A Film Expert Reveals Why Some Horror Movies Haunt Us Forever

Determining the definitive masterpiece of horror cinema is a notoriously difficult task, as the genre evolves alongside our collective anxieties. However, for Kendall Phillips, a professor of communication and rhetorical studies at Syracuse University who has spent years dissecting the mechanics of fear, certain films remain perennial benchmarks of the craft.

The enduring power of cinematic terror

Phillips, who explores the intersection of societal fears and film in his upcoming book, Projected Fears: Horror Films and American Culture, suggests that the most impactful movies do more than just provide a jump scare. He points to Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 seminal work, Psycho, as a cornerstone of the genre. Beyond its undeniable historical importance, Phillips notes that the film remains a masterclass in tone, successfully oscillating between genuinely shocking horror and a deeply cynical, dark humor that keeps audiences hooked.

When pressed to identify the most potent examples of the genre, Phillips highlights three distinct titles that demonstrate the breadth of horror:

• The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974): According to Phillips, Tobe Hooper’s gritty nightmare remains remarkably effective. Even five decades after its release, the film retains a visceral ability to rattle viewers, proving that raw atmosphere often outlasts elaborate effects.
• Frankenstein (1931): While often credited with formalizing the horror genre, Phillips argues that its enduring legacy lies in its pathos. At its core, the film is a tragedy about a misunderstood outcast desperately seeking acceptance.
• Tigers Are Not Afraid (2017): Representing the modern international landscape of horror, Issa López’s fairytale-inspired film is a standout for Phillips. By grounding supernatural dread within the very real, brutal context of cartel violence in Mexico, the film manages to be simultaneously disturbing and profoundly human.

Why we seek out the macabre

The appeal of these stories is rooted in how they externalize our internal concerns. By analyzing why certain films become permanent fixtures in our cultural consciousness while others are quickly forgotten, Phillips suggests that the best horror movies serve as mirrors for the anxieties of their time. They allow audiences to engage with uncomfortable truths through a lens of fiction, transforming the chaotic or the unknown into a structured, albeit terrifying, narrative experience.