By Mat Elfring on Oct 07, 2017 07:30 pm
We're living in a golden age for horror on television, with cable and national networks taking a chance on content that in the past may have been deemed "too much" for audiences. Throughout the decades, we've seen some terrifying TV series air, and here are the 13 best, in no particular order. If you're looking for more horror in your life, check out 5 Upcoming Horror Movies To Watch For and 13 Horror Movies On Netflix You May Have Missed.
Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1990-2000)
Many episodes may have not aged exceptionally well, but the Nickelodeon series Are You Afraid of the Dark managed to scare a whole generation of kids during the '90s. The show followed the Midnight Society, who told each other scary stories by a campfire. As you can see above, some of the imagery from the series is hard to forget.
Tales From the Crypt (1989-1996)
Much like Are You Afraid of the Dark, Tales From the Crypt featured new horrifying stories every week, but because it aired on HBO, the series could get away with a whole lot more than the Nickelodeon show. The most memorable part of the series was the Cryptkeeper, who introduced each story in a ghoulish way.
True Blood (2008-2014)
HBO's True Blood mixed horror and romance with a bit of tongue-in-cheek quirkiness. The series followed a young woman who falls in love with a vampire and learns about his world. However, there's also a whole lot of death and gore to satisfy many horror fans. There's a whole season dedicated to werewolves as well.
Supernatural (2005- )
About to head into its 13th season, Supernatural is currently the CW's longest running series. The show follows two brothers who lost their mother to a supernatural force. The two join forces and hunt down monsters and other things that go bump in the night. If crazy monsters are your thing, then Supernatural is right up your alley.
Black Mirror (2011- )
Charlie Brooker's Channel 4 series--which now airs on Netflix--isn't about terrifying monsters or supernatural forces. It centers around technology that isn't too far off in the future and how it can change our lives for better or worse. Whether it's being hunted by a man in a black mask with a rifle (seen above) or being trapped inside a horror video game with no way out, Black Mirror plays to our deepest fears without the cheap jump scares. You can check out a brief teaser for Season 4 of Black Mirror here.
The X-Files (1993-2001, 2016- )
Good luck sleeping tonight after seeing the picture of The Host from X-Files. While the Fox series primarily focused on government conspiracies, the show was filled with terrifying moments and monsters, like the 1996 episode "Home," which followed the inbred Peacock family and is by far the most disturbing episode of the series.
Stranger Things (2016- )
Season 1 of Stranger Things took the world by storm, following a group of kids during the '80s who are trying to find their missing friend, who is trapped in the Upside Down. With Season 2 coming to Netflix on October 27, fans can't wait to see what terrifying monsters the creators have in store for them next. If you want to know more about Season 2 of Stranger Things, here's everything you need to know.
Penny Dreadful (2014-2016)
Showtime and Sky's series Penny Dreadful took well-known literary characters and presented them in a whole new, terrifying light. The series featured Dorian Grey, Dracula, Van Helsing, and more exploring the dark origins in Victorian England. Sadly, the series came to an abrupt end after Season 3, but luckily for you, every episode is currently on Netflix.
Channel Zero (2016- )
Syfy's Channel Zero was born out of creepypasta horror stories, and each season adapts one of the stories for television. The series has a dark tone that is frightening and unsettling. While Season 2 is currently adapting the story "No-End House," it's hard to forget the toothkid--seen above--that appeared in Season 1, "Candle Cove."
The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)
The first successful horror television series was CBS's The Twilight Zone, which originally ran for five seasons. Each episode featured a new story weaving fantasy, science-fiction, and horror together. The series had some iconic television moments, like a man seeing a monster on the wing of his plane.
Hannibal (2013-2015)
While Season 4 of the series isn't a sure thing yet, NBC's Hannibal took the lovable cannibal from Silence of the Lambs to give him a different type of origin story. Hannibal is a psychiatrist who manipulates the FBI--by working with them--so they don't find out he's actually a cannibalistic serial killer.
The Walking Dead (2010- )
AMC's The Walking Dead is one of the best revivals of the zombie genre. Based on the Skybound/Image comic series, the series follows Rick Grimes and his counterparts, as they traverse a world where zombies have destroyed mankind. The horror doesn't always come from the zombies though. It stems from mankind's struggle to survive in a wasteland, which usually leads to people committing horrific crimes.
