Best Classic Horror Film: Here are the 5 most important horror movies ever in honour of Halloween

1970s – The Exorcist

It is fair to say that 2023 sequel has been widely panned by critics, but there's no doubting 1974's The Exorcist is one of the finest pieces of cinema ever made, let alone finest horrors.

Arguably the late, great William Friedkin’s masterpiece, the story of Regan MacNeil’s demonic possession will still be talked about decades from now as audiences continue to be shocked, amazed and inspired by an all time classic that redefined what was possible at the cinema.

1980s – Nightmare On Elm Street

Imagine – or perhaps dream -of a world without Wes Craven’s character of Freddy Krueger. Arguably the most well-known horror villain ever, he was pushed into the limelight on the film’s release in 1984. Played by the excellent Robert Englund, the film terrified audiences across the globe and many sequels later is still seen as a staple of any Halloween party.

1990s – Scream

A whole 12 years on from Elm Street, Craven brought forward another one-in-a-decade horror villain who is still slashing away 26 years later: Ghostface. The film that not only terrified and entertained, Scream also gave viewers a history lesson in horror that reignited the genre after its downward turn at the beginning of the 1990s. It also turbocharged the careers of a number of Hollywood’s biggest names including Courtney Cox and Neve Campbell.

2000s – Paranormal Activity

Packed with full-throttle jump scares and genuine horror filled anxiety, the franchise gave a new lease of life to found footage horror that was going stale following its boom in the mid-to-late 90s.

Present day – The Babadook

This was a hotly-contest choice, with Get Out, Hereditary and It Follows all staking a claim to be the best horror of the past decade. However, we’re going for Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook. Summed up best by Friedkin himself who said he had “never seen a more terrifying film”, adding “it will scare the hell out of you as it did me."