What horror films are best for new genre enthusiasts?

If you’re new to the genre or looking to strengthen your horror foundation, these fifteen films — new and old — are a great place to start.

Everyone has to start somewhere, even horror fans. Be it a Stephen King novel or reruns of horror staples on TV, everyone got their first exposure to the genre in a unique way. For those of you out there who may be wondering where to start, I took my best shot at compiling the best fifteen films to help you explore different subgenres and time periods of filmmaking and storytelling. If these don’t make a horror lover, nothing will.

I wanted to reach into the past and scan the present for horror gems best suited for first-time or beginner enthusiasts. You can use these to bolster your horror knowledge or begin your genre journey.

For those horror veterans, I ask, what was your first horror experience? 

1. Alien (1979) Rated R

Ridley Scott’s Alien (1979) is not just one of the best horror films; it is considered one of the best films in history.

The science fiction horror classic directed by Scott and written by Dan O’Bannon trails the crew of a commercial space rig, the Nostromo. After coming into contact with a rogue ship on an uncharted planet, the doomed rescue team faces a hostile, deadly alien lifeform.

With a cast of stars, the film was highlighted by a hallmark performance by Sigourney Weaver as Officer Ellen Ripley, helping create the mold for the “final girl,” making her so iconic as to introduce her into the ultimate modern meta moment of Cabin in the Woods as one of horror’s first and brightest female stars.

With terrifying and action-packed scenes that most are familiar with — whether they’ve seen the film or not — Alien is mandatory educational viewing for those ready for its scares. It also boasts explosive scary sequels to follow its strong first act, including its newer universal installments, Prometheus and Alien: Covenant.

Alien explores the sci-fi horror genre with intense efficiency, both gruesome and nerve-wracking, and introduces us to an extraterrestrial predator that remains iconic and unforgettable.

With tense action, a claustrophobic set, and a monster styled ahead of its time, Alien set a high standard for horror viewing and should be considered an absolute classic.

2. The Craft (1996) Rated R

A female power ballad for magic and sisterhood, The Craft (1996), directed by Andrew Flemming from the screenplay written by Peter Filardi, is a tale about a young girl — an outsider with misunderstood powers — who finds herself at the center of another band of misfits who believe they are witches.

When a ritual seems to bring the girls true power they can wield, it becomes a square-off between bad girl Nancy Downs (who could be played by none other than Fairuza Balk with equally vengeful friend Bonnie, played by Neve Campbell) and Sarah (Robin Tunney) as they put their new powers to the test.

A teen scream and feminist story, as well as a classic for supernatural witch magic and the teenaged angst of the 90s, The Craft is a story for any new horror girl to check out, even if it’s not packed to the brim with scares.

Though not necessarily terrifying, it boasts a star-studded lineup of young actors from the era and delivers a powerful message for women. It offers stunning imagery, stellar performances, a strong storyline, characters to root for, and characters whose legacy lasts through the present day.

The Craft is an introductory witchcraft and supernatural horror film that puts women and power in the forefront at their most delicate stage of development, where a girl feels out of control of her own life, her body, and her capabilities.

3. The Thing (1982) Rated R

Not to be confused with the less exciting 2011 sequel, we are talking about the 1982 horror/sci-fi behemoth, The Thing, directed by the legendary John Carpenter.

Based on a 1938 short novella titled “Who Goes There” by John W. Campbell, we follow a group of American researchers to Antarctica, who, through a chance encounter, find some life form referred to only as The Thing, which can mold itself to look like any living organism… even humans.

With a monster on the loose, no dogs to run with, and paranoia mounting among the tense, freezing men, this is one mind-bender for the books with an ending that still has audiences debating.

If you’re not up for body horror or some serious special and practical effects that made the 80s look advanced, maybe skip this one. This is not for the faint of heart or light of stomach, as some of the kills and transformations are disturbing. However, if you’re out for a real thrill and want to see if you can win this game of cat and mouse with this otherworldly shapeshifter, The Thing is worth its weight in gold.

You’ll be diving in head first with a true horror master directing at the helm and two powerhouse performances from Kurt Russel and Keith David leading the charge to where hell has frozen over.

4. Jaws (1975) Rated PG

Funny enough, the creature feature we associate most with blood and limbs in the water is rated PG, intended for most audiences.

From the singularly brilliant mind of Stephen Spielberg, with writers Peter Benchley and Carl Gottlieb and inspired by Benchley’s novel of the same name, springs forth Jaws, the shark movie that had people wary of the ocean for quite some time.

