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SPOILER: Although it didn’t make the top 20 this year. the Exorcist still holds strong in the top 50., proof it hasn’t lost its power to disturb. What's terrifying about this chilling flick is that the shoot itself was so extreme that star Linda Blair fractured her back filming one violent sequence. Knowing the real-life pain adds to the film’s legend. Photo: Warner Bros.
1/59SPOILER: Although it didn’t make the top 20 this year. the Exorcist still holds strong in the top 50., proof it hasn’t lost its power to disturb. What's terrifying about this chilling flick is that the shoot itself was so extreme that star Linda Blair fractured her back filming one violent sequence. Knowing the real-life pain adds to the film’s legend. Photo: Warner Bros.
Think you’re brave? These movies have been scientifically proven to raise your heart rate and make your palms sweat. Get ready for the official ranking of the 50 scariest horror films according to science. Photo: istock
2/59Think you’re brave? These movies have been scientifically proven to raise your heart rate and make your palms sweat. Get ready for the official ranking of the 50 scariest horror films according to science. Photo: istock
The Science of Scare Project is an annual experiment designed to find the scariest movies ever made. Each year, a panel of 250 volunteers watches a carefully chosen line-up of horror films while their heart rates are tracked. The result? A truly objective ranking of what actually terrifies people the most. Photo: istock
3/59The Science of Scare Project is an annual experiment designed to find the scariest movies ever made. Each year, a panel of 250 volunteers watches a carefully chosen line-up of horror films while their heart rates are tracked. The result? A truly objective ranking of what actually terrifies people the most. Photo: istock
Participants watch horror films in special screenings over several weeks. They’re fitted with heart rate monitors that record their BPM throughout the movie. This way, researchers can see exactly when the audience’s pulse spikes. It’s not just about what people say is scary, it’s about how their bodies react. Photo: istock
4/59Participants watch horror films in special screenings over several weeks. They’re fitted with heart rate monitors that record their BPM throughout the movie. This way, researchers can see exactly when the audience’s pulse spikes. It’s not just about what people say is scary, it’s about how their bodies react. Photo: istock
In 2023, the experiment got an upgrade. Instead of just measuring average heart rate, they now combine heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV). Higher BPM means excitement and fear. Lower HRV means sustained stress and dread. Both are used to create a Scare Score out of 100, giving us a better picture of which films deliver the most fear. Photo: istock
5/59In 2023, the experiment got an upgrade. Instead of just measuring average heart rate, they now combine heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV). Higher BPM means excitement and fear. Lower HRV means sustained stress and dread. Both are used to create a Scare Score out of 100, giving us a better picture of which films deliver the most fear. Photo: istock
Scare Score: 48 Average Heart Rate: 73 BPM Highest Spike: 81 BPM. Wes Craven’s slasher classic redefined horror in the 90s with its meta approach and brutal kills. Ghostface isn't just scary for his mask and knife work, he’s terrifying because he knows the rules of horror and uses them against you. Even years later, the opening with Drew Barrymore remains one of the genre’s best cold opens, getting hearts racing even for seasoned fans. Photo: Woods Entertainment
6/59Scare Score: 48 Average Heart Rate: 73 BPM Highest Spike: 81 BPM. Wes Craven’s slasher classic redefined horror in the 90s with its meta approach and brutal kills. Ghostface isn't just scary for his mask and knife work, he’s terrifying because he knows the rules of horror and uses them against you. Even years later, the opening with Drew Barrymore remains one of the genre’s best cold opens, getting hearts racing even for seasoned fans. Photo: Woods Entertainment
Scare Score: 49 Average Heart Rate: 70 BPM Highest Spike: 99 BPM. Set in the 1970s during a live late-night talk show, this found-footage-style horror unravels in real time as a demonic possession takes hold on air. Praised for practical effects and an eerie vibe, it’s a fresh entry that spiked viewers’ BPM with its steadily building dread and shocking final act. Photo: Spooky Pictures
7/59Scare Score: 49 Average Heart Rate: 70 BPM Highest Spike: 99 BPM. Set in the 1970s during a live late-night talk show, this found-footage-style horror unravels in real time as a demonic possession takes hold on air. Praised for practical effects and an eerie vibe, it’s a fresh entry that spiked viewers’ BPM with its steadily building dread and shocking final act. Photo: Spooky Pictures
Scare Score: 49 Average Heart Rate: 73 BPM Highest Spike: 89 BPM. A rare horror sequel that improves on the original. Set in 1960s Los Angeles, it follows a widowed mother and her daughters running a seance scam, only to unleash real evil. Creepy period details, unsettling imagery, and a truly unnerving child performance helped push heart rates into fear territory. Photo: Blumhouse Productions
