7 Classic Horror Films that still haunt us

1 July, 2025 Credit: Pexels

Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (1922)

[{"selector":"#anim-a167cc42-084c-4b22-a0db-eea49db9b79c [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d98d4119-b9ab-490f-91f6-5897b0aa8402","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a274b738-06f3-4c0c-97bb-a6b840890ffc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -753.72899%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-97917f0a-f701-4dc9-a704-c874ed51bc3e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5ac1d3dd-0a9b-4816-95a1-aacd1c8cc1de","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 276.79729%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6c6e8c73-e3c8-4cf4-8f7d-3261cfe7331b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ae6614c2-96a8-4a0b-ad48-fb1a94a536a8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 403.58430%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-78a721d0-e4a6-4036-96b4-91805dfa9331","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d17dc1f1-e337-4ea6-97fe-76c275e4df3f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 463.88837%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] One of the first vampire films ever made. Its shadows and silence still haunt the screen. Credit: IMDb

Frankenstein (1931)

[{"selector":"#anim-fbb661ac-5b8a-4839-95ef-9202006c1818 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e9e10e04-50c8-4a36-962d-16d2fdfa8313","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5c0a1e23-1934-49c4-9722-d0fdf937441c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -748.24954%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5c1f4112-7723-4571-8ac0-786fe0633716","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5cc52602-608c-40d7-b5ed-d358f28969b9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 323.85606%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d41752d6-2523-4214-8e59-9bfad653763c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8b1b6d8d-ad7b-45c5-9689-b18f44905f8f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 836.20085%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f99b06ec-0a19-4a0c-b8c1-018c1a5fecbf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9b2462a5-d384-46ca-a70e-180c075fc71f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 463.88837%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] A monster is born in a lab, but who’s the real villain? This film made Boris Karloff a horror legend. Credit: IMDb

Psycho (1960)

[{"selector":"#anim-9dbc0cbd-d187-4333-8991-2c81f4670fc3 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-1.0658141036401503e-14%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4d98b26d-9020-45fe-baf6-5efd6e5ce9ad","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-23ff7ea2-8eb5-41fb-9207-ed25664007cb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -748.24954%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-193abf73-0b4e-479c-ade7-13b25a4a91d2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-533f602a-0773-44c6-b16d-a7a1682f6660","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 328.26786%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5f96832f-e6d1-4df8-8d36-91a12923d465","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-19529076-5da1-42f8-84ee-e9a70e5816c5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 836.20085%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1ba05e11-9f49-4baa-a1b0-634b7687c06f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-de0345ed-07a7-41b3-8673-fc602a230d12","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 463.88837%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] A woman, a motel, and a chilling bathroom scene. Alfred Hitchcock redefined fear with this thriller. Credit: IMDb

The Exorcist (1973)

[{"selector":"#anim-4c9fabcf-0591-4b49-baea-7b1a55a78bfb [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(7.105427357601002e-15%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e2259b48-2cb4-487f-a874-9e8d30b94158","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-76cd3c6e-ef67-4ca5-adc7-2cfe6b90c796","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -748.24954%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-129fcfa1-b5f7-458c-8dda-8080a33ac935","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-592fc3d8-e1d9-473d-93d1-43da63e7921c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 245.29913%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2f44ce89-0a73-4632-ac69-2cad34b0893c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e815701d-3a11-4409-a547-41702e796a46","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 842.65258%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-770d0e78-7092-498a-9cf8-c782c8935100","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-593ebe31-f1df-4f9d-ab88-e0cc6b118355","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 463.88837%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] A young girl gets possessed, and a priest battles to save her soul. Even today, this film is called the scariest movie ever made. Credit: IMDb

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

[{"selector":"#anim-43e6bbd3-661f-4559-99a6-c286a62b18d5 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e00d140a-6da2-46b9-8692-6030ac3bb35e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-20e3386f-fb93-4e64-b895-893d9b29018b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -748.24954%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-44d2b2c8-c033-422e-b3fe-23418b3d16a8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6019ba9f-9630-4c84-ba3a-8a3a918264c6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 204.63982%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-273abfa6-fa9e-4fdd-bb92-cfc0a58cd954","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8f9be254-87bd-459c-bd0e-fb13842990a3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 418.10043%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dbd7ab96-cca3-4b6c-8084-bc823345d724","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-20356f6a-cb4e-4a63-a4c2-c9642a869cd6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 463.88837%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] A group of friends on a road trip face pure terror in rural Texas. It’s gritty, raw, and feels disturbingly real. Credit: IMDb

Rosemary’s Baby (1968)

[{"selector":"#anim-2ee560ef-232e-4da4-a575-4b3192cb3652 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1c5308d5-e959-4c24-866e-9eff7d7fe4e7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-db1db431-4ae6-4662-95f4-762d5442ca16","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -748.24954%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fabff578-bcda-4eb6-940b-69ddfaeb30f4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b7c6b982-a02d-4c08-93d4-a57703093cb6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 245.29913%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-62c3ccdb-2480-48d1-921e-4069e82b9ced","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c0d03fdd-5736-48d7-ba54-a13f47d2a1c8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 836.20085%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-89b0fd68-6cc7-417a-9a84-c027786dc288","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0ef6cad6-d44f-4af6-afab-a3b4373c6fa1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 463.88837%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] A woman fears something is very wrong with her pregnancy. Slowly, paranoia builds into a quiet, chilling horror. Credit: IMDb

Why Classic Horror Still Work?

[{"selector":"#anim-6b9b42d1-0ffc-4c14-8869-44215344dee8 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-34168ced-9e77-4f60-9fbf-509fdd48c525","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-80e32d82-2ec3-4155-b37d-b60375d548ce","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -748.24954%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6f262d30-2a00-49d6-b41f-2c9e9cc40255","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4cf4c0ba-c446-4abd-8454-ff6fa96e743d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 216.72770%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7d2a2055-1d8d-41f8-bc53-efdfb583f007","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e6d6f674-db9b-47d7-8d7a-980f7860d342","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 418.10043%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-af1172e9-fc17-4bb2-ba91-5ff968646ccf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-22f51ce8-acd8-4696-9202-7d840b30d31d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 463.88837%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] They didn’t need jump scares or CGI to be scary. Just strong stories, chilling sound, and unforgettable characters. Credit: Pexels

Related Stories Songs That Sound Like Summer Gourmet Cake Frostings to Elevate Every Slice Most expensive cruise ships ever built Why You Should Include Matcha in Your Diet