Horror Films Timeline Does not include every horror film ever made/released.
1890s-1920s
The House of the Devil (1896)
The Student of Prague (1913)
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920) The Golem: Or How He Came in the World (1920)
Haxan (1922)
Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
Nosfertu (1922)
Frankenstein (1910) This short film was written and directed by J. Searle Dawley in 1910. The monster Frankenstein is extremely famous even today. This film is 16 minutes long and was shot in three days. Frankenstein is also a silent film and was considered an extremely scary film. This film cannot be found on the BBFC website as it is very old however the story and the monster Frankenstein is still being used today in modern horror films. The monster’s story has been continually remade.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923)
Waxworks (1924) The Hands of Orlac (1924)
The Monster (1925)
Faust (1926)
The Cat and the Canary (1927)
The Phantom of the Opera (1925) Gaston Leroux wrote this from the celebrated novel and was directed by Rupert Julian. BBFC has rated this film a PG however at the time it was considered a horror.
1930s M (1931)
The Mummy (1932)
King Kong (1933)
Frankenstein (1931)
The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932)
Island of Lost Souls (1933)
Dracula (1931)
Freaks (1932)
The Invisible Man (1933)
Vampyr (1931)
The Old Dark Horse (1932) White Zombie (1932)
The Black Cat (1934)
The Werewolf of London (1935) The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) This film cant be found on the BBFC website and according to IMDB this film is not rated. Frankenstein is a very common story within horror films.
1940s The Wolf Man (1941) King of the Zombies (1941)
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Cat People (1941) (1942)
The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945) I Walked with a Zombie (1943)
The Uninvited (1944)
Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943) BBFC has rated PG as it contains mild violence and horror. This was the first of a series of ‘ensemble’ monster films combining characters from several film series.
Dead of Night (1945)
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
Mahal (1949)
Mighty Joe Young (1949) On the BBFC this film is rated U. This film is directed Ernest B. Schoedsack. This film is similar to King Kong (1933) and it was made by the same creative team responsible for King Kong.
1950s
The Thing from Another World (1951)
Ugetsu (1953)
Them! (1954)
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)
The Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)
House of Wax (1953) The BBFC has rated this film PG and was directed Andre De Toth. This film was been remade in 1982 and 2005.
The Night of the Hunter (1955) Diabolique (1955) Godzilla (1954) The BBFC has rated this film a PG and was directed by Ishiro Honda. Godzilla is a Japanese science-fiction film. This film has been remade in 1998, 2005 and 2014.
The Tingler (1959)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) I Vampiri The Incredible Shrinking Man (1956) (1957)
Horror of Dracula (1958) The Fly (1958)
Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)
The Bad Seed (1956)
The Blob (1958)
House on Haunted Hill (1959)
I Was a Teen-age Werewolf (1957)
The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) The BBFC has rated this film a 12. Like most Frankenstein films it is based on the novel (1818) by Mary Shelley.
1960s
The Fall of the House of Usher (1960) Eyes Without a Face (1960) Black Sunday (1960) 13 Ghosts (1960) The Little Shop of Horrors (1960) Peeping Tom (1960) Village of the Damned (1960)
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane (1962) Mondo Cane (1962) The Innocents (1961)
Carnival of Souls (1962) Psycho (1960) BBFC has rated this film a 15 due to it’s ‘strong violence’. Psycho is ranked among the greatest films of all time and is widely considered to be the earliest example of the slasher film genre. The director Alfred Hitchcock won Best Director for this film.
Black Sabbath (1963)
Two Thousand Maniacs (1964)
The Birds (1963)
Kwaidan (1964)
Repulsion (1965)
At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul (1963)
Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964)
Dr Terror’s House of Horrors (1965)
The Haunting (1963) Blood Feast (1963)
Witchfinder General (1968) Spider Baby (1968) Rosemary’s Baby (1968) The Rape of the Vampire (1968) Night of the Living Dead (1968) This is an American zombie film. Since its release it has become a cult classic. This film has been rated a 15 due it containing moderate horror and violence by the BBFC.
1970s Vampyros Lesbos (1971) Twitch of the Death Nerve (1971) The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
The Man from Deep River (1972) The Last House on the Left (1972) Blacula (1972)
The Wicker Man (1973)
Let Sleeping Corpses Lie (1974) Deathdream (1974)
Sisters (1973)
It’s Alive (1974)
The Exorcist (1973)
Black Christmas (1974) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) This film is not on the BBFC website however the remakes are. IMDB has rated this film R (18). This is a slasher film.
Shivers (1975) The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) The Stepford Wives (1975)
Suspiria (1977) The Omen (1976)
The Hills Have Eyes (1977)
Jaws (1975) This film is considered a classic thriller film and is rated 12A by the BBFC.
I Spit on Your Grave (1978) Halloween When a Stranger (1978) Calls The Fury (1979) (1978) Phantasm Faces of Death (1979) (1978) The Amityville Dawn of the Dead Horror (1979) (1978) Carrie (1976) American supernatural horror film and has been remade in 2013.
Alien (1979) Science –fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott. This film has received numerous awards and nominations and is also considered a classic horror.
