15 Horror Movies You Really Shouldn't Watch Alone

2. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

Though Tobe Hooper's 1974 horror masterpiece may be less concerned with right-at-your-door home invasion terror, its deliciously demented brand of backwoods fear is no less potent.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is unquestionably a better film for its $140,000 budget, with the rough production values only further contributing to a grimy style and tone that'll have you keenly hitting the shower when it's all over.

What's perhaps most impressive about Hooper's film, however, is its restrained approach to violence and gore: the death scenes are incredibly minimalist and have a detached feel to them that arguably makes them even more unsettling.

If you've ever driven down a rural country lane late at night, you'll probably be able to relate to the movie's fantastically offputting remote location, even if the Sawyer family aren't the type of folks most are likely to ever come across.

Regardless, the film's sinister quiet and brief bursts of gnarly violence make for an almost unbearably tense experience, ensuring it's a rightful king of the genre.