8/59Scare Score: 49 Average Heart Rate: 73 BPM Highest Spike: 89 BPM. A rare horror sequel that improves on the original. Set in 1960s Los Angeles, it follows a widowed mother and her daughters running a seance scam, only to unleash real evil. Creepy period details, unsettling imagery, and a truly unnerving child performance helped push heart rates into fear territory. Photo: Blumhouse Productions
Scare Score: 50 Average Heart Rate: 71 BPM Highest Spike: 94 BPM. A chilling prequel exploring the origins of Damien’s satanic lineage. The First Omen uses religious imagery and slow-burn tension to create a sense of inescapable dread. Fans of classic horror appreciated the throwback feel, and it earned solid BPM spikes with its harrowing climax. Photo: 20th Century Studios
9/59Scare Score: 50 Average Heart Rate: 71 BPM Highest Spike: 94 BPM. A chilling prequel exploring the origins of Damien’s satanic lineage. The First Omen uses religious imagery and slow-burn tension to create a sense of inescapable dread. Fans of classic horror appreciated the throwback feel, and it earned solid BPM spikes with its harrowing climax. Photo: 20th Century Studios
Scare Score: 51 Average Heart Rate: 73 BPM Highest Spike: 91 BPM. A brother and sister confront a cursed mirror responsible for their family’s trauma. Oculus blends psychological horror with supernatural scares, making viewers question what’s real. Its disorienting structure and genuinely creepy visuals kept heart rates elevated, proving subtle, smart horror still delivers. Photo: Blumhouse Productions
10/59Scare Score: 51 Average Heart Rate: 73 BPM Highest Spike: 91 BPM. A brother and sister confront a cursed mirror responsible for their family’s trauma. Oculus blends psychological horror with supernatural scares, making viewers question what’s real. Its disorienting structure and genuinely creepy visuals kept heart rates elevated, proving subtle, smart horror still delivers. Photo: Blumhouse Productions
Scare Score: 51 Average Heart Rate: 72 BPM Highest Spike: 93 BPM. The American remake of Japan’s Ju-On introduced a new generation to ghostly croaks and long-haired spirits. The Grudge excels at that feeling of inescapable doom. Even if you escape the house, the curse follows. It still earns BPM spikes with its iconic hallway scares and that unforgettable croaking sound. Photo: Ghost House Pictures
11/59Scare Score: 51 Average Heart Rate: 72 BPM Highest Spike: 93 BPM. The American remake of Japan’s Ju-On introduced a new generation to ghostly croaks and long-haired spirits. The Grudge excels at that feeling of inescapable doom. Even if you escape the house, the curse follows. It still earns BPM spikes with its iconic hallway scares and that unforgettable croaking sound. Photo: Ghost House Pictures
Scare Score: 51 Average Heart Rate: 73 BPM Highest Spike: 92 BPM. Danny Boyle’s take on the zombie genre is relentless. The rage-infected sprinting monsters and bleak, emptied London create constant tension. That heart-pounding opening alone sets viewers on edge. Even for seasoned horror fans, the sense of speed and inevitability gets pulses rising. Photo: DNA Films
12/59Scare Score: 51 Average Heart Rate: 73 BPM Highest Spike: 92 BPM. Danny Boyle’s take on the zombie genre is relentless. The rage-infected sprinting monsters and bleak, emptied London create constant tension. That heart-pounding opening alone sets viewers on edge. Even for seasoned horror fans, the sense of speed and inevitability gets pulses rising. Photo: DNA Films
Scare Score: 52 Average Heart Rate: 74 BPM Highest Spike: 84 BPM. The latest instalment of the Saw franchise proves the formula still works. Traps that make you squirm, moral dilemmas that test your limits, and a grimy atmosphere all contribute to raised BPMs. Fans know what they’re in for, but the creative kills still deliver genuine horror. Photo: Twisted Pictures
13/59Scare Score: 52 Average Heart Rate: 74 BPM Highest Spike: 84 BPM. The latest instalment of the Saw franchise proves the formula still works. Traps that make you squirm, moral dilemmas that test your limits, and a grimy atmosphere all contribute to raised BPMs. Fans know what they’re in for, but the creative kills still deliver genuine horror. Photo: Twisted Pictures
Scare Score: 54 Average Heart Rate: 71 BPM Highest Spike: 98 BPM. A disturbing psychological thriller starring Nicolas Cage in one of his creepiest roles yet. Longlegs leans into occult imagery and chilling murders, building an atmosphere that gnaws at you. Even when there’s no jump scare, the unsettling tone keeps your heart rate elevated. Photo: Neon
14/59Scare Score: 54 Average Heart Rate: 71 BPM Highest Spike: 98 BPM. A disturbing psychological thriller starring Nicolas Cage in one of his creepiest roles yet. Longlegs leans into occult imagery and chilling murders, building an atmosphere that gnaws at you. Even when there’s no jump scare, the unsettling tone keeps your heart rate elevated. Photo: Neon
Scare Score: 54 Average Heart Rate: 74 BPM Highest Spike: 90 BPM. This film turns a universal childhood fear into nightmare fuel. The entity only appears in the dark, leading to inventive, terrifying sequences. Its simple premise is executed with precision, making audiences jump and their hearts pound with every flick of the light switch. Photo: New Line Cinema
15/59Scare Score: 54 Average Heart Rate: 74 BPM Highest Spike: 90 BPM. This film turns a universal childhood fear into nightmare fuel. The entity only appears in the dark, leading to inventive, terrifying sequences. Its simple premise is executed with precision, making audiences jump and their hearts pound with every flick of the light switch. Photo: New Line Cinema