1980s The Howling (1981) Friday the 13th The Evil Dead (1980) (1981) Prom Night The Beyond (1980) (1981) Cannibal An American Werewolf Holocaust in London (1980) (1981) My Bloody Valentine (1981) Scanners (1981)
Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984) Gremlins (1984)
Poltergeist (1982) Creepshow (1982) Cat People (1982)
The Hunger (1983)
Ghostbusters (1984) A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
The Shining (1980) Rated 15 by the BBFC for containing strong violence and language. In 1980 it was considered to be ‘a masterpiece of modern horror’ and is viewed as one of the greatest films of all time.
Re-Animator (1985) Mr. Vampire (1985) Fright Night (1985) Demons (1985) The Return of the Living Dead (1985) The Toxic Avenger (1985)
Manhunter (1986) House (1986) Aliens (1986)
The Lost Boys (1987) Hellraiser (1987) Fatal Attraction (1987) Evil Dead 2 (1987) A Chinese Ghost Story (1987) Predator (1987) Near Dark (1987
The Vanishing (1988) Pumpkinhead (1988) Night of the Demons (1988)
Pet Sematary (1989)
Child’s Play (1988) BBFC has rated this film as an 15 as it contains strong violence, horror and language. This film has since become a franchise and is commonly known as Chucky.
1990s Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1990) Ghost (1990) The Silence of the Arachnophobia Lambs (1990) (1991) Misery (1990)
Dead Alive (1992)
Leprechaun (1993)
Candyman (1992)
Jurassic Park (1993)
Wolf (1994)
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
Cronos (1993)
Interview with the Vampire (1994)
Se7en (1995) This film contains strong bloody violence, horror and threat which is why BBFC has rated it a 18. This is an American neo-noir thriller film as it blends elements of the crime and horror genres.
Urban Legend (1998)
From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) The Craft (1996)
I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) Funny Games (1997)
Ringu (1998)
Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Blade (1998)
The Sixth Sense (1999)
Fallen (1998)
Scream (1996) Rated an 18 by the BBFC as it contains strong bloody violence. This film is based partly on the real-life case of the Gainesville Ripper. Scream was credited with revitalizing the horror genre in the 1990s, which was considered to be almost dead. Scream has now turned into a franchise.
Audition (1999)
The Mummy (1999) The Blair Witch Project (1999) Rated a 15 by the BBFC. An American found footage horror film written, directed and edited by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sรกnchez. In 2000 the Blair Witch 2 came out and a third was was announced however it did not materialize. A trilogy of video games based on the film film was released in 2000.
2000s
The Ring (2002)
Ju-on : The Grudge (2003)
Night Watch (2004)
Scary Movie (2000)
The Others (2001)
Resident Evil (2002)
House of 1000 Corpses (2003)
Ginger Snaps (2000)
Joy Ride (2001)
The Eye (2002)
High Tension (2003)
Hellboy (2004) The Grudge (2004)
Final Destination (2000)
Ichi the Killer (2001)
Signs (2002)
Freddy vs. Jason (2003)
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
Saw (2004)
28 Days Later (2002) BBFC rated this film a 18. This film is credited with reinvigorating the zombie genre of horror fiction. A sequel called 28 Weeks Later (2007) along with a graphic novel and comic book.
Shaun of the Dead (2004) Shutter (2004)
Twilight (2008) The Orphanage (2007) I Am Legend (2007)
Hostel (2005) The Descent (2005)
The Host (2006)
Halloween (2007)
The Strangers (2008) Prom Night (2008) Let the Right One In (2008) Cloverfield (2008)
Zombieland (2009) Paranormal Activity (2009) Frida the 13th (2009)
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) Rated 18 as it contains strong bloody violence. One of the many films directed by Tim Burton and has gone on to win numerous awards and nominations.
2010s
The Human Centipede II (2011)
The Crazies (2010) Final Destination 5 I Spit on Your Grave (2011) (2010) Contagion Insidious (2011) (2010) The Silent House (2010)
Scream 4 (2011)
The Devil Inside (2012)
Mama (2013)
The Woman In Black (2012) Gone (2012)
Carrie (2013) The Last Exorcism Part II (2013)
The Cabin In The Woods (2012)
The Conjuring (2013)
Black Swan (2010) Rated 15 as it contains strong sex, language and bloody images. This film is considered more of a thriller/drama however it is seen as a psychological thriller-horror film.
World War Z (2013)
2014 Oculus (2014)
Dracula (2014) The Pyramid (2014) Babadook (2014) Annabelle (2014) Rated a 15 by the BBFC as it contains strong horror and bloody violence. This film is a American supernatural horror film. It is both a prequel to and spin-off of The Conjuring and was inspired by the real doll Annabelle. Although this film received negative reviews it made one of the highest grossing horror films of all time.
The first horror films were mainly monsters for example Frankenstein and Dracula however today it is almost completely supernatural horrors. The film industry today care more about making you jump rather than actually making you scared. Many of the classics are monster films and have been continually remade (Frankenstein and Dracula) and many include zombies. Horror films nowadays are common and are only made to make you jump however back in the 1900s they were mostly monsters or psychological to really scare you mentally, these films, I find are more scarier and better than the “jump-scare� ones we have today.