The now iconic tale of a thriving beach town terrorized by a large killer shark is well known. There’s a man-eater in the water, and someone has to be the one to catch it. That’s how police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) comes to be on a vessel with a marine biologist (Richard Dreyfuss) and a professional shark hunter (Robert Shaw). Together, the three try to capture the beast before the beaches are back in full swing and ripe for the picking.

Jaws is an easy, classic picture with a tame PG rating in spite of what most people assume they’re going to see in a shark movie. Cinematography, effects and dialogue are so masterfully used to create homey to unsettling atmospheres that could change at any second.

Jaws is considered an essential classic for a reason, and it’s a rare example of a film that feels absolutely perfect in its understated glory and unforgettable terror. 

5. Happy Death Day (2017) Rated PG-13

A silly entry into the horror-comedy and slasher genres, Happy Death Day took Groundhog Day and every masked killer movie and turned it into a looping birthday nightmare. Directed by Christopher Landon and written by Scott Lobdell, with help from Jason Blum, the trio made a howling, laughing fever dream out of an occasion that only seems to get more tiresome the older you get.

It begins with Theresa, nicknamed Tree (played by Jessica Rothe), waking up in a strange dorm room, hung over, ignoring calls, and marching back to her sorority house. The day goes fine enough until it ends horribly with Tree’s murder. However, she doesn’t stay dead; instead, she wakes up in bed the next morning, returning to the morning of her birthday again… and again and again.

A fun, less gory genre treat, the film centers on a mystery that has left Tree suspended in a string of murders, costing her body more and more each time she dies. The story follows the paranoid, sci-fi time loop angle as well as some brutal and fun ways to stage your own death once the existential crisis has subsided.

The kills are sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, but the whole thing is full of joie de vive and a sense that, in a way, nothing matters — and everything matters.

Small events you would have blown off suddenly seem more pertinent, as we’re reminded that every day is another chance to get it right.

As we get older, celebrating another birthday loses its luster and charm. But Happy Death Day and its sequel, Happy Death Day 2 U, are here to help you get through another trip around the sun as you try again and again and again to dodge bullet after bullet and score that elusive happy ending.

6. A Quiet Place (2018) Rated PG-13

John Krasinski put on two caps for this project as both director and leading man for A Quiet Place, with the help of writers Brian Woods and John Beck. The film follows a father (Krasinski), his wife (Emily Blunt), and their children. They are some of the only survivors left in a world where extraterrestrials with no sense of sight but an unnaturally strong sense of hearing have taken up a new home and are lethal killing machines at the hint of any sound.

This movie is tense, with a few genuinely frightening moments and a fairly unique approach to the horror game.

I think new horror fans might enjoy the idea of silence and be engaged by the tactics and communication of the family in order to survive. The creatures themselves are also unnerving to look at and are wickedly fast and deadly during the few times we see them in action.

A fantastic job by Krasinski that earned him a sequel, this movie brought together War of the Worlds and Don’t Breathe, making for a hushed but strong thriller with so much not understood — and so much at stake — in this new, emptier, terrifying world.

7. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019) Rated PG-13

From the mind of Alvin Schwartz and the pen of artist Stephen Gammel, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark was a series of children’s books between 1981 and 1991. It featured short, creepy tales from all genres to frighten children (and adults) with illustrations that are so vivid and disturbing they could only be associated with this book.

The film adaptation follows Stella (Zoe Colletti), Chuck (Austin Zajur) and Auggie (Gabriel Rush), on Halloween night, prepared to take revenge on their bully, but instead find themselves sealed inside a haunted house. Before some powers release them, Stella takes a book of scary stories that belonged to the girl who was locked away in the basement they were trapped in. Little do they know this book is not fueled by magic; it is fueled by rage.

Intended to be a crossover from the books to film, Scary Stories had some fairly scary imagery and body horror but was never so violent or overtly terrifying to earn it the R rating.

For some young kids, I wouldn’t recommend this, but for older teens and young adults looking to find a link to their horror past to start their horror future, perhaps try on this set of tales (or crack open the book again, if you own it).

Maybe one of your favorite stories will make an appearance in this piece, or you might just find a new favorite monster.

8. Get Out (2017) Rated R

Garnering an Oscar and starting a fiery trail for Jordan Peele to blaze through the genre, Get Out was a dark look at wealth, racial tensions, exploitation, and the divide we sometimes too commonly ignore. An excellent start for people who like horror to have meaning, this film covers all bases from beginning to end with a fantastic soundtrack and landmark performances from some familiar faces such as Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, and LaKeith Stanfield.

Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) is getting ready to meet his girlfriend Rose’s (Allison Williams) family. The question is, do these blue-bloods even know their daughter is dating a man of color?

The question sounds silly, but as we rocket into the Armitage family’s disturbing household, I don’t think anyone could have imagined, besides Peele himself, just how twisted these monsters could be.

With top-notch performances and just enough laughter to keep you from crying, Get Out is a political statement that garnered Peele all the right attention and sent a message into the ether that racism has not retreated; it’s simply evolved.

Pay close attention and brace yourself for the unbelievable. Lucky for you, if you enjoy Peele’s style, he’s released three films since then: Us (2019), Candyman (2021), and the Chainsaw Award favorite Nope (2022).

9. Fear Street Trilogy (2021) Rated R

Three films released in reverse chronological order, The Fear Street Trilogy examines a legend that haunts the characters up to their present 1994 — beginning from a curse placed on the town of Shadyside in 1666.

Sarah Fier was a witch, hung in Shadyside, who supposedly cursed the land and all in it, causing citizens to become killers every few years or so for seemingly no reason and leaving the town marred in tragedy and failures. When one teen invokes the wrath of the curse, her girlfriend will stop at nothing to find a survivor and the answers they need to break the hold over their land and on their souls.

Inspired by R.L. Stein’s novels of the same name, these coming-of-age blood baths have soundtracks to fit the times that just won’t quit and a time-traveling cast of characters.

With great representation, including elements of queer horror and feminist horror, Fear Street offers this up in heavy doses with a mystery you’ll be dying to unravel.

Give one a watch and see if you can resist the other two films; I doubt you will. Plus, there are rumors that a fourth could be in production.

10. Trick ‘r Treat (2007) Rated R

Trick ‘r Treat is good, comedic, and bloody fun, with lots of local lore about the town and Halloween lore wrapped inside; it’s a purist movie for horror fans and Halloween enthusiasts.

An anthology, it follows several different casts of characters as they go about their Halloween plans; some plan pranks, others ignore tradition, and some take the holiday a little too seriously. Trailing all our characters, which includes additions like Anna Paquin, Brian Cox, and Dylan Baker, is what you can only assume to be the spirit of Halloween, Samhain (or Sam, for short). These tales will take us all over a sleepy little town that is full to the brim with monsters of all sorts.

A horror comedy with heart and bite, this is a cult classic that can’t be ignored despite delays that set it back years and, unfortunately, limited release opportunities at certain festivals. Once released, however, it quickly gained cult status for good reason.

With blood, guts, and laughs in equal doses, this is a friendly start for an adult horror viewer looking for an adorably creepy keeper of the holiday who is always watching to make sure we pay our respects on the day the dead walk freely.

11. Blade (1998) Rated R

Blade, my favorite on this list, was the first horror film I watched at a very young age that got me into the vampire genre and superheroes. It helped me expand my horizons.

With Wesley Snipes as Blade opposite Stephen Dorff’s Deacon Frost, the two super-powered beings go to war throughout the city to stop vampire corruption and Frost’s ultimate dream: a resurrection of a god to end all humans. Directed by Stephen Norrington, the film was released in the late 90’s as a Hail Mary for Marvel, letting one of its darkest and most violent personas fly to rave reviews from audiences and critics, sequels, and a reboot slated for 2025 starring Mahershala Ali.

Before we got adaptations of Deadpool and Moon Knight, Blade was the first taste we got of a physical, violent, vengeful antihero in Marvel’s universe.

Hero horror is difficult to do (just ask Morbius, as I always say), and Blade wonderfully carved its own path into a brilliant sequel — with help from Guillermo del Toro and fresh faces like Ron Perelman and Norman Reedus mixing up the cast bill.

Another R rated horror but not a typical rating for Marvel, we can attribute the tough ratings on some intense violence, some sexuality, and insane effects that create the vampires and in future films, the Reaper Strain.

With style and action to last, Blade still cuts deep to this day and remains one of my favorite horror films that defied the odds and is coming into another era.

Watch the first trilogy or even crack a comic book if you’re feeling fun, and buckle up for more Blade in the years to come.

12. Candyman (1992) Rated R

A piece of urban legend and horror history, Candyman is a must-see, preferably the original. However, Jordan Peele expanded on the lore nicely in his remake if you prefer your films to be more modern.

Candyman follows two graduate students in Chicago who stumble upon an inner-city boogeyman that terrorizes the residents of the projects at Cabrini Green just as much as the drugs and violence do. When one of the researchers makes a mistake in both summoning Candyman and daring to question his legacy, blood must be shed so that the legend can remain alive.

