to look for

  • Suspense, atmosphere and fear built from light, sound and suggestion
  • Monsters and threats that stand for real social fears
  • A willingness to shock, and to experiment with form on low budgets

Famous Directors

F.W. MurnauGermanyBenjamin ChristensenDenmarkDavid CronenbergCanadaDavid LynchUSAWilliam FriedkinUSAGeorge A. RomeroUSADario ArgentoItalyGuillermo del ToroMexicoTod BrowningUSAJames WhaleUK / USAMario BavaItalyJohn CarpenterUSAWes CravenUSATobe HooperUSAJordan PeeleUSAAbel FerraraUSATakashi MiikeJapanKaneto ShindoJapanAli AbbasiIran / Denmark / Sweden

Top 100 rated films

  1. The Thing 1982 · John Carpenter · IMDb 8.2
  2. The Elephant Man 1980 · David Lynch · IMDb 8.2
  3. Pan's Labyrinth 2006 · Guillermo del Toro · IMDb 8.2
  4. Sunrise 1927 · F.W. Murnau · IMDb 8.1
  5. Faust 1926 · F.W. Murnau · IMDb 8.1
  6. The Exorcist 1973 · William Friedkin · IMDb 8.1
  7. The Last Laugh 1924 · F.W. Murnau · IMDb 8.0
  8. The Naked Island 1960 · Kaneto Shindo · IMDb 8.0
  9. The Straight Story 1999 · David Lynch · IMDb 8.0
  10. Mulholland Drive 2001 · David Lynch · IMDb 7.9
  11. Nosferatu 1922 · F.W. Murnau · IMDb 7.8
  12. Freaks 1932 · Tod Browning · IMDb 7.8
  13. Bride of Frankenstein 1935 · James Whale · IMDb 7.8
  14. Night of the Living Dead 1968 · George A. Romero · IMDb 7.8
  15. Dawn of the Dead 1978 · George A. Romero · IMDb 7.8
  16. Onibaba 1964 · Kaneto Shindo · IMDb 7.8
  17. Get Out 2017 · Jordan Peele · IMDb 7.8
  18. City Girl 1930 · F.W. Murnau · IMDb 7.7
  19. The Unknown 1927 · Tod Browning · IMDb 7.7
  20. Frankenstein 1931 · James Whale · IMDb 7.7
  21. Sorcerer 1977 · William Friedkin · IMDb 7.7
  22. Halloween 1978 · John Carpenter · IMDb 7.7
  23. Blue Velvet 1986 · David Lynch · IMDb 7.7
  24. Häxan 1922 · Benjamin Christensen · IMDb 7.6
  25. The Invisible Man 1933 · James Whale · IMDb 7.6
  26. The French Connection 1971 · William Friedkin · IMDb 7.6
  27. Children of Hiroshima 1952 · Kaneto Shindo · IMDb 7.6
  28. The Fly 1986 · David Cronenberg · IMDb 7.6
  29. Eastern Promises 2007 · David Cronenberg · IMDb 7.6
  30. Lost Highway 1997 · David Lynch · IMDb 7.6
  31. Deep Red 1975 · Dario Argento · IMDb 7.5
  32. Scream 1996 · Wes Craven · IMDb 7.5
  33. 13 Assassins 2010 · Takashi Miike · IMDb 7.5
  34. Waterloo Bridge 1931 · James Whale · IMDb 7.4
  35. Show Boat 1936 · James Whale · IMDb 7.4
  36. Rabid Dogs 1974 · Mario Bava · IMDb 7.4
  37. A Nightmare on Elm Street 1984 · Wes Craven · IMDb 7.4
  38. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 1974 · Tobe Hooper · IMDb 7.4
  39. A History of Violence 2005 · David Cronenberg · IMDb 7.4
  40. Dracula 1931 · Tod Browning · IMDb 7.3
  41. To Live and Die in L.A. 1985 · William Friedkin · IMDb 7.3
  42. Suspiria 1977 · Dario Argento · IMDb 7.3
  43. Poltergeist 1982 · Tobe Hooper · IMDb 7.3
  44. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me 1992 · David Lynch · IMDb 7.3
