15 Best Horror Movies of All Time, According to Letterboxd

Letterboxd is a valuable app/social media site for discovering new movies and seeing what the users there consider worth seeking out. It functions similarly to the more popular IMDb, though overall feels more personal and a little more social. Through spending time on both, it also becomes apparent that the tastes of Letterboxd users overall differ from the tastes of IMDb users.

The selection of highest-rated horror movies, according to Letterboxd users, proves to be particularly eclectic, with a range of great scary movies, both new and old, and a fair share of non-English language ones, too. For any horror fan, the following films – some well-known, and some a little more obscure – are essential viewing and are ranked below according to their average ratings on Letterboxd.

15 ‘Black Swan’ (2010)

Letterboxd Rating: 4.1/5

As much of a psychological thriller as it is a horror film, Black Swan explores – with unrelenting tension – the dangers of dedicating oneself obsessively to their craft. It follows a ballerina who strives for perfection, all the while getting unusually committed to her role in her ballet company’s production of Swan Lake.

Darren Aronofsky often makes challenging films, specializing in psychological studies that delve deep into troubled or even tortured minds, and Black Swan’s certainly one of his most confronting efforts. Natalie Portman’s lead performance is equally instrumental in making the film as effective as it is, with the role deservedly winning her an Academy Award for Best Actress.

14 Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992)

Letterboxd Rating: 4.1/5

Twin Peaks began as a television series, arguably one of the best of all time. But it was abruptly canceled during its second season and had already been negatively impacted by executive and network meddling. David Lynch got the chance to continue the story in his own strange way with Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, which ended up being part prequel and part sequel to the original show.

It details much of what happened to Laura Palmer before the start of the show, where she’s discovered murdered and ends up being a harrowing, tragic, and quite terrifying watch. It’s not just a horror movie by any means; Fire Walk with Me hops between genres much like Twin Peaks – perhaps to an even greater extent. Thus, it becomes less predictable and even more nightmarish.

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13 ‘Aliens’ (1986)

Letterboxd Rating: 4.2/5

James Cameron took over an iconic horror series with style, making what is one of the greatest sequels of all time when he directed Aliens. Taking things in a more action-focused direction than its 1979 predecessor, it’s perhaps less definable as a horror movie. Still, it never forgets to keep the tension high and still manages to provide plenty of terrifying sequences.

Those who want pure horror may feel a little disappointed, but for anyone who likes the action and horror genres colliding, Aliens is an essential piece of filmmaking. From the increasingly tense and chaotic narrative to its all-time great lead performance from Sigourney Weaver, Aliens has everything fans could ever want out of a large-scale horror/thriller/action movie.

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12 ‘Diabolique’ (1955)

Letterboxd Rating: 4.2/5

It’s possible to describe Diabolique in many ways. It’s a unique and gripping take on gothic horror, one of the best French-language movies of all time, and perhaps one of the best movies from the 1950s. It’s mysterious, dark, dripping with atmosphere, and continually exciting, holding up much better than the vast majority of horror films that are around the same age.

With its focus on psychological thrills and frights, perhaps the less said about the plot, the better. Generally, it revolves around a murder and the madness caused in its aftermath when a supposedly dead body mysteriously vanishes. Diabolique is surreal and does a great job of putting the viewer into the increasingly tortured minds of its main characters, cementing it asan uncanny and appropriately eerie viewing experience that’s hard to shake once seen.

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11 ‘Get Out’ (2017)

Letterboxd Rating: 4.2/5

An expertly written horror/thriller film with some great social commentary, Get Out stands as one of the best horror movies of the 21st century so far. It’s about a young Black man meeting the parents of his white girlfriend; what begins as a slightly uncomfortable experience eventually reveals itself to be genuinely terrifying and potentially deadly.

Get Out was a surprise hit upon release, considering it was written and directed by Jordan Peele, then mostly well-known for his comedy. Get Out immediately established him as one of the most exciting filmmakers working within the horror genre, and he’s since made two more ambitious and exciting horror films, 2019’s Us and 2022’s Nope.

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10 ‘Demons’ (1971)

Letterboxd Rating: 4.2/5

Of all the horror movies on Letterboxd that hold an average rating of 4.0/5 or higher, the Japanese film Demons is easily one of the most obscure and shouldn’t be mixed up with the 1985 Italian possession horror movie of the same name. Demons is an engaging and effectively nightmarish movie that combines horror elements with samurai drama in a storyline that centers on a lone samurai, or ronin, seeking revenge after his money’s stolen by a geisha.

A particularly dark and brutal horror movie, Demons is an exercise in brutal and all-consuming revenge, with the ensuing violence impacting the entire cast for the worst. Demons can be a slow, challenging, and grisly viewing experience, but it’s undeniably visceral and hard to shake once seen, making it hold up as an expertly made horror film.

9 ‘Kwaidan’ (1964)

Letterboxd Rating: 4.2/5

Few horror movies run for three hours, but Kwaidan just so happens to be a wholly unique example of the genre. It’s an anthology film with a large scope and ambition, telling four different stories across its epic runtime, each approximately 40 to 50 minutes long. These stories are derived from Japanese folktales, making Kwaidan an early example of a great folk horror movie.

As such, those who find the idea of a three-hour horror movie scarier than any of the horror contained within can rest assured – Kwaidan can be easily watched in as many as four different sittings. Kwaidan deservedly stands as one of the greatest Japanese horror movies of all time and puts several folk tales on screen with creative visuals and a bold sense of style.

