10 Best Indie Horror Movies Of All Time

Nowadays Wes Craven’s Scream franchise is better remembered for its postmodern examination of the horror genre, and that’s a key part of their success. Jamie Kennedy’s Randy laying out the rules of the form is a smart and memorable scene, and the sequels laid this on even thicker.

It’s worth remembering that the first film also holds up beautifully as a straightforward slasher, with a great whodunnit element alongside it. The plot is kept deliberately basic - a knife wielding maniac preys on high schoolers who are picked off one by one - but Craven uses his established horror chops to elevate this beyond other slashers of the era, most of which he’d influenced.

The cast is stacked, with series heroine Neve Campbell, Skeet Ulrich as the possibly-sinister boyfriend, and best of all Matthew Lillard as sycophantic Stu.

While there are scarier pictures out there, Scream is a joyous film to watch over and again, a mystery that allows the viewer to piece together and full of great setpieces, along with humour that actually makes you laugh.