The Top 25 Horror Films of the Decade
Through the process of creating this list, the one thing that impressed me the most was the depth of quality to be found over the last decade in the horror genre. We had over 100 films receive votes -- a testament to that depth -- but the final 25 films that emerged from the process represent a level of quality that I'd be willing to stack up against nearly any other decade in film history.
When you're purchasing your ticket for the 30th horror remake of the decade or sitting through a studio-mangled thriller, it's easy to lose sight of how good things have been. The number of foreign, independent or otherwise neglected films on this list speaks to the way that horror -- good horror, the kind worth celebrating -- can often get overlooked. But we here at BGH are happy to report that things have been, indeed are, quite good. Savor it.
Some notes on the process:
Nine BGH contributors submitted ballots. Each voted on 25 films, in order. I then retired to the nerdery with my calculator, and scientifically combined those nine lists into the uber-list you'll find below. Many thanks to Eric, Mark, Casey, Joe, John, Tor, Todd and of course Louis.
The Top 25
25. Drag Me to Hell (2009)
Directed by Sam Raimi
BGH Review | Podcast | Buy it!
24. Grindhouse (2007)
Directed by Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino
Buy it!
23. Jason X (2001)
Directed by James Isaac
Buy it!
22. The Strangers (2008)
Directed by Bryan Bertino
BGH Review | Buy it!
21. Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
Directed by Guillermo Del Toro
Buy it!
20. Freddy Vs. Jason (2003)
Directed by Ronny Yu
Buy it!
19. Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead (2006)
Directed by Lloyd Kaufman
BGH Review | Buy it!
18. The Devil's Rejects (2005)
Directed by Rob Zombie
Buy it!
17. The Ring (2002)
Directed by Gore Verbinski
Buy it!
16. Black Sheep (2006)
Directed by Jonathan King
BGH Review | Buy it!
15. Trick r' Treat (2008)
Director: Michael Dougherty
Year: 2008
BGH Review | Podcast | Buy it!
14. [REC] (2007)
Directed by Jaume Balagueró, Paco Plaza
BGH Review | Buy it!
13. Frailty (2001)
Directed by Bill Paxton
Buy it!
12. Cloverfield (2008)
Directed by Matt Reeves
BGH Review | Buy it!
11. Martyrs (2008)
Directed by Pascal Laugier
BGH Review | Podcast | Buy it!
10. Slither (2006)
Directed by James Gunn
Buy it!
9. The Mist (2007)
Directed by Frank Darabont
BGH Review | Buy it!
8. Ginger Snaps (2000)
Directed by John Fawcett
Buy it!
7. 28 Days Later ... (2002)
Directed by Danny Boyle
Buy it!
6. Session 9 (2001)
Directed by Brad Anderson
Buy it!
5. May (2002)
Directed by Lucky McKee
Buy it!
4. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Directed by Edgar Wright
Buy it!
3. Inside (2007)
Directed by Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury
BGH Review | Buy it!
2. The Descent (2005)
Directed by Neil Marshall
BGH Review | Buy it!
1. Let the Right One In (2008)
Directed by Tomas Alfredson
BGH Review | Buy it!
Honorable Mentions
These six films all just missed the cut.
Sauna - Buy it
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - Buy it
Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed - Buy it
The List, By The Numbers
Number of ballots: 9
Total number of films receiving votes: 108
Film named on the most ballots:
"Let the Right One In," "The Descent" (7 each)
Film appearing on the most ballots to not make the Top 25:
"Cabin Fever" (4)
Film receiving the most first place votes:
"May," "Inside" (2 each)
Top 25 films produced outside the US: 9
Year with the most films appearing in the Top 25: 2008 (5 films)
Total domestic (U.S.) revenue generated by all 25 films: $613,227,763
Average domestic revenue: $24,529,110.52 (high of $129m, low of $0)
Number of films with $0 earned in U.S. theaters: 4
Most profitable film in the Top 25:
"The Ring" ($249 million worldwide, $129 million domestic)
Sequels appearing in the Top 25: 2
Remakes appearing in the Top 25: 1
Jon Schnaars
Writer/Podcast Co-Host/Business Guy
If you have questions about doing business with BGH, this is the man to speak with. Jon also enjoys the fancier things, like monocles and silent-era horror films.