As Halloween approaches, it’s the perfect time to start planning your movie marathon. Here are 10 iconic horror films from the last 70 years, along with insights from AP writers about their initial releases.
We’ve resurrected excerpts from the original reviews, edited for clarity—did these films withstand the test of time?
“Rear Window” (1954)
Alfred Hitchcock executes a brilliant trick with “Rear Window.” He breaks his hero’s leg and positions him at an apartment window, allowing him to observe a murder taking place across the courtyard. The lives of others unfold before us, all seen through the eyes of a Peeping Tom.
James Stewart, Grace Kelly, and Thelma Ritter contribute to the fun.
— Bob Thomas
“Halloween” (1978)
At just 19 years old, Jamie Lee Curtis stars in the chilling thriller “Halloween.” Prior to this, her biggest achievement was her role on the TV series “Operation Petticoat.” “Halloween,” however, is a much prouder moment for her, even if it leans into the exploitation genre.
The film, conceptualized by independent producer Irwin Yablans, revolves around a babysitter and a madman who escapes from an asylum to murder his sister’s friends.
— Bob Thomas
“The Silence of the Lambs” (1991)
“The Silence of the Lambs” is a relentless sequence of nail-biting tension. Jonathan Demme spares no details, even including close-ups of skinned corpses. Those who are squeamish might want to opt for “The Cosby Show” instead.
Ted Tally’s adaptation of Thomas Harris’s novel is masterful, twisting suspense to near breaking points. The climactic confrontation between Clarice Starling and Buffalo Bill is undeniably thrilling, featuring exceptional performances from Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins.
— Bob Thomas
“Scream” (1996)
This clever, witty homage to the horror genre sees students at a suburban California high school being murdered in ways reminiscent of their favorite slasher films.
Unlike typical horror scripts, “Scream” — penned by newcomer David Williamson — is both terrifying and humorous, delivering an intelligent, taut thriller that nods generously to its predecessors in gore.
— Ned Kilkelly
“The Blair Witch Project” (1999)
Described as imaginative and intense, “The Blair Witch Project” is presented as found footage from three student filmmakers who disappear while documenting a legendary witch in the woods of Maryland.
The filmmakers want the audience to believe in the authenticity of the footage and the story, even though it’s fictional. Eduardo Sanchez and Dan Myrick skillfully lead us to the edge of belief, making it an ambitious and well-executed concept.
— Christy Lemire
“Saw” (2004)
“Saw” is consistent but not in a good way. This serial-killer tale is poorly plotted, acted, and directed, culminating in a surprise ending that falls flat. The music is equally uninspired.
While you might excuse some of the movie’s flaws, the lack of any genuine scares makes it hard to overlook. Director James Wan and screenwriter Leigh Whannell deliver nothing more than an exercise in unpleasantness.
— David Germain
Germain rated “Saw” one star out of four.
“Paranormal Activity” (2009)
This no-budget ghost story arrives a decade after “The Blair Witch Project” and shares more than just a shaky-cam style. The entire film unfolds in a couple’s nondescript home, making the eerie nighttime events all the more unsettling.
Though the premise may feel thin by the end, the horror of those silent, nighttime images captured through the bedroom camera lingers, showcasing the film’s raw, primal potency.
— Glenn Whipp
Whipp rated “Paranormal Activity” three stars out of four.
“The Conjuring” (2013)
Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson portray the sympathetic ghostbusters Lorraine and Ed Warren in “The Conjuring,” elevating it above the average horror film.
Claiming to showcase one of their most terrifying cases, the film carries the stylistic elements of ’70s horror classics like “Amityville” and “The Exorcist.” While well-crafted, it lacks the raw power of its predecessors, landing it a spot as a sturdy addition to the haunted-house genre.
— Jake Coyle
Coyle rated “The Conjuring” two and a half stars out of four.
“Get Out” (2017)
In “Get Out,” writer-director Jordan Peele crafts a powerful confrontation of race, echoing themes from “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.”
Peele’s directorial debut confronts and turns inside out the progressive assumptions of a white liberal family. The film’s radical and refreshing perspective subverts the genre’s long-standing conventions about race, making it a standout in horror cinema.
— Jake Coyle
Coyle rated “Get Out” three stars out of four.
“Hereditary” (2018)
Ari Aster’s debut, “Hereditary,” follows Annie (Toni Collette) as she sneaks away to a grief support group after her mother’s death, lying to her husband about going to the movies.
This film is far from a healing experience; instead, it’s relentlessly unsettling and gripping, enveloping viewers in an air of danger and dread that lingers long after the credits roll.