Scare Score: 55 Average Heart Rate: 73 BPM Highest Spike: 101 BPM. Sydney Sweeney stars in this religious horror set in an Italian convent. With gothic settings and unsettling themes of immaculate conception, it uses atmosphere and shocking moments to keep viewers anxious. That blend of quiet dread and sudden horror shows in its BPM readings. Photo: Black Bear Pictures
16/59Scare Score: 55 Average Heart Rate: 73 BPM Highest Spike: 101 BPM. Sydney Sweeney stars in this religious horror set in an Italian convent. With gothic settings and unsettling themes of immaculate conception, it uses atmosphere and shocking moments to keep viewers anxious. That blend of quiet dread and sudden horror shows in its BPM readings. Photo: Black Bear Pictures
Scare Score: 57 Average Heart Rate: 75 BPM Highest Spike: 83 BPM. The Evil Dead franchise remains reliably grotesque. This urban high-rise entry mixes the familiar Necronomicon chaos with confined settings. Viewers’ heart rates spiked thanks to inventive gore, relentless pacing, and the series’ signature unhinged demonic possession scenes. Photo: New Line Cinema
17/59Scare Score: 57 Average Heart Rate: 75 BPM Highest Spike: 83 BPM. The Evil Dead franchise remains reliably grotesque. This urban high-rise entry mixes the familiar Necronomicon chaos with confined settings. Viewers’ heart rates spiked thanks to inventive gore, relentless pacing, and the series’ signature unhinged demonic possession scenes. Photo: New Line Cinema
Scare Score: 57 Average Heart Rate: 75 BPM Highest Spike: 94 BPM. The sequel expands the found-footage hauntings to a bigger house with more characters, but the scares remain intimate. Creepy night vision footage, subtle movement in the background, and sudden, violent shocks ensured BPM spikes were consistent throughout. Photo: Blumhouse Productions
18/59Scare Score: 57 Average Heart Rate: 75 BPM Highest Spike: 94 BPM. The sequel expands the found-footage hauntings to a bigger house with more characters, but the scares remain intimate. Creepy night vision footage, subtle movement in the background, and sudden, violent shocks ensured BPM spikes were consistent throughout. Photo: Blumhouse Productions
Scare Score: 58 Average Heart Rate: 75 BPM Highest Spike: 92 BPM. One of the most influential found-footage films ever made. The improvised, real-feeling panic, minimalist effects, and ambiguous horror had viewers on edge. Even today, its sense of being lost and hunted in the woods gives it serious fear power. Photo: Haxan Films
19/59Scare Score: 58 Average Heart Rate: 75 BPM Highest Spike: 92 BPM. One of the most influential found-footage films ever made. The improvised, real-feeling panic, minimalist effects, and ambiguous horror had viewers on edge. Even today, its sense of being lost and hunted in the woods gives it serious fear power. Photo: Haxan Films
Scare Score: 61 Average Heart Rate: 76 BPM Highest Spike: 100 BPM. The Warrens investigate a murder suspect who claims demonic possession as his defence. This sequel balances courtroom drama with supernatural terror. While it leans into spectacle, it still delivered enough jump scares and creepy imagery to keep audiences’ BPM up. Photo: New Line Cinema
20/59Scare Score: 61 Average Heart Rate: 76 BPM Highest Spike: 100 BPM. The Warrens investigate a murder suspect who claims demonic possession as his defence. This sequel balances courtroom drama with supernatural terror. While it leans into spectacle, it still delivered enough jump scares and creepy imagery to keep audiences’ BPM up. Photo: New Line Cinema
Scare Score: 62 Average Heart Rate: 75 BPM Highest Spike: 102 BPM. Pennywise the Dancing Clown returned to haunt a new generation. Andrés Muschietti’s adaptation balances coming-of-age bonding with terrifying encounters in the sewers. Bill Skarsgård’s unblinking stare alone was enough to make viewers’ pulses spike. Photo: New Line Cinema
21/59Scare Score: 62 Average Heart Rate: 75 BPM Highest Spike: 102 BPM. Pennywise the Dancing Clown returned to haunt a new generation. Andrés Muschietti’s adaptation balances coming-of-age bonding with terrifying encounters in the sewers. Bill Skarsgård’s unblinking stare alone was enough to make viewers’ pulses spike. Photo: New Line Cinema
Scare Score: 62 Average Heart Rate: 76 BPM Highest Spike: 93 BPM M. Night Shyamalan’s low-budget return to form mixes found-footage style with creepy grandparents acting increasingly unhinged. That combination of real-world awkwardness and horror kept viewers uncomfortable and alert throughout. Photo: Blinding Edge Pictures
22/59Scare Score: 62 Average Heart Rate: 76 BPM Highest Spike: 93 BPM M. Night Shyamalan’s low-budget return to form mixes found-footage style with creepy grandparents acting increasingly unhinged. That combination of real-world awkwardness and horror kept viewers uncomfortable and alert throughout. Photo: Blinding Edge Pictures
Scare Score: 62 Average Heart Rate: 74 BPM Highest Spike: 89 BPM. The possession movie that defined the genre. The Exorcist remains deeply unsettling even decades later, with Regan’s demonic transformation, shocking language, and cold, clinical dread. Modern viewers still get a physiological jolt from its raw power. Star Linda Blair even fractured her back filming the notorious possession scenes, adding a chilling real-life injury to this horror classic. Photo: Warner Bros.
