40 Greatest Horror Movie Posters

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Scary one-sheets to give you the shivers

The Blob (1958)

A Tale Of Two Sisters (2003)

Representative Of The Film? A blood-stained family portrait is the perfect tease for Kim Ji-woon’s South Korean psychodrama.

Coolest Detail: The clash of blood on virginal white cotton - especially when mummy and daddy are dressed in grey.

Poltergeist (1982)

Representative Of The Film? It’s hard to convey a feeling of suburban horror, so kudos for stripping things down to the ominous flicker of television static.

Coolest Detail: Actually, this one is notable for cocking up the tagline which, as everybody knows, should be “They’re here!”

C.H.U.D. (1984)

Representative Of The Film? So hysterically earnest it has to be tongue-in-cheek, the way it riffs on topical news reports pretty much screams, ‘schlock exploitation!’

Coolest Detail: They’ve underlined not human. Just in case we weren’t sure.

Blood And Black Lace (1964)

Representative Of The Film? Sex and violence – what else would you expect in Mario Bava’s influential giallo slasher pic?

Coolest Detail: We’re not quite sure how the ‘guaranteed shocks’ statement would hold up in court.

Freaks (1932)

Representative Of The Film? It’s a tough job capturing the appeal of a movie that veers between sympathy for its outcasts and exploitative freakshow horror. This conveys it by being…a bit weird.

Coolest Detail: The placement of the man’s hand on the left implies his sides are splitting with laughter, which seems a curious thing to stick on the poster.

Army Of Darkness (1992)

Representative Of The Film? Those in the know will spot it’s an Evil Dead threequel (Ash! Chainsaw! Trapped in time!) but the pastiche retro stylings confirm the wider appeal of Raimi’s rollicking adventure.

Coolest Detail: The raised eyebrow is pure Bruce Campbell. The He-Man pecs: less so.

I Spit On Your Grave (1978)

Representative Of The Film? The central image conjures up such a gut-wrenching feeling that the words have to go overboard with the spoilers to convince you that, no, really, this has a happy ending.

Coolest Detail: How tough is this woman? This tough: she isn’t even holding the knife by its hilt.

House Of Wax (2005)

Representative Of The Film? If only. This chillingly gloopy image has more wit and menace than the actual film can muster.

Coolest Detail: The vertical arrangement of the tagline reinforces the words’ drip-drip rhythm.

Dr Phibes Rises Again (1972)

Representative Of The Film? True to the spirit of this Hammer horror sequel if not the letter –the film features death by scorpion, but not by spider.

Coolest Detail: Has somebody squirted ketchup in her eye?