Movies..31 Terrifying Horror Films To View

Start the month off right with the scariest thing there is: kids. Based on a Stephen King short story, Children of the Corn was poorly received at the time but has gained a cult following, because children are terrifying.

The Babadook (2014). This was last year's breakout horror hit, and it's easily as frightening as you've heard. Plus, switching between the classics and more modern fare will help keep your October horror viewings fresh.

Night of the Living Dead (1968). Just because it's black and white doesn't mean it's any less scary. If you've never seen the most iconic zombie film of all time, you're missing out on a tense and surprisingly modern movie that proved foundational for the genre.

Creep (2014). Another found-footage film, Creep's title pretty much says it all. But the bizarre stalker horror film, which stars a surprisingly scary Mark Duplass and director Patrick Brice, is remarkably stressful and full of scares, both quick and lingering.

We Are What We Are (2013). Both the 2010 Mexican original and this remake are worth watching, but only the latter version is streaming on Netflix. The less you read about this indie thriller, the better. Let the finale shock you.

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986). And now back to our regularly scheduled depravity. Henry offers an overly intimate and uncomfortably realistic look at a sadistic killer. It's a notorious '80s classic that you'll probably wish you hadn't watched. Sorry.

Maniac (2012). The 2012 remake of Maniac, a controversial slasher in its own right, is admittedly hard to stomach. But what's worse than the gore is the second-person perspective that puts you into the killer's head. See if you can stomach it.

Starry Eyes (2014). The less said about this be-careful-what-you-wish-for tale of an aspiring actor who gets in over her head, the better. There is plenty of body horror grossness here, so you may have to look away if you're especially squeamish.

Scream (1996). It's hard to imagine what modern horror would look like without Scream, a slasher film that fully embraced the theories of Carol Clover and showed us how meta-horror could be smart and funny without sacrificing the scares.

Black Sunday (1960). If you've never experienced Italian gothic horror, you're in for a treat. Mario Bava's classic film about a vengeful witch still gets under your skin. It was gory enough to be banned in the United Kingdom when it was first released.

Hellraiser (1987). If you haven't seen Hellraiser, you probably associate it with Pinhead. But the nail-headed villain is more of a secondary character in the original, which is delightfully perverse and gloriously bloody.

Pet Sematary (1989). If you've read Stephen King's novel, you know that Pet Sematary is one of his scariest works. The film does the novel justice, even if it does feel a little dated at times. There's enough distressing imagery to give you nightmares.

Leprechaun (1993). With Halloween fast approaching, take a moment for something dumb and fun. That something is Leprechaun, featuring a very young Jennifer Aniston and a bloodthirsty leprechaun who's as violent as he is quippy.

Contracted (2013). Before It Follows, there was Contracted, which conflates sexually transmitted disease with supernatural horror. It's a very different film — more body horror, for one — but it's worth squirming through.

You're Next (2011). You've done it. You've reached Halloween! Now sit back and enjoy the greatest slasher flick in recent memory. It owes a debt to Scream — and all that came before it — but it's thoroughly original. And a perfect way to celebrate the holiday.