I love a good horror movie, but I'll be the first to admit that most leave a lot to be desired. This list is not something I consider to be exhaustive, but did want to put down some I felt were quality and rank among my top choices.

The Shining (Fiction)
Hereditary (Fiction)
Oculus (Fiction)
The Conjuring (loosely based on a true story??)
The Descent (Fiction)
It Follows (Fiction)
The Ring (Fiction)

The Thing is good horror and at the time had an unknown cast and was low budget but still executed well. Recent movies like Smile had a good cast and was filmed well.
A lot of slasher flicks like Halloween, or Friday 13th tend to be a little silly. Horror movies that require jump cuts for scares are no good because the story isn't at all compelling.
Fiction is better because horror based on real events tends to be just BS so it doesn't really matter because it is fiction. Take Amityville for example.

Andrew Dufresne said:

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So, I have questions for those of you that are fans of the genre..

1. How many truly great horror movies have been made? Feel free to list them (Take off the nostalgia glasses when answering)

2. Why is it so rare for a horror movie to attract a top cast?

3. Is the top cast dilemma just a negative feedback loop?(Example: Horror movies are bad because the best actors avoid them, the best actors avoid Horror movies because they are bad)

4. Have the best Horror flicks typically been Fiction, or have the better ones been those that are "Based on actual events" ?

5. Which era produced the most consistent clip of good/great horror movies?

6. Who is the most terrifying character within the genre?

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1. Depends on your qualifications for great. The titans are as easy as a search away from any top 100 list, but in my opinion, the beauty of horror is in its atmosphere. Films like Jacob's Ladder, The Haunting, The Wailing, Curse of the Demon, The Innocents, Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte, The Devil Rides Out etc. capture that feeling well.

2. Films have always received scorn by their filmmaker brethren as flights of fancy for the youth. All the prizes, all the accolades go to films favored by the Academy which is a shame. I discount the Academy entirely as the goal is always the same, to tell a story in a meaningful way. I don't care the genre if the story is told well. That being said, nearly all major stars have been in horror films on their way up the ladder.

3. Films depend on their approach. Once you understand that, you can categorize and compare them much better. For instance, a Jim Wynorski film or a Fred Olen Ray film should not be compared with a John Carpenter film for multiple reasons. One, Jim Wynorski would make movies with tits and blood with little plot and done on a shoestring budget and shot in a week. That being said, when you take that into account, a viewing of Chopping Mall is magic viewing. Similarly, a viewing of Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers is a wonderful night but you can't compare it to Halloween, ya dig? My point is, there's always charm, you just have to find it. Linnea Quigley is just as much of a scream queen as Jamie Lee Curtis.

4. The best are indeed usually based on true stories but that's not always the case. There are countless examples of others that do not meet that criteria. Again, if it's a good story, it'll be a good movie if executed well. Event Horizon was a killer flick and as far as I'm aware, that's not based on a true story.

5. This is a source of constant debate between horror movie fans. The consensus usually gives way to 70s and 80s horror but I think each decade offers something incredibly unique and a window into the culture at the time as well as the limitations of the art at the time. I personally like the 80s because of the rise of the VHS market led to a host of low budget films that suddenly found a foothold to be profitable. Films took great chances because, well, they could and films tried to outdo one another which led to more creative projects being created. A glorious time for horror!

6. The most terrifying character in the genre. Well that depends on what scares you personally. Personally for me, Jaws managed to scare me so bad I'm still afraid of deep open water, so I guess that one gets the nod.

If you really would like for me to recommend my favorite horror films, I'd be glad to do so. But please, allow me to tailor my recommendations to what might get your heart pumping first. Tell me, what scares you?

Andrew Dufresne said:

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Tibbers said:

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If you really would like for me to recommend my favorite horror films, I'd be glad to do so. But please, allow me to tailor my recommendations to what might get your heart pumping first. Tell me, what scares you?

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I'm not well traveled within the genre, but shall divulge anyways, Tibbers...

A few movies that scared me when I was younger:

The Ring
What Lies Beneath
Event Horizon
The Blair Witch Project

I have not revisited these particular movies in years, except for Event Horizon(great movie IMO)

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Thank you kindly for indulging my request. I welcome others to do so as well. Let's first dive into The Ring.

Japanese horror was at a fever pitch in the early 2000s helmed by greats like Takashi Shimizu and Hideo Nakata. American producers saw a cash cow staring them in their face and imported a few titles remaking them for American audiences. The Ring is a great example of this. The core bit of this film is all about unraveling a mystery similarly with What Lies Beneath so here are some recommendations based on that, ok?

The Serpent and the Rainbow - this film commands star power and was directed by the great Wes Craven. Bill Pullman stars the show as he heads to Haiti to discover a special powder. Truly great film that was shot on location.

The Grudge - while this film does not execute as well as the original, Jun, it does offer a star studded cast and an opportunity for a double feature with Bill Pullman back again and Sarah Michelle Gellar. The film presents itself in vignettes and is quite unique.

The Innocents - starring the great Deborah Kerr, this film is older and (gasps) is in black and white, but my lord does it build and build with it's incredible story and atmosphere. As with all film, go in blind and you will not be disappointed (or maybe you will be)

The Wailing - a masterpiece of cinema out of South Korea and in my opinion the greatest ghost story ever put to film. This one is a long one, but it's incredibly well acted through and through, and the story is just magical. I can not recommend this film enough.

The Changeling - starring the great George C. Scott, step into a mystery that will haunt your dreams in this 80s classic. Can you really get a better actor that George C. Scott in a horror film? I tell ya, it's exceptional and a wonderful mystery to see play out.