23/59Scare Score: 62 Average Heart Rate: 74 BPM Highest Spike: 89 BPM. The possession movie that defined the genre. The Exorcist remains deeply unsettling even decades later, with Regan’s demonic transformation, shocking language, and cold, clinical dread. Modern viewers still get a physiological jolt from its raw power. Star Linda Blair even fractured her back filming the notorious possession scenes, adding a chilling real-life injury to this horror classic. Photo: Warner Bros.
Scare Score: 63 Average Heart Rate: 76 BPM Highest Spike: 108 BPM. The demon Valak returns in this gothic sequel. Creepy convent hallways, sinister murals, and brutal jump scares keep the Conjuring universe alive and viewers’ hearts pounding. Even if it’s a franchise entry, it still delivers big scares. Photo: New Line Cinema
24/59Scare Score: 63 Average Heart Rate: 76 BPM Highest Spike: 108 BPM. The demon Valak returns in this gothic sequel. Creepy convent hallways, sinister murals, and brutal jump scares keep the Conjuring universe alive and viewers’ hearts pounding. Even if it’s a franchise entry, it still delivers big scares. Photo: New Line Cinema
Scare Score: 63 Average Heart Rate: 78 BPM Highest Spike: 89 BPM. A deaf woman alone in a remote house is hunted by a masked killer. Mike Flanagan’s minimalist thriller uses silence and vulnerability to build tension in every frame, keeping BPMs elevated with sustained dread rather than cheap tricks. Photo: Intrepid Pictures
25/59Scare Score: 63 Average Heart Rate: 78 BPM Highest Spike: 89 BPM. A deaf woman alone in a remote house is hunted by a masked killer. Mike Flanagan’s minimalist thriller uses silence and vulnerability to build tension in every frame, keeping BPMs elevated with sustained dread rather than cheap tricks. Photo: Intrepid Pictures
Scare Score: 64 Average Heart Rate: 76 BPM Highest Spike: 112 BPM. The Lambert family returns to The Further one last time. This sequel relies on familiar Insidious imagery, demonic figures, and jump scares to keep viewers bracing themselves throughout, proving the franchise’s staying power. Photo: Blumhouse Productions
26/59Scare Score: 64 Average Heart Rate: 76 BPM Highest Spike: 112 BPM. The Lambert family returns to The Further one last time. This sequel relies on familiar Insidious imagery, demonic figures, and jump scares to keep viewers bracing themselves throughout, proving the franchise’s staying power. Photo: Blumhouse Productions
Scare Score: 64 Average Heart Rate: 77 BPM Highest Spike: 103 BPM. John Carpenter’s original slasher classic still works because of its slow-burn tension and Michael Myers’ blank, unfeeling menace. The mask alone can raise heart rates, and that final chase never stops being scary. Photo: Compass International Pictures
27/59Scare Score: 64 Average Heart Rate: 77 BPM Highest Spike: 103 BPM. John Carpenter’s original slasher classic still works because of its slow-burn tension and Michael Myers’ blank, unfeeling menace. The mask alone can raise heart rates, and that final chase never stops being scary. Photo: Compass International Pictures
Scare Score: 64 Average Heart Rate: 77 BPM Highest Spike: 105 BPM. Freddy Krueger attacks you where you’re most vulnerable: your dreams. Wes Craven’s mix of surreal visuals and grisly kills remains deeply creepy, with imaginative set-pieces that earned its place on this list. Photo: New Line Cinema
28/59Scare Score: 64 Average Heart Rate: 77 BPM Highest Spike: 105 BPM. Freddy Krueger attacks you where you’re most vulnerable: your dreams. Wes Craven’s mix of surreal visuals and grisly kills remains deeply creepy, with imaginative set-pieces that earned its place on this list. Photo: New Line Cinema
Scare Score: 64 Average Heart Rate: 78 BPM Highest Spike: 97 BPM. This modern hit starts as one thing and becomes something much worse. With disturbing twists, claustrophobic tunnels, and one of horror’s most uncomfortable setups, it’s a BPM-raiser that leaves you squirming. Photo: Regency Enterprises
29/59Scare Score: 64 Average Heart Rate: 78 BPM Highest Spike: 97 BPM. This modern hit starts as one thing and becomes something much worse. With disturbing twists, claustrophobic tunnels, and one of horror’s most uncomfortable setups, it’s a BPM-raiser that leaves you squirming. Photo: Regency Enterprises
Scare Score: 65 Average Heart Rate: 77 BPM Highest Spike: 99 BPM. Tobe Hooper’s gritty, relentless slasher changed the genre forever. Leatherface’s first appearance is raw terror, but it’s the unnerving realism and sweaty panic that really gets under your skin. Even decades later, it makes hearts race and palms sweat. Photo: Vortex Inc.