  45. The Devil's Backbone 2001 · Guillermo del Toro · IMDb 7.3
  46. The Shape of Water 2017 · Guillermo del Toro · IMDb 7.3
  47. Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai 2011 · Takashi Miike · IMDb 7.3
  48. Holy Spider 2022 · Ali Abbasi · IMDb 7.3
  49. West of Zanzibar 1928 · Tod Browning · IMDb 7.2
  50. They Live 1988 · John Carpenter · IMDb 7.2
  51. Dead Ringers 1988 · David Cronenberg · IMDb 7.2
  52. Eraserhead 1977 · David Lynch · IMDb 7.2
  53. Wild at Heart 1990 · David Lynch · IMDb 7.2
  54. Tartuffe 1925 · F.W. Murnau · IMDb 7.1
  55. The Unholy Three 1925 · Tod Browning · IMDb 7.1
  56. Day of the Dead 1985 · George A. Romero · IMDb 7.1
  57. The Bird with the Crystal Plumage 1970 · Dario Argento · IMDb 7.1
  58. Blood and Black Lace 1964 · Mario Bava · IMDb 7.1
  59. Black Sunday 1960 · Mario Bava · IMDb 7.1
  60. Escape from New York 1981 · John Carpenter · IMDb 7.1
  61. Videodrome 1983 · David Cronenberg · IMDb 7.1
  62. The Dead Zone 1983 · David Cronenberg · IMDb 7.1
  63. Audition 1999 · Takashi Miike · IMDb 7.1
  64. The Apprentice 2024 · Ali Abbasi · IMDb 7.1
  65. The Devil-Doll 1936 · Tod Browning · IMDb 7.0
  66. The Old Dark House 1932 · James Whale · IMDb 7.0
  67. The Man in the Iron Mask 1939 · James Whale · IMDb 7.0
  68. Tenebrae 1982 · Dario Argento · IMDb 7.0
  69. Black Sabbath 1963 · Mario Bava · IMDb 7.0
  70. Postcard 2010 · Kaneto Shindo · IMDb 7.0
  71. Nightmare Alley 2021 · Guillermo del Toro · IMDb 7.0
  72. Bad Lieutenant 1992 · Abel Ferrara · IMDb 7.0
  73. Border 2018 · Ali Abbasi · IMDb 7.0
  74. Martin 1977 · George A. Romero · IMDb 6.9
  75. Opera 1987 · Dario Argento · IMDb 6.9
  76. Naked Lunch 1991 · David Cronenberg · IMDb 6.9
  77. Hellboy 2004 · Guillermo del Toro · IMDb 6.9
  78. King of New York 1990 · Abel Ferrara · IMDb 6.9
  79. Ichi the Killer 2001 · Takashi Miike · IMDb 6.9
  80. Gozu 2003 · Takashi Miike · IMDb 6.9
  81. The Devil's Circus 1926 · Benjamin Christensen · IMDb 6.8
  82. Mockery 1927 · Benjamin Christensen · IMDb 6.8
  83. Journey's End 1930 · James Whale · IMDb 6.8
  84. Creepshow 1982 · George A. Romero · IMDb 6.8
  85. Kill, Baby, Kill 1966 · Mario Bava · IMDb 6.8
  86. The Fog 1980 · John Carpenter · IMDb 6.8
  87. A Last Note 1995 · Kaneto Shindo · IMDb 6.8
  88. The Brood 1979 · David Cronenberg · IMDb 6.8
  89. Inland Empire 2006 · David Lynch · IMDb 6.8
  90. Us 2019 · Jordan Peele · IMDb 6.8
  91. Nope 2022 · Jordan Peele · IMDb 6.8
  92. Ms. 45 1981 · Abel Ferrara · IMDb 6.8
  93. Phantom 1922 · F.W. Murnau · IMDb 6.7
  94. The Blackbird 1926 · Tod Browning · IMDb 6.7
  95. Phenomena 1985 · Dario Argento · IMDb 6.7
  96. Music of the Heart 1999 · Wes Craven · IMDb 6.7
  97. Lucky Dragon No. 5 1959 · Kaneto Shindo · IMDb 6.7
  98. Scanners 1981 · David Cronenberg · IMDb 6.7
  99. Spider 2002 · David Cronenberg · IMDb 6.7
  100. Cronos 1993 · Guillermo del Toro · IMDb 6.7