There are some horror movie titles that feel obvious or on the nose, and fans shrug, deciding to watch them based on the plot and not necessarily on what they're called. Then there are the films that have brilliant, exciting names that say a lot about the story, the characters, and the main themes. It's clear that the filmmakers put a lot of time, thought and effort into them and it's even more fun to watch the movies and see what they're all about.
From some iconic films in the horror genre to Ti West's 2022 film that has gotten a lot of well-earned praise, there are some horror movie titles that stick out for being just as interesting and cool as the movies themselves.
Halloween (1978)
The incredibly popular 1978 horror film Halloween truly has a brilliant title. The October 31st holiday has always been one of the best horror movie settings as it offers up costumes, cool weather, a sense of excitement and fear in the air, and the idea that anything can happen. Final girl Laurie Strode's (Jamie Lee Curtis) journey doesn't feel like it could take place at any other time of year as the whole story hinges on her being a babysitter and trying to protect young kids and save herself.
When a horror movie has a smart title, fans can't possibly picture the film being called something else, and that's definitely the case with Halloween. While there are other films set at the same time of year, nothing comes close. Trick 'r Treat's monster Sam also perfectly evoves this fall holiday as he has a pumpkin for a head (and that's a good movie title as well).
Misery (1990)
Many consider Misery the best Stephen King adaptation and it's easy to see why. James Caan and Kathy Bates give the story their all as Paul Sheldon and Annie Wilkes, an author and his biggest fan who kidnaps him and almost kills him. It's an emotional film and the title really does say it all: Paul is having a terrible, terrifying time hoping that he can survive and never see Annie again.
While it would make sense for Misery to be called something else related to writing or the publishing industry, or maybe about being a fan, it works well. One-word titles are always interesting and in this case, it really speaks to Paul's journey. When he looks back on this time, he's absolutely going to call it "miserable."
Scream (1996)
It's funny to think that Scream almost had another title: according to Cheat Sheet, it was almost called Scary Movie. While that absolutely works since the 1996 film talks a lot about different horror movies, there's something simple and flawless about Scream.
Of course, the movie has several yells that stick out, including Casey Becker's (Drew Barrymore) mom seeing her daughter. As fans look forward to watching the next sequel Scream 6, it's hard to think that the film could ever be called something else as it has become such an iconic film. Even the toughest characters can't help but scream when they encounter the various Ghostfaces.
Ready Or Not (2019)
Ready Or Not is an underappreciated 2010s horror movie and has one of the most exciting and interesting storylines. It also has one of the greatest horror movie titles around as it centers around a couple who have just gotten married. The groom's family wants to play a late-night game of hide and seek, which Grace de Le Domas (Samara Weaving) thinks is strange and quirky. Unfortunately for Grace, the game is all about her.
The title seems to have a double meaning: it refers to hide and seek but also how when people get married, their lives change and they find themselves going in a new direction and on a new path. In this case, Grace was definitely not ready for this ordeal, but she shows strength.
X (2022)
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Horror fans are excited about the Ti West's X prequel called Pearl which will be released in September 2022, and the movie X also has a brilliant title. It alludes to the fact that this slasher subgenre and also tells the story of the adult film that the main characters are working on.
X has filmmaking lessons as it's really a masterpiece, from the cinematography to the death scenes that take the audience's breath away. The title plays up the idea of a movie being X-rated, which suggests that some people will be too young and innocent to watch it. That works perfectly since Mia Goth's elderly character Pearl is desperate to feel and look youthful again and will do anything (even kill) to make that happen.