Of all types of movies, the horror genre is one of the most popular. People just love to get scared! As long as it’s in a safe, controlled setting, at least. There are literally hundreds of great horror flicks on the market, including new releases and the old classics. Of course, there are also plenty of duds – movies that promise to thrill, but fall far short of their claims.

Below are several movies that will not disappoint fans of horror, terror, suspense, and the supernatural.  You’ve probably seen most of these, but there might be a couple you’re not familiar with:

Race with the Devil: 1975. Staring Warren Oates, Peter Fonda, Loretta Swit, and Laura Parker. Two couples set on for a dream vacation in their motor home. While camping in a rural area, they accidentally witness a satanic ritual, complete with human sacrifice. Once the devil worshippers realize they’ve been observed, they begin an all-out campaign to catch and kill the campers. This flick has some great race scenes, and the ending will give you nightmares for weeks!

The Exorcist: 1973. Starring Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Linda Blair, Lee J. Cobb, and Jason Miller. Based on the novel by William Peter Blatty, this has to be one of the scariest movies of all time. I think part of the reason is due to the juxtaposition of childhood innocence and unspeakable evil. A little girl accidently conjures up demonic forces that escalate far beyond her control or the control of her mother. The scariest scene is when we get that shadowy vision of the demon itself.

The Stand: 1994. Starring Gary Senise, Molly Ringwald, Jamey Sheridan, Rob Lowe, Laura San Giacomo, Ossie Davis, and Bill Fagerbakke. This was a mini-series based on the best-selling novel by Stephen King. A deadly flu virus is developed as a form of biological warfare. It escapes the laboratory and wreaks havoc, destroying almost all the human and animal populations worldwide. The survivors must choose to follow the evil Randall Flagg or the benevolent Mother Abigail. This is the classic good vs. evil plot, with a lot of twists and turns. It really makes viewers wonder about biological warfare and pandemics. Could this really happen?

The Changeling: No, not the 2008 movie that stars Angelina Jolie – I’m referring to the 1980 horror flick with George C. Scott, Trish Van Devere, and Melvyn Douglas. A music professor, John Russell, loses his family in a tragic accident. In an effort to escape his grief, he purchases an old Victorian mansion to find peace. He soon discovers, however, that he’s not alone in the house – he shares it with the ghost of a murdered child. Through the little boy’s ghost, Russell is able to uncover the terrible secrets of the home’s history. Scary, scary movie!

Texas Chainsaw Massacre: 1974. Starring Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, William Vale, and Allen Danziger. I saw the previews for this movie at the theater when I was there for another movie. They scared me so bad that I wouldn’t watch the actual film for years! What can be scarier that being chopped up with a chainsaw and turned into barbecue?  What’s really scary is that the main character in the movie, the evil and crazed Leatherface, was based on a real person – Ed Gein. This movie is very bloody and violent – just warnin’ ya! The original is much better than the 2003 remake, in my opinion.

Psycho: 1960. Starring Anthony Perkins and Vera Miles. This classic Hitchcock thriller is, according to many aficionados, the best horror film of all time. Norman Bates is a lonely, troubled young man who runs the Bates Motel. When Marion Crane decides to lodge at the motel, we learn the secrets about Norman and his invalid mother. The shower scene is one of the most famous in all moviedom, and after you see it, you may never shower alone again!

The Shining: 1980. Starring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers, and Barry Nelson. Stanley Kubrick did a bang-up job of directing this Stephen King script. Jack Torrance, a writer, takes his wife and young son to spend the winter in an old hotel, the Overlook, situated deep in the Rockies. Jack is hired as the caretaker, and the Torrances are all alone in the rambling edifice. Well, at least they assume they’re alone. Ghostly visitors from the Overlook’s violent past begin to appear, and they have a deadly impact on the already unstable Jack. This film makes you wonder about “cabin fever,” which is very real, even though ghosts might not be. The original movie is far superior to the 1997 remake.

The Beast Within: 1982. Starring Ronny Cox, Bibi Besch, and Paul Clemens. Newlyweds Eli and Caroline accidentally run their car into a ditch on a deserted road. Eli goes to get help, leaving Caroline and the dog alone in the car. A mutant shows up, kills the dog, and rapes Caroline. A son, Michael, is the result of the union. When Michael reaches the age of 17, his real father’s mutant genes begin to take over. The last 30 minutes, when Michael transforms into a cicada-man, are so terrifying that most viewers cannot watch it. Seriously!

All of these movies will have you sitting on the edge of your seat, and some of them will have you covering your eyes. You might not be able to find a couple of these flicks in the video rental store, but they can usually found online, especially on Ebay and Amazon. I dare you to watch them all without screaming, jumping, closing your eyes, or having nightmares!