RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Check out the new RT Community
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Features
  • | Columns
  • | Guides
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
News
RT's Top 50 Horror Movie List Unmasked
Check out the best-reviewed horror movies of all time!
by Rachel Sandor | October 10, 2007
Discuss Article
Halloween is a great time for three of life's essential pleasures -- pigging out on candy, dressing up in a fun costume, and watching an obscene amount of horror movies. Thankfully, Rotten Tomatoes' Top 50 Horror Movies list has arrived, showcasing the best-reviewed horror movies of all time!

Although our list has scares galore, plenty of our picks do much more than cause nightmares. Some will make you laugh (Shaun of the Dead), jump out of your seat (Carrie), be amazed by breathtaking cinematography (28 Days Later), and bear witness to some great performances (Kathy Bates in Misery and Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs).



I made the RT Top 50 Horror Movie List! And I only had to sacrifice a dozen online critics!

Our list will hopefully inspire you to check out those classic horror flicks you may not have seen in a while, like the original A Nightmare on Elm Street, where a young Johnny Depp meets his maker. There are also plenty of lesser known horror gems for you to discover, like Canada's teen werewolf tale, Ginger Snaps. Although some horror fan favorites (The Shining and Scream) didn't make the cut, we've still got zombie flesh-fests (Dawn of the Dead), some German expressionism (The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari) and bizarre off-kilter thrills (Cat People).

So get on your costume, munch on a candy apple, and brace yourself. Rotten Tomatoes' Top 50 Horror Movie list is here!

CHECK OUT THE FULL LIST HERE!

Related Items
Movie: Shaun of the Dead
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Dawn of the Dead
Scream
The Shining
Ginger Snaps
Cat People
Silence of the Lambs
Misery
28 Days Later
Carrie
Celeb: Anthony Hopkins
Kathy Bates
Johnny Depp
Bookmark and Share
Comments (1-20 of 32 posts) | Reply
Bruce Campbell
Bruce Campbell writes:
on Oct 10 2007 06:31 PM

Evil Dead I and II were in the top 10.

Epic.



(Reply to this)
Metafact
Metafact writes:
on Oct 10 2007 08:19 PM

Psycho at #1? Not bad, but not having The Silence of the Lambs, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Halloween, and The Exorcist in the top ten? For shame...

(Reply to this)
stork-lor
stork-lor writes:
on Oct 10 2007 08:25 PM

The Exorcist and Halloween aren't in the top ten???

Pointless.


(Reply to this)
Now it's dark
Now it's dark writes:
on Oct 10 2007 08:55 PM

Did not expect to see David Lynch and Guy Madden in there.

(Reply to this)
whathaveicreated
whathaveicreated writes:
on Oct 10 2007 10:12 PM

the exorcist needs to be WAY higher on the list! and the shining didn't even make this list? what the hell?

(Reply to this)
Jen Yamato
Jen Yamato writes:
on Oct 10 2007 10:54 PM

Blame it on the reviews! Just think, if your favorite good horror movies didn't make it, the ones that did might be even better...right?

(Reply to this)
aknddon3
aknddon3 writes:
on Oct 11 2007 01:32 AM

Shaun of the Dead is not even a horror movie and no way is it or 25 movies better than Halloween, that should be in the top 5. Why is shaun considered a horror movie but Jaws is not?

(Reply to this)
alsanali
alsanali writes:
on Oct 11 2007 03:38 AM

If The Shining didn't even make it on the list, I won't even bother reading it.

(Reply to this)
Vicens17
Vicens17 writes:
on Oct 11 2007 03:49 AM

wtf? Shaun of the Dead was good, but #3 on the Top 50 horror movies? I beg to differ.

Halloween, The Exorcist, Jaws, Poltergeist, I could go on, all deserve to be in the top 50. The only good decisions she did make on her list were the Evil Dead movies and Psycho.


(Reply to this)
Vicens17
Vicens17 writes:
on Oct 11 2007 03:50 AM

I meant top 10, haha.

(Reply to this)
Bruce Campbell
Bruce Campbell writes:
on Oct 11 2007 04:35 AM

Has Rotten Tomatoes ever had a good list?

(Reply to this)
Gimy
Gimy writes:
on Oct 11 2007 06:05 AM

i worked backwards, clicked all the way to #1..psycho, good call. lost respect for this list when i saw the Descent at #22...and stopped clicking after i saw Blair Witch. good marketing doesn't make a good movie guys, plain and simple...it was PURELY marketing. EVERYBODY believed it was true and thats the only reason people went to see it, and the fact that the actors and creators REFUSED for awhile to acknowledge it or flat out COME OUT and say it was fake...was a nice(stupid in the long run) ploy. case in point, the sequel made NOTHING and the trilogy was scrapped. great marketing...sh3t movie. the descent was a chic flick...nothing less, nothing more. not having Scream in the top 25 was stupid. these lists are dumb...

(Reply to this)
pota1967
pota1967 writes:
on Oct 11 2007 06:14 AM

Oh, I get it. Its not really the 50 Best Horror Films but the best "Reviewed". IMO there is a difference.
I have been suckered in to seeing some of the good reviewed horror movies in recent years only to be disappointed.



(Reply to this)
Bruce Campbell
Bruce Campbell writes:
on Oct 11 2007 08:21 AM

I love how when people don't like a great movie (like the Blairwitch Project or The Descent) they always come up with the most ****y reasons why it's bad.



