People Are Sharing Which Horror Movies Are Scary As Hell, And Which Ones Just Didn’t Hit

“Every scene is a masterclass in building tension and making your skin crawl.”
I’m such a sucker for scary movies, especially during Halloween season.

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I recently asked the BuzzFeed Community to share the horror movies that were scary as hell, and the ones that just didn’t hit. Here’s what they had to say:
1. Good: The Exorcist

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“It traumatized me as a child, and I still won’t watch it 45 years later. It’s one of those movies that feels wrong to be watching.”
“Hands down, The Exorcist. The horror classic still elicits a visceral reaction every time I watch it. Every scene is a masterclass in building tension and making your skin crawl.”
—Eric from Washington D.C.
2. Good: The Conjuring
Michael Tackett / © Warner Bros. Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection
“The Conjuring scared the crap out of me. I’ve seen it a dozen times and it still gets to me. It made me so uncomfortable.”
3. Bad: Terrifier franchise
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“The Terrifier series. It’s just shock for the sake and boring. I fell asleep during the second.”
“I thought it would be super scary, but it was just a gory movie. It didn’t have many scary elements as gruesome.”
—Victoria from North Carolina
“The Terrifier movies are disgusting. I don’t get why people enjoy them.”
—Anonymous
4. Good: The Ring
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“The Ring gave me nightmares for ages. Those faces! It’s one of the best American remakes out there.”
“When Samara climbed out of the TV at the end, I climbed over the back of the couch, completely freaked out. I still won’t watch that scene.”
5. Good: The Descent
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“It’s a creature feature, but honestly I think the first half before they’re even introduced is the scariest. It’s best experienced in a theater IMO.”
“Scary as hell: The Descent. It didn’t need the monsters. The terrifying caves, the claustrophobia, and the awful team dynamics are enough to give me the creeps.”
—Elli from Germany
6. Bad: Paranormal Activity
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“Paranormal Activity is 90 minutes of my life I will never get back. I watched the movie waiting for something to happen and then it ended.”
“I did not see how Paranormal Activity was scary. I laughed at some extreme things they ‘captured’ on video.”
—Anonymous from Tennessee
7. Good: The Blair Witch Project
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“The Blair Witch Project left me with nightmares.”
“The only film that scared me was The Blair Witch Project. That ending left me feeling on edge for a few days. I wouldn’t watch it again. I love horror movies, so I’ve seen hundreds, and nothing scared me as much as The Blair Witch Project.
8. Good: Sinister
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9. Bad: The Witch
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“The Witch didn’t scare me at all and found it to be pretty boring.”
10. Good: Talk to Me
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“Talk to Me had some real scary moments that got to me.”
11. Good: The Deliverance
Aaron Ricketts / © Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection
“The only movie to really mess me up.”
—Mic from Michigan
12. Bad: From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money
Robert Rodriguez / © El Rey Network / Courtesy Everett Collection
“That was a bad bank robbery movie that tried to be a vampire flick. Too many hats and none of them fit.”
—Mason from Missouri
13. Good: Hereditary
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“I don’t usually get scared by horror movies but I had to turn all the lights on in the house and watch some old Scooby-Doo episodes after Hereditary. It got to me in a way nothing had before. My boyfriend kept clicking his tongue (IYKYK) and I kept jumping every time.”
“Hereditary scared the hell out of me!”
—Emma from the United Kingdom
14. Good: A Nightmare on Elm Street
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“I like the original A Nightmare on Elm Street. I didn’t think it was scary, but as far as horror movies go, I thought it was great. They do an amazing job keeping the suspense throughout the entire film.”
15. Bad: The Babadook
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“The Babadook was uncomfortable to watch but it wasn’t scary.”
16. Good: The Woman in Black
Nick Wall / © CBS Films / Courtesy Everett Collection
17. Good: Candyman
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“The original Candyman scared the crap out of me as a kid.”
“I still won’t say his name more than once. Not worth the possible risk.”
18. Bad: Longlegs
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“One that didn’t hit so hard was Longlegs. It had a lot going for it in the first half but then kept going downhill after that. By the end, it was laughable. When you have to explain the entire plot at the end because you didn’t set it up well, it’s just not going to land.”
19. Good: Smile
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“Smile was unsettling. I watch a lot of horror and Smile has been the one that disturbed me the most.”
—Jenny Golfin from Connecticut
20. Bad: It Follows
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“It Follows has an ending that ruins the whole film. It’s cinematically beautiful with an incredible soundtrack and the build-up of the story is incredible, then the ending ruined everything.”
“So much hype, so boring.”
What are the best and worst scary movies of all time? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.