Last Updated: October 5, 2020
Amazon Prime offers some great horror movie choices to fill a fright flick marathon, and these are the best of the best. While horror has long been regarded as a lesser genre by those inclined to snobbery, audiences at large seem to be finally waking up to horror's merits, as more and more horror (or horror adjacent) movies and TV shows earn rave reviews and/or huge profits at the box office. Just about every studio and streaming service has gotten into the horror content game, from crossover hits like Stranger Things to cult items like Into the Dark.
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Every streaming service offers their own selection, and Amazon Prime is no different. The service features many terrific terror tales, both old and new. From iconic classics to indie gems, the best horror movies on Amazon Prime match up well to the many competing services out there.
Presented below are a selection of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime, representing a range of decades and sub-genres. The films presented below are listed in alphabetical order, and aren't ranked. They're all great films, and one can't go wrong with any.
One of the most prominent filmmakers in horror today is Mike Flanagan, helmer of Netflix's popular Haunting of Hill House series. Flanagan made his name in recent years by directing films like Oculus, Gerald's Game, and Hush, but his first feature was the emotionally harrowing 2011 indie Absentia. To reveal too much about the plot would be a disservice to new viewers, as the film is best experienced knowing as little as possible. Absentia is a film that seeks to unnerve and unsettle viewers more than startle or gross them out, and is a great under the radar pick on Amazon Prime.
Directed by the late Nicolas Roeg, 1973's Don't Look Now is one of the most intriguing horror films ever made, partly because at times it isn't clear what the source of the horror even is. Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie play a married couple who travel to Venice not long after their daughter's accidental drowning. Before long, Sutherland begins seeing what appears to be his little girl around the city, leading to one of the best twist endings in horror, waiting to be discovered on Amazon Prime.
Legendary director John Carpenter is best known for straight horror films like Halloween and The Thing, but from the late 1970s to the mid 1990s, the man was on a hot streak overall, regardless of genre. Case in point is 1981's dystopian sci-fi action flick Escape From New York, starring Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken, one of the most badass antiheroes to ever grace the silver screen, or Amazon Prime. Snake's misdeeds have landed him in the slammer, and the authorities make him an offer: rescue the president from the giant prison that was once Manhattan within 22 hours, and receive a full pardon. Say no, and die.
The Exorcist has received several awful follow-ups, but one that stands out as being worthwhile is 1990's The Exorcist 3, which has developed a large cult following over the years, and is now haunting Amazon Prime. George C. Scott takes over the role of Lt. Kinderman, as he investigates a serial killer called Gemini, who it turns out is possessed by Satan. Jason Miller, Father Karras in the original, also makes a welcome return. Viewers should be warned that The Exorcist 3 contains arguably the most effective jump scare in history.
A common fan pick for best sequel in the storied Friday the 13th franchise, Jason Lives saw recurring hero Tommy Jarvis make the colossal error of accidentally resurrecting Jason Voorhees via lightning. Now a zombie, Jason is nearly unstoppable, possesses superhuman strength, and seems angrier than he's ever been, at least until Kane Hodder took over the role. The film also sports the most humor of any Jason movie, with lots of clever gags and inventive kills awaiting Amazon Prime users.
Dracula is the granddaddy of the vampire movie, but the best 1980s example of the sub-genre is probably Fright Night, directed by Tom Holland. It focuses on Charlie Brewster, a horror-loving teenager who comes to believe his dashing neighbor Jerry Dandridge (Chris Sarandon) is actually a murderous bloodsucker. Sadly for him, he's right, but no one is quick to believe his claims, putting those he loves in danger. Fright Night isn't the greatest vampire movie ever, but it's one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime.
After his 2018 directorial debut, Hereditary, expectations were high for Ari Aster's 2019 follow-up, Midsommar. Thankfully, Aster didn't experience a sophomore slump. Midsommar follows a group of college students who get invited to attend an ancient celebration in Sweden. To reveal too much about the plot would be a disservice to new viewers. but suffice to say what follows is a mind-bending, startling, and frightening psychological shocker.
Directed by late genre master George A. Romero, Night of the Living Dead created and established the zombie sub-genre as fans know it today. Before Romero's film, zombies weren't the recently risen dead, they didn't live to consume human flesh, and they didn't only die by destroying the brain. To put Night Of The Living Dead's influence in perspective, nearly every piece of zombie fiction since has borrowed heavily from it, including AMC juggernaut The Walking Dead. The film is also famous for having a black lead (Duane Jones), in an era where that was almost unheard of. Any zombie fan needs to see this movie, one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime.
Video game-based movies have a reputation for being awful, but 2006's Silent Hill is one of the few to get things right, effectively capturing the tone and atmosphere of its celebrated interactive progenitor. The Silent Hill movie might not be quite as terrifying as playing through one of the games, but it's always interesting, and visually stunning. Silent Hill was a flop with critics at the time, but it's one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime, and is due for a second look.
Zombies have invaded rural neighborhoods, cities, underground facilities, and apocalyptic landscapes, but in Train to Busan, the setting is far more contained. When Seok-Woo (Gong Yoo) travels with his estranged daughter to Busan, they discover that they are in the midst of a zombie outbreak. The movie marries survival horror with a creative spin, in which the passengers on the train desperately attempt to find their way to safety, without leading the zombie horde with them. With a 96 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Train to Busan has been heralded by many as one of the best zombie movies ever, and is definitely one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime.
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