Tell Us if These Horror Movies Are Actually Scary and We’ll Guess Your Age

By: Zoe Samuel
Estimated Completion Time
6 min
Tell Us if These Horror Movies Are Actually Scary and We’ll Guess Your Age
Image: Castle Rock Entertainment/Nelson Entertainment

About This Quiz

The "horror" film genre is badly misnamed. There was a time when horror movies were mostly about horror, but in recent decades, horror movies have become about terror, not horror. The difference is important: terror is sometimes defined as the dread before something awful happens, but horror is the feeling you get when you see something scary happening — these two perspectives on fear appeal to very different priorities.

That said, what scares us changes with time. The young do not fear the same things as the old, because with age comes the decay and loss that the young fear, and with those injuries, such fears are softened — or, at least, the shock is taken out of them. The young fear the loss of their parents, but the old fear the loss of their children. Renters fear the price of real estate going up, and homeowners fear the price of real estate going down.

Using this perspective, we believe it is possible to accurately guess one's age by dint of their taste in horror films. So turn off the lights, pray the killer doesn't know where you are, and put our skills to the test ...

1 - It
Lin Pictures/New Line Cinema/Vertigo Entertainment/KatzSmith ProductionsTell Us if These Horror Movies Are Actually Scary and We’ll Guess Your Age
"It" did it for many, but did "It" do it for you?
"It" was totally terrifying!
I could barely keep my eyes open for all of "It."
"It" became less scary as I figured out where it was going.
I just didn't get "It."

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25 - Get Out
Blumhouse Productions/QC Entertainment/Monkeypaw Productions
"Get Out" gets at something deeper. Does it shake you to your core?
Deeper? I just liked the scary "sunken place".
It made me think, but I had no trouble sleeping after it.
It was scary and had something to say!
It was scary, but I'm not sure I understand the message.

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3 - Psycho
Shamley Productions
"Psycho" is a classic "real horror" movie. Does it make you crazy?
No. I didn't like it at all.
It's a cool movie, but is it really "horror"?
Man, that movie really stands up.
It still terrifies me.

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4 - Evil Dead 2
Rosebud Releasing/Renaissance Pictures
Did "Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn" make you laugh or scream?
Laugh, mostly
Parts of it are freaky.
It always gets me. What a classic.
I've never seen it.

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5 - Halloween
Compass International Pictures/Falcon International Productions
"Halloween" made Jamie Lee Curtis' career, but does it scare you?
Yeah, it's scary. Very scary.
It did once, but I've seen it too many times.
No ... I'm not sure it ever did.
It's still very scary.

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6 - The Cabin In The Woods
Mutant Enemy Productions
Is "The Cabin In The Woods" scary enough to keep you from building that cabin in the woods?
It's pretty scary, but I think of it as an adventure movie.
It's terrifying.
It was fairly scary, but mostly thought provoking.
I should watch it sometime.

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7 - Alien
20th Century Fox/Brandywine Productions
"Alien" was a breath of fresh space vacuum. Does it take your breath away?
"Alien" is supposed to be a horror movie?
It has some moments you really feel.
I still find myself checking for every little sound after the movie is over.
It's horrifying! Every second of it!

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8 - The Birds
Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions
Does "The Birds" scare you, or is it for the birds?
It's totally dumb.
It's a little too fake to be scary.
It's still a living nightmare.
It's the scariest movie I ever saw.

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9 - A Nightmare on Elm Street
New Line Cinema/Media Home Entertainment/Smart Egg Pictures
Could "A Nightmare on Elm Street" keep you from moving to Elm Street?
It's totally terrifying!
It's scary, but also laugh-inducing at times.
I've seen it enough times that now, I'm on Team Freddy.
I never got that film.

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2 - Us
Monkeypaw Productions/Perfect World Pictures
Was "Us" enough to make you run screaming from the theater?
Yeah! The murdering was so freaky!
I was terrified! The idea of the people in the tunnels ... oooh!
I wasn't really afraid, but it was a fascinating turnabout.
It didn't scare me much.

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10 - A Quiet Place
Platinum Dunes/Sunday Night Productions
Sometimes less is more. Does "A Quiet Place" make you want to clam up?
Oh yeah. It was a kick in the head.
It was a lot like the classics I grew up with!
It was very scary, but sometimes funny.
I didn't get it.

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11 - Nosferatu A Symphony of Horror
Prana Film
Some like classical music, and for them, there is "Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror." Are you more rock and roll?
I'll have to check it out sometime.
It's a cool movie, but only a little scary.
It has very scary images, but that's about it.
I still love it.

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12 - Saw
Evolution Entertainment/Twisted Pictures
Seen "Saw"? Did it terrify you?
Oh yeah! It's horrible!
I think I'm scarred for life by that movie.
It's scary, but it's so brutal, it's almost prop comedy.
It's just disgusting, not scary.

