#Classic Horror Movies for People Who Think They Hate Classic Horror

October is defined in Webster’s Dictionary as “31 days of horror.” Don’t bother looking it up; it’s true. Most people take that to mean highlighting one horror movie a day, but here at FSR, we’ve taken that up a spooky notch or nine by celebrating each day with a top ten list. This article about the best classic horror movies is part of our ongoing series 31 Days of Horror Lists.

Blame it on bad English teachers or dull episodes of Masterpiece Theater, but somewhere along the way the world generally decided that “the classics” were boring. Some folks even go so far as to say they hate the classics, which, frankly, I don’t find entirely surprising, even from horror fans. Classic horror movies don’t have the same flashy editing and gory deaths you come to expect from your favorite ’80s slasher, so you write them off as being slow and stuffy, and you refocus your attention on your conspiracy theories about the Man in Black in Halloween 5.

But the differences between classic and modern horror movies are exactly why you should get excited about these older titles. Just consider all of the ways these movies managed to scare their audiences for decades. Their horror had to be more cerebral, more suggestive, focusing on a deep sense of unease that is supported by the heavily stylized design elements that the filmmakers used in order to bring their ghouls and ghosts to life. These movies couldn’t rely on the scare tactics that modern horror can, so they got clever and found inventive ways to burrow themselves deep under your skin.

Instead of giving you a “Beginners Guide” to the must-see classics you probably already know about, this selection of pre-1970s horror movies chosen by Anna Swanson, Brad Gullickson, Chris Coffel, Kieran Fisher, Meg Shields, Rob Hunter, Valerie Ettenhofer, and me exemplify just how subversive and daring classic horror has always been. Put on your reading glasses, and let’s learn a thing or two about the best classic horror movies for folks who think they won’t like the classics.

10. Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

The weirder and sadder follow up to James Whale’s classic 1931 Frankenstein does what every sequel should: it surpasses the original. Where the first film acted as a straightforward reimagining of Mary Shelley’s novel, Bride of Frankenstein adds in pulpy gothic elements to make a more macabre and subversive story than what modern audiences may be expecting, like Mephistophelian mad scientist Dr. Pretorius (Ernest Thesiger) and his tiny “experiments” that are a clear inspiration for Charles Band’s Puppet Master series. The monster (Boris Karloff), while still sympathetic, also feels significantly more violent, racking up a body count by yeeting villagers off of watermills in the first ten minutes alone. The titular Bride (Elsa Lancaster) is best remembered for her iconic makeup and shock of hair, but it’s Lancaster’s striking physicality and muted screams that give the character an uneasy quality that still remains effective today and helps make the intensely cerebral finale feel modern in its bleakness.

The post-modern queer readings on the film also subvert the idea of what these classic monster movies can represent. James Whale was openly gay, and many have interpreted conscious and subconscious queer themes throughout the film, namely in the Monster’s relationship with the blind hermit and in the camp sensibility of Dr. Pretorious. Whale took Shelley’s ideas of “gods and monsters” and improved on them in such a way that his story is now inextricably bound to the original novel. As Shelley (also played by Lancaster) says in the prologue, “The audience needs something a little stronger than a love story.” Whale absolutely agreed. (Jacob Trussell)

9. Cat People (1942)

Every relationship has its struggles, whether it’s communication, jealousy, or one party being stricken with the fear that they’ll be compelled by ancient Serbian witchcraft to maul the other should they consummate their marriage. Y’know, the usual things. Jacques Tourneur’s most well-known film is also one of the most richly original and well-crafted examples of classic horror. With beautiful, shadowy cinematography and a firm grasp of how to expertly create tension, Cat People is a must-see for genre fans and cinephiles alike. (Anna Swanson)

8. House on Haunted Hill (1959)

So you’re not a fan of classic horror, eh? Maybe the black-and-white doesn’t do it for you? Please, allow me to introduce you to my snazzy friend Vincent. You’ll probably recognize his iconic voice and stylish ‘stache. Throughout his illustrious career, Vincent Price starred in countless horror classics, often working with some of the genre’s most important directors. Perhaps his most famous partnership was with William Castle, and in 1959 they came together for arguably their greatest achievement. Price plays an eccentric millionaire who rents a haunted mansion and invites five people to a party in which they will each receive $10,000 if they can last the entire night.

House on Haunted Hill isn’t a scary movie by any means, but it has all the elements that make the genre so beloved. There’s a spooky atmosphere filled with cheesy but fun B-grade haunted house effects, and Prince is having the time of his life hamming things up. It contains just the perfect balance of camp and creep, making it an excellent choice for a cool, dark October evening. And once you watch it you’ll want to seek out more Price and more Castle, and before you know it, you’ll be diving headfirst down a classic horror rabbit hole. (Chris Coffel)

7. Carnival of Souls (1962)

Nightmare logic, deep metaphors, double meanings, and twist endings are qualities we come to expect from our modern slate of popular horror films, but they wouldn’t have a leg to stand in if it wasn’t for the daddy of all “elevated” – and independent – frights: Carnival of Souls, which was devised and directed by regional Kansas filmmaker Herk Hervey. The quality that makes it such a classic is a deeply effective atmosphere that is so thick with tension you could cut it with a knife. Modern audiences may be able to predict the ending, but that’s only because you’ve unknowingly seen movies that Carnival of Souls inspired, from Silent Hill to The Sixth Sense.

