Horror movies are not for everyone. Especially when one shocking moment follows another, some viewers prefer to switch off. Our list presents 9 movies that are indeed creepy in places but are also suitable for more anxious people.
The horror movie is a very popular genre. Perhaps that’s because we humans can watch others in extreme situations while comfortably lying on the couch. This creates excitement without putting ourselves in danger.
At the same time, many representatives of the genre are not for the faint of heart. Whether it gets very bloody and brutal, or whether a jump scare (a surprising scare moment accompanied by a loud noise) happens every few minutes – many people steer clear of horror movies.
In this list, we show you 9 movies that are really good and also suitable for the scaredy-cats among you. They largely forgo conventional jump scares and are not excessively brutal either. The order is chosen randomly.
Jaws
Let’s start with a film that some might claim is not even a horror movie. The film by Steven Spielberg is classified as an animal horror movie and tells the story of a beach in the USA where the titular shark roams.
The film is very effective in suggesting its monster for a long time without showing it fully. Thus, tension builds up slowly but surely. Whenever someone goes into the water, viewers expect a shark attack. Upon its release, the film caused a real panic and made people afraid to swim in the sea.
Fun Fact: The shark itself is only seen for about 4 minutes in the entire film. For a long time, the camera shows only details, and the whole shark is only revealed after about 80 minutes of runtime. The film led to many not-so-good imitations.
Nosferatu – A Symphony of Horror (1922)
The oldest film on this list is a prime example of German horror cinema from the silent film era. The story of Nosferatu closely resembles that of Dracula; however, they did not have the rights to Bram Stoker’s book, which is why the title and names were changed.
Although the film is over 100 years old, it has lost none of its eerie impact. The images are like something out of a horror novel, and Nosferatu’s gaze is unsettling. The film was remade in 1979 by Werner Herzog, and another remake by Robert Eggers will be released this year .
Fun Fact: Because the producers lost the copyright dispute with the Stoker heirs, all copies of Nosferatu were to be destroyed. However, a few edited versions were saved and later restored.
The Silence of the Lambs
In the film adaptation of the novel of the same name, a young FBI agent, Clarice Starling, must collaborate with the feared serial killer Hannibal Lecter to catch another serial killer. The film is consistently thrilling, and especially the encounters between Clarice and Lecter are nerve-wracking.
Lecter is highly intelligent and tries to manipulate the still inexperienced agent. However, the film avoids major shocking moments until the creepy finale. Instead, it captivates the audience with fantastic performances and a dense atmosphere.
Fun Fact: Similar to the shark in Jaws, Hannibal Lecter is also seen on screen for much less time than many often assume. He appears for only about 16 minutes, yet it feels like he is present the entire time. Anthony Hopkins won an Oscar for his performance.
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