Perfect Blue - yes, it's an animated movie from the 90s, but that's where the similarities to its brethren depart. This film is a psychological horror masterpiece. Journey down a departure to insanity as we see the rise of a japanese pop singer and its effect on her and those around her. Just an amazing film.

Shutter Island - I mean, this one is too easy to recommend and you've probably already seen it, but if you haven't it's up your alley cause it's made by top men. Top men.

Rosemary's Baby - This one is directed by the great Roman Polanski (yeah yeah, he's a bad dude) and stars the great (and meek) Mia Farrow. Difficult to get a better combo than those too as we go back to the 60s for this paranoia inducing wonderous ride.

The Ambulance - ever wanted to see a marvel movie before marvel was celebrated? Hell, it even has Stan Lee! Join a comic book artist as he meets a woman on the street, falls in love in seconds, only to see her collapse and taken away by an ambulance to a hospital. But which hospital? This features a great cast in Eric Roberts and James Earl Jones. Jones in particular is incredible and it's directed by the great Larry Cohen. Larry Cohen was a damn saint!

The Woman in Black - no, not the one with Harry Potter, I'm talking the original BBC production from the 80s, ooooh lass is this one impactful as we learn the story of a young lawyer attempting to put together the sale of the estate of a very unique house on the moors. Stay off the moors! Stay on the road...

An American Werewolf in London - I mean, it's done by John Landis with creature effects by the great Rick Baker. Do I need to say more?

The Twilight Zone: The Movie - a little anthology horror never hurt anyone especially when done so well.

Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte - Bette Davis is a scream queen too! Plus this film has the very first role of Bruce Dern though he's not in it for too too long. Fantastic film directed by Robert Aldrich.

The Curse of the Demon - one of my favorite films of all time, directed by the great Jacques Tourneau. This late 50s film is based on the occult story The Casting of the Runes by prolific ghost story writer M. R. James. It's such a wonderful influential film.

Cat People - Another Jacques Tourneau classic, this one from the 40s. This film coined the term the "Lewton Bus" as producer Val Lewton achieves great fright by other means than simply showing the villain. It's an incredible film that does more with less than most.

The Devil Rides Out - a Hammer Horror production from the 60s and in my opinion between this and The Gorgon marks the pinnacle of Hammer Horror. Based on the great Dennis Wheatley's novel, this film follows one of my favorite characters ever in Duc Richleau. Starring the great Charles Grey and Christopher Lee, watch a true battle of the occult as black magic takes on white magic in a battle for Simon Aron's soul. Just an amazing film that broke barriers when it first was made in the late 60s. I love this film and it's in desperate need to be remade. If I had the money and means, I'd pitch the role of Richleau to Cumberbatch in an instant. (sorry going off the rails there)

The Wicker Man - no not the bees, the one without the bees. Another Christopher Lee occult vehicle as we arrive on an island of true believers as an intrepid cop attempts to unravel the mystery of the missing girl. An incredible window into the occult and its practices. You may also enjoy Midsommar as well, but this one is the best by far.

Ok, ok, I could go on for days but I don't want to overload you. Besides, I really would love to hear your comments on the films after you watch them. I hope I am leading you down the right path with recommendations for films you might actually enjoy as well. I think you will, but feedback is always appreciated.

Oh and since you put a found footage movie on there, I can't not recommend Gonjiam: The Haunted Asylum.

Tibbers said:

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The Twilight Zone: The Movie - a little anthology horror never hurt anyone especially when done so well.

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Except the 3 actors who were decapitated while filming the Time Out segment.

Here's a fascinating story about that. As memory serves me, Vic Morrow told John Landis he simply would not shoot the final scene in that film that featured him flying away in a helicopter. Puzzled Landis asked why and Morrow's response was rather morose.

He said he had always had nightmares or premonitions that he would perish in a helicopter crash so he's avoided them all his life. Landis agreed to change the ending to have Morrow swimming to freedom and rescuing two Vietnamese children, a way to showcase his character's redemptive arc, while the helicopter's instead buzzed overhead.

Well, either it was pilot error or pyrotechnic error but the helicopter buzzing overhead ended up crashing into the lake and its blades sadly met their fateful destination and in some ways proving the premonitions correct.

Schindler's List
Open Water
Jaws
Silence of the Lambs
Fire in the Sky
Dahmer
Deliverance
DNC Conventions
C-SPAN

Not a traditional horror flick, but my wife and I enjoy "Happy Death Day".

A reason many actors/actresses shy away from horror is because you are not going to get any critical acclaim from the major awards for it. Toni Collette wasn't even nominated for Best Actress for Hereditary.

The Exorcist still holds up and is the leader in the clubhouse for storyline and acting.

Mike Flanagan and his three Netflix series -- Haunting of Hill House, Haunting of Bly Manor, and Midnight Mass, are among the best horror of the last decade or so.

His movies -- Doctor Sleep, Gerald's Game, and Oculus, are also great.

Alien

Proposition Joe said:

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A reason many actors/actresses shy away from horror is because you are not going to get any critical acclaim from the major awards for it. Toni Collette wasn't even nominated for Best Actress for Hereditary.

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****ing travesty she didn't

King had similar feelings towards Kubrick's film, in particular the ending.

King famously was very outspoken about Kubrick's changing of his story. This infuriated Kubrick so he did what any bad ass would do. He left a subtle "**** you" to King in the film.

You see, in the novel, Jack drives a red VW bug. Kubrick deliberated changed the color to yellow. Seems petty, but it gets better. Toward the end of the film, as Hallorann is traveling to the hotel in the blizzard, he comes across a vicious wreck. It's an 18-wheeler smashed head on with the same color VW bug as Jack drove in the novel.

Kubrick's way of saying "**** you, this is my movie and this is my ending"