The anticipated release of Halloween Ends has certainly left viewers craving those freaky fall flicks as they look forward to the return of Michael Myers. The franchise hit screens in 1978 and soon became a fan favorite and a firm staple within the horror genre, with each movie being well known for its affinity with blood, guts, and gore.
Although the Halloween franchise is known and adored, many fans have taken a break from the slasher-style, replacing it with more psychological fears that abandon the gore for those more fainthearted viewers. From panic-inducing flicks filmed on handheld cameras to self-aware movies that tune into the real horrors of contemporary life, these movies are guaranteed to give nightmares without all the gore.
Insidious (2010)
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Insidious shocked fans when its release in 2010 received much more success than the low-budget flick expected, sparking the start of a freaky franchise. Josh and Renai are a happily married couple, whose lives turn upside down when their young son ends up in the hospital and their home goes from a safe place to a spooky one.
Insidious is well known for its ability to create terror by manipulating the safety fans associate with the home, the movie is littered with jump scares and loud noises that torment not only Josh and Renai but also the movie's audience. The film swaps gore for low-key lighting and a simple but effective location that evokes fear by representing a place most fans feel is familiar to them.
The Ring (2002)
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The Ring is commonly referred to as the scariest horror movie of the 21st century and has become something of a terrifying cult classic. It tells the story of a journalist who is puzzled by the death of her niece and looks into the videotape, rumored to be at the center of many other deaths.
The Ring relies heavily on the idea of rumors and growing suspicion to provoke fear in its viewers when the main character is warned she will die in seven days. The movie's time-sensitive nature created a sense of anxiety which was built upon the idea of being stalked, cleverly creating fear through the suggestion of a threat rather than a visible villain seen commonly within slasher movies.
The Conjuring (2013)
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The Conjuring is labeled one of the best exorcism movies of all time, leading many horror fans to consider the film a must-see for all movie buffs. Starring Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson as paranormal investigators, The Conjuring accompanies them as they encounter their most terrifying ordeal yet when they attempt to help the Perron family.
The movie is famously known for its use of VFX and its ability to create an invisible threat that makes an occasional appearance, resulting in fans falling into a constant state of nervousness. The Conjuring's well-thought-out plot and interesting characters already exceed the typical horror structure but are then built upon traditional horror tactics that prove themselves as timeless staples within the gore-less horror genre.
The Birds (1963)
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The Birds is referred to as one of Alfred Hitchcock's best yet most petrifying movies when Bodega Bay becomes the victim of an army of unlikely villains.
The Birds took an otherwise harmless creature and turned it into something to be feared by giving the illusion they were watching the residents of Bodega Bay and planning their attack. The movie is generally considered goreless by most fans but still manages to generate a fear of birds for others through the continuous sound of crowing and flapping that build tension by alluding to them as a potential threat.
The Babadook (2014)
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The Babadook is one of the most underrated psychological horror movies of the past decade and is continuing to be discovered today. The frightful flick tells the story of Sam, who believes there is a disturbing presence within his home, leading to his mother questioning whether the fictional Babadook is real.
The movie may be free from gore, but it lives up to its label as a horrifying thriller through the chilling tone, knocks, and aura of the Babadook. Through its clever storyline and Sam's character, The Babadook gives viewers the creeps by alluding to the constant threat of being stalked, making it a terrifying yet goreless horror.
Paranormal Activity (2007)
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Paranormal Activity has become a well-known franchise within the horror genre, with its first installment documenting a young couple's encounters as they seek to capture the paranormal happenings occurring in their new home.
This freaky flick exchanged gore for old-fashioned scares, aided by the couple's perfectly placed cameras that encouraged its viewers to situate themselves among the unusual occurrences of the couple's suburban home. In heightening every sound and shadow, Paranormal Activity manipulated the safety many fans associate with the home to create a feeling of unrest that stayed with each viewer after watching.
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
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The Blair Witch Project is solely responsible for the found footage horror trope and continues to be widely spoken about due to its unique film style. The movie follows three friends through their handheld cameras as they travel into the woods to investigate the incidents regarding the Blair Witch, but they soon regret their decision when they lose their way.
The Blair Witch Project managed to avoid gore while remaining one of the scariest horror movies of all time as viewers became immersed in it. The use of handheld cameras is the main reason the film was so terrifying as fans felt as though they were watching real people experience true terror, with many shots showing the characters in tears or frantically screaming.
It Follows (2014)
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It Follows is considered a cult classic among horror fans and has become increasingly popular in recent years due to the movie's somewhat subtle yet important social commentary. This thrilling flick follows Jay, who after a sexual encounter finds herself being followed by an entity, Jay then becomes torn between being followed or passing it on to another unknowing victim.
The motion picture has its fair share of jump scares but never explores the world of gore and instead utilizes the idea of being followed as its main fear tactic. The constant threat of being pursued is aided by the movie's ability to isolate Jay within a crowded space through clever camera angles that heighten not only Jay's fear but also the audience.
Get Out (2017)
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Get Out is one horror movie where the humans are actually the monsters, with Jordan Peele's directorial debut showcasing the true horrors of racism. The movie follows Chris as he travels to meet his girlfriend's parents but during his stay, he discovers that the family is not all that they seem in an unsettling yet raw story.
Get Out is one of the highest-rated horror movies to date due to the cleverness surrounding it, with the psychological thriller re-imagining how horror is created on screen. Through a series of angled shots and the rhythmic beat running throughout, Get Out incites fear in its viewers without reducing itself to blood and guts, leaving fans with goosebumps alongside a feeling of unease that follows them even outside the movie theater.
The Woman In Black (2012)
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Adapted from Susan Hill's 1983 novel, The Woman In Black returns to the familiar and much loved telling of ghost stories through its chilling tale. Daniel Radcliffe stars as an unsuspecting lawyer sent to look into a house but soon finds himself at the center of a mystery being led by the same ghost tormenting both him and the village's children.
This eerie flick replaces the typical use of gore for jump scares, apparitions, and children's toys, leaving many viewers terrified to close their eyes. The Woman In Black cleverly omits sound for most of the movie to create a claustrophobic setting that heightens viewers' senses, causing the slightest noise to disturb fans, with the movie's premise of avoiding gore luring viewers into a false sense of security.