Wes Craven, beloved filmmaker and horror maestro, died aged 76 on August 30, leaving behind a legacy of over 30 films that have inspired horror enthusiasts and Halloween costumes the world over.
As a tribute, we’ve compiled a list of the best horror movies so you can creep yourself out in the name of Craven, from classic gore to modern psycho-thrillers.
1. Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) by Wes Craven
Of course, we had to kick things off with a Craven classic. We’re predicting plenty of Freddies roaming the streets this Halloween, so you might as well start preparing yourself now!
2. Babadook (2014) by Jennifer Kent
For suspense and sounds so intense your skin will crawl, check out this horrifying debut by Australian director Jennifer Kent.
3. Gremlins (1984) by Joe Dante
Re-live that Gremlin in the microwave scene in true grotesque slime-style.
4. Rosemary’s Baby (1968) by Roman Polanski
If there was ever a film to completely put you off having children, it’s this satanic showcase by director Roman Polanski.
5. Eraserhead (1977) by David Lynch
Surrealism can be a pretty hard to swallow, but Eraserhead definitely makes the list for sheer creepy weirdness.
6. The Silence of the Lambs (1990) by Jonathan Demme
If Anthony Hopkins’ Hannibal Lecter performance doesn’t chill you to the bone, you should probably get X-rayed for a soul. If that’s possible.
7. Insidious (2010) by James Wan
There was a serious dry spell for good horror films before Insidious came along with its shivery atmosphere and popcorn-flinging scares. It’s one for the books.
8. The Shining (1980) by Stanley Kubrick
Would you doubt that anything created by Stephen King would be less than absolutely terrifying? We didn’t think so.
9. Psycho (1960) by Alfred Hitchcock
This black-and-white classic inspired Craven during his early twenties, who said he had ‘never seen anything as visceral before’ in his life.
10. The Orphanage (2007) by J.A. Bayona
More proof that children are dead scary – The Orphanage, a debut feature of Spanish filmmaker J.A. Bayona, has earned critical acclaim for its frightening intensity.
Happy horrors, all!
Words: Kate Ng