30/59Scare Score: 65 Average Heart Rate: 77 BPM Highest Spike: 99 BPM. Tobe Hooper’s gritty, relentless slasher changed the genre forever. Leatherface’s first appearance is raw terror, but it’s the unnerving realism and sweaty panic that really gets under your skin. Even decades later, it makes hearts race and palms sweat. Photo: Vortex Inc.
Scare Score: 67 Average Heart Rate: 78 BPM Highest Spike: 120 BPM. Silence becomes survival in John Krasinski’s breakout horror hit. Every creak and whisper carries life-or-death stakes, creating nailbiting tension. The heart rate spikes come from perfectly timed reveals and the terror of not being able to scream. Photo: Platinum Dunes
31/59Scare Score: 67 Average Heart Rate: 78 BPM Highest Spike: 120 BPM. Silence becomes survival in John Krasinski’s breakout horror hit. Every creak and whisper carries life-or-death stakes, creating nailbiting tension. The heart rate spikes come from perfectly timed reveals and the terror of not being able to scream. Photo: Platinum Dunes
Scare Score: 67 Average Heart Rate: 78 BPM Highest Spike: 103 BPM. A newer indie horror about an animator whose puppets seem to come to life in disturbing ways. Stopmotion blends body horror and psychological breakdown, delivering creeping dread that messes with viewers’ heads. Photo: IFC Films
32/59Scare Score: 67 Average Heart Rate: 78 BPM Highest Spike: 103 BPM. A newer indie horror about an animator whose puppets seem to come to life in disturbing ways. Stopmotion blends body horror and psychological breakdown, delivering creeping dread that messes with viewers’ heads. Photo: IFC Films
Scare Score: 68 Average Heart Rate: 79 BPM Highest Spike: 97 BPM. Art the Clown returns for even gorier mayhem. Fans know to expect sadistic kills and a complete lack of mercy, which keeps BPMs high even for seasoned horror hounds. This is not for the squeamish. Photo: Dark Age Cinema
33/59Scare Score: 68 Average Heart Rate: 79 BPM Highest Spike: 97 BPM. Art the Clown returns for even gorier mayhem. Fans know to expect sadistic kills and a complete lack of mercy, which keeps BPMs high even for seasoned horror hounds. This is not for the squeamish. Photo: Dark Age Cinema
Scare Score: 68 Average Heart Rate: 78 BPM Highest Spike: 91 BPM. Art’s brutal sequel gained cult status for its unflinching violence. Long, grisly kill scenes and a killer who seems unstoppable make it an endurance test for nerves. No surprise it landed viewers in BPM territory that borders on panic. Photo: Dark Age Cinema
34/59Scare Score: 68 Average Heart Rate: 78 BPM Highest Spike: 91 BPM. Art’s brutal sequel gained cult status for its unflinching violence. Long, grisly kill scenes and a killer who seems unstoppable make it an endurance test for nerves. No surprise it landed viewers in BPM territory that borders on panic. Photo: Dark Age Cinema
Scare Score: 69 Average Heart Rate: 78 BPM Highest Spike: 114 BPM. The cursed videotape remains one of the genre’s great ideas. Samara crawling out of the TV is seared into horror history. Even knowing the ending, viewers’ heart rates climb as the dread of that phone call settles in. Photo: DreamWorks Pictures
35/59Scare Score: 69 Average Heart Rate: 78 BPM Highest Spike: 114 BPM. The cursed videotape remains one of the genre’s great ideas. Samara crawling out of the TV is seared into horror history. Even knowing the ending, viewers’ heart rates climb as the dread of that phone call settles in. Photo: DreamWorks Pictures
Scare Score: 69 Average Heart Rate: 77 BPM Highest Spike: 108 BPM. A creepy newcomer that immediately made the list. Oddity mixes supernatural horror with unsettling psychological themes, making viewers squirm and keeping pulses elevated with its unpredictable twists. Photo: Shudder
36/59Scare Score: 69 Average Heart Rate: 77 BPM Highest Spike: 108 BPM. A creepy newcomer that immediately made the list. Oddity mixes supernatural horror with unsettling psychological themes, making viewers squirm and keeping pulses elevated with its unpredictable twists. Photo: Shudder
Scare Score: 70 Average Heart Rate: 78 BPM Highest Spike: 118 BPM. The haunting continues with even deeper dives into The Further. James Wan doubles down on the jump scares and ghostly figures, making it another BPM-spiking entry in the franchise. It proves you can’t really escape what lurks on the other side. Photo: Blumhouse Productions
37/59Scare Score: 70 Average Heart Rate: 78 BPM Highest Spike: 118 BPM. The haunting continues with even deeper dives into The Further. James Wan doubles down on the jump scares and ghostly figures, making it another BPM-spiking entry in the franchise. It proves you can’t really escape what lurks on the other side. Photo: Blumhouse Productions
