Top 10 Horror Movies You Shouldn't Watch Alone
#10: “Paranormal Activity” (2007)
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It’s amazing how often low-budget horror movies become cultural phenomenons. Made for peanuts, “Paranormal Activity” captured the collective imagination of the world and grossed nearly $200 million. Filmed simply but effectively, it speaks to the universality of a riveting ghost story, frightening with good, old-fashioned ghost scares. It’s no wonder it quickly entered the pantheon of the greatest haunted house movies. It’s certainly not the type of film you want to be watching by yourself, lest your imagination get the best of you and you start seeing things that aren’t there. Even if you don’t believe in ghosts or demons, it’ll have you cowering under the covers in your dark, empty house, fearing every little creak of the doors and floorboards.
#9: “The Descent” (2005)
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This movie works wonders with its lighting and setting. Basically, it’s not the type of thing to watch alone in a dark house. A group of friends and spelunkers enter a cave in the Appalachian Mountains and proceed to get lost - and hunted. The film is a masterclass in utilizing setting as a source of horror. Creepy shadows harboring violent secrets, disorienting paths, sheer panic, and claustrophobia all combine to make viewers feel the hopeless fear that the characters are experiencing. Watching it alone will only heighten the anxiety, so a friend is definitely needed for emotional and physical comfort.
#8: “Halloween” (1978)
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It’s not considered the quintessential slasher for no reason! Putting aside its historical context and influential legacy, “Halloween” still packs an incredible amount of visceral horror. It brings discomfort and violence to quiet American suburbia through the character of Michael Myers, so your surrounding neighborhood won’t bring you any comfort. Furthermore, the movie works equally well as a stalker thriller as it does a slasher. Being watched and hunted is an inherent fear that most people share, and “Halloween” preys upon that in expert fashion. A viewing partner is definitely required, unless you want to be peeking out the window every five minutes.
#7: “Insidious” (2010)
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Much like “Halloween,” “Insidious” attacks the places and people we hold most sacred and in which we feel the most secure - our neighborhoods, our houses, and even our families. The movie is helmed by James Wan, who has established himself as one of the most notable horror directors of his generation. In it, Josh and Renai Lambert hope to rescue their young son Dalton from a malicious demon and a Hell-like dimension called The Further. Not only are the visuals scary, featuring the likes of red-faced monsters and a creepy dancing boy, but the idea of the innocent Dalton being tormented is terrifying. Watching this one, even with your family or children, won’t be enough to stave off the dread.
#6: “The Babadook” (2014)
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This masterful horror movie from writer-director Jennifer Kent works on multiple levels. For one thing, it’s an effective haunted house film, with Amelia Vanek and her young son Samuel being confronted by the titular creature. Said creature is horrifying, with a pale face, dark eyes, and what appear to be sharp claws. It also operates using themes of familial and personal horror. Amelia is deeply troubled, and the Babadook may serve as a metaphor for her various anxieties - specifically the ones centered around being a widow and single mother. Not only is the film creepy, but it’s relentlessly dour and upsetting. The distressing mood that it creates is not one to be experienced alone, because solitude would make it so much worse.
#5: “The Grudge” (2004)
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In the 2000s, the American horror landscape was greatly influenced by J-horror. One of the most notable examples was “The Grudge,” a highly successful movie that grossed just over $187 million at the box office. While some have criticized the story for being confusing, most agree that the scares are iconic. The scenes involving Kayako Saeki are especially notable, whether she’s hiding under the blankets or crawling down the stairs. The nightmarish visuals pack a punch, and the fact that they occur inside a house certainly doesn’t help. Good luck climbing the stairs after watching this movie alone.
#4: “Hereditary” (2018)
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The combination of visuals and tone makes “Hereditary” a difficult movie to watch. Many of its visuals are incredibly unnerving, balancing real-world horror with more fantastical and otherworldly images that boggle the mind. There are numerous unforgettable scenes, including ones involving a telephone pole and a piece of piano wire. The atmosphere is also relentlessly morose, especially in the second half after a certain tragic event transpires. It’s all fascinating, but it doesn’t make for a light or even fun viewing experience. This is a deeply challenging film that requires a certain mood - and definitely even a trusted friend or two - to get through.
#3: “A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984)
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To be honest, even watching this movie with someone else probably won’t help - that is, unless you’re sharing a bed with them. “A Nightmare on Elm Street” is so successful not just because of Freddy Krueger (although he is iconic), but because it preys on a universal fear of nightmares. And not just nightmares, but the complete inability to sleep and the resulting mania that comes from it. These characters literally mustn’t rest, lest they be hunted and killed by Freddy in their dreams. We think of our beds as a safe space and cherish our sleep, but “A Nightmare on Elm Street” brilliantly subverts those beliefs. Dreaming of Freddy Krueger would be the scariest nightmare of all.
#2: “The Strangers” (2008)
Top 10 Movies You Shouldn't Watch Alone
What works best about “The Strangers” is how it so effectively and utterly betrays the idea of home comfort. The thriller from writer-director Bryan Bertino was reportedly influenced by the Manson family killings, in which violent individuals broke into homes and murdered the occupants. In “The Strangers,” couple James Hoyt and Kristen McKay are intruded upon by a small group of masked individuals, who take great pleasure in tormenting their helpless victims. Home invasion thrillers take advantage of a very natural fear of being intruded upon, and “The Strangers” is one of the best examples of the genre. It’ll have you peeking at every darkened corner of the house, so don’t be left alone — for your own sanity!
#1: “The Ring” (2002)
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Perhaps the most notable example of the 2000s J-horror craze, “The Ring” does something amazing - it makes phones scary. Well, not just phones — TVs, too. Watching this movie alone is just inviting unbearable paranoia. Samara can attack through the television set, so you’ll fear your own TV. She also calls people to inform them of their impending deaths, so that’s the phone taken care of as well. And good luck falling asleep with the disturbing images from the tape burned into your memory. “The Ring” knows how to warp the everyday for its own scary designs, and it is very successful in doing so. Now go check your voicemail. You might have a missed call.
