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Cult Classic Horror Movies: 25 Films With Devoted Followings
Horror has more cult films than any other genre: midnight shockers, low-budget originals and films that failed first and conquered later. Here are 25, plus Halloween picks and the best horror about cults themselves.
Horror and cult film go together. Horror was often made cheaply, ignored by critics and discovered by fans at midnight screenings, on video and on late-night TV. These cult classic horror movies earned their followings in different ways, but all of them are still watched, argued over and quoted. For the bigger picture, read what is a cult film.
Early cult horror
- Freaks (1932): banned and buried for years, then rediscovered.
- Carnival of Souls (1962): eerie, cheap and hugely influential.
- Night of the Living Dead (1968): a midnight movie staple, free in the public domain.
1970s
- The Wicker Man (1973): a policeman, a pagan island and a famous ending.
- The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974): raw, low budget, endlessly imitated.
- Phantom of the Paradise (1974): a horror rock musical with a loyal following.
- The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975): the horror musical that became a ritual.
- Suspiria (1977): color and sound as horror.
- Phantasm (1979): a flying silver sphere and the Tall Man.
1980s
- The Evil Dead (1981): made by friends on a shoestring.
- The Thing (1982): dismissed on release, now an essential.
- Videodrome (1983): television, flesh and paranoia.
- Re-Animator (1985): gory, darkly comic.
- The Return of the Living Dead (1985): punk zombies who want brains.
- Night of the Creeps (1986): a loving homage to 1950s B horror.
- Evil Dead II (1987): horror turned slapstick.
- Hellraiser (1987): a puzzle box opens the door.
- Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988): exactly what it sounds like.
1990s and 2000s
- Braindead (1992): one of the goriest comedies ever made.
- Cemetery Man (1994): a strange, romantic zombie tale.
- The Blair Witch Project (1999): a phenomenon that launched found footage.
- Ginger Snaps (2000): a werewolf story about growing up.
- May (2002): a lonely woman's very personal project.
- Trick 'r Treat (2007): shelved, then embraced as a Halloween classic.
- The House of the Devil (2009): a slow-burn tribute to early-80s horror.
Cult classic Halloween movies
For an October marathon with a cult flavor, pair Trick 'r Treat with Night of the Creeps, Killer Klowns from Outer Space and Night of the Living Dead. For a gentler family night, add Hocus Pocus (1993) from our list of cult classic movies.
Horror movies about cults
A separate question: horror where the villain is a cult. Classics include Rosemary's Baby (1968), in which a young wife suspects her neighbors, and The Wicker Man (1973). Later films have continued the theme, from religious sects to communes in remote places. These films work because the threat is human, organised and smiling.
Pick by mood
| Mood | Try |
|---|---|
| Laugh and scream | Evil Dead II, Re-Animator, Braindead |
| Truly unsettling | Carnival of Souls, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Videodrome |
| Music and camp | The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Phantom of the Paradise |
| Monster fun | The Thing, Night of the Creeps, Killer Klowns |
Prefer giant ants and atomic monsters? See our creature feature movies.
Questions
What is the biggest cult horror movie?
The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Night of the Living Dead are the most famous; The Evil Dead and The Thing have huge followings too.
Why does horror have so many cult films?
Horror was often cheap, critic-proof and shown at midnight or on late-night TV, where devoted fans found it.
What are good cult horror movies for Halloween?
Trick 'r Treat, Night of the Creeps, Killer Klowns from Outer Space and Night of the Living Dead.
What is a good horror movie about a cult?
Rosemary's Baby (1968) and The Wicker Man (1973) are the classic starting points.