(Reply to this)
cooperbob
cooperbob writes:
on Oct 11 2007 09:13 AM

not a bad list all things considered. i do have some quibbles of course...the excorcist is far too low. it should probably be # 1 to be honest. Any list of horror movies that doesn't cantain the exorcist, halloween, and night and dawn of the dead is automatically suspect. and though they are good movies, night of the hunter and ESPECIALLY silence of the lambs ARE NOT HORROR. Not at all. I wish reviewers would realize this. And I also missed The Haunting and The Changeling, two great ghost movies. still not bad all around.

(Reply to this)
cooperbob
cooperbob writes:
on Oct 11 2007 09:14 AM

oh yeah, and to agree with other posters, not having the shining on the list is criminal.

(Reply to this)
nogard46
nogard46 writes:
on Oct 11 2007 09:20 AM

I know its best reveiewed but that list is void in my eyes, how can it not have the Shinning??? I was expecting that to be in the top 5!!! The Changeling should be in the top 10, The Omen? Poltregeist??? How about An American Werewolf thats a classic!!!

If it can have Shaun of the dead then it can have GhostBusters!

the Grudge should have made it maybe atleast 50 or something.

Blairwitch should be in the top 10


(Reply to this)
bobtom
bobtom writes:
on Oct 11 2007 10:36 AM

all of this makes me nervous to even look at the list

(Reply to this)
Scarborough Fair
Scarborough Fair writes:
on Oct 11 2007 12:05 PM

Shaun of the Dead is indeed a horror movie, and it got really good reviews. This is a list of the BEST REVIEWED horror films.

(Reply to this)
bobtom
bobtom writes:
on Oct 11 2007 12:30 PM

so if shaun of the dead is a comedy, then so is scary movie 1-?

(Reply to this)
Read More Comments
Page | 1 2
Post Your Comment
You must be registered to post comments. Login or Register.

Related Links

A Nightmare on Elm Street
  • Pictures
  • Posters
  • News
  • Forum

Related Articles

  • Five Favourite Films with Wes Craven (26)
  • Look Inside the New Nightmare's Script Opens in new window (0)
  • A Director on Elm Street? Opens in new window (8)
  • Nightmare on Elm Street Reboot Targets Early 2010 Opens in new window (11)
  • Platinum Dunes Producers Talk Elm Street Reboot Opens in new window (4)
  • The Blair Witch Project 10 Years On with Directors Ed Sanchez and Dan Myrick (29)
  • Weekly Ketchup: Kung Fu Panda 2, Wheel of Time and more (18)
  • New Nightmare on Elm Street Is Craven-Free Opens in new window (11)
  • Platinum Dunes Planning Rosemary's Baby Remake (44)
  • Robert Englund Talks Nightmare on Elm Street Reboot (23)

Most Discussed

  • Deconstructing Harry, Day 1: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (67)
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Transformers and Ice Age Tie for Top Spot (59)
  • Weekly Ketchup: Universal Takes on Asteroids (46)
  • Deconstructing Harry, Day 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (41)
  • Five Favorite Films with Kathryn Bigelow (39)
  • Total Recall: Mock Docs That Rock (35)
  • Critics Consensus: Bruno is Certified Fresh (34)
  • RT on DVD: Knowing, Push, The Unborn Unleashed (26)
  • Five Favourite Films with Jaime Winstone (19)
  • Watch RT on Current TV (6)

Latest News

  • Deconstructing Harry, Day 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (41)
  • Critics Consensus: Bruno is Certified Fresh (34)
  • Box Office Guru Preview: Audiences in Style with Brüno (3)
  • Total Recall: Mock Docs That Rock (35)
  • Five Favourite Films with Jaime Winstone (19)
  • Deconstructing Harry, Day 1: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (67)
  • Five Favorite Films with Kathryn Bigelow (39)
  • RT on DVD: Knowing, Push, The Unborn Unleashed (26)
  • Win a Trip to the Premiere of Paper Heart! (3)
  • Watch RT on Current TV (6)

Latest Interviews

  • RT Interview: Director Carlos Cuaron on Rudo and Cursi (0)
  • RT Interview: Tony Scott on The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (10)
  • Cannes 2009: RT Interview - Sally Hawkins on We Want Sex (2)
  • RT Interview: Tilda Swinton on Julia (5)
  • Hollywood Legend Debbie Reynolds Reflects On her Life in Showbiz (10)
  • Exclusive: McG Talks Terminator Salvation (24)
  • Georgia Groome - Fresh Talent on RT (5)
  • RT Interview: Reading The Reader with Stephen Daldry (11)
  • RT Interview: Oscar Nominee Melissa Leo (7)
  • Carey Mulligan - Fresh Talent on RT (7)

Latest Features

  • Five Favourite Films with Jaime Winstone (19)
  • Five Favorite Films with Kathryn Bigelow (39)
  • Blood: The Last Vampire -- Exclusive Concept Art and Artist Profile (14)
  • Five Favorite Films with Fred Durst (87)
  • Edinburgh 2009: RT's 10 Must-See Movies (10)
  • Five Favourite Films with Diego Luna (8)
  • Five Favourite Films with Gael Garcia Bernal (8)
  • Who's Who in Transformers 2? A Visual Guide (161)
  • Five Favorite Films with Antonio Banderas (39)
  • Five Favorite Films with Betty White (31)

Sponsored Links

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.