American Horror Story (2011- )
Finally, there is FX's American Horror Story. Each season tells a different terrifying tale, featuring the same cast as brand-new characters. The series has covered ghosts, aliens, witches, and even freakshows in the past. Currently, the series title "Cult" is airing, which involves a whole lot of clowns.
By Array on Oct 07, 2017 04:38 am
Let The Right One In (2008)
Atmospheric and chilling, the story features a lonely boy and a girl who holds a terrifying secret, further proving that kids are just creepy, man. Image: Magnolia Pictures
The Transfiguration (2016)
In this truly unsettling indie movie -- an official Cannes Film Festival selection -- a troubled young boy who studies vampire films takes to the streets to find victims and drink their blood. His life changes, however, when a new girl moves into his building and begins to share details about her own tough past. Image: Strand Releasing
The Hunger (1983)
Offering immortality, Egyptian vampire queen Miriam (Catherine Deneuve) feeds on the blood on her lovers while exacting a horrifying price. When scientist Sarah Roberts (Susan Sarandon) discovers what is going on, she attempts to help Miriam's current lover (played by David Bowie) but finds herself instead drawn to the vampire queen. Surreal and fantastical, it's the creepiest version of a love triangle ever. Image: Warner Bros.
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)
Combining noir and western elements, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night isn't actually a horror film. That's not to say it lacks scares, though. Set in Iran, the world it crafts is haunting. And when it comes time for the girl to hunt for dinner, you'll feel a chill crawl down your spine. Image: VICE Films
30 Days of Night (2007)
I'm sorry: Alaska is already creepy, the way it's shrouded in utter darkness for a good part of the year. Add a bunch of ravaging vampires just waiting for all light to fade so they can come and tear your town apart, and you have an epic monsters-in-the-dark movie. Image: Columbia Pictures
Byzantium (2012)
The two main characters of Byzantium (played by Saoirse Ronan and Gemma Arterton) have been hunted for 200 years, keeping the secret they can survive only on human blood. When they arrive to settle in a small coastal town, their true identities are revealed, with potentially deadly consequences. Image: IFC Films
Daybreakers (2009)
In this post-apocalyptic scenario, a plague destroys humanity and turns them into vampires. Those not turned are farmed for their blood. The movie showcases plenty of action and adventure. With Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe and Sam Neill, it will certainly get your pulse racing. Image: Lionsgate
Immortality (1998)
He's just a vampire looking to find the right woman–but what he does with that woman is the stuff of nightmares. Starring a young Jude Law using his gorgeous looks to a very menacing effect, the movie centers around a vamp named Steven, who is basically every girl's worst-date-ever times a thousand. Image: Lionsgate
I Am Legend (2007)
An adaptation of the classic sci-fi horror novel by Richard Matheson, the film stars Will Smith as the last man on Earth. The rest of humanity has succumbed to a plague that turns them into night-hunting, blood-sucking monsters. How does the only human survive against the horde? Will he eventually give in to the loneliness of his days? With a beautifully elegiac beginning, featuring deserted New York City streets, this movie poses questions that will continue to haunt you long after it's over. Image: Warner Bros.
Nosferatu (1922)
Based on Bram Stoker's Dracula, this classic silent film broods with horror. With a masterful use of light and shadow and no big special effects, it still manages to stand the test of time. Image: Kino Lorber films
Vampyr (1932)
Allan Gray visits an inn in a secluded hamlet. He soon learns that he's fallen into the clutches of a vampire, and must race to break the evil one's curse before it's too late. Image: Criterion
Fright Night (1985)
Ok, technically this is a comedy, but wouldn't you be terrified if you discovered your charming neighbor was actually a blood-sucking demon of the night? As well as being a love-letter to the horror genre in general, the movie provides plenty of actual jump-in-your-seat moments. Besides, who says a movie can't be terrifying and funny? Image: Columbia Pictures
The Lost Boys (1987)
As if moving isn't hard enough, imagine how horrifying it is when you start to suspect your new town is chock-full of vampires. With a super-80s cast including Corey Feldman and Kiefer Sutherland, the movie guarantees that you'll laugh, you'll scream, and your eyes will be glued to the screen. Image: Warner Bros.
