Best Scary Movies of All Time

Spooky, scary movies have a thrill of their own, and one that is simply incomparable or unmatched as compared to movies of other genres. When it comes to scary Hollywood movies, I too (as would have been the case with many others) have had a couple of really spooky, creepy and almost horrifying viewing experiences (although in hindsight, I must confess, that they were rather exciting as well!). Anyway, making a list of the scariest movies is quite a daunting task, to say the least. Who knows? If I end up leaving him out of the list, a furious Frankenstein may just pay me a midnight visit and demand an explanation! However, jokes aside, here is a completely personal list of some of the best horror flicks that have made even the most strong-hearted flinch in terror. Enjoy!

The Ring
Released in 2002, this horror flick was directed by Gore Verbinski. It was based on the novel 'Ring' by Koji Suzuki and it starred Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, David Dorfman, Daveigh Chase and Brian Cox, among others. Made on a budget of $48 million, the film was a huge commercial hit all across the globe and it raked in close to $250 million.

The Omen
The 'Omen' series of films have a horror element of their own. The first film in the series was made in the year 1976 and was directed by Richard Donner. There were three movies as part of the Omen series of films, the last of which was released in the year 1981. However, the first movie of the series was later remade and was released on 6th June, 2006 (6-6-6). It was a huge commercial success and it made in excess of $118 million.

The Exorcist
Often referred to (and voted) as the scariest movie of all time, 'The Exorcist', which was originally released in 1973, was again re-released in the year 2000. It has grossed over $400 million till date. Directed by William Friedkin and starring Linda Blair, Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Jason Miller, Lee Cobb and Mercedes McCambridge, this is one super scary movie that you don't wanna miss.

The Silence of the Lambs
Hannibal Lecter (the character played by Anthony Hopkins) became a global talking point after this 1991, Jonathan Demme directed film. Also starring Jodie Foster, Scott Glenn and Ted Levine, the film won 5 Oscars and has been labeled as a 'horror masterpiece' by some. In fact, in 2003, the American Film Institute chose the character of Hannibal Lecter as being the 'number one film villain of all time'.

The Shining
'The Shining' is another legendary horror film and one which over the years, has developed a massive fan following. Starring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall and Danny Lloyd among others, this Stanley Kubrick directed film was released in the early part of 1980. Till date, the film has grossed over $90 million.

Jaws
The first part of this four-movie series was directed by none other than Steven Spielberg. It featured a first-of-its-kind villain, the infamous 'shark'. The shark's brutal attacks on the residents of Amity Island and the efforts of Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw to harpoon it, made for some intense and nail-biting viewing.

In addition to the aforementioned scary movies, the following films also rank quite highly. Take a look:

• Psycho (1960)
• The Haunting (1963)
• Rosemary's Baby (1968)
• Alien (1979)
• The Sixth Sense (1999)
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
• The Innocents (1961)
• Halloween (1978)
• The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
• Friday the 13th (1980)
• 28 Days Later (2002)
• Scream (1996)
• House of Wax (2005)
• The Thing (1982)
• Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Well, that's all for the time being. If you're a scary movie enthusiast, make sure that you get hold of a copy of one of these DVD movies at the earliest! Ciao!