The top five scariest movies ever made have some common elements. All of the movies on this scariest movie list have one word titles, except for one. The top five scariest movies also have a strong element of the unknown, and tease your senses with what’s about to happen next. So if you want to create your own little scare-fest, rent, purchase or borrow one or all of the five scariest movies ever made.
#5 Scariest Movie Ever Made: Se7en
Original Advertising Tagline: “Seven deadly sins. Seven ways to die.”
Se7en is one of those movies that messes with your psyche, and haunts you long after the final credits have rolled. As each segment of the movie is revealed, horrific realities sink in.
The film stars two policemen, Brad Pitt, and Morgan Freeman. Gwenyth Paltrow plays Brad Pitt’s wife.
The final scene is pure genius, because David Fincher the director, took a page from the book of Hitchcock, and builds up the final mind scare to one of the most horrific crescendos in movie history.
David Fincher later directed Zodiac (2007), Panic Room (2002), and Fight Club (1999).
That is the most that can be said about Se7en without giving away the plot.
Se7en is not only one of the scariest movies, it is also one of the most creepy. This film will appeal to anyone who likes to be scared, in a slow and building manner. The film will also appeal to anyone who likes mysteries and film noir.
Another plus to this scary movie is that definitely appeals to a well-read audience. The movie references works by Hemingway, Shakespeare, Truman Capote, Chaucer, Dante, Maugham, and Milton. (IMDB.com)
This is one movie which I will not watch for a second time, since I am still haunted by my first viewing of in 1995.
#4 Scariest Movie Ever Made: Halloween
Original Advertising Tagline: “The Night HE Came Home!”
Although the Halloween franchise has died a slow and painful death with each subsequent sequel, the original film is still one of the scariest movies ever made.
Halloween is not as bloody or gory as you may think it is, or mistakenly remember it is. Again, the director builds the plot, placing the scary elements, and moves towards them slowly, while you sit on the couch in anticipation of what you come to realize will be the inevitable deaths of teen characters.
#3 Scariest Movie Ever Made: Nightmare on Elm Street
Original Advertising Tagline: “A scream that wakes you up, might be your own…”
For some people, who see the Freddy Kruger character as more of a joke than a scary movie figure, Nightmare on Elm Street would not be on their list.
If you try to take away any images you have seen of Freddy Krueger, including the ridiculous attempts at humorous lines in the later movies, you might see Nightmare on Elm Street for the truly scary movie that it is.
What is scariest about Nightmare on Elm Street is that the really bad and horrific stuff happens when we are all at our most vulnerable, when we are asleep. This concept is universally scary because we all have to sleep.
As an audience we all know how hard it is to fight sleep, even if impending doom awaits us.
Add to that the idea of some creepy guy in a basement, and a child murder to boot, with long razors on his gloves, Nightmare on Elm Street is one of the scariest movies ever made.
#2 Scariest Movie Ever Made: Alien
Original Advertising Tagline: “In space no one can hear you scream.”
Besides being stuck in space with a computer like Hal, or some green Martian women, space seemed like a pretty serene and welcoming place. Until Alien hit theaters.
Alien is one of the darkest, scariest, jump-out-of-your-seat movies ever made. It’s a different kind of scary than the others. Much of what makes Alien so scary is the use of sound. When you watch this one, make sure you have the sound turned up.
#1 Scariest Movie Ever Made: Saw
Original Advertising Tag line: “Their saws aren’t there to cut their chains, they are there to cut their feet.
The scariest movie of all time has to change with the times. In the past, Psycho might have taken this spot. However, there are too many non-scary scenes in the movie, despite one of the scariest single scenes ever shot in movie, the shower scene.
That being said, the current generation’s scariest movie of all time is Saw.
Saw will mess with your mind, with your sense of right and wrong, and it may just keep you at awake at night. But don’t worry, you can always watch Saw II and Saw III.