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13 - Jaws
Zanuck/Brown Company/Universal Pictures
"Jaws" scarred plenty of people for life! Does it scare you enough to keep you out of the water?
It's not "horror movie" scary.
Yeah, somehow it still looks real!
I didn't want to swim for years!
It's definitely scarier than the book ...

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14 - Frankenstein
Universal Pictures
"Frankenstein" (1931) is iconic, but does it hold up for you?
It's still scary!
Eh. It's okay. Not really scary, though.
If I let go, it scares me.
I should add it to my watchlist because I haven't seen it.

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15 - Misery
Castle Rock Entertainment/Nelson Entertainment
"Misery" makes us want to finish that novel we're working on! But does it scare you?
Oh man! That movie gave me chills!
My feet! Agh!
I haven't seen it in a long time, but I still get scared thinking about it.
It was scary, but more horror than terror.

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16 - The Fly
Brooksfilms/SLM Production Group
Did "The Fly" make you want to fly from the theater?
No! It was just a gross sci-fi movie.
Yeah! That movie messed up all my childhood memories of Jeff Goldblum.
I'll have to watch it someday.
Yes! Both versions!

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17 - Cannibal Holocaust
F.D. Cinematografica
"Cannibal Holocaust" is a niche horror movie with a scary premise. How does it make you feel?
It was awesome! And horrible!
I can't say, since I haven't seen it.
It's mostly just gross.
Barf. I hated it.

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18 - Invasion of The Body Snatchers
Solofilm
Does "Invasion of The Body Snatchers" still freak you out?
The story does, yeah! Not so much the execution.
It's fairly scary.
It's totally terrifying!
I still need to watch it.

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20 - Carrie
Red Bank Films
Does the original "Carrie" frighten you enough to make you rethink prom?
Only the end.
Yeah, but the remake is scarier.
I'm past proms, but yes, it's still scary.
It still makes me hide behind the couch.

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21 - Rosemary's Baby
William Castle Productions
Did watching "Rosemary's Baby" make you rethink having kids?
No! It's like a comedy!
It's pretty scary, but the acting was a bit too much.
I think it's all spot on and it's completely thrilling.
It scared me when it came out, but now I don't find myself getting scared.

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22 - Don't Look Now
Casey Productions/Eldorado Films
Could you look at "Don't Look Now"?
That movie's story is messed up.
I had to look it up. Wow. Donald Sutherland was young, once.
It's pretty scary, but mostly sad.
I was horrified by that movie! Horrified!

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23 - Night of The Living Dead
21st Century Film Corporation
"Night of The Living Dead" is the perfect midnight movie. Can you sleep after seeing it?
Like a baby.
Usually. It depends on the setting. If I'm in a place that looks like a place in the movie, I might have dreams.
Yeah, I'm over it.
I can't watch it at all!

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24 - The Silence of The Lambs
Strong Heart/Demme Production
Given how many times we scream during "The Silence of The Lambs," maybe they should rethink the name. How does it make you feel?
Hannibal the Cannibal! Did he go with cannibalism because it rhymed with his name?
Buffalo Bill is such a great villain!
It's very scary! I can't stop thinking about it after seeing it.
It's a great movie, but not scary.

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26 - The Twilight Zone
Amblin Entertainment/Warner Bros.
"The Twilight Zone" movie was not the same as the TV show, but it was still pretty frightening. Were you made afraid by it?
Nah. Didn't do it for me.
It was a little scary in parts, but it doesn't live up to the show.
It's terrifying! Take it on its own merits!
I haven't seen it.

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28 - The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Decla-Bioscop AG
"The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" made some people want therapy, and others never go to it! Does it still frighten?
No! It's dumb and slow.
I haven't heard of that one.
It's pretty scary, but too slow by today's standards.
It's just as scary today as the day it came out.

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29 - Hellraiser
Film Futures
"Hellraiser" remains a classic, but did Pinhead do it for you?
I still have nightmares.
I can't get through the whole thing.
It still blows my mind.
It's icky!

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30 - King Kong (1933)
RKO Radio Pictures
A member of the early graduating class of horror films, was "King Kong" (1933) made scary enough for you?
I've never seen it.
Don't make me laugh!
It's a little dated.
It's still a little scary, but the bar has been raised.

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19 - The Human Centipede
Six Entertainment
"The Human Centipede" is almost unwatchable for us. How do you react to it?
I love that movie! It's scary and crazy!
I haven't had a chance to watch it.
It turns my stomach, and hurts my brain.
It's just awful. It's worse than watching the news.

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27 - The Dead Zone
Dino De Laurentiis Company
Did "The Dead Zone" make you not want to shake hands?
I haven't seen it.
It's kinda scary, but is that the point?
It's plenty scary. I was scared.
Now this is truly terrifying!

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