Just like music and fashion, every generation has a distinct taste in movies – and that goes double for horror movies. Fear itself doesn’t change, but the things that make us leave the lights on at night most certainly do. To celebrate a century of terrifying films, let’s revisit some of the most iconic horror movies from the last ten decades!
1920s: Nosferatu (1922)
Easily one of the most iconic film vampires ever created, Murnau’s masterpiece remains an icon of horror cinema. Its fangs might not pierce quite as deeply today, but Robert Eggers’ recent reinterpretation proved that this story still has bite.
1930s: Frankenstein (1931)
The 30s brought classic literature monsters to life on the silver screen, but only a handful are as memorable as James Whale’s Frankenstein. Boris Karloff offered us a creature that was sympathetic but flawed, defying the notion that horror was just cheap thrills and spooky shadows.
1940s: Cat People (1942)
Eerie and provocative, Cat People was truly ahead of its time. Instead of focusing on monsters or creatures, the film used psychological tension, establishing the foundations of the modern jump scare as we know it today.
1950s: Godzilla (1954)
Though seeing a giant rubber monster smashing its way through Tokyo now might not be anyone’s idea of “horror,” audiences in post-war Japan thought very differently. Beyond the rubber suit, Godzilla offered a sharp commentary on the horrors of nuclear war, proving that the horror genre could be a powerful tool for social commentary.
1960s: Psycho (1960)
Directed by the one and only Alfred Hitchcock, Psycho features truly unforgettable twists, keeping you guessing all the way through its unsettling plot. That infamous shower scene remains a masterclass in restrained terror – still as effective today as it was in 1960.
1970s: The Exorcist (1973)
Still one of the scariest horror films ever made, no contest. From Regan’s creepy face to the iconic “head spin” scene – not to mention the horror stories surrounding the film’s production – The Exorcist is as timeless as a horror movie can get.
1980s: The Shining (1980)
For a decade that thrived on slasher flicks and gory zombie movies, The Shining’s restraint seems almost out of touch with the zeitgeist. That said, Kubrick’s haunting adaptation (which Stephen King still dislikes) arguably surpasses even its source material.
1990s: Scream (1996)
Gen X was way too cool to get scared, which means that horror movies had to get smarter to get them. Scream satirized the genre and created one of the most iconic slasher villains in the process.
2000s: Saw (2004)
The new millennium brought a renewed interest in gruesome gorefests, and Saw’s malicious death traps were unlike anything audiences had ever seen, defying expectations – and good taste – with each increasingly violent sequel.
2010s: The Witch (2015)
Jordan Peele’s Get Out resurrected horror as a tool for biting social commentary, but Robert Eggers’ The Witch ushered in the decade of “elevated horror” that allowed films like Hereditary and Talk to Me to prosper. A slow burn, but an era-defining one.
2020s: Talk to Me (2023)
Talk to Me doesn’t waste time holding your hand—except, you know, the cursed embalmed one. Aussie twins Danny and Michael Philippou deliver a sharp jolt of modern horror as Sophie Wilde and crew play ghost roulette. Creepy, clever, and unsettlingly fun, it’s proof practical effects still pack the biggest punch.
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