13 classic Hollywood horror movies to serve up a scare on Halloween

The Ring (2002): The movie that gave rise to the surge of Japanese or J-horror films in Hollywood spins a yarn of a death and destruction spanning decades. A haunted videotape is a gateway for the scorned spirit of Samara to seek revenge. Anyone who dares to watch the tape has seven days before they die. Director Gore Verbinski should be credited for the manner with which he unleashes Samara on the unsuspecting audience. Every step, every move so meticulous that you can’t help but shiver in pure terror.

The Exorcist (1973): Based on a book, which in turn was inspired by a real-life story, the film narrates the terrifying tale of the demonic possession of a 12-year-old girl. The myth of the Exorcist was not limited to the screen alone, with tales of paranormal happenings and unexplained accidents attracting claims that the film itself was cursed. Although, the film’s success at the box office saw the franchise spark several follow ups, buy none could really match the original. There are several reasons why this film deserves to top the list of best horror movies but our favourite is when the possessed Regan spider walks down the stairs. The scene did not make the cut during the initial release of the film due to a lack of CGI effects which were only introduced years later.

The Conjuring (2013): The film is credited for reviving the flagging horror movie genre in late 2000s that was peppered with low-grade thrillers serving up silly plotlines to muster up a scare. The follows paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren who are called to a dilapidated farmhouse to investigate a dark presence that is terrorising the family. The film had several stand out moments: Carolyn’s exorcism covered in a white sheet, the hide and clap game that leads Carolyn into a dark basement with evil crouching behind her. A personal favourite was a young Christine being woken up in the middle of the night when someone tugs on her legs. Thinking it is her sister, Christine’s annoyance soon turns to horror when everyone’s worse nightmare comes out to play in the dark. The third film in the franchise is out now in UAE cinemas.

The Omen (1976): The critically-acclaimed film about a demonic child named Damien spawned a franchise and a remake that failed to live up the original. As a trail of mysterious deaths keep piling up around Damien, his adoptive father makes the horrific discovery that his son is the Antichrist himself. Jerry Goldsmith’s Oscar-winning musical score keeps the tension bubbling until the very last frame of this Richard Donner directorial.

Scream (1996): The cult of 'Scream', which redefined the lure of slasher movies, is visible even today with films such as ‘Happy Death Day’ and ‘Saw’ aping its success. But none can come close to this Wes Craven-directed gem, which had the female lead stabbed to death in the opening scene. Audiences were hooked instantly and ‘Scream’s success went on to spark a whole new genre, with films including ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ and ‘Urban Legend’. A fifth instalment in the franchise is currently in the works and expected to release in 2022.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005): Directed by Scott Derrickson, the film is reportedly based on the real life story of Anneliese Michel, a German woman who underwent 67 Catholic exorcism rites during the year before her death. In the film adaptation Tom Wilkinson plays Reverend Moore who is accused of negligent homicide after an exorcism goes wrong. The prosecutor argues that the girl suffered from schizophrenia, but Moore’s defense lawyer, played by Laura Linney, has to prove otherwise despite being a self-confessed agnostic. The exorcism scenes leave a haunting impact, with Jennifer Carpenter’s convincing act forcing us to hide behind the covers at intervals.

Poltergeist (1982): Written and produced by Steven Spielberg, a family moves into a new home where they discover supernatural happenings. At first the ghost appear friendly, but things soon take a terrifying turn when they kidnap the family’s youngest child.

Halloween (1978): After murdering his sister on All Hallow’s Eve in 1963, six-year-old Michael Myers is institutionalised for 15 years before he escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield to embark on a killing spree. With 10 films in the franchise slashing away at the box office over 40 years, it came as no surprise that scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis announced her return to Haddonfield for a Halloween reboot. The franchise is now drawing to its end with a two-film finale, ‘Halloween Kills’, which drops this year, and ‘Halloween Ends’ releasing in October 2022.

The Evil Dead (1981): This Sam Raimi-directed classic follows five college students vacationing in a remote cabin when they unleash an evil force that is bent on destroying them. The cheese-o-meter goes through the roof with several ham scenes that will have you roaring with laughter one minute, before seeing you dive for the covers in the ultimate gore fest.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974): What’s not to love about cannibalistic hillbillies bent on eating anyone that crosses their path? Be warned though: the cringe-worthy violence depicted in the film resulted in this first outing banned from screenings. Over the years, the film has sparked a string of copycats, along with eight films in the Chainsaw franchise. If we had to pick a scene, it is definitely the twisted dinner party where Sally (Marilyn Burns) is tied-up as the main course for the night.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984): Fresh from directing his 1982 superhero science-fiction horror film, ‘Swamp Thing’, Wes Craven decided to experiment with the teen horror genre that started it all. What was not to like here — Midwestern teenagers, a star-crossed romance and a murderer who sneaks into your dreams to cut you up in reality? John Carpenter may have given birth to the slasher genre, but Wes Craven made it his own with this gore fest. Although, the sequels didn’t live up to the hype.

Lights Out (2016): Produced by horror impresario James Wan of ‘The Conjuring’, ‘Lights Out’ is perhaps one film that is best watched with a friend close by. A young woman and her little brother (Teresa Palmer and Gabriel Bateman) are terrorised by a woman — who may be dead, supernatural or something else. Called Diana, she’s a (possibly imaginary) friend of their mentally unstable mother (Maria Bello), whose refusal to take her medication has been making Diana’s appearances increasingly frequent and terrifying. Director David F. Sandberg uses flickering lights, extingushed candles, dark shadows and flashing signs to wind us up.

The Woman in Black (2012): If you’ve read Susan Hill’s book or watched the show live on London’s West End, then you will understand why this James Watkins directorial had purists worried. But the film, starring Daniel Radcliffe, does justice to the earlier works, perhaps taking it beyond with crisp cinematography, a terrific score and an atmosphere that pays homage to gothic horror films. For those wondering what the film’s about, a young recently widowed lawyer travels to a remote village where he discovers that the vengeful ghost of a scorned woman is terrorising locals.