Top 20 Greatest Psychological Horror Movies

When it comes to psychological horror movies, it doesn't get better than this! For this list, we’ll be looking at the greatest films that earn their scares primarily through slow-burn tension and eerie atmosphere. Our countdown of the best psychological horror movies includes “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991), “The Others” (2001), “Hereditary” (2018), “Funny Games” (1997), and more! Did we miss any of your spooky favorites? Let us know in the comments below!

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[WatchMojo]

Did we miss any of your spooky favorites? Let us know in the comments below!

[Fluffyudders]

Scanned the comments for a list and couldn't find one... FINE I'll do this one then!
00:30 20. Get Out (2017)
01:20 19. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
02:14 18. Eraserhead (1977)
03:06 17. Jacob's Ladder (1990)
03:51 16. Repulsion (1965)
04:37 15. The Haunting (1963)
05:26 14. The Others (2001)
06:23 13. Audition (1999)
07:19 12. The Babadook (2014)
08:17 11. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
09:11 10. Funny Games (1997)
10:07 09. Don't Look Now (1973)
10:57 08. The Sixth Sense (1999)
11:46 07. Black Swan (2010)
12:38 06. Hereditary (2018)
13:38 05. Misery (1990)
14:37 04. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
15:45 03. Psycho (1960)
16:39 02. Rosemary's Baby (1968)
17:50 01. The Shining (1980)

[amphimixis]

Jacobs ladder is a criminally underrated movie. Definitely worth a watch.

[trinaq]

I remember seeing "The Others" for the very first time, and the twist genuinely took me by surprise. I never even saw it coming, yet the signs were all there. Plus, child actors Alakina Mann and James Bentley really acted well amongst veteran actress Nicole Kidman.

[kimackerman]

Jacob's Ladder!! Absolutely love that film and find it very disturbing and extremely sad. Cabinet of Caligari is also one of my favorites and my favorite silent film🙌🏻

[BigFella]

I personally think psychological horror movies are the scariest because they mess with your head more than any other genre

[lProjectZerol]

Rosemary's Baby honestly invented the genre of ocultism horror. A classic!!!

[MotherFlerken]

The scariest thing about The Babadook was her damn kid. I was waiting for him to get eaten.

[hhlentz]

I saw “The Sixth Sense” in the theatre the day after my thirteenth birthday party. It was the only movie I’ve ever seen that truly negatively affected me. I didn’t watch it again until I was an adult and a mother, and it hit me in an entirely different way. As a parent, there were parts that made my heart hurt and I cried. How horrible for this poor, young child to live a life like that. Being scared, preyed upon by the evil spirits of death (like the scene in the closet at the birthday party). It’s just heartbreaking.

[AntonXul]

Wow! This is probably the most polarizing list you’ve made when it comes to my taste in movies. I’ve seen most of these and I either absolutely love them, or absolutely hate them. I had no idea this was a thing with me with psychological horror until watching this video. I would list them, but it’ll take forever and make this post drag longer than it needs to be. You nailed # 1, though. I absolutely agree that it’s the best of the bunch.

[BobBrophy]

Very surprised Requiem For A Dream wasn't on the list. First movie when I think of Psychological Horror. Made me never want to be on drugs, ever.

[mortensteen]

I would throw an honorable mention at "The Invitation" from 2015. Extremely tense and an excellent slow-burn. One could argue it takes the "simple" route in the last act, but it still manages to stick the landing, with a terriffic last scene.

[trinaq]

It's odd to think that the ending of "Sixth Sense" was a shock when it was initially released, but nowadays, everyone knows the ending, even if they haven't seen it. One hint is that Malcolm is never seen actually interacting with anyone outside of Cole, but the scenes are set up to THINK that he has. Such as when we open a scene with Malcolm and Cole's Mum facing each other in armchairs, and presume that they've been talking.

[sephenmusic]

The Lighthouse or The VVitch should be on this

[Revelwoodie]

The Shining is one of my favorite movies. And Stanley Kubrick is a top 5 director for me, too. But let's not forget about the score for this movie. And not just the Penderecki stuff, I mean the whole soundtrack. I think the music is half of what makes that movie so terrifying.

[BlueMolly]

Two Toni Collet movies on the list. That is great.

[lycansubscribed]

I'm actually kinda sad that Session 9 wasn't on this list. That's a perfect example of a psychological horror ( and a supernatural one ), that is genuinely scary.

[tcmaddox]

I saw hereditary in the theaters, I have never heard a theater full of people gasp like we did during that pole scene.

[dustinbrilliant]

These are good. I would also add "The Exorcist 3"

[rhiannonelizabethirons]

New Zealand's The Ugly (1997) is criminally underrated. It's good enough to land a place in Boogeymen: The Killer Compilation. One of the best psychological horrors I've ever seen.