The best horror movies are those that don't rely on blood, guts and sex to intrigue the audience. The best horror movies make you cringe without making you sick to your stomach. They may leave you feeling scared, anxious, or shocked, but they shouldn't make you puke your guts out.
I have found that some of the best horror movies, are the old time classics. I often look through my dads collection of movies when I want to find a good horror movie. And I have found many that I have become a fan of.
Black Christmas (1975)
This is a story about the residents of a sorority house being killed off by a cunning, mysterious killer. This movie is really good at using suspense and thrills to make your heart crawl up into your throat. There is very minimal blood, and it is not graphic in the least. But it is an amazingly thrilling scare!
Halloween (1978)
Michael Myers is a very creepy character, I'm sure many people can agree on that. He is my favorite slasher killer, because his movie does not use any blood or gore to try and get under its audience's skin. It does that fine with the suspense and creepiness of the blade bearing psychotic patient.
Very rarely do I enjoy a remake of an old time horror classic, but on a couple of exceptions a director was able to use the originals terror in their remake, without the use of blood or sex.
The Hitcher (1986, 2007)
I really enjoyed both of these films. Director Dave Meyers showed how smart he was when he decided to keep the remake's scenes almost exactly the same as the original's. He added a few changes to the plot of the movie, but nothing that took focus away from the horror it brought to the big screen. He used minimal gore, and made the good decision of not showing the blood in a scene that, in my opinion, was one of the most graphic ways a person could be killed. I really applaud Dave Meyers for making the remake as enjoyable as the original.
When A Stranger Calls (1979, 2006)
Even though I enjoyed both the original and remake of this movie, they could not have been more different. The remake did not follow the original's storyline at all, but that is nothing against it. By focusing more on one night of terror for the babysitter, I think director Simon West was able to give more chances for suspense and terror. I think everyone fears being trapped, and that is exactly how he makes the audience feel with his film. There is no blood or sex used in this movie, because it doesn't need to add any unnecessary elements to satisfy its fans.
The best horror movies stick to their title; horror movies. They don't try to sneak in blood and guts, or breasts and butts. They hold firm on scaring their audiences with true terror. No movie can beat that of a true horror.
