It’s officially spooky season, the best time to watch a horror movie and get a good scare! But which movies are truly the scariest? Fortunately, a recent study has figured that out.
Money Supermarket’s Science of Scare Project tested how scary different English-language horror movies were. They showed the films to a group of 250 people and monitored their heart rates and how much those rates changed while they watched.
Heart rate, measured in beats per minute (BPM), showed how excited or afraid people were – higher rates meant more intense feelings. Changes in heart rate variability (HRV) revealed a different kind of fear: a lower HRV score meant audience members were becoming increasingly stressed, suggesting a slow-building sense of dread.
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So, I took all the results from the different ways we measured things and combined them into a single score out of 100. You can check out the top 10 players below!
10. Talk To Me
In this 2022 film, a group of teenagers discovers they can summon spirits using a preserved hand. However, their experimentation leads to trouble when one of them accidentally awakens dangerous supernatural powers.
Score: 75/100
Available to stream on Netflix.
9. The Exorcism of Emily Rose
Inspired by a true story, The Exorcism of Emily Rose centers on a priest on trial for the death of a young woman following a failed exorcism. The case is argued by a lawyer who doesn’t believe in God, who suggests the girl’s illness had a medical, rather than supernatural, explanation.
Score: 76/100
Available to buy and rent via Prime Video and Apple TV.
8. Smile
Smile, the first film in a series by Parker Finn, follows a therapist who starts having frightening visions after a patient dies. She has to confront her own history if she wants to make it through the ordeal.
Score: 78/100
Available to stream on Paramount+.
7. Smile 2
The sequel to Smile is reportedly even scarier than the first film. It centers around a pop star whose upcoming world tour is disrupted by a string of frightening occurrences.
Score: 79/100
Available to stream on Paramount+.
6. Hereditary
This 2018 horror movie follows a family grieving after their grandmother passes away. As they learn more about their family history, they uncover terrifying secrets and fight to avoid a disturbing destiny.
Score: 81/100
Available to buy and rent via Prime Video and Apple TV.
5. The Conjuring
This 2013 film started the popular Conjuring series. It centers on paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren as they investigate a haunting at a family’s home.
Score: 88/100
Available to stream on Netflix.
4. Insidious
This horror movie centers on a family terrorized by demons. The story revolves around a boy in a coma who unknowingly becomes a gateway for spirits from another dimension.
Score: 90/100
Available to stream on Prime Video.
3. Skinamarink
I just watched this really strange movie from 2022, and it totally hooked me! It starts with these two siblings waking up in the middle of the night to find their dad is just…gone. But that’s not even the weirdest part – all the windows and doors in their house have vanished too! It’s a super unsettling setup, and I was immediately on the edge of my seat.
Score: 91/100
Available to stream on Tubi.
2. Host
Filmed during the pandemic, Host is a horror movie that unfolds entirely on a Zoom call. It follows a group of friends who decide to hold an online séance, which accidentally invites a demonic entity into their midst.
Score: 95/100
Available to stream on Shudder.
1. Sinister
According to a recent study, the most frightening movie is Sinister. It tells the story of a writer whose career is slowing down, and who finds disturbing films showing a family being murdered. He then makes the unsettling decision to move his own family into the house where the murders took place. The films hint at a supernatural presence, and things quickly become terrifying.
Score: 96/100
Available to stream on NOW.
The latest issue of Living Legends is now available! You can purchase Ariana & Witches at newsstands or online for only £8.99.
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2025-10-23 13:50