Top 10 Creepiest Movies Ever Made

Top 10 Creepiest Movies Ever Made

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today were counting down our picks for the most unsettling, disturbing, and/or eerie films ever. Possible spoilers ahead for the following movies.

#10: Raw (2016)

This movie takes a disturbing ride through vet school. As Justine is initiated, she finds out that her vegetarian ways might not cut it in the medical world. These gross scenes highlight her relationship to meat, animals, and her potential success. Julia Ducournau follows this idea to extremes, giving audiences some disgusting and thought-provoking scenes of mutilation. The concept of eating flesh comes under fire in a film full of blood, prosthetics, and violence. If youre squeamish, you might want to skip this one altogether. It all comes down to shocking revelations that could make you feel sick.

#9: The Vanishing (1988)

This Dutch film follows the eerie events surrounding a womans disappearance. With the boyfriend searching for answers, the whole thing shifts to the villains perspective. The kidnapper takes over the story and lives out his banal life of drugging himself and others. Its rare that a movie is so matter of fact about its antagonist, giving audiences a look into a disturbed mans mind. You want the hero to figure out the truth, but when it happens youre greeted with another dark twist. The Vanishing gives audiences a glimpse into a kidnapping, the person behind it, and the terror left in its wake. Its one of the scarier horror films that deals with a realistic concept and the consequences.

#8: Mother! (2017)

In Darren Aronofskys haunting film, a couple and their house take on a biblical metaphor. Jennifer Lawrences hero represents the earth and Javier Bardems husband is supposed to be God. The movie then turns into a rollercoaster ride with all the highs, lows, and most terrifying elements of the Bible. Lawrence gives her all in a visceral performance full of confrontations and nightmarish visions. Her character struggles to understand the people destroying her house, ruining her life, and taking away her baby. Its one horrifying scene after the other in a claustrophobic and anxious experience. The director mixes religious imagery with his views on climate change, delivering harrowing sequences throughout.

#7: Seven (1995)

This is far from your average detective movie. In Seven, investigators track down a killer inspired by the seven deadly sins. This takes them down a rabbit hole of unsightly crime scenes and gross details. Filmmaker David Fincher has no problem showing you the gory parts of a hard job. Hes no stranger to this kind of material either considering his work on Zodiac (xref). When the killer does show up, things only get more scary from there. Fincher takes him to a remote location and tests them with one more unsettling challenge. With the dramatic ending, you will never forget this 90s thriller.

#6: A Clockwork Orange (1971)

In this classic film, director Stanley Kubrick adapts Anthony Burgess novel. It follows the exploits of Alex DeLarge and his gang. From a milk bar to the grimy streets, this plot covers what happens when a criminal finally meets his match. There are many moments that will be burned into your brain, with a standout being one use of Singin in the Rain. As DeLarge is treated for his violent tendencies, the movie asks hard questions about society. Malcolm McDowells iconic and unsettling performance is just one element that pushes the envelope. All these years later, the eclectic mix of music and aggressive scenes only makes it all the more stressful.

#5: Cannibal Holocaust (1980)

After filmmakers disappear in the Amazon, a team journeys into the rainforest to find them. The rescuers encounter a local tribe and the remains of a movie gone wrong. Nothing short of violent, Cannibal Holocaust lives up to its grisly name. An anthropologist ends up viewing whats left of the found footage. The character uncovers several horrors, including a variety of crimes and despicable acts. It was so disturbing upon release that it courted controversy. One scene with a turtle is among the worst parts, depicting the animals extended onscreen death. This doesnt even count the depiction of the native people or their rituals. In a truly dark film, this piece of exploitation will likely upset viewers with its graphic content.

#4: The Thing (1982)

At a remote research facility, a deadly entity spreads through the workers. This sends the staff into a paranoid frenzy as they try to figure out the cause. Half of the movie is a big mystery, with everyone turning up as a potential suspect. Its even more worrying knowing whatll happen if they get infected. John Carpenter creates a masterful film with tension dripping from the walls, making you wonder who might be next. MacReady and the gang even have to check their blood samples in one of the best scenes. With the cliffhanger ending, you can only imagine what worries lie ahead for the survivors.

#3: The Shining (1980)

With Stephen Kings idea coming alive, The Shining still stands as a horror masterpiece. Its all about what happens when a haunted hotel upends a family. Caretaker Jack Torrance loses his mind, but his son has a special power that makes things interesting. The main character keeps trying to write until his homicidal tendencies get the best of him. This plot is nearly wall-to-wall dread, making viewers worried even before all hell breaks loose. Torrances transformation turns him into something of a movie monster himself. This ghastly story shows you what happens when cabin fever, bloody elevators, and swinging axes combine.

#2: The Exorcist (1973)

For this legendary movie, a woman grapples with her possessed child. Two priests then try to exorcise the daughters evil. Throughout the film, the makeup and effects help to make this even more creepy. Director William Friedkin traps you in the bedroom, putting you in the midst of a spiritual battle. The head-spinning thrills might get you to squirm in your seat. As the religious leaders fight back, they have to endure everything from vomit to high falls. This spooky adventure gives you supernatural scares, with the results being part of horror history. Theres a reason so many people have been freaked out by it for decades.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Cure (1997)

A String of Murders Stump Investigators & Make You Reconsider the Power of Hypnosis

Pink Flamingos (1972)

John Waters & Divine Team-Up for an Iconic, Bizarre, & Sometimes-Creepy Affair

The Fly (1986)

David Cronenberg Pushes Body Horror to the Limit as a Failed Experiment Goes Wrong

Audition (1999)

A Man Casts His New Partner, but Nothing Prepares Him for Her Super Villain Turn

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

A Road Trip Takes an Unfortunate Turn When the Travelers Encounter Leatherface

#1: Eraserhead (1977)

David Lynchs dark vision established his feature film career. Eraserhead follows Jack Nances character as he visits his partners family. This includes an awkward dinner, but the fun doesnt end there. You also get to hear a woman in a radiator sing. Its also a haunting story about becoming a father, with the alien-like child serving as another scary image. The plot doesnt offer up any answers and lets you dwell in an ominous stew. In this groundbreaking piece, Lynch creates a surreal landscape thats both familiar and odd. Some people might embrace it, while others might not be able to take the oppressive mystery. This is just the start of the filmmakers wonderfully-strange career that also includes Mulholland Drive and Inland Empire..

Did we forget another movie that creeped you out? Let us know in the comments below.