Founded in 1996 by Brewster Kahle, a free information advocate,The Internet Archiveis an American digital library built to offer permanent access to researchers, historians, and scholars. Initially, the organization began by archiving the Internet itself but later expanded its collections to includetexts, audio, video, and software. The organization would later develop the ‘Wayback Machine,’ which would make the content available to the public in 2001, and has been active since then.
Browsing The Internet Archive can lead to fascinating rabbit holes of archived media, which extends to movies, with the site hosting over 400,000 movies free to access across various genres. We will narrow our focus on horror and look at the ten best horror movies you can watch for free on The Internet Archive.
Silent Night, Bloody Night (1972)
Inheriting a mansion from the family, a man soon finds that the building, which was once an asylum, holds a dark past that has cast a dark shadow over a small New England town. When a string ofmurders starts to take place on Christmas Eve, the inheritance of the home and its dark past seem to be connected.
A Christmas Horror Classic
Making effective use of the classic carol ‘Silent Night,‘Silent Night, Bloody Nightis an atmospheric Christmas-themed horror movie perfect for checking out during the winter months.
The movie has also found appreciation for being a ‘proto-slasher,’ one of the films that predatesHalloweenand shows the early rumblings of the popular horror genre that would dominate the 80s. However, the movie is worth watching for its backstory, mystery, and success at creating constant tension.
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The Terror Beneath the Sea (1966)
While covering a test of guided torpedoes, two reporters are taken aback when they see what appears to be a strange-looking creature lurking beneath the surface. When they decided to investigate further, they discovered an underground society ruled by a mad scientist and his fish-man army. They are taken prisoner, which puts the underground society at war with the ‘surface dwellers.’
Related:The 13 Best Free Horror Movies on YouTube, Ranked
Silly Sci-Fi Horror Goodness
A Japanese sci-fi horror starring the likes of Sonny Chiba, Peggy Neal, and Franz Gruber,The Terror Beneath the Seais, admittedly, unremarkable among a sea of cheesy b-movies.
That said, it is still a fun romp that fits so well into thatso-bad-its-good categorythat it will still tickle the fancy of those seeking out purposely silly cinema. At the same time, having a legend like Sonny Chiba gives the movie an entertaining edge, especially when seeing him alongside the roughly designed fish-men.
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The House on Haunted Hill (1959)
The House on Haunted Hill
An eccentric millionaire, Frederick Loren (Vincent Price), and his wife Annabelle invite five people to a haunted house party. The guests are offered $10,000 each under the condition of having to stay the night. As the night progresses, the five find themselves coming up against all manner of terrors, including ghosts and killers.The House on Haunted Hillwas also remade in 1999, following the same premise as the original.
A Classic B-Horror Movie
A campy classic highlighting the early rise of the b-movie,The House on Haunted Hillis one of the best movies by sensational director William Castle. A natural showman, Castle was also known for packing in extra ‘features’ into the theatrical experience withThe House on Haunted Hillusing the “Emergo” gimmick — a skeleton with glowing eyes that would fly over the audiences during certain scenes.
While one can’t recapture that theatrical experience, the movie still resonates with the intended shock and sensationalism intended on release. Much of this comes from Vincent Price’s performance, which is wonderfully macabre in both delivery and screen presence. The film may lack the scares for modern audiences, but it is still a wonderfully written and performed dark piece of cinematic history that should be watched at least once.
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Horror Express (1972)
After British anthropologist Professor Alexander Saxton discovers a frozen prehistoric creature in China, he decides to transport it back to Europe via the Trans-Siberian Railway. However, when the creature the archaeologists find unthaws, it comes back to life and begins to kill off the passengers, causing chaos.
Uncertain about how to find the creature, distrust among the passengers becomes intense when they learn the creature is a shape-shifting alien capable of stealing memories to blend in.
Claustrophobic Horror at its Best
A unique combination of gothic horrorand sci-fi,Horror Expresspresents a fascinating story of terror and paranoia. The movie also has several other elements that make it stand out, including the presence of iconic actors like Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, giving memorable performances. In addition, the setting of a train makes for a wonderfully claustrophobic stage for the alien threat, all heightened by a great score.
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At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul (1964)
A graveyard’s caretaker decides that he must carry on his legacy and find a woman to give him a child after learning his wife cannot conceive. This leads him on a violent and profane journey, ultimately leading to the character spiraling toward his own doom.At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soulis the first part of the ‘Coffin Joe’ trilogy, followed byThis Night I’ll Possess Your CorpseandEmbodiment of Evil.
