1. Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (1922)
While the image of Nosferatu standing wide-eyed in the middle of the hallway with his claws curled has become more of a joke thanks to his appearance on SpongeBob SquarePants, the 1922 silent film is truly frightening. There’s a sense of dread lurking around every corner in the deep shadows. As Count Orlok, Max Schreck’s wide-eyed, unblinking stare, his hunched, gaunt figure, and those long, sharp curved nails create a truly terrifying character design. The fact that this movie is 100 years old, and you can see that in the grainy film stock, only adds to the creepiness, as if we’ve unearthed something from ancient history that should not be seen.