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8 ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ (1968)

Letterboxd Rating: 4.2/5

There have been plenty of horror movies exploring the terrors of parenthood, but few are as iconic as Rosemary’s Baby. This 1960s classic follows the titular Rosemary and her husband, Guy, as they move into a new apartment building and encounter some strange neighbors who appear particularly interested in Rosemary’s pregnancy.

It purposefully leaves its protagonist and the audience in the dark for much of the movie. This slow-burn approach ends up working wonders, ensuring the film’s final act packs a serious punch. Rosemary’s Baby is a timeless horror movie expertly crafted in just about every way, deservedly enduring to this day as a classic of the genre.

Watch on AMC+

7 ‘The Cremator’ (1969)

Letterboxd Rating: 4.2/5

The kind of horror film that’s probably too distinct and strange to remake, The Cremator is another classic piece of horror cinema that’s loved on Letterboxd but fairly obscure outside it. It combines horror with some very dark comedy, following a Czechoslovakian man named Mr. Kopfrkingl who provides for his family by working at a crematorium.

Things get progressively more disturbing and more horror-focused as the film goes on, with The Cremator ultimately revealing itself as a bleak work of satire that shows how people can be influenced and then corrupted by certain ideologies. Some of the imagery in The Cremator can be horrifying, but the troubling idea that people who seem ordinary can harbor some truly dark thoughts is even scarier – especially when those thoughts eventually manifest as violent actions.

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6 ‘Cure’ (1997)

Letterboxd Rating: 4.2/5

Cure is one of those movies whose appreciation increases as the years go on despite being initially well-received. It’s a hard-hitting and heavy-going mash-up of horror, drama, crime, and mystery genres, and centers on a string of very strange murders affecting Tokyo and the ways that investigating this case takes a toll on the detectives assigned to it.

Slow and steady but never boring, it builds to a fittingly dramatic and shocking final act. Cure feels straightforward in some ways yet remarkably complex in others, and for those who are fans of Japanese horror wanting to see something a little different from the typical Ring or Grudge film, Cure is undeniably worth checking out.

Watch on Criterion Channel

5 ‘The Shining’ (1980)

Letterboxd Rating: 4.3/5

What happens when one of the most acclaimed directors of all time tries his hand at making a horror movie, despite not being known for making horror movies, and succeeds? The best-case scenario is something like The Shining, a movie that came out in 1980 and still managed to be one of the year’s highlights.

It tells what sounds like it might be a clichéd story: a family goes to stay at a deserted hotel after the father gets a caretaking job during the off-season, only for everyone to become affected by the isolation and ghostly forces. By expertly blending psychological and supernatural horror, The Shining successfully becomes one of the all-time greats of the horror genre and tends to be beloved by everyone – well, except Stephen King.

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4 ‘Alien’ (1979)

Letterboxd Rating: 4.3/5

Its simple title befits its simple premise, but in no way can Alien be called “just” another straightforward horror movie. It takes a direct story about isolation and survival against a terrifying force in space and does all it can with it, making for a suspenseful and effectively nerve-wracking mix of sci-fi and horror.

Since 1979, Alien has become a franchise, and though it has an excellent and action-packed sequel, the rest of the films have proven more divisive. Still, few would argue that the first isn’t a classic horror film, and there’s a good reason why it’s considered one of the genre’s definitive titles. Elevated by the stellar work of a brilliant cast, Alien is a thrilling survival horror story that cements space as the ultimate horror setting.

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3 ‘Psycho’ (1960)

Letterboxd Rating: 4.3/5

It’s not a controversial statement to say that Alfred Hitchcock revolutionized the horror genre in 1960 with the release of Psycho. There were plenty of noteworthy horror movies released before, and some even hold up to this date. However, few come close to Psycho’s impact or its now-infamous ability to shock viewers who don’t know what they’re in for.

Of course, the plot twists are quite well known nowadays, but it’s still easy to appreciate Psycho for its brazenness and the way it tries to keep viewers on their toes as much as possible. It’s also entertaining and stylish, and though it has some tough competition, it’s easy to understand why it’s considered one of Hitchcock’s very best.

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2 ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ (1992)

Letterboxd Rating: 4.3/5

Letterboxd sometimes changes genre tags for certain movies. As of recently, it’s now marked The Silence of the Lambs as a horror movie. As such, it’s instantly found itself ranking near the top of Letterboxd’s highest-rated horror movies. Regardless of whether fans call it a horror movie or a crime/thriller film, one thing’s for sure: The Silence of the Lambs is an absolute classic.

It features arguably Anthony Hopkins’s best performance and one of Jodie Foster’s most celebrated roles. The former plays a dangerous imprisoned serial killer and cannibal who may be able to help the latter find another killer at large. The dynamic between the two makes for some fascinating and intense scenes, as does the slow build toward an unforgettable climax. The horror genre rarely gets as exciting or challenging as The Silence of the Lambs.

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1 ‘The Thing’ (1982)

Letterboxd Rating: 4.3/5

The Thing is the highest-rated horror movie on Letterboxd, a surprise, considering its initial chilly reception by critics and audiences. It infamously wasn’t well received upon release, building up a steady audience in the years since. The Thing is now seen as an essential work of horror and science-fiction and one of John Carpenter’s defining masterpieces.

It’s a paranoia-filled movie about a shape-shifting alien targeting a team of isolated researchers in Antarctica and what happens when they begin to realize they can no longer trust anyone else. The Thingis expertly crafted, genuinely suspenseful, and has some practical effects that still look incredible, ensuring it’s deserving of being the top horror movie on Letterboxd.

Watch on Peacock

NEXT: The Scariest Sci-Fi Movies of All Time, Ranked