This Is the Scariest Horror Movie of All Time, According to Science

Campy horror can be fun, but a new study reveals this terrifying movie will literally make your heart race.

With Halloween fast approaching, there's no time like the present to pencil in a few re-watches of your favorite scary movies. And while campy horror, pointless gore, and truly terrible special effects may hold a special place in many a horror-lover's heart, when it comes to being truly scary, not all horror is created equal. In fact, there's a clear victor when it comes to truly scaring the living daylights out of people. That's right: A scientific study has determined the scariest horror movie of all time, based on how much it makes your heart race.

Combining Reddit recommendations and critics' reviews of horror films, Broadband Choices came up with a list of the 50 best horror movies, which they screened for a group of 50 subjects wearing heart rate monitors. Movie watchers' average resting heart rates were compared to their average heart rates while watching each movie, with researchers also noting any notable spikes in heart rates during each screening. Then, the researchers ranked the movies accordingly. If you want to find out which movie truly terrified audiences, read on. And if you want to scare yourself silly with a new movie, check out The Best Horror Film of 2020, According to Critics.

Read the original article on Best Life.

20
Scream

neve campbell and rose mcgowan in scream
Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo

Average resting heart rate: 65 beats per minute (BPM)

Average movie heart rate: 73 BPM

Average heart rate increase: 8 BPM

Highest spike: 81 BPM

And for more movies sure to scare you out of your seat, check out Every '90s Horror Movie, Ranked From Worst Reviewed to Best.

19
It

bill skarsgard as pennywise in it
Warner Bros. Pictures

Average resting heart rate: 65 BPM

Average movie heart rate: 75 BPM

Average heart rate increase: 10 BPM

Highest spike: 89 BPM

18
Hush

man wearing creepy mask standing outdoors in Hush
Netflix

Average resting heart rate: 65 BPM

Average movie heart rate: 76 BPM

Average heart rate increase: 11 BPM

Highest spike: 86 BPM

And if you're wondering where your favorite former horror stars are today, check out The Biggest '90s Horror Icons, Then and Now.

17
The Exorcist

the exorcist still frame
Warner Bros. Pictures

Average resting heart rate: 65 BPM

Average movie heart rate: 77 BPM

Average heart rate increase: 12 BPM

Highest spike: 92 BPM

16
28 Days Later

cillian murphy 28 days later still
Fox Searchlight Pictures

Average resting heart rate: 65 BPM

Average movie heart rate: 77 BPM

Average heart rate increase: 12 BPM

Highest spike: 95 BPM

15
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

leatherface in texas chainsaw massacre
Bryanston Distributing Company

Average resting heart rate: 65 BPM

Average movie heart rate: 77 BPM

Average heart rate increase: 12 BPM

Highest spike: 98 BPM

And if you're wondering what your favorite stars were up to before hitting it big, check out these 30 Celebrities You Forgot Were in Horror Movies.

13
Halloween

still from halloween
Compass International Pictures / Aquarius Releasing

Average resting heart rate: 65 BPM

Average movie heart rate: 77 BPM

Average heart rate increase: 12 BPM

Highest spike: 101 BPM

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13
A Nightmare on Elm Street

Still from A Nightmare on Elm Street
New Line Cinema

Average resting heart rate: 65 BPM

Average movie heart rate: 78 BPM

Average heart rate increase: 13 BPM

Highest spike: 104 BPM

11
A Quiet Place

a quiet place
Paramount Pictures

Average resting heart rate: 65 BPM

Average movie heart rate: 78 BPM

Average heart rate increase: 13 BPM

Highest spike: 122 BPM

11
The Ring

naomi watts in the ring still
DreamWorks Pictures

Average resting heart rate: 65 BPM

Average movie heart rate: 79 BPM

Average heart rate increase: 14 BPM

Highest spike: 107 BPM

10
The Visit

still from the visit horror movie
Universal Pictures

Average resting heart rate: 65 BPM

Average movie heart rate: 79 BPM

Average heart rate increase: 14 BPM

Highest spike: 100 BPM

9
The Descent

woman and monster in night vision still from the descent
Pathé Distribution

Average resting heart rate: 65 BPM

Average movie heart rate: 79 BPM

Average heart rate increase: 14 BPM

Highest spike: 122 BPM

8
The Babadook

the babadook
Entertainment One

Average resting heart rate: 65 BPM

Average movie heart rate: 80 BPM

Average heart rate increase: 15 BPM

Highest spike: 116 BPM

7
The Conjuring 2

conjuring 2 movie still
Warner Bros. Pictures

Average resting heart rate: 65 BPM

Average movie heart rate: 80 BPM

Average heart rate increase: 15 BPM

Highest spike: 120 BPM

6
It Follows

still from it follows
Radius-TWC

Average resting heart rate: 65 BPM

Average movie heart rate: 81 BPM

Average heart rate increase: 16 BPM

Highest spike: 93 BPM

5
Paranormal Activity

paranormal activity still
Paramount Pictures

Average resting heart rate: 65 BPM

Average movie heart rate: 82 BPM

Average heart rate increase: 17 BPM

Highest spike: 127 BPM

4
Hereditary

still from hereditary
A24

Average resting heart rate: 65 BPM

Average movie heart rate: 83 BPM

Average heart rate increase: 18 BPM

Highest spike: 109 BPM

3
The Conjuring

the-conjuring
Warner Bros. Pictures

Average resting heart rate: 65 BPM

Average movie heart rate: 85 BPM

Average heart rate increase: 20 BPM

Highest spike: 129 BPM

2
Insidious

inasidious
FilmDistrict

Average resting heart rate: 65 BPM

Average movie heart rate: 86 BPM

Average heart rate increase: 21 BPM

Highest spike: 133 BPM

1
Sinister

ethan hawke in sinister movie still
Summit Entertainment

Average resting heart rate: 65 BPM

Average movie heart rate: 86

Average heart rate increase: 21 BPM

Highest spike: 131 BPM

Sarah Crow
Sarah Crow is a senior editor at Eat This, Not That!, where she focuses on celebrity news and health coverage. Read more
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