Welcome back to White Rose of Avalon, my Darlings.   Today’s post is the countdown of my top 25 favorite horror films!   This was such a difficult list for me to narrow down, as I have so many favorite horror films.   That being said, as I began to hone in on my true top favorites, I began to see patterns of where many of my specific horror preferences lie.   I am also very settled on my top five to ten films on this list, as they are either long-time favorites or films that truly gripped me, making them definitely future rewatches if I have not yet rewatched them.   Now, without further ado, let’s look at my list!

Number 25: NOSFERATU: A SYMPHONY OF HORROR (1922)

~Okay, so many long-time readers will likely know that I am a huge classic film lover, and I really enjoy silent films.   That is why I could not have my top 25 list without including the original Nosferatu, as it is an iconic and truly creepy piece of cinema and such an important piece of Vampire film history!   I also want to note that I am very excited about the new remake coming out at the end of the year, as I think Robert Eggers is a great choice to direct a new version of it.

Number 24: MOTHER! (2017)

~Okay, so this is a film that I do not rewatch very often, as it is very visceral and even difficult to watch film.   It makes this list because it is one of the best theater experiences that I have ever had.   It is a film that has never left me, even though I have only rewatched it once!    It is a film that truly moves me and makes me feel, not to mention it also makes me think deeply.

Number 23: SLEEPY HOLLOW (1999)

~Okay, so this one may surprise some people, but those long-time readers will likely have expected to see this one appear here.   I really love this film, and it was my first real horror film, even though it is tame and some argue it is not true horror.   Before watching this film, I was strictly watching gateway horror, scared of any true horror, and after this film, I could not get enough of the genre!

Number 22: THE TOMB OF LIGEIA (1964)

~It would not be my list if a Vincent Price film did not make an appearance.   I love this retelling of my very favorite Edgar Allan Poe story, which gives this major bonus points.   It is part of the Vincent Price and Roger Corman team-up to create Poe films, and I like it the best!   I find it genuinely comforting.

Number 21: THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1925)

~This is the absolutely fabulous silent film classic starring Lon Chaney.   It is lovely and such a delight to see how the story was adapted back in the day!   Plus, Lon Chaney’s makeup is one of the most iconic interpretations of Erik on screen.

Number 20: YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (1974)

~Yet again, I want to state this is my list, so of course, some comedic horror would be here.   I know this one skews way more comedy than horror, but it is so fun.   Plus, I think you get way more out of this one as a true lover of horror than if you were just looking for a comedy, given that it plays on monster movie tropes so heavily!

Number 19: BLACK SWAN (2010)

~This film is psychological horror done perfectly.   It is so incredible to get inside the head of a perfectionistic ballerina as she is losing her grip on her sanity.   It also really hits home for me, as I also have perfectionistic tendencies!   Many of my favorite horror films have an aspect that hits home in some way, as that is why they get under my skin.

Number 18: THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1989)

~Yes, I do love this version of Phantom this much!   That is why I rank it above the original, even though the original is technically a better film, as this one is a more rewatchable one for me.   After all, what could be more fun than mixing the Gothic Romance of this tale with the slasher fun of having Robert Englund play Erik?   I always have a great time with this adaptation of one of my all-time favorite novels!

Number 17: BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA (1992)

~This is my favorite version of the Bram Stoker classic!   It is such a great movie and a truly gorgeously done adaptation of the classic novel.   I even truly adore the romantic elements that were added to this film!

Number 16: INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE (1994)

~Now, we have my favorite vampire film of all time!  It is so beautiful and truly haunting in many ways.   I love the book as well, and the adaptation is quite good.   This is one of those movies that is so great to watch, as you just are totally immersed in the world!

Number 15: LISA FRANKENSTEIN (2024)

~Yes, we have another appearance of comedy horror here.   I know this is a new film this year, but it has been my favorite of the year so far!   It is also such a fun take on one of my favorite Gothic Romance books, and it is insanely rewatchable.   I love the combination of all my favorite genres here: horror, romance, comedy, and fantasy!

Number 14: TRICK R’ TREAT (2007)

~This is one that I have to rewatch every Spooky Season, but I can also watch this all year round.   It is a great film for Spooky Autumnal Vibes, and Sam is one of my favorite horror characters!

Number 13: JENNIFER’S BODY (2009)

~Of course, I had to include this one, as I have been a fan of it since I first watched it when it came out on DVD in 2010!   I never understood the disdain it got back then, and I am so thrilled people are now giving this film its proper love.   It is such a fun comedy horror that focuses on female friendships and toxic relationships in very interesting ways!

