No matter the independent pedigree of the movie, horror as a genre is very entertaining and fast-paced. Horror films operate on thrill-based plots and deploy ingenious storytelling techniques to successfully scare the daylights out of the viewer.
Granted, on second viewing, horror films may become predictable, but good horror movies provide a launchpad for the viewers to deep dive into the narrative world of the film and discover crucial bits of information that they might have missed out on during their first few viewings. This game-like approach to watching movies over time enriches the viewers into truly being steeped in the narrative world of the movie, making it an entertaining and enriching experience. Here are some of the most highly re-watchable horror movies.
10 The Sixth Sense (1999)
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The fear factor from M. Night Shyamalan’s The Sixth Sense comes from its unique approach to horror. Compared to other conventional horror films, The Sixth Sense doesn’t clearly demarcate the boundaries between humans and ghosts and rather plays on vaguely merging the two till the very end. Through this quest for clarity, Shyamalan drops various nuggets of information that might be missed on a single viewing.
9 Phantasm (1979)
On the surface level, Don Concarelli’s 1979 film Phantasm seems as a disjointed effort that makes no sense on any front. Yet while watching the film, one never questions the film's logic and gets engulfed in its magic. From zombie dwarves to a killer fly, Phantasm is in equal parts a horror film as it is a child’s nightmare manifested into reality.
8 The Cabin in the Woods (2011)
The Cabin in the Woods starts off as a stereotypical parody and proceeds to flip the script on its head. A self-aware film that is loaded with suspense and horror, The Cabin in the Woods successfully marries the elements of horror along with the infusion of humor, making it a well-received film among horror loyalists.
7 Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Very few directors do comedy the way Edgar Wright does. In his cult classic horror comedy film Shaun of the Dead, the director approaches horror through a generous amount of heartfelt human sentiment. Whether it’s the bond of friendship or the true test of love, Shaun of the Dead plays on these pertinent themes against the backdrop of a full-scale zombie apocalypse.
6 Halloween (1978)
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John Carpenter’s Halloween is deemed one of the most terrifying slasher films of all time, responsible for terrorizing an entire generation of kids. The film is credited with birthing one of the most visceral killers in Michael Myers and pitting him against a resilient Laurie Strode. Despite multiple views, Halloween stands as a prime example of a petrifying film that doesn’t lose its sting.
5 Hereditary (2018)
Upon its release, Ari Aster’s debut feature took the world by storm, and rightly so. The film chronicles the downfall of a suburban family after the demise of their mysterious matriarch. Aster’s film is rich with occult references and shamanistic subtext, necessitating a need for re-watching it a few times in order to truly understand the scale of terror that the director is going for.
4 Psycho (1960)
The modern world has a lot of sub-streams and adaptations that originate from Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 masterpiece Psycho. The film walks the tightrope of psychological terror while generously being infused with elements of horror. Though, no matter how you slice the cake, the film is terrifying from all angles. In order to truly grasp the subtext of Norman Bates’ illness and his mother’s compulsive love towards him, it’s important to be well-versed with the narrative nuances of the film.
3 28 Days Later (2003)
If Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead played on the positive side of human emotions during an apocalyptic situation, Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later does just the opposite of that. The film leverages the backdrop of a zombie apocalypse to bring out the dark side of human emotions, thereby making the zombies seem pale when compared to their darker human counterparts. 28 Days Later balances out the darker side of human emotions with a general ethos of survival and tenacity, making it a terrifying film at first glance with a lot of subtext and substance to it.
2 The Shining (1980)
Adapted from Stephen King’s novel, Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece serves as a case-study in documenting the transformation from man to monster. The film’s premise sees a closet writer named Jack Torrance take up the role of a caretaker for the remote Overlook Hotel during the winter. Alone in the hotel with nobody but his wife and young son, Jack starts descending into madness and hysteria. Kubrick masterfully extorts once-in-a-lifetime performances from Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall, making the film a highly terrifying film to watch.
1 The Thing (1982)
True horror doesn’t lie in presenting a gnarly demon wreacking havoc. True horror is steeped in paranoia and seeps its way into everyday things, getting under the skin of anyone, anywhere and anytime. John Carpenter sets his masterpiece in a secluded base in the Arctic, where a shape-shifting alien penetrates the various members of the research team, creating panic and terror. The Thing is a perfect example of mixing psychological terror with gore-filled horror, resulting in a cocktail of panic and paranoia.
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