Scare Score: 70 Average Heart Rate: 78 BPM Highest Spike: 122 BPM. A father and son coroners uncover increasingly bizarre and terrifying secrets while examining an unidentified body. Its confined setting and layered mysteries keep tension high and heart rates spiking with each revelation. Photo: IFC Midnight
38/59Scare Score: 70 Average Heart Rate: 78 BPM Highest Spike: 122 BPM. A father and son coroners uncover increasingly bizarre and terrifying secrets while examining an unidentified body. Its confined setting and layered mysteries keep tension high and heart rates spiking with each revelation. Photo: IFC Midnight
Scare Score: 71 Average Heart Rate: 80 BPM Highest Spike: 123 BPM. This sequel ramps up the tension from the original, expanding the world but keeping the life-or-death silence. Perfectly crafted set-pieces and the constant threat of monsters make viewers hold their breath. Photo: Platinum Dunes
39/59Scare Score: 71 Average Heart Rate: 80 BPM Highest Spike: 123 BPM. This sequel ramps up the tension from the original, expanding the world but keeping the life-or-death silence. Perfectly crafted set-pieces and the constant threat of monsters make viewers hold their breath. Photo: Platinum Dunes
Scare Score: 72 Average Heart Rate: 79 BPM Highest Spike: 119 BPM. Grief, mental illness, and a sinister children’s book collide in this Australian classic. The Babadook delivers unease with every frame, with its dread building relentlessly until it becomes nearly unbearable. Photo: Causeway Films
40/59Scare Score: 72 Average Heart Rate: 79 BPM Highest Spike: 119 BPM. Grief, mental illness, and a sinister children’s book collide in this Australian classic. The Babadook delivers unease with every frame, with its dread building relentlessly until it becomes nearly unbearable. Photo: Causeway Films
Scare Score: 73 Average Heart Rate: 80 BPM Highest Spike: 115 BPM. The found-footage phenomenon that reignited the genre. Simple setups, realistic acting, and those perfectly timed jump scares kept audiences glued to their seats while their BPMs shot up. Photo: Blumhouse Productions
41/59Scare Score: 73 Average Heart Rate: 80 BPM Highest Spike: 115 BPM. The found-footage phenomenon that reignited the genre. Simple setups, realistic acting, and those perfectly timed jump scares kept audiences glued to their seats while their BPMs shot up. Photo: Blumhouse Productions
Scare Score: 74 Average Heart Rate: 79 BPM Highest Spike: 121 BPM. Claustrophobia meets creatures in the dark. This cave expedition gone wrong uses pitch-black tunnels and brutal gore to keep viewers in fight-or-flight mode. It's a relentless stress test that rarely lets up. Photo: Pathé Pictures
42/59Scare Score: 74 Average Heart Rate: 79 BPM Highest Spike: 121 BPM. Claustrophobia meets creatures in the dark. This cave expedition gone wrong uses pitch-black tunnels and brutal gore to keep viewers in fight-or-flight mode. It's a relentless stress test that rarely lets up. Photo: Pathé Pictures
Scare Score: 74 Average Heart Rate: 80 BPM Highest Spike: 88 BPM. Bleak and relentless, this film follows siblings returning to their dying father’s farm only to face an unspeakable evil. It is a masterclass in slow-burn dread that unsettles viewers deeply. Photo: RLJE Films
43/59Scare Score: 74 Average Heart Rate: 80 BPM Highest Spike: 88 BPM. Bleak and relentless, this film follows siblings returning to their dying father’s farm only to face an unspeakable evil. It is a masterclass in slow-burn dread that unsettles viewers deeply. Photo: RLJE Films
Scare Score: 74 Average Heart Rate: 81 BPM Highest Spike: 96 BPM. A curse that walks slowly but never stops. It Follows creates tension by making every background figure a threat. Its originality and unrelenting pacing keeps you constantly scanning the frame, heart racing. Photo: RADiUS-TWC
44/59Scare Score: 74 Average Heart Rate: 81 BPM Highest Spike: 96 BPM. A curse that walks slowly but never stops. It Follows creates tension by making every background figure a threat. Its originality and unrelenting pacing keeps you constantly scanning the frame, heart racing. Photo: RADiUS-TWC
Scare Score: 74 Average Heart Rate: 79 BPM Highest Spike: 116 BPM. Ed and Lorraine Warren head to England to investigate the Enfield haunting in this sequel. With the terrifying nun Valak and a relentlessly creepy atmosphere, The Conjuring 2 delivered big BPM spikes. Photo: New Line Cinema
