Summary
Horrormovies aren’t just popular, they often spawn so many sequels that entire sagas of their charismatic killers are made. While some are taken more seriously than others, you can’t deny that all of them are highly entertaining.
If you’re looking for a classic series to binge-watch on a weekend, or if there might be a hidden gem you haven’t heard of yet, come with us as we explore the most iconic among them. Keep your wits about you, watch every corner, and be ready for the blood that is about to spill.
9Friday The 13th
Jason Never Dies
Did you know that, in the first Friday the 13th movie,Jason isn’t the killer?If you don’t, it is about time you gave this classic series a rewatch, but with 12 movies to go through, you might need to set aside quite a while.
Not all the movies are hits, of course, but that is bound to happen when your series has over ten entries. Consider skipping Jason X, and only watching the 2009 Friday the 13th after taking a look at the first three original movies; that way you’ll appreciate the changes more.
8Hellraiser
A Deadly Puzzle
Hellraiser is the embodiment of the phrase ‘curiosity killed the cat,’ but the cat in this case is a person obsessed with puzzle boxes, and people often lack nine lives. With 11 movies, the series has a rather big record, although it has been plagued with more misses than hits in the decades it’s been around.
Fortunately, 2022 Hellraiser seems to have brought the series back to life, with effects that have evolved with the years and a plot reminiscent of the good old days. If you only want to watch the best of the best from this series, consider the first two original movies (1987 Hellraiser and Hellbound: Hellraiser 2) as well as the 2022 one.
7Halloween
A Confusing Timeline
While the Halloween series might have 13 movies, the timeline of the series isn’t exactly a straight line. Still, it is one of the most iconic movie series to date, and it helped kickstart the careers of the likes of John Carpenter and Jamie Lee Curtis.
The series has been rebooted several times, but if you want to enjoy the latest tale, then you’ll still need to watch the original Halloween movie from 1978. Then, you can enjoy the newest trilogy of films that follow that original tale while disregarding all other movies, starting with 2018 Halloween and ending in Halloween Ends, from 2022.
6Saw
Want To Play A Game?
In most Saw movies, the allure isn’t the killer or the victims, but the elaborate traps that these people end up trapped in. The best of these traps are the ones that tie thematically to the past or supposed transgression of the victim, but you can count on all of them to be a gore fest.
Something that often sets this series apart from the others is that it isn’t always the same killer behind it all, with copycats and apprentices appearing out of the woodwork. Still, nothing beats the original, hence why the main Jigsaw was back in Saw 10 and will likely come back for Saw 11.
5Scream
A Killer With Movie Knowledge
The Scream series might not have as many movies as other slashers, but it is certainly still an alive and kicking saga. One of the latest entries came out in 2023, and it still follows the characters from the series without using the reboot technique.
If you’re into quality over quantity, then you’ll be into the first four Scream movies, directed by Wes Craven. While the movies after Craven’s time aren’t necessarily bad, they lack the spark he gave to the series, something he can no longer contribute to since he sadly passed away in 2015.
4Alien
Hugging Faces Since 1979
Some people become monsters in horror movies, but sometimes, monsters are just monsters. And there is no more iconic monster than theXenomorphs from Alien, horrific parasites that burst out of people and become tall, agile monsters with acid for blood.
Beyond the Xenomorph, the protagonists of the Alien series also set it apart from its peers, being usually more sympathetic individuals than the teenagers of Camp Crystal Lake. If you want to know how Ripley felt in those first Alien movies, thenyou should give Alien: Isolation a try.
3Insidious
Finally, Not A Slasher
There are plenty of horror movies that aren’t about a killer taking on several people and spreading body parts everywhere, but few of those movies become decade-long series. If you want a slower story, with more suspense and ghosts than knives and gore, then the Insidious series is for you.
The movies are meant to be enjoyed in the order they were released, but the timeline jumps a bit here and there. If you want the most chronological journey, then you want to start with Insidious: Chapter 3, then Insidious: The Last Key, then the first two Insidious movies, and finally, Insidious: The Red Door.
2Evil Dead
Comedy And Horror Combined
The Evil Dead franchise is divided into two series, one that started in 1981 and ended in 1993, and another one that started in 2013 and had a sequel in 2023. They are tangentially connected by the character Ash Williams, the protagonist of the first trilogy and a passing reference in the following films.
Each movie is a work of art in its own right, and they lean on their own strengths. The first three movies work like dark comedies (with Army of Darkness being more comedy than horror), while the newer movies are deep into the horror and gore, comedy tossed aside.
1A Nightmare On Elm Street
Freddy’s Time To Shine
The original movie from 1984, A Nightmare on Elm Street, is a difficult to top classic about inescapable horror, with a dream-jumping killer that waits for you to fall asleep. The movie still holds up today, while the same thing is hard to say for the 2010 remake.
The original set of six movies, going from 1984 to 1991, have different degrees of quality, but they were all highly inventive, with practical effects that still put chills down anyone’s spine. The devilish way in which Freddy enjoys his killings is not often seen in other slasher films, making him one of the most well-known movie icons for a reason.
