5 Horror Films that Actually Scared Me

Don’t be surprised if this blog talks a lot about horror movies—after all, I’m a big fan of the genre. I love the thrill of being scared by a movie, even though I’m the kind of person who easily gets frightened. Over the years, I’ve watched so many horror films, ranging from awful to genuinely terrifying ones.

Because I’ve seen so many, I’ve grown familiar with the usual scare tactics. I can often predict when a jump scare will happen or recognize certain clichés like clueless characters making bad decisions. That’s why it’s such a joy when I come across a horror movie that manages to truly frighten me—or at least has one sequence that makes me want to sleep with the lights on.

This time, I’ve put together a list of horror films that genuinely scared me—not just because of one or two creepy moments, but because the whole movie was terrifying. I’ll save the single scary sequences for another list.

1. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

When I was a kid, I kept seeing this movie pop up in articles about the scariest horror films ever made. I must’ve read over 100 lists, and this movie was always included. So, I finally decided to watch it—and yes, it was terrifying.

To my surprise, it wasn’t as gory as I’d imagined. The articles I read described it as extremely violent and banned in several countries. But the fear didn’t come from blood or gore—it was how real everything felt. The terror felt so authentic that I couldn’t shake the thought that this could actually happen to me.

There are no over-the-top scenes like severed heads or guts spilling out. The most graphic parts are someone getting hit by a hammer or run over by a car. For someone like me, who’s seen plenty of extreme horror, these scenes are nothing. But the psychological impact? It’s unmatched. Watching Sally run for her life while screaming for help, with Leatherface chasing her, was terrifying. To this day, I haven’t found another horror movie with this level of intensity.

2. The Omen (1976)

What’s so scary about a movie about the Antichrist? From the synopsis, I thought it would be just another typical horror film. But I was completely wrong.

Aside from the strange and creepy stories about the cast and crew being cursed during production, the movie itself is genuinely terrifying. There’s an unsettling vibe throughout the film that got under my skin. It’s not just scary—it’s deeply disturbing. The sense of dread stayed with me long after the movie ended.

3. Anaconda (1997)

This one might not seem surprising. As someone who’s terrified of snakes, watching Anaconda was like living a nightmare.

Now that I’m older, I can see how silly some parts of the movie are. The snake roars, moves impossibly fast after swallowing someone, and defies all logic. But when I watched it as a kid, none of that mattered. Watching the giant snake swallow Jon Voight was terrifying.

Despite the flawed logic, I think the animatronics used in this movie deserve more appreciation. The effects are actually impressive for their time.

4. Pengabdi Setan (2017)

When I was in middle school, I downloaded this movie on YouTube and watched it alone in my room. Big mistake.

The scene where Hendra sees the blurry figure of Ibu standing by the window gave me chills. I was so scared that I ran out of my room. This movie is a great example of what I love in horror—an eerie mystery that plays with your imagination. It’s the kind of fear that stays with you even after the movie ends. If I ever make a list of the scariest Indonesian horror films, this one would definitely be in my top three.

5. Flight 224 (from 4Bia (2008))

I love anthology horror films because they offer a variety of short, unique stories. Usually, not all segments are equally good (or all of them are bad), but the final segment often stands out as the scariest. That’s exactly the case with Flight 224.

This segment taps into fear through guilt and revenge. The setting inside an airplane adds a claustrophobic feeling—you can’t escape, no matter how scared you are. The ending of this segment is brilliant and unforgettable. It still haunts me whenever I think about it.

These are just some of the horror movies that have scared me the most. I’m sure there are more, but these are the ones I remember for now. Maybe I’ll write a part two someday.

If you have recommendations for scary movies—especially ones like those on this list—please let me know. Thanks for reading!