45/59Scare Score: 74 Average Heart Rate: 79 BPM Highest Spike: 116 BPM. Ed and Lorraine Warren head to England to investigate the Enfield haunting in this sequel. With the terrifying nun Valak and a relentlessly creepy atmosphere, The Conjuring 2 delivered big BPM spikes. Photo: New Line Cinema
Scare Score: 75 Average Heart Rate: 81 BPM Highest Spike: 107 BPM. Found-footage done right. A documentary crew investigates the deadly failure of a haunted house attraction. The result? Footage full of pitch-dark corridors, eerie clown mannequins, and slow-building dread that had audiences' heart rates steadily climbing. Photo: Terror Films
46/59Scare Score: 75 Average Heart Rate: 81 BPM Highest Spike: 107 BPM. Found-footage done right. A documentary crew investigates the deadly failure of a haunted house attraction. The result? Footage full of pitch-dark corridors, eerie clown mannequins, and slow-building dread that had audiences' heart rates steadily climbing. Photo: Terror Films
Scare Score: 75 Average Heart Rate: 79 BPM Highest Spike: 106 BPM. A fresh Australian horror hit. Teens discover an embalmed hand that lets them speak to spirits, but the price is steep. Gritty, emotional, and genuinely scary, Talk to Me combines possession horror with real human stakes that keep BPM readings elevated. Photo: Causeway Films
47/59Scare Score: 75 Average Heart Rate: 79 BPM Highest Spike: 106 BPM. A fresh Australian horror hit. Teens discover an embalmed hand that lets them speak to spirits, but the price is steep. Gritty, emotional, and genuinely scary, Talk to Me combines possession horror with real human stakes that keep BPM readings elevated. Photo: Causeway Films
Scare Score: 76 Average Heart Rate: 82 BPM Highest Spike: 96 BPM. Part courtroom drama, part demonic possession horror, this film tells the tragic story of Emily Rose with chilling performances and terrifying exorcism scenes. Jennifer Carpenter’s contorted physical acting remains nightmare fuel. Photo: Screen Gems
48/59Scare Score: 76 Average Heart Rate: 82 BPM Highest Spike: 96 BPM. Part courtroom drama, part demonic possession horror, this film tells the tragic story of Emily Rose with chilling performances and terrifying exorcism scenes. Jennifer Carpenter’s contorted physical acting remains nightmare fuel. Photo: Screen Gems
Scare Score: 78 Average Heart Rate: 83 BPM Highest Spike: 114 BPM. Trauma, curses, and that unsettling grin. Smile takes a simple concept and executes it with creeping dread and shocking visuals. It proved to be one of the biggest heart-rate drivers of recent years, with watchers holding their breath waiting for that next terrifying smile. Photo: Paramount Pictures
49/59Scare Score: 78 Average Heart Rate: 83 BPM Highest Spike: 114 BPM. Trauma, curses, and that unsettling grin. Smile takes a simple concept and executes it with creeping dread and shocking visuals. It proved to be one of the biggest heart-rate drivers of recent years, with watchers holding their breath waiting for that next terrifying smile. Photo: Paramount Pictures
Scare Score: 81 Average Heart Rate: 82 BPM Highest Spike: 104 BPM. Ari Aster’s debut shocked audiences with its portrayal of grief, family trauma, and satanic cults. Toni Collette delivers an unforgettable performance, while the film’s visuals and sound design keep viewers squirming, heart rates steadily high throughout. Photo: A24
50/59Scare Score: 81 Average Heart Rate: 82 BPM Highest Spike: 104 BPM. Ari Aster’s debut shocked audiences with its portrayal of grief, family trauma, and satanic cults. Toni Collette delivers an unforgettable performance, while the film’s visuals and sound design keep viewers squirming, heart rates steadily high throughout. Photo: A24
Scare Score: 88 Average Heart Rate: 84 BPM Highest Spike: 132 BPM. The film that launched a franchise. Based on real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, The Conjuring nails classic haunted house scares. With expertly crafted jump scares and a relentless sense of foreboding, it’s no wonder it gets pulses racing. Photo: New Line Cinema
51/59Scare Score: 88 Average Heart Rate: 84 BPM Highest Spike: 132 BPM. The film that launched a franchise. Based on real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, The Conjuring nails classic haunted house scares. With expertly crafted jump scares and a relentless sense of foreboding, it’s no wonder it gets pulses racing. Photo: New Line Cinema
Scare Score: 90 Average Heart Rate: 85 BPM Highest Spike: 133 BPM. When their son falls into an unexplained coma, a family discovers demons in another realm trying to invade our world. James Wan’s creative visuals, nerve-jangling sound design, and perfectly timed jump scares kept BPMs sky-high. Photo: Blumhouse Productions
