Horror is one of the most divisive genres in the history of film. Some people absolutely love horror while others outright revile it and tend to call it things like "trash" and unintelligent." While the overabundance of remakes and very forgettable horror movies has left much to be desired in the past few years, horror is still a genre that is extremely important to cinema. There are movies that convey every type of experience and emotion, with horror being the type of film that people use to confront their fears. This is why it's so divisive as a genre, but also the reason it's so influential. Horror goes where no other genre dares to go and a quality horror flick can provide a solid 2 hours of escapism. However, some horror movies are more than just simple escapism and transcend their reputation, turning in works of timeless and innovative art. Here are the 10 horror movies that have influenced not only influenced the genre exponentially, but cinema in general...
10. The Shining (1980)
If this was a list of the 10 best horror movies, Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece The Shining would sit comfortably at #1 as far as I'm concerned. The Shining is a horror movie unlike any other the genre has to offer, which is really the main reason why it isn't as influential. It's so amazing that no one can copy it. The Shining doesn't rely on cheap scares, but rather creates an atmosphere of apprehension that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats the whole film. Every psychological horror film that followed The Shining has borrowed at least something from Kubrick's movie and the film is one of the most recognized films of all time, despite only being around 30 years old. Who hasn't found themselves quoting the famous lines of "Here's Johnny!" and "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy"?