Horror is a wide-ranged genre with numerous avenues of inspiring fear in viewers and fans of the genre. It isn't always a horrid monster, a masked killer, or an impending zombie apocalypse that can instill nail-biting anxiety. Sometimes, it can be as simple as one room.
Claustrophobia is the fear of an enclosed space and a phobia that a large amount of the population shares. Being confined to a small space with a lack of control is not a situation that anyone is jumping to be in. However, true terror arises when unsuspecting persons find themselves shackled in a windowless, doorless room vacant of any familiar surroundings. The best, most claustrophobic horror movies do an excellent job of capturing this fear.
6 Devil
Imagine being stuck in an elevator, dozens of floors above a concrete collision with no way to escape. A group of random civilians meets this fate when just another day turns tragic, and they all become targets of a sinister force. One by one, the passengers of the death trap are pushed to the edge by strange occurrences such as flickering lights, voices, and intense paranoia.
Fear and distrust create a volatile environment that places each person against the other, which feeds into the plan of the puppeteer controlling the scenario behind the scenes. Devil succeeds in its goal to truly unnerve watchers with shock value and suspense.
5 127 hours
127 hours is a suspenseful tale about hiker Aaron Ralston, a nature enthusiast who enjoys the outdoors and exploring un-walked trails. On a venture out into the world, Aaron leaves his home like any other day and sets out on a journey into the wilderness in Utah’s National Park.
Unfortunately, things take a turn for the worse as Aaron explores, and he ends up pinned in a canyon unable to get himself free. Aaron hadn't told anyone what he was doing or where he was going and has no way to reach out and call for help. As the hours fly by, the elements are harsh, and Aaron’s hunger and thirst begin to set in. 127 hours focuses on the dread of losing hope when there is absolutely no possibility of survival.
4 10 Cloverfield lane
10 Cloverfield Lane is a spin-off of the Cloverfield franchise and the second movie in the series. Michelle finds herself in the company of an older gentleman by the name of Howard in an underground bunker after a car accident. While startled by her situation, Michelle is taken aback even more by Howard's claim that the world has ended and aliens have invaded the earth.
Michelle decides to keep her calm, suspicious of Howard’s motives and looks for a single moment to escape. However, Howard is no foolish fanatic and proves to be a precautious person. 10 Cloverfield Lane is a shocking movie that begins as an escape story but slowly unwinds into a survival horror.
3 Gerald's Game
Jessie Burlingame goes on a private retreat with her husband to rekindle their love for one another at a beautiful lakeside property. The loving husband and wife enjoy themselves, reveling in the peace and quiet. They eventually retire to the bedroom where they attempt to become intimate. Unfortunately, Gerald suffers cardiac arrest and passes away on the floor, leaving Jessie handcuffed to the bed.
The situation grows even more dire when Jessie discovers that she’s not alone in the house. Stress and dehydration begin to cause Jessie to hallucinate, reviving old trauma and adding to the uncontrollable fear Jessie must endure. Gerald's Game plays the "what if" scenario and cranks the tension through the roof.
2 Saw
The Saw franchise is widely regarded as one of the best horror sagas of the last twenty years. The bloody mind-bending scenarios brought to life by the maniacal “Jigsaw” has left many horror fans looking over their shoulder second-guessing past misdeeds.
Jigsaw is a malevolent killer who abducts people he deems worthy of punishment and forces them to play along with lethal contests in order to earn their right to live. The original Saw movie contained a group of captives in a single room who had their minds, body, and souls tortured. Jigsaw will go down in history as one of the most sinister movie maniacs in history.
1 1408
There are many movies about haunted houses and ghosts that terrorize families. 1408 is a story that surrounds the mysterious hotel room that has seen tragedy after tragedy and numerous supernatural deaths that can not be explained or debunked. Originally a short story by Stephen King, 1408 was adapted into a movie by director Mikael Håfström.
Michael Enslin, played by John Cusack, is a paranormal investigator turned harsh skeptic after the death of his child. On a rampage to disprove the afterlife, Michael checks himself into the supposed cursed room 1408 of the Dolphin Hotel. Almost immediately, Michael finds himself trapped in a nightmare of his own creation, unable to escape the plain walls and mangled souls trapped in the hotel room with him.