Evil Dead II (1987): Sam Raimi’s Scary, Funny Sequel

Great scene: Ash gets his famous chainsaw hand and inaugurates it with the blood of a few white-eyed banshees.

Onibaba (1964): Horror Tale Set during Civil War in Medieval Japan

An historical horror movie, Onibaba is creepily atmospheric, from the sights of reeds blowing in the wind to the images of mutilated bodies.

Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979): Herzog’s Striking Version, Starring Klaus Kinski, Isabelle Adjani

Klaus Kinski in particular offers one of the greatest performances of Dracula.

Black Sunday (1960): Mario Bava’s First Great Horror Picture, Gothic Tale Starring Barbara Steele

Black Sunday begins with an opening sequence that would get the film banned in the UK for years, though it is not as violent as Bava’s films would become.

Funny Games (1997): Michael Haneke’s Horror Thriller (Meditation on Screen Violence) (Cannes Film Fest 1997)

Michael Haneke indicted all those viewers who look toward violence and torture for their mass entertainment.