Number 12: BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935)

~My favorite Universal Horror Film had to make my list here!   It is not a film that I find scary at all, but it is one of my very favorite comfort films, as I find it so soothing to be immersed in the black-and-white world of the film.   Plus, Dr. Praetorius is one of the great Universal Horror characters!

Number 11: LORDS OF SALEM (2012)

~I know my regular readers expected some Rob Zombie films to appear here.   Honestly, it was difficult to decide which of the two films I have here should be ranked where.   I love them both nearly equally but for very different reasons.   This one is a very trippy witchy one that has incredible vibes, making it one that I adore rewatching.   It also fits a bit better with my overall taste, as my top films show, but I love the experience of rewatching my number 10 pick with my husband every year, hence why this is at 11!

Number 10: THE DEVIL’S REJECTS (2005)

~The best of the Firefly Family Trilogy and one of the most fun and gritty films that I truly adore rewatching.   Normally, gritty horror is not as rewatchable for me, but this one and this series are the exception!   I think the onscreen chemistry of our main trio of killers is what sets this film apart from other gritty horrors.

Number 9: MIDSOMMAR (2019)

~The tale of a toxic couple going on vacation to celebrate the Summer Solstice is one of the most beautiful films that has horror in equal measure!    This film is one that made me feel so deeply when the visceral horror scenes came up, and I have a huge love for Folk Horror, making this an obvious choice to be on this list.

Number 8: THE CRAFT (1996)

~One of my favorite witchy films since I first saw it, with relatively light horror until the climax.   I would be remiss if this did not make it this high on the list!

Number 7: PEARL (2022)

~The origin story of Pearl as a character is even better than X, in my opinion.   It is an amazing examination of how the mind of this female killer operates.   I also adore the look at the dark side of ambition that is presented here!

Number 6: THE LOVE WITCH (2016)

~I adore the 60s aesthetic of the film and the combination of stunning imagery with horror.   It is a great film for its character examination of the leading lady, as well as a great warning about the dangers of love magick, which is sadly so often overlooked!

Number 5: THE WITCH (2015)

~Of course, this one just had to make the top five!   I love this very terrifying depiction of the religious zealotry of the seventeenth century.   It is totally understandable why a young woman would make the choice Thomasin does, given her circumstances!   

Number 4: THE WICKER MAN (1973)

~This is my favorite Folk Horror film, as it is so beautiful and so menacing at the same time.   It has a stellar cast and is just a truly lovely world to spend time in, even if it turns into a truly horrifying experience at the end!   This is the Folk Horror film that has inspired countless others ever since.

Number 3: GINGER SNAPS (2000)

~Of course, I had to give love to the creepy, eerie, weird girls in this film.   Ginger is one of my favorite horror characters, and this film is just such bloody good fun.   Emphasis on Bloody!   Even with all the gore, this film is definitely one for the girls, as it depicts female puberty as being related to lycanthropy.   There is a deep examination of female friendships and teenage struggles that makes this film very relatable!

Number 2: CANDYMAN (1992)

~I really love Tony Todd and his portrayal of Candyman.   Of course, Virginia Madsen does an impeccable job of playing Helen as well, and their chemistry is what makes this film so incredible!   I truly view this as a very romantic horror film indeed.   For me, this is a film with a very interesting plot and a great script, but it fully hinges on the acting and chemistry between its leads when it comes to why it is so amazing!

Number 1: ROSEMARY’S BABY (1968)

~No other film could have been my number one!   While Roman Polanski is a horrible person, his films are truly works of art, and I have the ability to separate the art from the artist.   What makes this film so amazing is the beauty of how it is shot and the fact that it is an impeccable adaptation of an already incredible novel!   It is a film that has always stuck with me and one that I rewatch a lot, as it strikes such a cord in me, and I empathize so much with Rosemary and her plight!   While I do not like the assumption that witches are Satanic (as in real life, this is rarely the case), it is rooted in old folklore, and it is ideal for the horror genre, as several of my favorite films on this list show.

~I hope you have enjoyed this list of my top 25 favorite horror films.   What are some of your favorite horror films?   Do any of them appear on my list?   Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Note on Image: The image at the top of the post is a simple I heart horror, which I thought worked for this post.   I found the image on https://pixels.com/featured/i-love-horror-movies-organicfoodempire.html?product=greeting-card.

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