In celebration of Friday the 13th, we have compiled a list of our 13 favourite scary movies that you may not have realized are based on scary stories.
Ready?
13. I Know What You Did Last Summer
Teenagers and young adults of the 90s, it’s nostalgia time! A slasher movie classic, the novel will have you just as jumpy.
12. Jaws
The film that made you hesitate before going to the beach, was adapted (then changed a bit) on this 1974 thriller.
Possibly the best haunted house horror story we’ve encountered. Makes us think twice about going home at night…
Have the lambs stopped screaming yet, Clarice? Just as chilling in print as Anthony Hopkins.
This Johnny Depp thriller is adapted from one of Stephen King’s short stories featured in the collection Four Past Midnight. The best part? They changed the ending for the movie, so when you read the story you still won’t see it coming.
8. The Ring
It’s ok, if you read this book we promise you won’t be receiving a terrifying phonecall and untimely death…
Well, hopefully not.
Two films, the original Swedish and a recent American reboot, have adapted this gripping, humanising vampire story.
This classic horror movie (also remade into a not-so-classic horror movie starring Kirstie Alley in the ’90s) is based on the book ‘The Midwich Cuckoos’ by John Wyndham, and is one of the finest ‘Oh my gosh those kids are creepy!’ horror stories around.
Another classic adapted from a Stephen King short story, this one can be found in the collection Night Shift. Also a classic proponent of the ‘children are terrifying’ horror trope.
This might possibly be the most chilling instalment on this list, once you realise that it’s the only non-fiction title, based on the experiences of a veteran NYPD officer.
3. The Exorcist
Everyone knows this classic. It’s horrifying, the stories behind the filming of the movie are horrifying, and the book it comes from is horrifying. Prepare yourselves.
2. Frankenstein
This is one of our all time favourite horror stories, and it’s being remade into a film with Daniel Radcliffe this year!
1. Dracula
Probably one you were already aware of, but it’s phenomenal and always worth a reread! We also promise the original Dracula character isn’t nearly as flamboyant as Gary Oldman’s performance.
