The Essentials: The Best Horror Movie Franchises Ranked

10. “A Nightmare on Elm Street” series (A Nightmare on Elm Street 1-6, Wes Craven’s New Nightmare, Freddy vs. Jason, 2010 Remake)
“9…10… Never sleep again.” Of all the on-screen slashers, Freddy Kruger takes the prize as the most terrifying. A child murderer (and implied molester) burnt to a crisp and a glove with knives who murders you when you’re at your most vulnerable: asleep. Wes Craven’s original is a surrealistic nightmare, with a concept that cuts deep and imagery that is unforgettable. Freddy went the franchise route like Michael and Jason before him, but unlike those series’, the Nightmare movies have had a higher consistency of quality. The ones that Craven came back to be a part of (he wrote “A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 3: Dream Warriors” and directed the meta test run for “Scream,” “Wes Craven’s New Nightmare”) are the best sequels, but because of the fascinating dreamscape of the character, even the bad entries are interesting. “A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy’s Revenge” completely undermines the Freddy “rules,” but the disconnect between the writer and director over the film’s use of Freddy as a metaphor for repressed homosexuality make it a fascinating watch. Same goes for the weird dystopian wasteland of “Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare.” Creativity has always prevailed for the Nightmare series, all with the exception of the garish, godawful Platinum Dunes remake which saw Jackie Earle Haley wear the gloves and fedora. That’s a dream that we wish Freddy would destroy. – RO

9. “Friday the 13th” series (Friday the 13th Parts 1-8, Jason Goes to Hell, Jason X, Freddy vs. Jason, 2009 Remake)
If the “Friday the 13th” franchise has proved anything, it’s that everyone loves a mascot. Jason Voorhees is forever cemented as a horror icon who transcends the movies that he’s featured in, because most of the movies in his franchise are subpar at best. Series creators Sean S. Cunningham and Victor Miller have admitted that the 1980 original was meant to ride the coattails of Halloween’s success, and it did so for three decades. The “whodunnit” angle to the original is fresh, but ultimately undone by an implausible ending. The sequels are standard hack-and-slash, complete with bad acting, gratuitous nudity, and increasingly brutal ways that Jason offs his victims, which are mostly tedious until Jason starts the mayhem. Series highlights include the self-aware “Part VI: Jason Lives,” if only for the James Bond-inspired opening credits and the Alice Cooper tune, “He’s Back (The Man Behind the Mask),” and the silly battle royale “Freddy vs. Jason” is more entertaining than it has any right to be. These films can be a fun walk down memory lane, but as functional features, there are better options for your Halloween viewing. – RO

8. “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” series (The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 1-4, 2003 Remake, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, Texas Chainsaw 3D, Leatherface)
There was no shortage of Vietnam War allegories in horror films in the 1970’s, but few have had the lasting impact that Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre has. The film is made with such restraint and eeriness before exploding into one of the most relentless and deeply unsettling sequences in all of horror that it’s shocking that this was the late Hooper’s debut feature. While not as masterful, Hooper’s 1986 Cannon-produced “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2” is still a strong – and tonally different – entry in this series. More darkly comic and going to eleven on the gore, the Sawyer family tackles the excess of yuppies in the 80’s. The series had a rough patch afterwards, with two lackluster cash-in sequels, a Platinum Dunes remake, a prequel to the Platinum Dunes remake, and a 3D sequel to the original that disregards the other entries. The series has gotten some redemption in this year’s “Leatherface,” a prequel that isn’t totally necessary, but like Hooper’s two films is actually about something (the systemic nature of violence and hatred being passed down through generations) and manages to avoid most of the mistakes that a prequel like Rob Zombie’s Halloween makes. – RO

7. “Insidious” Series (Insidious, Insidious Chapter 2, Insidious Chapter 3, Insidious: The Last Key)
The best trick that Insidious series writer Leigh Whannell pulls on the audience through his three film (fourth on the way) jumpscare fest, is switching protagonist mid-way through the series, from grieved parents Josh (Patrick Wilson) and Renai (Rose Byrne) to paranormal investigator Elise (Lin Shaye) with her sidekicks Specs (Whannell) and Tucker (Angus Sampson). Elise, Specs, and Tucker anchor the increasingly hellish trips to the astral plane “The Further” with plenty of screeching violins and red faced demons along the way. The James Wan directed Chapters 1 & 2 focus on Josh and Renai’s search for their son’s spirit after he becomes comatose and a vessel for spirits to enter the real world, with Elise acting as a medium between the worlds If the Chapter 3 prequel, which centers on a demonic possession of teenager Quinn Brenner (Stephanie Scott), lacks the virtusio directing of Wan, it’s still a solid directorial debut for Whannell (and much better than you might remember). The newest addition to the franchise, “The Last Key” comes out in January placing newcomer Adam Robitel in the director’s chair with Whannell again writing and Elise, Specs, and Tucker presumably fighting more demons in the “Further” – Christian Gallichio

6. “The Evil Dead” series (Evil Dead 1 & 2, Army of Darkness, 2013 Remake)
The Evil Dead series marks a rarity for horror franchises: a series without a single weak entry. Sam Raimi’s original film – while maybe showing its age a little bit – is still revered as the idealistic independent horror film that aspiring filmmakers look up to. Made on a shoestring budget with little crew and big dreams, The Evil Dead captures the descent into madness for both the characters and the filmmakers. “Evil Dead 2” – essentially a loose remake of the original – is Raimi’s finest directorial achievement to date, blending horror and comedy equally and effortlessly, while also cementing Bruce Campbell’s Ash as a new face in horror. “Army of Darkness” is a goofy blast, despite not quite reaching the heights of its predecessor. And Fede Alvarez’s 2013 remake – produced by Raimi and Campbell – is one of the few remakes worth championing. Despite some rough dialogue, Alvarez’s camerawork is phenomenal, and it works as an exercise in relentless unpleasantness. While this writer has yet to catch up with the “Ash vs. Evil Dead” TV series, it has been said to be a worthy addition to this series. In addition to each entry being solid, it’s also one of the few series where the originator has had creative input in each entry. In a genre where monsters are franchised out so easily, it’s impressive that Raimi has been able to hold dear to the deadites. – RO