The Top 10 Scariest Horror Movies Streaming On Prime Video

When it comes to real high-octane scares, it can be tough to get under the skin of a modern horror fan. Most of us have been jaded to Hollywood tactics since we were children, and have had to settle with other arenas of horror to keep our interests piqued. Sure, what’s not to love about a good splatter-fest or even a deeply twisted mystery? These faucets of our favorite genre are fun and thrilling, but sometimes we all still yearn for that the golden goose of horror: true, unquestionable scares. Luckily, our friends over at Prime Video have a selection of anxiety-inducing titles that will scratch the fear itch of just about any seasoned horror aficionado.

While scares are ultimately subjective, we’ve done our best to scour the current menu of genre offerings over on Prime Video to find the titles that truly go bump in the night. And I think we’ve found ten that will at least have you a little nervous when all is said and done. First on today’s list is the Korean fright-fest Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum from Jung Bum-shik and Park Sang-min. Titled after a very real psychiatric hospital, this chiller follows a very unfortunate crew filming a web series who venture into the aforementioned asylum in order to achieve viral fame. Things … go poorly. Scary, relentless, and totally outrageous, Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum is a terrifying must-watch for all fans of fear.

A more classic and historical horror title to make the following list is When A Stranger Calls starring Carol Kane. Based on a popular and very terrifying urban legend, this little spook show from filmmaker Fred Walton gifted us one of the scariest first acts in horror film history. The legacy of When A Stranger Calls lives on to this day and is even cited as the main inspiration for the legendary opening sequence in Wes Craven’s Scream. In 1993 a direct to television sequel titled When A Stranger Calls Back brought the characters of the first film into the 90s, and it’s also absolutely worth investigating.

Here are the 10 scariest horror movies streaming on Prime Video:

  1. Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum
  2. Paranormal Activity
  3. The Poughkeepsie Tapes 
  4. The Collector
  5. When A Stranger Calls (1979)
  6. Saint Maud
  7. Carnival of Souls
  8. The Deep House
  9. The Town That Dreaded Sundown
  10. Oculus

Another title from the above list that leaves us with our skin feeling like it’s on a little too tight is John Erick Dowdle’s The Poughkeepsie Tapes. A found footage freak show for the books, this indie hellride initially premiered at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival, but would never see proper digital release until 2017 when Orion Pictures distributed it on DVD and Blu-ray via Scream Factory. This evil, mean, and gruesome shocker will leave even the most hardened horror fans in a puddle of panic. Fun fact: the mask used in this film was actually a quasi-official female-style Michael Myers mask which was quickly discontinued. Dubbed the Michelle Myers mask, this monstrosity is the epitome of uncanny discomfort.

And speaking of uncanny, a personal favorite from the aforementioned list has got to be The Town The Dreaded Sundown. While it won’t necessarily terrify today’s younger audiences, this bizarre meta-horror experience was worlds ahead of its time when it came to self-aware scares and true crime fascination. And while the 2014 Blumhouse remake is nowhere near perfect, it, too, captures a certain uncanny Texas/Arkansas borderline vibe that is worth every penny of that rental. Check both of these films out if you get the chance.

Lastly, what do you think? What are some truly terrifying titles currently streaming on Prime Video that didn’t make the list, but absolutely should? Let me know on Twitter via @joshkorngut. I’m always around to chat all things Prime Video horror!

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