52/59Scare Score: 90 Average Heart Rate: 85 BPM Highest Spike: 133 BPM. When their son falls into an unexplained coma, a family discovers demons in another realm trying to invade our world. James Wan’s creative visuals, nerve-jangling sound design, and perfectly timed jump scares kept BPMs sky-high. Photo: Blumhouse Productions
Scare Score: 91 Average Heart Rate: 84 BPM Highest Spike: 113 BPM. A low-budget Canadian indie that turned viral sensation. Two kids wake to find their father missing and their home’s windows and doors gone. With minimal lighting, unsettling audio, and lo-fi visuals, it delivers an atmosphere that burrows into your nightmares. Photo: IFC Films
53/59Scare Score: 91 Average Heart Rate: 84 BPM Highest Spike: 113 BPM. A low-budget Canadian indie that turned viral sensation. Two kids wake to find their father missing and their home’s windows and doors gone. With minimal lighting, unsettling audio, and lo-fi visuals, it delivers an atmosphere that burrows into your nightmares. Photo: IFC Films
Scare Score: 95 Average Heart Rate: 88 BPM Highest Spike: 130 BPM. Filmed entirely over Zoom during the pandemic, Host follows friends who hold an online seance that goes horribly wrong. It’s lean, mean, and terrifying, making excellent use of the found-footage style to keep viewers’ BPMs peaking. Photo: Shadowhouse Films
54/59Scare Score: 95 Average Heart Rate: 88 BPM Highest Spike: 130 BPM. Filmed entirely over Zoom during the pandemic, Host follows friends who hold an online seance that goes horribly wrong. It’s lean, mean, and terrifying, making excellent use of the found-footage style to keep viewers’ BPMs peaking. Photo: Shadowhouse Films
Scare Score: 96 Average Heart Rate: 86 BPM Highest Spike: 131 BPM. The champion once again. Ethan Hawke stars as a true-crime writer who discovers horrific home movies in his attic. The grainy, snuff-like footage, unsettling sound design, and slow-burn dread make Sinister the most scientifically terrifying movie ever tested. Viewers experienced consistent, elevated BPMs with massive spikes at the scariest moments. Photo: Blumhouse Productions
55/59Scare Score: 96 Average Heart Rate: 86 BPM Highest Spike: 131 BPM. The champion once again. Ethan Hawke stars as a true-crime writer who discovers horrific home movies in his attic. The grainy, snuff-like footage, unsettling sound design, and slow-burn dread make Sinister the most scientifically terrifying movie ever tested. Viewers experienced consistent, elevated BPMs with massive spikes at the scariest moments. Photo: Blumhouse Productions
Tested as a new addition in 2024 but didn’t crack the Top 50. This return to the Alien universe brings back claustrophobic sci-fi horror with plenty of xenomorph terror for fans. Photo: 20th Century Studios
56/59Tested as a new addition in 2024 but didn’t crack the Top 50. This return to the Alien universe brings back claustrophobic sci-fi horror with plenty of xenomorph terror for fans. Photo: 20th Century Studios
Another 2024 newcomer that didn’t make the Top 50 but still delivered unsettling psychological horror, proving social tension can be just as scary as monsters. Photo: Blumhouse Productions
57/59Another 2024 newcomer that didn’t make the Top 50 but still delivered unsettling psychological horror, proving social tension can be just as scary as monsters. Photo: Blumhouse Productions
Also tested in this year's experiment but landed outside the Top 50. Known for shocking body horror and disturbing visuals, it’s one for those who want their scares truly grotesque. Photo: Universal Pictures
58/59Also tested in this year's experiment but landed outside the Top 50. Known for shocking body horror and disturbing visuals, it’s one for those who want their scares truly grotesque. Photo: Universal Pictures
Well, that’s the full rundown of the scariest movies ever tested. Whether you’re into classic haunted houses, brutal slashers, or unsettling dread, there’s something here guaranteed to get your heart racing. So grab a blanket, turn off the lights, and pick your next fright-night favourite. Sweet dreams.
59/59Well, that’s the full rundown of the scariest movies ever tested. Whether you’re into classic haunted houses, brutal slashers, or unsettling dread, there’s something here guaranteed to get your heart racing. So grab a blanket, turn off the lights, and pick your next fright-night favourite. Sweet dreams.
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Original URL: https://www.thechronicle.com.au/technology/science/these-are-the-scariest-movies-ever-according-to-science/image-gallery/7164b109712d048171a7bae586ed048d