10 Great Horrors with TERRIBLE Premises

7. Prince Of Darkness

In Prince of Darkness, physics students find an ancient canister that contains a sentient liquid, later revealed to be The Devil's son. Upon further investigation, the scientists discover Jesus and Satan came from outer space.

Just to be clear, yes, this is a real movie. Even with horror auteur, John Carpenter, helming the project, Prince of Darkness seems like a lost cause.

The story certainly looks ludicrous on paper, but translates magnificently on-screen because the characters take the concept very seriously. Watching the quantum physicists piecing everything together and rewriting all of religion overnight is just as fascinating as when they have to face off against a legion of demonic creatures.

Though the scares are built up slowly, the pay-off is always worth it, since Prince of Darkness is filled with a plethora of unsettling imagery. The eerie soundtrack, which was co-scored by Carpenter, leaves viewers on the edge of their seat, even when nothing conventionally frightening is happening.

Any horror fan who dismissed Prince of Darkness because of its bonkers story will be surprised to learn the otherworldly horror is one of John Carpenter's best films.