The film was discounted for decades after its release because it was lost to the public domain, forcing it into the unwanted company of Z-grade entertainment when it should have been rubbing shoulders alongside the finest horror of the 1960s. Since the late 1980s however, Carnival of Souls has rightfully found its place in the pantheon of horror classics due to its powerful surrealist storytelling, eerie organ score, and haunting art direction. Carnival of Souls may not necessarily scare the hardened viewer, but it should move you by the clear imagination and talent behind the lens that created such an enduring piece of art. (Jacob Trussell)

6. The Night of the Hunter (1955)

When Charles Laughton‘s The Night of the Hunter gets talked about, the focus is often how it was the actor’s single directorial effort. That’s true, and for a “one and done” filmography, it’s incredibly impressive. But just as stunning is its ongoing power to terrify and ratchet up the tension. Robert Mitchum plays a rare villainous role and goes all in creating an oppressively ominous threat for those in his way — and currently, those potential victims are a pair of young children. Harry Powell (Mitchum) is a “preacher” who uses people’s fear of God as a means to control them, and as he manipulates his way into one family’s lives, the suspense dials up with nerve-shredding accuracy. Laughton’s film is nearly seventy-years-old but it’s every bit as smartly aware when it comes to the human inventions that are religion and faith, and having children be the ones to see through the ruse first is the icing on its blackly cynical cake. (Rob Hunter)

5. Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)

Jack Arnold’s Creature from the Black Lagoon is a tale of monstrous humans and humane monsters. Of interloping geologists traipsing into unknown territory and of a curious creature who, pushed to defend himself and his river, behaves the way we expect monsters to behave. Creature from the Black Lagoon is ecological horror by way of Lovecraft, a tragedy of human interference and a deft reminder that, of course, there are things about this planet that are, and ought to remain, unknown to us. Despite being the Universal Monster with the fewest credits to his name, Gill Man is one of the most artful creature designs in Hollywood history, realized by the skilled hand of Disney animator Millicent Patrick and brought to life by Ricou Browning, the stuntman under the suit. Shot starkly in black and white, this is an accusatory, melancholic film that never registers as shlock. It is ponderous, guilty, and less than hopeful about humanity’s ability to live in harmony with things it can’t understand. (Meg Shields)

4. Rosemary’s Baby (1968)

The fact that one of horror’s most essential masterpieces — a film that looks deeply and unflinchingly at issues of women’s bodily autonomy — is directed by Roman Polanski is a sick twist worthy of a horror film itself. Nonetheless, it’s impossible to leave Rosemary’s Baby out of any horror syllabus worth its own salt. Mia Farrow brings Ira Levin’s devilish tale to life as poor Rosemary Woodhouse, who moves into her dream apartment, becomes pregnant, and then begins to get the sense that her life is being ominously controlled by the people around her. Rosemary’s husband, doctor, and elderly neighbors all seem to be in on the conspiracy in a storyline that has inspired hundreds of gaslight-themed genre imitators. The result is an atmosphere of choking terror that lays bare the institutional patriarchy of the 1960s and signs off with a reveal that’ll chill God-fearing viewers to the bone. (Valerie Ettenhofer)

3. Psycho (1960)

You know the music, you know the villain, and you likely know every little thing that happens in Psycho, but that doesn’t negate just how electric Alfred Hitchcock‘s seminal film still plays today. It has layers of dread sewn into every frame as we watch Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) pull up to the Bates Motel for the first time. We may be yelling at the screen for her to get out of Norman Bates’ (Anthony Perkins) parlor, but what we take for granted is just how unexpected it is that our heroine gets knifed midway through the film. This was the cinematic left turn – similar to the decapitation in Hereditary – that shoves its audience off-balance, unsure of who they can trust, be it the characters, or their creators. We put the puzzle pieces together quickly, but not enough to account for what we learn in the shocking conclusion as we stare into the gaping maw of the corpse of Mama Bates. There’s a lot that hasn’t aged well in Psycho – namely the psycho-sexual element of its villain – but overwhelmingly this classic horror movie still manages to strike queasy terror that is as thrilling as it is horrifying, sixty years later. (Jacob Trussell)

2. Night of the Living Dead (1968)

We all have that friend. “I don’t do zombies,” they say. Sure, okay. The last twenty years of gut-munching gluttony would sour any stomach. Five seconds of the Walking Dead television series could transform any squeamish personality into a zombie-phobe. When you hand them Night of the Living Dead, ease their mind. George Romero’s black-and-white flick may have spawned an infinite pool of gore, but it remains a thoughtful and tremendously powerful confrontation with humanity. Night of the Living Dead knows our wretched hearts so well, and in its reflection, we are given a chance to change. We’re all in this hellscape together. We must find a way to work as a team and fight our most fearful, selfish desires. (Brad Gullickson)

1. Blood and Black Lace (1964)

Blood and Black Lace is an essential movie. In addition to inspiring the countless giallo movies that followed in its wake, it also informed American slasher films during their formative years. Essentially, Blood and Black Lace paved the way for two of the most important subgenres in the history of horror, and that’s not an understatement. By no means was Mario Bava’s Italian murder-mystery the first of its kind, but it’s an early trendsetter that captured the imagination more than most. Murder has never looked this pretty either. (Kieran Fisher)