The Essentials: The Best Horror Movie Franchises Ranked

5. “Scream” series (Scream, Scream 2, Scream 3, Scream 4)
Some scary movies take themselves too seriously. Others are too goofy to a fault. “Scream,” however, found the exact right balance. Through Kevin Williamson’s brilliantly subversively script, splendidly well-realized by the late, great horror master Wes Craven, the pulpy 1996 horror-comedy smash hit became a new trendsetter for the slasher genre, acknowledging the tired twists and grown-worthy cliches that bugged legions of horror fans for decades, but also lovingly paying tribute to what made those movies so darn enjoyable in the first place — all while providing enough smart, satisfying twists to keep you edged to your seat. There are way too many movies that’ve tried in vein to copycat the sensational success of “Scream,” including one or two sequels to the original movie. Yet, even if “Scream” has ironically become quite nearly as recognizable and familiar in its tropes as the movies it parodied/paid homage to, it’s remarkable just how well “Scream” still plays today. Never overly smug in its winking joke nature, while still legitimately creepy and terrifying throughout, “Scream” captured the best of both worlds, producing one of the best studio horror movies of the past two decades. That “Scream 2” played nearly as well as the first proved the talent involved understood what made it so special. There might never be another series as skillfully in blending these genres as “Scream,” but that doesn’t matter. Because we’ve got “Scream.” We know what scary movie to watch. – WA

4. “Halloween” series (Halloween 1-6, Halloween H20, Halloween: Resurrection, Rob Zombie’s Halloween I & II)
“Psycho,” “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,” and “Blood and Black Lace” have had their influence on the “slasher” subgenre, but John Carpenter’s seminal Halloween is the posterchild for the contemporary slasher. High schoolers being stalked by a masked killer with a sharp object has been a hallmark of these kinds of horror films since 1978, but few have captured it with the surprise and the mood (thanks to Carpenter’s iconic score) as Halloween. In fact, the subsequent Halloween sequels also fail to capture that surprise and mood. Carpenter always intended the original to be a one-off, and wanted the series to continue as an anthology (which we see in the best sequel, “Halloween III: Season of the Witch”). But the massive success and instant appeal of Michael Myers squashed those plans. There’s only so many ways a large imposing figure can off teens with a knife, and by the time Busta Rhymes gets into a breakdance fight with Myers in “Halloween: Resurrection,” the series had completely jumped the shark. Rob Zombie’s prequel/remake didn’t add much either in trying to psychoanalyze Myers and rob him of what makes him so terrifying to begin with. But we’ll always have the original, a horror masterpiece so strong it manages to prop up this entire series. – RO

3. George Romero’s “Dead” Zombies (Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead, Land of the Dead, Diary of the Dead, Survival of the Dead)
The current iteration of “zombies” – the ones that are a staple of Halloween-themed pub crawls, 5K marathons, and one of the most popular shows currently on-air (yes, “The Walking Dead” is still that popular) – owes a great debt to the late, great George A. Romero. Simply referred to as “The Dead” in 1968’s “Night of the Living Dead,” these creature attacks were meant to evoke more than just a nightmarish horror scenario, though it certainly succeeds at that. The bleak ending of Ben’s (Duane Jones) fate still rings frighteningly true in our current political climate of racial tension and police shootings. The great sequels “Dawn of the Dead” and “Day of the Dead” take the concept even further, where the living lapse into consumerism, grow hostile and start fearing one another more than the living dead outside. The last couple films Romero made in this series aren’t as groundbreaking or as overall strong as the first three entries, but they’re still a reminder that horror is best when it’s served with a side of subtext, and Romero expertly used the fears of the times to convey a society ravaged by chaos. – RO

2. “Hannibal Lecter” series (Manhunter, The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal, Red Dragon, Hannibal Rising)
Other than the “Alien” franchise, the series of Hannibal Lecter films have had the most notable rotating door of filmmakers. Michael Mann, Jonathan Demme, Ridley Scott (for a further Alien comparison), and Brett Ratner have all put their own spin on “Hannibal the Cannibal,” and it’s easy to see the appeal. Thomas Harris’ character is the perfect villain: an intelligent, seductive, manipulative psychopath who you love to hate. Even when you’re supposed to be rooting against him, you’re morbidly curious to see what he does next. It goes without saying that the character has been immortalized by Anthony Hopkins Oscar-winning take in The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal, and Red Dragon (though we prefer Mann’s existential procedural Manhunter to the latter, with Brian Cox in the Lecter role), whose every line delivery is precise, and each longing stare creates an infinite void where empathy and sympathy no longer reside. The less said about the 2007 prequel “Hannibal Rising,” the better, but the four other films range from solid diversion (it’s hard not to go to bat for Scott’s unrestrained, uneven, and batshit insane Hannibal) to downright masterful, and the first two films are Halloween essentials. Preferably, with fava beans and a nice chianti. – RO

1. “Alien” series (Alien, Aliens, Alien 3, Alien Resurrection, Prometheus, Alien:Covenant)
Like many horror series, the “Alien” franchise hasn’t always produced high quality films – especially when the sequels are compared to the excellent and spellbinding deubt. To its credit however, like the series defining monster the xenomorph, the films have possessed the ability to adapt with the times. From the stripped down claustrophobia of the original by Ridley Scott and James Cameron’s effectively fun action thriller twist on the series with “Aliens,” to the lesser installments with David Fincher’s dystopian “Alien 3” and the best not to remember it “Alien Resurrection,” the films original run continued to gather interest because of it’s slight differing in style and tone. Then the mind-bending, philosophical “Prometheus” and whatever the hell “Alien: Covenant” wanted to be came along as Scott tried to reestablish the world he created to middling effect. Visually stunning across the majority of the films and always touting fresh talent, there’s always something worth seeing in the series, they just might not be worth the lengthy run times. (Also a shame is how the xenomorph designs have grown increasingly uninteresting since their conception, increasingly resembling animal traits than something strictly, ahem, alien.) No matter your thoughts on the latter products, “Alien” and “Aliens” remain tentpole, genre classics which introduced Scott and Cameron to a wider audience, and the audiences to worlds beyond our immediate reach. – Allison Johnson

Your picks? Maybe you prefer “Final Destination, “The Conjuring” series (which is just getting started), “The Purge,” “Amityville Horror” or “Sinister“? Maybe Jeepers Creepers is your more your bag or “The Ring,” “The Hills Have Eyes,” “Resident Evil” or the “I Know What You Did Last Summer” franchise. Whatever floats your boat. Weigh in below and Happy Halloween