With an extraordinarily memorable performance from Tony Todd and an equally game partner in Virginia Madsen as the headstrong and overly ambitious Helen, Candyman tore away at issues of race relations past and present. While privileged students explore the projects, they are immediately identified as cops. When they don’t show belief in Candyman, despite his grip on the community, it only deepens the disconnect between the haves and the have-nots.

Candyman’s current haunt is where he lost his life, stung to death after having his painting hand hacked off and replaced with a hook. Showing how the murder of a black man can serve as merely a bedtime story demonstrated how some lore should be history, and some legends harbor tragedies that get faded and distorted.

A lesson in respecting history, the dead, and all people of all backgrounds, Candyman is a decided necessity for viewers.

13. Upgrade (2018) Rated R

With limited releases and little press, Upgrade might have slipped by some viewers. With futuristic takes, elevated performances, dark comedy, and violence, Upgrade grabs you with both hands and shifts into overdrive with a fast-paced, perfectly crafted tale of revenge.

Gray (Logan Marshall-Green) is a mechanic, something uncommon in this far-off future as most things, including cars, are smart or AI tech. His wife Asha (Melanie Vallejo) is fully immersed and thinks her husband can’t adapt. After dropping off a vehicle to a high-profile client working on a “new, better brain,” the couple is in a car crash and ambushed. Asha is killed while Gray is paralyzed, just inches from his reach.

Now looking for a way to escape life, Gray is about to be offered an opportunity to reset his seemingly shut-down existence.

Moving a mile a minute, Upgrade is pure entertainment value. Modified humans, futuristic tech, a plot that peels out fast, and a leading man we all want to see survive exist in this universe.

A great start for people who love action movies with a side of revenge, get your smart devices ready to stream a great entry point into horror with blood baths to spare and a winding web that could leave you stunned by the end.

14. The Visit (2015) Rated PG-13

M. Night Shyamalan is hit or miss as far as horror goes, but The Visit, written, directed, and co-produced by Shyamalan, was his most exciting piece of work to date upon release.

Becca (Olivia DeJonge) and Tyler (Ed Oxenbould) are going to the old, remote farm where their grandparents live for the first time. Armed with a video camera and ready to get to know their estranged relatives, the two youngsters saddle up for one of the creepiest found footage style films as well as a story to give The Taking of Deborah Logan a run for its money.

Styled like found footage between handheld and planted cameras, the story tells of horror unraveling in the house and a classic twist, as our director is known. After a string of box office standstills and failures, this movie finally cracked through and was rated “fresh,” earning praise from audiences and critics.

With many eerie moments, well-crafted jump scares, and a story that keeps you on your toes, this movie has moments that can make your mouth drop but never take things over the top.

Check out the Unbreakable trilogy featuring movies Split and Glass when you’re done to round out your viewing with some eerie and action-packed movie magic from stars like Bruce Willis, James McAvoy (in his tour de force as Kevin Wendell Crumb), and an iconic Samuel L. Jackson finishing his time as Mr. Glass.

15. Crimson Peak (2015) Rated R

Headed by a powerful lineup of Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, and Jessica Chastain, Crimson Peak is directed by the legendary Guillermo del Toro and written by Matthew Robbins, who penned a beautiful, romantic, period piece of a ghost story.

The film follows young Edith (Wasikowska), an aspiring writer interested in ghosts. After her father’s sudden passing and some days with a suitor, Thomas Sharpe (Hiddleston), coming to call and take her to his estate, she makes a hasty decision and lifts her roots to depart for the decrepit Crimson Peak. There, Thomas lives with his frigid sister Lucille (Chastain), tending to their crumbling family home and working on his inventions.

Warnings from spirits familiar and unknown are reaching out past and present to drive her away from the blood-red snow of Crimson Peak.

Scored by Marco Beltrami with some impressive piano work from Chastain, Crimson Peak is a gorgeously shot and lit piece that is a sensory feast for old and new horror fans. The spirits, generated through some serious special effects magic, are equally horrifying as they are enchanting with del Toro’s gift for imagery shining through. The costumes are stunning, the performances are top-notch, and the story winds and weaves through a history of bad blood.

Not overly violent, with only a few sensationalized notes, this is a modern ghost story that feels nothing like one; it feels planted in the murky past lit by chandeliers, scored by quartets, adorned by satin gowns and where the perfect waltz can be danced without extinguishing one’s own gently held candle.