There's a lot of great horror out there.
You just need to know what dark corners to look in.
Welcome to WatchMojo.
Here are the Top 10 Scariest Horror Movies You Probably Haven't Seen.
For this list, we're looking at fantastic horror films
that have flown under the mainstream radar.
Those looking for "Blair Witch Project"-type scares
could do a lot worse than "The Ritual".
It was released on Netflix back in 2018,
although it failed to generate interest outside the die-hard horror community.
It follows a group of friends, led by theincredible Rafe Spall,
who are hunted through the woods by an unseen entity.
Like "The Blair Witch Project",
"The Ritual" strikes a balance between psychological horror and physical scares,
and the terror comes just as much from the men's conflicts
as it does from the visceral spooks.
Add in the unrelentingly bleak atmosphere,
and you have yourself another reason to never enter the woods.
Tell us if you've heard this premise before –
a young couple in a dangerously secluded area
are stalked by a group of menacing psychos.
Of course you have, it's the basis to many a slasher movie.
But "Eden Lake" manages to make it fresh again thanks to its unrelenting brutality.
This is not an easy film to watch –
it is violent, it is bloody and worst of all, it is realistic.
Unlike most slashers that view for shocks and gore,
this one remains rooted in realism,
and the results are just as emotional as they are disorienting.
It requires a strong stomach
but those who can get through it will find a lot to like here.
Don't be put off by the found footage style
"Creep" is well, creepy.
"Creep" follows Aaron, a videographer who's hired by the dying Josef
to film a day-in-the-life for his unborn son.
While Josef is eccentric and a little "off",
he is relatively harmless, until he isn't.
"Creep" is definitely a slow burn,
but the flow of tension keeps viewers on their toes
and questioning Josef's motives and personality.
Mark Duplass somehow manages to imbue Josef and effortlessly switch between
moments of poignant tenderness and sinister depravity.
"Eyes Without a Face" is rarely discussed,
seeing as how it's one of the most beautiful horror movies of all time.
Yeah, we said beautiful.
The film was initially met with hostile reviews as critics thought that a genre film
was beneath esteemed documentary filmmaker Georges Franju.
However, upon re-release it underwent a critical revaluation
and is now considered a masterpiece.
It influenced a generation of filmmakers,
from John Woo to John Carpenter,
who used this movie as inspiration to create the iconic Michael Myers mask.
It's not your standard horror film by any means,
but it is haunting and emotionally stirring.
For a movie jam-packed with incredible actors,
"Bone Tomahawk" is painfully ignored.
The movie is a deft blend of Western and horror
starring Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Richard Jenkins and Matthew Fox.
The cast deliver fantastic performances
and balance slow-paced, character-driven work with visceral thrills.
And how visceral they are!
The gore and makeup work are unbelievable
and one scene in particular will remain burned into your memory forever.
If you want to watch a film with great dialogue or witness a gore-filled horror
Bone Tomahawk" is your movie.
"Carnival of Souls" is certainly an acquired taste
but those feeling daring will be rewarded with a gloriously atmospheric horror movies.
What director Herk Harvey does with the money is frankly amazing.
The film was shot on a meagre budget of $33,000.
The movie is perhaps most well-known
for its striking cinematography and ghastly visuals
as it makes even the most ordinary situations seem ripped from a nightmare.
There are no cheap jump scares,
no horrifying acts of violence, and no scary monsters.
It's just a creepy art house movie
interested in bewildering its viewers
and it succeeds in spectacular fashion.
"Alice, Sweet Alice" is not an easy movie to watch.
It tells the story of a troubled child, Alice
who's suspected of murdering her younger sister.
So, right off the bat you have the murder of a child
during an important religious ceremony.
Needless to say, the movie was met with some controversy.
With its gut-wrenching premise, "Alice, Sweet Alice"
is a solid horror-mystery-thriller concoction that helped usher in the slasher genre.
Unlike many slashers, this movie showed surprising filmmaking craft,
flashy cinematography and a solid lead performance from Paula Sheppard.
"The Invitation" is a dinner party thriller first and foremost.
You know how it goes – someone is invited to dinner, the hosts are a little wacky,
and tension slowly builds before boiling over into violence and mayhem.
While "The Invitation" follows this formula to a T,
it is a very well crafted piece of work
with a stellar performance by Logan Marshall-Green.
However, it's also a movie about the contrast
between inner turmoil and outer appearances,
and deals with some heavy themes such as loss, depression and acceptance.
By mixing in complex character work
with the more conventional thrills of the thriller,
"The Invitation" becomes greater than the sum of its parts.
On the surface, "Possession" is about
a young couple going through a divorce.
The Berlin Wall is used as a metaphor for a crumbling marriage.
And that's where the movie leaves
conventional plots, characters and symbolism behind.
The film "Possession" is directed by Polish filmmaker Andrzej Żuławski,
and is similar to Dario Argento's "Suspiria" on acid.
The acting is gleefully over-the-top,
and the camera swoops, zags and zooms, refusing to remain static.
And yes, there are monsters.
It's an unapologetic filmmaking extravaganza, and it is glorious to behold.
It's more of an emotional and sensory thriller, but what an experience it is.
Before we freak you out with our top pick,
here are a few honourable mentions.
You may see the poster of "Terrifier" and laugh.
But you know what they say about judging a book,
or in this case a movie, by its cover.
"Terrifier" follows a clown named Art who stalks and butchers people,
and yes, that plot is ridiculously simple.
But like all great slasher movies, the craft elevates the elementary story.
"Terrifier" is surprisingly well shot, considering its miniscule budget.
Art the Clown is a fantastic villain
and the kills are as bloody as a horror fan could want.
It's a delirious throwback to campy '80s slashers.
At a time when slashers have given way to ghosts and demons,
"Terrifier" is a breath of old school fresh air.
Do you agree with our picks?
Be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo Māori
to be notified about our latest videos.