20 Horror Movies That Weren't What Anyone Expected

2. The House of the Devil

In every fiber of its being, Ti West's The House of the Devil is clearly framed as a throwback to scuzzy 1980s slasher flicks - particularly those with an emphasis on imperiled babysitters and the satanic panic.

You'd reasonably assume, then, that West's film is a gore-fest packed with brutally over-the-top kills per its obvious inspiration, but The House of the Devil isn't that movie, like, at all.

Despite the mere 95-minute runtime, West goes the slow-burn approach throughout, focused on the unease of protagonist Sam (Jocelin Donahue) coming to realise that this babysitting job isn't nearly what it seems.

The body count is incredibly low for a slasher, bursts of violence are infrequent, and most of the film is defined by eerie, quiet atmosphere rather than over-the-top mayhem.

As such this isn't a movie for everyone - especially those expecting a sizable body count - but the vibes are immaculate, and Jocelin Donahue and Tom Noonan give terrific performances as heroine and villain.