As part of our annual Best of 2024 issue, we asked our friends at Sidewalk to tell us what they think are the 10 Best Horror movies of all time. Here’s what they said.
Horror is a divisive, diverse and broad cinematic genre - we’re huge fans. From Freddy to Jason to Micheal to Ghostface, we’re always excited to celebrate the most debated genre. This time around we’ve devised a disquieting viewing list that is laser focused on true terror - the Top 10 Scariest Movies of All-Time!
Interested in further recommendations from the Sidewalk programming team - visit sidewalkfest.com and come see us at the movies. In the meantime, check out the Official Podcast of the Sidewalk Film Center + Cinema, SideTalks via Soundcloud or wherever you get your podcasts.
10. REC (2007) Paco Plaza and Jaume Balagueró
REC is a non-stop adrenaline rush of action-horror - never letting up from the gas pedal. We’re taken on a journey with a television reporter and cameraman as they tag along with emergency services to investigate a dark apartment building. Constantly emitting jump scares while keeping you on the edge of your seat and your eyes glued to the screen. REC was the first believable shaky-cam horror film I’d ever seen. – Charlie
9. THE STRANGERS (2008) Bryan Bertino
Home invasion tales are a special kind of horrific. In The Strangers the somber mood of a relationship stall-out provides a tragically lonely backdrop for intimate stalking. The screenplay was inspired by an incident experienced by writer-director Bryan Bertino in his childhood home, combined with the true crime book “Helter Skelter” - regarding the Manson Family murders and “The Family’s” confession that they’d frequently break into residences and rearrange furniture while people were asleep. – Rachel
8. THE BABADOOK (2014) Jennifer Kent
The Babadook manages to balance cartoonish mischief with pitch black vibes and brief, but effective moments of pure terror. Jennifer Kent’s direction is on point and perfectly combines with editor Simon Njoo’s post-production magic to lock in several of the weirdest, scariest cinematic sequences ever. – Rachel
7. COME AND SEE (1985) Elem Klimov
While most films about war generate a feeling of horror, Come and See terrorizes its viewers through vivid depictions of grueling life with the Soviet resistance movement in Nazi occupied Belarus. While not a horror film by genre, it’s one of the most devastating viewing experiences I’ve ever been through. – Charlie
6. JACOB’S LADDER (1990) Adrain Lyne
Jacob’s Ladder does an amazing job of keeping you in the dark while telling you exactly what’s going on every step of the way. A Vietnam veteran suffering from PTSD and delusional paranoia embarks on a wild cat and mouse game with the military. A stunning execution of thriller and horror, Jacob’s Ladder is forever seared into my memory from just one scene. You know the one. Yeah, that one! – Charlie
5. WHO CAN KILL A CHILD (1976) Narciso Ibáñez Serrador
Set on a remote island full of murdering children, Who Can Kill a Child is one of the most shocking horror films I’ve ever seen. A couple visiting the island begin to encounter the children and slowly realize what is happening. I was cautioned that I’d never seen anything like this film and that warning was correct. Who Can Kill a Child takes a minute to get going but once it does you’re hooked! – Charlie
4. LOST HIGHWAY (1997) David Lynch
All in all Lost Highway is not solidly a horror film, but one singular unforgettable scene lands it on the list - Robert Blake at a party. The sequence has been called “a masterclass of a horror scene.” The performances, the sound design, the direction, the dialogue, the makeup, the costume design - all are pitch perfect. Plus, when you add the context that former “Little Rascals” child actor Robert Blake was arrested in 2002 for murdering his second wife - yikes. – Rachel
3. JOHNNY GOT HIS GUN (1971) Dalton Trumbo
I can’t think of a more terrifying situation than what is faced in Johnny Got His Gun. After experiencing shell shock in WWI, a soldier is left alive without sight, speech, hearing, or smell. What he does possess is a constant plaguing memory thrust upon him from the horrors of war. The soldier spends the entire film attempting to communicate with the hospital staff, hoping for relief from this life. Will they hear him? – Charlie
2. WHO TOOK JOHNNY (2014) David Beilinson, Michael Galinsky, Suki Hawley
The only documentary to make the list and one of the most chilling films of all time. In the early morning of September 5th 1982, on an Iowa suburban street, 12-year-old Johnny Gosch disappeared without a trace. He’s still missing. Who Took Johnny scrutinizes the cold case and uncovers layers upon layers of disturbing possibilities. Released in 2014, with ever evolving recent news, Who Took Johnny has become increasingly terrifying. The scene in which Gosch’s mother describes a late night knock on the door is truly nightmarish. – Rachel
1. THE SHINING (1980) Stanley Kubrick
The one and only. Jack Torrence is a writer looking for some extra cash and a quiet place to write his next book. After receiving the caretaker position at the historic Overlook Hotel, Jack and his family grapple with the spiraling effects of seclusion via the hotel’s ghosts. The Shining is an annual Halloween must-see as its ability to scare me straight no matter how many times I’ve seen it continues to feel fresh. Bravo to the master! – Charlie
