100 Greatest Horror Movies Rating Methodology 2008
Introducing the Rating Methodology 2008! Back in 2007 BHM employed new rating methodology to create the Top 100 Horror Movie list. The result was the most accurate and reasonable (and least complained about) list of the 100 Greatest Horror Movies we've ever seen.
For 2008 the concept and results of the innovative methodology were retained, and a new category was added. First a master horror movie list was created composed of the horror nominated for last year's list plus new horror and those additional titles that were nominated by BHM visitors.
The resulting list of 130 horror titles was then rated in the following categories, using a scale of 1 - 10 (or, in one single case, either "0" or "5"):
• Originality• Impact (i.e. awards, sequels, notoriety, revitalizing horror, etc.)
• Scares
• Visuals (i.e. gore, location, cinematography, effects, etc.)
• Story
• Favorite (subjective response of judge, 10 being an all-time favorite)
• Script
• Longevity (New Category for 2008)**
A total of 14 judges participated in the original rating process, and 6 additional judges for the 2008 update. In rating methodology 2008 average scores were rounded to the closest whole number in each category.
In the event of scoring ties the categories were weighted in the order listed above. For example, when two movies had a total score of 45 then the one with the highest Originality score was rated higher – if the originality scores were the same then the movie with the highest impact score would get the call…and on down the list.
**Special Note on "Longevity" - After much feedback from BHM visitors as well as a bit of common sense one more catagory was added to Rating Methodology 2008. Many horror movies are incredibly forgetable, so those that are still "top of mind" 5 or more years later are typically of the highest quality. We wanted to give a bit of a slant to the classics of horror, so the Longevity score is either "0" for "less than 5 years old" or "5" for "more than 5 years old".
Why? So that a brand new horror movie must be REALLY EXCEPTIONAL to be listed among the genre classics and not just new and fresh in memory. If, 5 years later, the rating of a new horror offering is still up to snuff then that movie will gain 5 points and take it's place at a higher ranking.
The scoring results are listed below:
| Movie | Originality | Impact | Scares | Visuals | Story | Favorite | Script | Longevity | Total | |
| 1 | The Exorcist | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 73 |
| 2 | Alien | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 72 |
| 3 | Dawn of the Dead | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 70 |
| 4 | Halloween | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 70 |
| 5 | Night of the living Dead | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 70 |
| 6 | The Shining | 9 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 5 | 70 |
| 7 | Nightmare on Elm Street | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 69 |
| 8 | Psycho | 10 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 5 | 69 |
| 9 | Dead Alive | 9 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 67 |
| 10 | Friday the 13th | 8 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 67 |
| 11 | An American Werewolf in London | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 67 |
| 12 | Carrie | 10 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 66 |
| 13 | White Zombie | 10 | 10 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 66 |
| 14 | May | 10 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 5 | 66 |
| 15 | Texas Chainsaw Massacre | 9 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 66 |
| 16 | Ju-On, 2000 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 66 |
| 17 | Evil Dead | 8 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 66 |
| 18 | The Descent | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 66 |
| 19 | The Howling | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 66 |
| 20 | Frailty | 10 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 5 | 65 |
| 21 | The Eye | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 65 |
| 22 | Interview with the Vampire | 9 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 65 |
| 23 | The Mist | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 64 |
| 24 | Zombi 2 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 64 |
| 25 | Jaws | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 64 |
| 26 | Suspiria | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 64 |
| 27 | Aliens | 5 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 64 |
| 28 | The Thing | 9 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 63 |
| 29 | Silence of the Lambs | 8 | 10 | 3 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 63 |
| 30 | Audition | 8 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 63 |
| 31 | Black Christmas | 8 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 62 |
| 32 | 28 Days Later | 8 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 62 |
| 33 | Shaun of the Dead | 8 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 62 |
| 34 | The Blair Witch Project | 10 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 61 |
| 35 | Beyond the Mask | 10 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 61 |
| 36 | The Serpent and the Rainbow | 9 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 61 |
| 37 | The Abominable Dr. Phibes | 9 | 8 | 3 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 60 |
| 38 | Ginger Snaps | 9 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 60 |
| 39 | The Curse of Frankenstein | 7 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 60 |
| 40 | Bride of Frankenstein | 9 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 59 |
| 41 | The Host | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 59 |
| 42 | High Tension | 8 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 59 |
| 43 | Hard Candy | 10 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 58 |
| 44 | Grindhouse | 10 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 58 |
| 45 | Hell Raiser | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 58 |
| 46 | Cemetary Man | 9 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 58 |
| 47 | Day of the dead | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 58 |
| 48 | A Tale of Two Sisters | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 58 |
| 49 | Misery | 9 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 57 |
| 50 | Feast | 8 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 57 |
| 51 | Saw | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 56 |
| 52 | Rosemary's Baby | 8 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 56 |
| 53 | The Omen | 6 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 56 |
| 54 | Dawn of the dead 2004 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 55 |
| 55 | The invisible Man | 9 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 55 |
| 56 | Hostel | 9 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 55 |
| 57 | Dead Silence | 8 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 55 |
| 58 | Horror of Dracula | 6 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 55 |
| 59 | Amityville Horror | 5 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 55 |
| 60 | Reanimator | 9 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 54 |
| 61 | The Quartermass Xperiment | 8 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 54 |
| 62 | Polterguist | 8 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 54 |
| 63 | Phantasm | 8 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 54 |
| 64 | Puppet Master | 8 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 53 |
| 65 | Prom Night | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 53 |
| 66 | Salem's Lot | 5 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 53 |
| 67 | the Stepford Wives | 9 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 52 |
| 68 | Event Horizon | 9 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 52 |
| 69 | The Birds | 8 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 52 |
| 70 | Don't Look Now | 8 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 9 | 5 | 52 |
| 71 | Seven | 7 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 52 |
| 72 | Darkness Falls | 7 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 52 |
| 73 | The Mummy | 6 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 52 |
| 74 | The Wolfman | 5 | 9 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 52 |
| 75 | Pet Semetary | 9 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 51 |
| 76 | The Lost Boys | 6 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 51 |
| 77 | Dracula | 4 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 51 |
| 78 | Scream | 3 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 51 |
| 79 | Frankenstein | 3 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 51 |
| 80 | Nosferatu | 2 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 5 | 51 |
| 81 | Final Destination | 9 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 50 |
| 82 | Return of the living dead | 8 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 50 |
| 83 | The Ring | 2 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 50 |
| 84 | When a Stranger Calls | 7 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 49 |
| 85 | IT | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 49 |
| 86 | The Hitcher | 6 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 49 |
| 87 | The Grudge - Ju-On | 5 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 49 |
| 88 | Child's Play | 9 | 10 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 48 |
| 89 | Phantom of the Opera | 8 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 48 |
| 90 | Creature from the Black Lagoon | 8 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 48 |
| 91 | Silent Night, Deadly Night | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 48 |
| 92 | The Fog | 7 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 48 |
| 93 | Candyman | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 48 |
| 94 | The Revenge of Frankenstein | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 48 |
| 95 | The Changeling | 5 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 48 |
| 96 | Alone in the Dark | 9 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 47 |
| 97 | People under the stairs | 7 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 47 |
| 98 | Black Sabbath | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 47 |
| 99 | Resident Evil | 4 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 47 |
| 100 | Children of the Corn | 8 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 46 |
| 101 | Manhunter | 8 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 46 |
| 102 | Children of the damned | 8 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 46 |
| 103 | House of 1000 corpses | 5 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 46 |
| 104 | House on Haunted Hill | 5 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 43 |