Blade (1998)
He's half-man, half-vampire, and he protects the human race from the undead who roam the night. Granted, there's a lot of 90s schtick, but still, for a fast-paced, action-adventure vampire movie with some pretty high stakes (see what we did there?), it's worth the watch. Plus, Wesley Snipes is a badass. Image: Warner Bros.
Martin (1977)
The most terrifying part of Martin is you can't tell if the main character is just delusional or if he really is an actual vampire. After all, isn't the real horror always in your mind? Image: Lionsgate
Shadow of the Vampire (2000)
Talk about meta. This is a film about vampires about making a film about vampires. Willem Dafoe got nominated for an Oscar for his performance of Max Schreck. Dafoe takes the sinister to the max as he explores when the line between fiction and reality blurs. Image: Lionsgate
Bloodsucking Bastards (2015)
Bloodsucking Bastards is as funny as it is scary: Imagine a workplace comedy where the boss is a vampire in dire need of feeding. When it comes time for the blood to flow, this movie doesn't hold back. Image: Scream Factory
Cronos (1993)
A mechanism that can give eternal life ... for a very bloody price. That's the crux of this Mexican vampire movie, written and directed by Guillermo del Toro. Gorgeous and eerie, the story is as smart as it is scary. Image: The Criterion Collection
Thirst (2009)
It's directed by Chan-wook Park (Oldboy), soit's no wonder menace abounds in this film. When a medical experiment goes wrong, priest Sang-hyeon's life is saved by an infusion of vampire blood. You can just guess what happens next. Image: NBC Universal
From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
From Dusk till Dawn is loaded with Tarantino's signature dialogue style, great acting from a cast that includes George Clooney and Salma Hayek and several moments where the horror is as scary as it is fun-to-watch. Once the Gecko brothers realize the strip club they've wandered into is filled with vampires, there's no stopping the flow of chaos or blood. Image: Miramax Films
The Addiction (1995)
This little-seen vampire movie plays as an allegory for drug addiction, with a young woman battling a new lust for blood. The most disturbing moment of the film comes at a graduation party, when central figure Kathleen unleashes a group of vampires on partygoers, leaving a blood-stained mess in their wake. Image: October Films
By Array on Oct 07, 2017 03:02 am
Raw (2017)
This French-Belgian horror tale is about as graphic as you'd expect a movie about flesh-eating to be. Your stomach will churn as Justine, a former vegetarian, develops an unquenchable hunger for human flesh. Image: Focus World
Saw (2004)
The players: two men. The stakes: Only one gets out alive. The twist: One has to kill the other to survive. Add in plenty of torture and you'll soon understand why Saw is one of the most infamous kidnap-and-torture films to date. Image: Lions Gate Films
The Last House on the Left (1972)
Before he was renowned at the creator of A Nightmare on Elm Street, Wes Craven released this truly depraved and sadistic film in which a gang of killers and rapists torment two young women. It was so violent that it was banned in the United Kingdom until 2002, when particularly offensive scenes were removed. Image: Hallmark Releasing
The Woman (2011)
This story has every "ordinary family in the backwoods hiding a secret" horror trope imaginable. Those are accompanied by brutal torture scenes leading up to a bloodbath that pretty much decimates 75 percent of the characters in the film. And in (probably purposeful) irony, the real monsters in the film are the men, not the eponymous woman. Image: Bloody Disgusting
The Lure (2015)
In this Polish horror-musical -- essentially a demented retelling of The Little Mermaid -- an actual mermaid falls in love with a boy. She then faces the choice of either eating him or dying. Image: Kino Swiat
Evil Dead (2013)
This 2013 reboot of a cult classic, which gender swaps Ash for a woman named Mia, has some incredibly disturbing moments -- such as when Mia loses her hand and replaces it with a chainsaw. Image: TriStar Pictures
mother! (2017)
It's hard to tell exactly which genre mother! belongs in. One thing's for sure, though: It has some of the most disturbing moments ever committed to film, including the cannibalistic climax of the film that finally sends Jennifer Lawrence's titular character over the edge. Image: Paramount Pictures
Antichrist (2009)
