Nothing like a good scare to spice up the night. The horror movie genre has come a long way in how they choose to scare the holy hell out of their audience. Of course, some of our earliest memories of some classic horror movies include Jaws, The Exorcist, a few slasher films like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Scream, Halloween, and how could we forget the more modern groundbreaking horror franchises like The Conjuring and Insidious? However, while all that is in good fun, it’s important that we don’t ignore the incredibly masterful horror creations from Europe.

European horror is a genre all in itself. Horror movies made in America in recent years have relied heavily on jump scares to get our hearts racing. However, although that definitely makes the experience incredibly unnerving, there is something about utilizing suspense, ambiance, and unnerving visuals to make the thrill worth it. From the worldwide success of movies such as Let The Right One In and Goodnight Mommy to unparalleled classics like Nosferatu and The Cabinet Of Doctor Caligari, European horror movies definitely make their mark. Are you ready to give yourself a heart attack? We have put together a great list of some of the best European horror movies that are sure to give you goosebumps.

12 Them

Them is a 2006 French Romanian horror thriller that is guaranteed to give you chills. This film picks on the real and constant fear of not being safe in your own home. It follows a woman and her partner living a house after she moves to Romania. What she thinks is the beginning of a new and peaceful day turns into absolute chaos as they are completely blindsided in an attack from some hooded assailants. You will never forget to lock your doors at night ever again after this one.

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11 Black Sunday

Some of the best scary movies out there need to include some classic horror and supernatural elements, and Black Sunday is an impeccable demonstration of just that. La maschera del demonio or also known as Black Sunday is an Italian horror movie that depicts Katia Vajda, a witch that was burned at the stake who vows to get her revenge. She comes back from the dead years later to do what she set out to do. This debut film from Mario Bava is masterful with its terrifying images and equally terrifying performance by its lead actress, Barbara Steele.

10 Cannibal Holocaust

The found footage subgenre of horror movies have been done over and over and over again throughout film history. There is just something horrific about pushing the "true story" narrative in horror movies that makes it cross the fictional boundary and into the minds and deepest fears of the audience. Cannibal Holocaust is an 1980 Italian found footage film that is not for the faint of heart. The gory and horrifically gruesome film is the footage taken by a lost film crew that went out to capture the life of indigenous cannibalistic tribes for a documentary.

9 Martyrs

In 2008, the French horror movie Martyrs became part of horror movie infamy. In this movie, audiences follow two girls who were both terrible victims of abuse. One of them, Lucie, ends up killing the family that abused her and the events that follow would make your stomach churn. This film does not shy away from the incredibly disturbing and just difficult to watch aspects of movie making, making Martyrs a rememberable horror film coming out of Europe.

8 28 Days Later

How could we have a horror movie list without including a zombie film? 28 Days Later is one of the most heart-wrenching and terrifying post-apocalyptic worlds created for film. Released in 2002, this British film follows a man named Jim, played by Cillian Murphy, who wakes up from a coma a month after the "Rage" virus is released from a lab. With the city deserted and little to no knowledge of what has happened to the world, Jim is left to face his new reality.

7 Suspiria

The pairing of horror and mystery is a match made in heaven. The 1977 Italian film Suspiria follows Suzy, played by Jessica Harper, as she makes her way to Germany to attend ballet school. However, after a series of murders, her plans are completely derailed as she uncovers more and more dark secrets about the school and its history. If you are a fan of suspense and incredible cinematography, definitely check out Suspiria.

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6 Deep Red

Murder mystery and horror? Count us in! All the supernatural stuff definitely give us goosebumps, but there is another layer of horror that exists when the perpetrator is just like one of us. The horror film Deep Red from Italy shows the musician Marcus Daly as he tries to solve the murder of a psychic medium. When one of his friends becomes a victim, the stakes get high the longer that the killer stays on the loose.

5 Goodnight Mommy

Goodnight Mommy (Ich seh, Ich seh or 'I see, I see') is a German horror film. The minimalist approach to the film, as it remains in essentially one location throughout, sucks in an audience. The film follows twin brothers Lukas and Elias and their mother, who has just undergone facial reconstruction surgery. When she returns and begins neglecting one of the boys, the twins are convinced that the woman who came home to them is not their mother. This one is full of plot twists and unnerving visuals that might never let you sleep again.

4 Nosferatu

Now a silent movie from 1922? If you are a fan of the horror genre or just films in general, you have probably heard and watch Nosferatu. This German film is one of the most iconic retellings of the Dracula story so, of course, it is high up on our list. This film shows Count Orlok who reveals his vampirism to Thomas Hutter and then Hutter begins his escape form the castle. If you haven't witnessed this piece of film history, it has to get on your list ASAP.

3 Eyes Without a Face

In 1962, the French film Eyes Without a Face was released and let's just say, we haven't slept since. This horror film tells a gruesome story that follows a deranged Dr. Génessier. After he accidentally mutilates his once beautiful daughter's face, he is ridden with guilt. To try and fix the issue, he kidnaps girls, takes them to his mansion, knocks them out, removes their faces, and uses that for his daughter to "try on." If you are into horror, this movie is a must.

2 The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

To think we couldn't go further back than 1922 with Nosferatu. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a 1920 horror mystery film also from Germany. It is very hard for silent films to keep people entertained. This movie, however, makes it look easy. From the artistic and abstract look of the movie to phenomenal performances by the leading cast, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is cemented as horror movie royalty, as outlined by The Conversation in its article's celebration of the film's 100th anniversary back in 2020.

1 Let The Right One In

Let The Right One In holds all of our emotions in the palm of its hand. This film mixes aspects of horror and romance in ways that make it just that much more terrifying. Based on a 2004 novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist, the story follows Oskar, an abused 12-year-old boy who becomes friends with his young and mysterious neighbor, Eli. However, Eli has some dark secrets that suck Oskar into some dark and dangerous waters. This terrifying and suspenseful film is worth every second of watching it.