10 Best Horror Movies Turning 30 In 2020

8. Arachnophobia

Arachnophobia Shower Scene
Buena Vista Pictures

This film could have simply been four minutes of a still image of a spider and it would have been one of the most frightening films on this writer's list. Spiders. God's little sick joke. However, they are a species that are so naturally designed for scaring the absolute be-jeesus out of audiences that a film about them invading a town was inevitable. Arachnophia may not have been the first spider feature but it is one of the most enduringly enjoyable ones.

This film was produced by Stephen Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment, with the intention for it be an updated version of Hitchcock's The Birds. Director Frank Marshall wanted the film to be frightening but not terrifying, with varying results. It is a film with many defenders as it is a callback to the creature features of years gone by.

It offers tribute to the monster B-movies of the '50s about small towns threatened by alien invaders, like Invasion of the Body Snatchers and War of the Worlds. Like many films Spielberg is involved in, while it has chills and shocks, the film stops short of pure horror but piles on the creepy factor. Good luck comfortably enjoying a shower or turning on a lamp after watching this film.

Contributor
Contributor

Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"