With one of the most graphic and infamous self-mutilation scenes in the history of filmmaking, Lars von Trier's controversial work stars Charlotte Gainsbourg and Willem Dafoe as a grieving couple trying to get their relationship on track following the death of their child. Of course, they decide to do this in a cabin in the woods, and from there things just go so, so...wrong. Image: Zentropa Entertainments
Martyrs (2008)
Child abuse survivor Lucie sets off on a quest to take vengeance on her former torturers. In the process, she and fellow survivor Anna must endure a house of horrors. Featuring a scene where one character is flayed alive, the gruesome flick packages two philosophical questions: What is true transcendence? And what happens after death? Image: The Weinstein Company
Deadgirl (2008)
Part coming-of-age film, part zombie movie, part ewwwwwww, this dark interpretation of teenage hormones throws together an undead captive girl, an abandoned mental asylum, and two indolent high school boys. The result: One horrifying scenario. It's so grisly that its attempt at black comedy is lost in all the wince-worthy moments on screen. Image: Dark Sky Films
Cannibal Holocaust (1980)
The title pretty much explains what this 95-minute film is filled with: people eating people, and in the most gruesome of ways. Framed as "found footage" from a documentary team researching a tribe in the Amazon rainforest, this movie should not be watched while you are eating...anything. Image: Grindhouse Releasing
Hostel (2005)
Pretty much every backpacker's nightmare, Hostel is all about a vacation gone to hell. The brainchild of horror guru Eli Roth, the story features backpackers Paxton, Josh and Óli, who have no idea what they're heading into when they enter a hostel in Slovakia. What happens to them when they get there will make you want to scrub your brain. Image: Lions Gate Films
The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence) (2011)
Take the original Human Centipede and quadruple the most important elements: You know. The people. In the human centipede. In short: Ew ew ew ew ew ew ew ew ew ew ew ewwwwwwwww. Image: IFC Midnight
Strangeland (1998)
This horrorfest was written by Dee Snider, who also stars as the mentally unbalanced Captain Howdy. Howdy, a sadist and a schizophrenic, lures teenage victims via chat rooms. Briefly reformed after a stay in an institution, he soon becomes unbalanced again and wreaks havoc in a small town. It's pretty much every parent's nightmare come true. Image: Artisan Entertainment
The Thing (1982)
Eighties horror at its best, the remake of the 1951 original has become something of a cult classic itself. Starring Kurt Russell in his glory days and featuring alien possession, this story, with its gore and goo, might seem a little kitschy to today's viewer. However, props to director John Carpenter for pulling off a story about an enormous, nigh-unstoppable parasite that's still fairly scary. Image: Universal Pictures
Event Horizon (1997)
A classic in the science-fiction horror genre, this is the stuff of nightmares come to life. When the rescue crew of Lewis and Clark investigate what went wrong at the starship Event Horizon, they discover an evil sentience that hurls people into insanity and horrifying hallucinations. This flick may not be as sick and twisted as the others on this list, but the lurid torture scenes are still burned into our brains, so there's that. Image: Paramount Pictures
A Serbian Film (2011)
This is the kind of movie whose plot description will scar your soul before you can even see the first frame. Filmmaker Srdjan Spasojevic pulls out all the stops, including plenty of gore, in this story about an actor tricked into participating in a snuff film. Rated NC-17, this is not a viewing experience for the faint of heart. Image: Invincible Pictures
The Skin I Live In (2011)
With Antonio Banderas in perhaps his creepiest performance to date, this psychological horror thriller by Pedro Almodóvar centers around a plastic surgeon gone mad, the woman trapped as his guinea pig, and the secrets behind their relationship. Image: Sony Pictures Classics
Audition (1999)
No list of sick and twisted horror movies would be complete without something from Takashi Miike, and this one's a doozy. Probably the worst dating experience ever conjured in the history of mankind, the movie features middle-aged widower Shigeharu, who learns that love the second time around can be a killer. Literally. Image: Lionsgate Home Entertainment
You're Next (2011)
Ax-wielding murderers crash a family reunion in this slasher flick, where only those brought up in a survivalist compound survive. Does anything make sense? No. Does bloody gore abound? Yep. Image: Lionsgate
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