Any genuinely frightening horror films?

Is there even such a thing? I can't be scared of something that I know isn't real.

Wait what, The Conjuring 2?? I didn't even realise that was coming out! Oh god if they mess that up > the first one was the only half decent horror movie I've watched

That's still a long time away, think it's planned for release next year in the summer time. I'm not going to hold out too much hope of it being as good as the first one, low expectations hopefully means better viewing

It is a shame when the best way to ensure good viewing is to have low expectations

Evidently there has been, be cause people very much have been.

Yeah, that's the thing, classic horror movies from the 70s and 80s were classic cause they were controversial and are remembered in the context of the time that they came out. They gain a sort of mystique that is broken when actually seen through modern eyes. I only recently got into horror and until about a year ago was too scared to watch a horror film because everyone around me built them up so much (I was locked out of the living room by my parents when my brother put the Blair Witch Project on, I was about 9 or 10 at the time). I thought "woah, horror films must be pretty damn scary then." So much so, that the scariest part of watching any horror film for me has been pressing play.

Horror films seem to scare people by breaking social taboos and then turning that into a missile of horrific imagery to fire at the viewer so to genuinely frighten them. But we live in an age where social taboos are few, and those that exist cannot be broken due to political correctness. It's a funny thing about society, there aren't many more lines to be crossed, but those that exist are fiercely guarded, you can't get away with crossing them.

The only major themes that are currently controversial that haven't been done to death are those involving the suffering of children and animals. I had a thought for a possession film which touched on themes of pedophilia within the Catholic church with some demonic imagery, for me, that is a present controversy that would breathe new life into the exorcism sub-genre which has been thoroughly flogged. But good look getting that approved for cinemas. It's a vicious circle really :/

If you want a film thats completely ****ed up and makes you feel weird after watching, go for Wolf Creek - this isn't like 'scary' but it's disturbing haha

Halloween is coming up and I will celebrate with a horror movie marathon. Possibly interrupted by children wanting sweets but oh well.

Trouble is I am yet to find a horror film that is actually scary. I haven't seen many but those I have are often cited as the greatest of the genre. Many of the horror films I have seen are still fantastic films but nothing so far keeps me up at night so I'm looking for good recommendations, a mix of modern and classic including foreign films. Thanks.

Bellow is a list of horror films I have seen and my opinion of them:

-The Shining - a great film which combines a slow build up with unabated intensity but it didn't actually scare me all that much.
-The Exorcist - a masterpiece of a film and defining for the genre, while it was unsettling and intense, I was not fainting or throwing up like people were in 1973, and it didn't stick in my head like my brother promised it would
-The Ring (both US and Japanese versions) - Japanese version was creepier but still not that terrifying.
-Psycho (1960) - Classic slasher but in terms of genuine scares it hasn't aged well
-The entire SAW franchise - I was surprised by how well thought out the overall storyline was for such a "mainstream" cash cow, but it was over the top in places and relied on gore and I am thoroughly desensitised by gore. Some tense moments, but most of the time I was rooting for the villain.
-The Wicker Man (1973 original) - Great cult psychological horror with a disturbing atmosphere but again, not something that made me lose sleep.
-Insidious - I was hoping it would be the first truly scary film in a while. I was disappointed.

Bearing that in mind, recommendations? Or am I just of a generation that is far too hard to please in terms of horror.

I Love The Thing !! Such a good film Though again wasn't scary really.

Can't comment on invasion of the body snatchers but i will look into that.

Me and my friend found Babadook really slow in all honesty and we weren't jumping out of our skins and we could still sleep afterwards.

I don't think good horror films are those that make you jump, but rather create a sort of alternate reality or situation which really gets under your skin. The premise and 'feel' of all of those I find absolutely terrifying.

Fair comment.

I think we just haven't found the one for us just yet, one that we can truly emerge ourselves in and creep us out!

I remember Drag Me to Hell as pretty scary.

If not really working with films, it may be worth trying some games. As its you as the protagonist, you can't help but be freaked out, if that's what you're after.

To be fair, i have played a few games and been creeped out by them enough to stop playing them. One of them being Dead Space it was the whole i could hear the bad guy/creature above my character and i was like arhhhh when is it gonna get me !!