Live Radio

Scary Movie Bracket (Second Round of 32)

Jason Fraley | jfraley@wtop.com

October 21, 2022, 11:04 AM

Halloween season begs the question: What are the best scary movies of all time?

WTOP seeks to find that answer with our Best Scary Movies Bracket!

The bracket is divided into two sides: Classic (pre-1990) and Modern (post-1990). After a thrilling opening round we are now entering the Round Two of 32.

Scroll down to vote below, then check back on Monday to see which films advance!

You must have a Twitter account to vote. Feel free to create one for the duration of this poll.

Would you rather your daughter be possessed by the Devil or your son turn out to be the Antichrist? William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist” and Richard Donner’s “The Omen” remain the pinnacle of Biblical horror. It’s Regan vs. Damien. Vote for your favorite!
1/16
John Carpenter fans will find it impossible to choose between his greatest horror masterpieces, “Halloween” and “The Thing.” Carpenter composed the iconic “Halloween” music himself, while tapping Ennio Morricone to compose “The Thing.” Vote for your favorite!
2/16
It’s a haunted hotel versus a creepy cabin! Stanley Kubrick created an atmospheric horror masterpiece in “The Shining,” while Sam Raimi launched his career with zombie excellence in “The Evil Dead.” Vote for your favorite!
3/16
New Line Cinema was nicknamed “The House That Freddy Built” thanks to Wes Craven’s iconic slasher “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” while Universal Studios created the modern summer blockbuster with Steven Spielberg’s horrifying “Jaws.” Vote for your favorite below!
4/16
Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” featured an iconic shower slashing score by Bernard Herrmann, which Brian De Palma pays homage to in “Carrie” each time Sissy Spacek uses her telekinesis. Both are iconic horror masterpieces with strong directorial visions. Which is your favorite?
5/16
Max Schreck’s “Nosferatu” edged out Bela Lugosi’s “Dracula” in the first round, but this round the silent vampire faces stiff competition from Boris Karloff’s monster in “Frankenstein.” Will fans choose German Expressionism or Classic Hollywood? Vote below!
6/16
Ruth Gordon won an Oscar as conniving neighbor Minnie Castevet in “Rosemary’s Baby,” while Robert Mitchum’s Max Cady stalked that year’s Oscar-winning Gregory Peck in the creepy “Cape Fear.” Vote for your favorite! 
7/16
Horror taglines don’t get any more iconic than Tobe Hooper’s “Poltergeist” — “They’re here!” — and Ridley Scott’s “Alien” — “In space no one can hear you scream.” Will you cleanse the house of evil spirits or eject an alien from the Nostromo? Vote for your favorite below!
8/16
The 1990s began with “The Silence of the Lambs” winning the Big Five Oscars (Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, Screenplay), while the decade ended with “The Blair Witch Project” dominating Sundance as one of the most profitable indies ever. Which deserves to advance?
9/16
“The Black Phone” is still going strong as the newest movie in our bracket thanks to Ethan Hawke’s role as a creepy child abductor, but Kathy Bates won an Oscar as the terrifying Annie Wilkes in “Misery.” Who was better at holding their victims hostage? Vote for your favorite!
10/16
It’s fitting that “Se7en” and “Saw” are facing each other this round, because John Doe provided the playbook for Jigsaw as a serial killer torturing his victims based on their own personal sins en route to a killer twist. Cast your votes to determine what’s in the (ballot) box!
11/16
It’s a battle between total silence and guttural screams! Emily Blunt let out a horrific scream after a silent bathtub birth in “A Quiet Place,” while Drew Barrymore yelled for her life in “Scream.” Both were big blockbusters for their respective years. Who ya’ got?
12/16
“The Sixth Sense” is arguably the greatest ghost story ever told, while “Let the Right One In” is considered one of the best vampire movies ever created. Beneath the chilling frights, both films feature the central theme of helping tortured boys overcome bullying. Who are you saving?
13/16
It’s a battle of haunted houses turned creepy characters! “The Others” might be the best ghost story of the 2000s with a mind-blowing twist, while “The Conjuring” is arguably the scariest ghost story of the 2010s thanks to Annabelle. Which deserves to advance?
14/16
Jordan Peele is often compared to M. Night Shyamalan for twisty modern horror. When “Signs” was released, the name “Shyamalan” on the trailer inspired fans to race to the theater, just like Peele’s films have become appointment viewing since “Get Out.” Vote below!
15/16
The claustrophobic cave flick “The Descent” upset Ari Aster’s brilliantly disturbing “Midsommar” in the first round, but does it stand a chance against Aster’s “Hereditary,” which slayed Robert Eggers’ “The Witch?” Good luck choosing between two of the 21st century’s best horror flicks!
16/16
Jason Fraley

Hailed by The Washington Post for “his savantlike ability to name every Best Picture winner in history," Jason Fraley began at WTOP as Morning Drive Writer in 2008, film critic in 2011 and Entertainment Editor in 2014, providing daily arts coverage on-air and online.

jfraley@wtop.com

Related News

Recommended

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up