Related:The Best Gothic Movies of All Time
Terror in Brazil
Brazil’s first horror film caused quite a stir on release, making it a notable horror film in history worth checking out. On top of its importance in cinema, the movie boasts a memorable antagonist in “Coffin Joe,” a darkened figure who carries a wickedness that made director José Mojica Marins feared both off and on the screen.
The dialogue here is a true highlight, with Joe’s blasphemy and violent rhetoric delivered with all the confidence of a seasoned showman-turned-villain.
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Driller Killer (1979)
Part black comedy and part slasher,Driller Killerfollows a troubled artist-turned-murderer as he goes on a killing spree across New York using a drill as his weapon of choice. The movie would mark the feature film debut of director Abel Ferrara, who would go on to cult infamy with movies likeMs .45,Bad Lieutenant,andKing of New York.
A Gritty Slasher
Taking place in the urban landscape of New York,Driller Killerperfectly captures the grit of the era. This backdrop, combined with the unapologetic nature of its killer (Reno), gives the movie an authentic punk rock vibe.
If that was not reason enough to check it out, the film has proven to be highly influential with its disjointed editing style that blurred the line between reality and fantasy. It may be a bit bleak and lacking a plot, butDriller Killeris a must-watch for those looking for gritty chaos.
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Repulsion (1965)
Carol Ledoux (Catherine Deneuve), a beautiful and shy Belgian manicurist living in London, slowly starts to withdraw from the world and begins feeling increasing paranoia. Much of these fears are aimed towards men, of which she has an intense fear and distrust thanks to daily interactions she has with a caller harassing her, and her solitude away from family. Overcome with emotion, Carol begins to hallucinate and becomes violent towards others.
A Convincing Tale of Madness
A wonderful tale of madness, Roman Polanski’sRepulsionexcels under the convincing performance of Catherine Deneuve. Adding elements of surrealism and unique cinematography, the ’60s film feels pretty ahead of its time, and is arguably thebest psychological thrillerreleased in the era. Ultimately,Repulsionis a convincing tale of madness packed with suspense and mystery, making it an excellent film to dig deeper into on a solo watch.
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Sisters (1972)
A small-time reporter, Grace Collier (played by Jennifer Salt) ends up witnessing a crime in the apartment across from hers, but cannot convince others of what she saw. Matters become further complicated when she learns that the woman she suspects is part of a conjoined twin (played by Margot Kidder), with each having drastically different personas. The more she becomes invested in the case, the more she is drawn into the insidious nature of the twins.
Two’s Company
Almost interchangeable with the previously mentionedRepulsion, Brian De Palma’sSistersalso deals with themes of madness brought on by fear of men.
At the same time, the movie alsoutilizes creative cinematographyto disorient the viewers and have them experience the same uncertainty and mental instability portrayed throughout, including the early use of split-screen as a narrative device. Still, the approach here is slightly more intense and the methods of the antagonist more malicious, giving this one a slight edge.
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House (1977)
Schoolgirl Gorgeous (Kumiko Ôba) brings six classmates to her ailing aunt’s country home to help her clean up and offer a joint vacation for her and her friends. However, supernatural incidents begin to occur, and the group finds themselves against all manner of ghastly horrors, including going up against a possessed cat and a haunted piano.
Related:The Best Ghost Movies Based on Books, Ranked
Pure Japanese Silliness
The synopsis forHouseis more of a starting point than any indication of what happens therein. Essentially, the movie is a surreal and nonsensical horror-lite movie that throws everything at the screen to scare and entertain.
Nobuhiko Obayashi’s masterpiece was lost to time for a while, but has since garnered a dedicated cult following thanks to its wonderful mix of surrealism, sensationalism, and humor.Houseis one of a kind that will impress those who are always looking for new cinematic experiences.
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Scanners (1981)
The sci-fi horror filmScanners, follows an elite group of citizens gifted with the powers to ‘scan’ others, including the use of telekinetic abilities. One Scanner, Darryl Revok (played by Michael Ironside), goes renegade and starts finding other Scanners to wage a war against the corporation that is looking to use Scanners for their own purpose. The movie would spawn three sequels, and act as inspiration for the absurdScanner Copand its sequel.
Director David Cronenberg, a master of body horror who crafted some of the most memorable horror movies of the ’80s fromThe FlytoVideodrome, hardly needs any introduction to fans of the genre.
Add in the fact thatScannersincludes one of the most iconic scenes in all the director’s filmography, the ‘head explosion’ scene, and this movie has cemented itself as a true classic. If you have been looking to check out David Cronenberg or revisit his ’80s work,Scannersis a welcome addition to free films on The Internet Archive.
