skeletonIn time for October viewing, Boston.com has compiled a list of the top 50 scariest movies of all time. The whole list of 50 is presented here so you don’t have to click through 50 pages — Yep, that’s right one movie per page. The plot outlines are from IMDb, the comments are ours.

  1. The Thing (1982) – Scientists in the Antarctic are confronted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of the people that it kills.
  2. Ju-on (2000) – Jealous of his wifes love for another man, a teacher from her high school, a man brutally kills his wife and young son.
  3. The Ring (2002) – A young journalist must investigate a mysterious videotape which seems to cause the death of anyone in a week of viewing it. The Japanese original, Ringu, is much better in our opinion.
  4. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) – In San Francisco, a group of people discover the human race is being replaced one by one, with clones devoid of emotion.
  5. Alien (1979) – A mining ship, investigating a suspected SOS, lands on a distant planet. The crew discovers some strange creatures and investigates. While Aliens was good, it was Aliens that combine top-notch space marine action and edge of your seat scares. Only downside to Aliens was that child screaming, “RIPLEEEEEEEEEEEEEE” the whole time.
  6. Dawn of the Dead (1978) – Following an ever-growing epidemic of zombies that have risen from the dead, two Philadelphia SWAT team members, a traffic reporter, and his television-executive girlfriend seek refuge in a secluded shopping mall.
  7. Evil Dead II (1987) – The lone survivor of an onslaught of flesh-possessing spirits holds up in a cabin with a group of strangers while the demons continue their attack. One of our favorite horror films – gory, campy, and chock-full of Bruce Campbell.
  8. Halloween (1978) – A psychotic murderer institutionalized since childhood escapes on a mindless rampage while his doctor chases him through the streets.
  9. The Shining (1980) – A family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where an evil and spiritual presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from the past and of the future.
  10. Quartermass and the Pit (1967) – An ancient Martian spaceship is unearthed in London, and proves to have powerful psychic effects on the people around. (more…)

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