Much imitated but never equalled, this is the definitive space nightmare. The crew of a commercial spacecraft are stalked by a stowaway, mutating monster of veracious appetite. Weaver puts in a splendidly believable performance as the resourceful Ripley. Taut script and awesome special FX. find out more...

The long-awaited special extended version of the brilliant sequel to the sci-fi classic "Alien". Containing seventeen minutes of extra footage showing the previously unexplained background of the terrifying planet where the Alien has bred and which Officer Ellen Ripley must now return to. find out more...

The classic version of Frankenstein, often imitated but its stunning style has rarely been bettered. For the unfamiliar, Frankenstein tells the story of a maverick doctor's attempts to create life from the body parts of the deceased. His creation (Frankenstein's Monster...) is the tragic embodiment of goodness. More human than those around him, the monster finds himself needing friendship more and more, before embarking on a doomed relationship with a small girl who takes pity on him. Needless t find out more...

Top-notch gory horror as killer shark threatens holidaymakers on an island resort. Worse still, the islanders want to hush it up in order to save their livelihoods. Brave or fool hardy? The lifeguard decides to confront the beastie. Some totally tense moments that got millions out of the water. "We're gonna need a bigger boat!" find out more...

Seminal vampire film, the first to be based upon the Bram Stoker tale. An estate agent's clerk from Bremen embarks on a journey to Orlock's castle, where a client of his resides. On arrival, the full horror of the inhabitants confront him. Wonderful imagery and direction. Imitated but never equalled. find out more...

Guillermo Del Toro's blockbusting tale of a young girl struggling to make sense of the violent world around her was a big 2006 arthouse hit. Continuing his exploration of the impact of the Spanish Civil War on his generation (it was also the backdrop for his excellent ghost story, The Devil's Backbone) Del Toro's fantasy mixes strong horror with fairytale-style aesthetics to great effect, making Ofelia's escape into an imaginary realm a poignant response to the cruel realities of her existence. find out more...

Do you really need to be told about this film? The Bates' Motel, the shower sequence and, of course, Mother! THE Hitchcock movie! find out more...

A brilliant horror film with Mia Farrow as the mother, pregnant for the first time, living in an ageing New York apartment block and surrounded by a weird bunch of neighbours. Mostly alone and increasingly paranoid she becomes convinced they form a witch's coven with designs on her baby. Superb.

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One of the first horror movies, about a hypnotist who uses a somnambulist to do his murders, and a landmark in the history of cinema. The dark shadows, crazy angles and doom laden atmosphere of German Expressionism and the film's extraordinary use of painted light have rarely been copied, and its influence, on film noir in particular, is indisputable. find out more...

Thinking it'll give him a chance to work on his novel, ex-school teacher Jack takes a job caretaking an isolated hotel with his family during the winter season. Soon the evil spirit of the place begins to take him over, leading to a truly shattering, horrific climax... it's redrum! find out more...