by Nicki Marks

Created on: September 09, 2008

Horror is something most of us like to experience at one point or another, when it comes to movies that is. Horror movies are set up to thrill us and scare us out of our wits. The directors haven't accomplished their mission till we're lying at home under the blankets quaking with fear. Even some of the toughest adults have had at least one really good movie terrify them. It's hard to make a list of the best horror movies of all time because there are so many good ones, and fear means something different to different people. While The Exorcist left most people in a state of panic, I never found it to be very scary. Yet while my friends laughed at The Grudge, I closed my eyes and refused to watch the ending. Never the less, I have picked what I consider to be the top three best horror movies of all time, and if you haven't seen them I recommend you give them a try.

3) Jaws - I believe the third best horror movie in terms of thrills and chills would have to be Jaws. What other movie has sparked a nation wide panic and killing of a single real life creature simply because of its portrayal in a movie? Sharks have always been feared because of the shark attacks we hear about in the news, and while we're told time and time again how we're more likely to be in a car crash, a plane crash, or bitten by a squirrel than a shark, it doesn't do much to comfort our fears. Jaws not only started a wide-spread panic, it was just so realistic that many people really did vow to never go back into the water. With amazing quality and terrifying scenes, this is probably the third scariest movie of all time.

2) Saw - Coming in at number two is not a movie itself, but a series, and that series is best known as Saw. Now while I'm a huge fan of the Saw movies, I didn't exactly cover my windows and hide under the bed after watching the latest installment. But there's something about them that brings fear into our hearts never-the-less, and makes us a think. It's rare to find a movie that pulls off gore so well without being a mindless slaughter, makes you think without having drawn out scenes to explain the plot, and makes you afraid of innocent strangers without even putting any effort into it. Some have criticized the bloodiness of these movies, but there's almost a sick art form to them, and no one can argue that they don't shudder at the endless line of tortures we have to watch.

3) Night of the Demons - While this is one of the more cheesy horror movies, and an older one released in the 80's, this movie absolutely terrified me as a kid and still gives me a good shiver today. Demons have always been scary to people. We're taught at an early age that they are the symbol of all the evil and fear in the world, and whether you believe in them or not, we know that fear and evil are real. This movie has some very creepy graphics and scenes, especially for the time period. You want to run away screaming along with the characters. When you're in the mood for a typical all out horror film, this is the one to pick, and the sequels are pretty good as well.

So there you have it, the top three best horror movies of all time. Keep your lights on and watch out for the boogeyman!

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