Nobody does horror like Wes Craven.

His films are nightmares that have haunted generations of viewers. From iconic villains to storylines that challenge our reality, Wes Craven terrorized us and twisted our expectations.

Born Wesley Earl Craven on August 2, 1939, in Cleveland, Ohio, this master of horror earned degrees from Wheaton College and Johns Hopkins University before becoming a professor of humanities.

He transitioned from academia to filmmaking, making his directorial debut in 1972 with The Last House on the Left. Craven contributed to many projects as director, writer, producer, editor, and actor.

So here are our top five films by Wes Craven that definitely aren’t for the faint-hearted.

The Best 5 Wes Craven movies

Among the 22 films in Wes Craven’s filmography, these five are our top picks!

1. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Before Nolan made “dream manipulation” cool, “killing in a dream” had already become iconic! Freddy Krueger is a villain who will haunt you forever.

Freddy wasn’t just a terrifying figure; he was also sarcastic, witty, and, dare I say, a little charming in his evil way?

Furthermore, considering the extremely low budget on which this film was made, Craven’s achievement in his film is a testament to his cinematic genius and expertise in horror.

Craven’s vision of Freddy Krueger stemmed from a childhood memory when he was 10 years old, seeing a drunk man dressed similarly to Freddy looking at him through his apartment window. This teaches us that the most effective horror often comes from real, personal experiences

2. Scream (1996)

If A Nightmare on Elm Street is Craven’s masterstroke, then Scream is his triumphant return to the genre that made him a legend.

One of the most popular and loved horror films of all time, Scream didn’t just terrify the viewers. It completely dismantled and rebuilt the slasher genre, interpreting horror in a way never done before.

In 1996, when horror had become a tired formula of teens being mindlessly hunted, when blood and gore were there just to trigger anxiety, Craven shook things up. He gave us Ghostface, an unassuming killer who could be anyone.

The anonymity of the danger became the most priceless element of terror in the entire movie, paving the way for an entire franchise. Craven showed the world that horror could be intelligent, and honestly, it seems like he had a blast doing it!

Scream is known for its dark wit and references to other horror movies, demonstrating how self-awareness and genre knowledge can revitalize tired formulas.

3. Red Eye (2005)

Imagine you’re quietly sitting in a plane, traveling back from a sucky work meeting, when you realize that you might not make it home.

No, not because the plane is crashing, but because a psychotic killer is sitting next to you. Your mundane air travel is now a claustrophobic nightmare!

Red Eye is an absolute rollercoaster of tension. Rachel McAdams shines as a woman thrust into an impossible situation, while Cillian Murphy plays the unassuming but chilling villain with pure menace. I’ve never been more threatened by a man in a suit.

The pacing is sharp, and the stakes never stop rising. By the time you land, you’re gasping for air. You might want to buckle up!

Red Eye shows us how ordinary settings can become terrifying through psychological tension rather than supernatural elements. Craven demonstrates that constraint breeds creativity.

4. The Hills Have Eyes (2006)

This movie is one of the most brutal, unapologetic, and downright horrifying backwoods horror movies I’ve ever seen. I remember watching the scenes through the gaps of my fingers.

If you love slasher movies, this will exceed your expectations. A mutant family stalking and hunting down their victims day in and day out makes for a gritty, gross thrill ride. The movie’s unflinching portrayal of the darkest sides of humanity, combined with an eerie atmosphere and visceral scares, makes it one of Craven’s most haunting works.

The Hills Have Eyes was another low-budget slasher film that did well at the box office and developed a cult following. Craven understood that horror doesn’t require expensive effects. Primal fear does just fine.

5. Shocker (1989)

Finishing off with an underrated gem by Wes Craven, this movie is the director doing something we never quite expected: mixing supernatural horror with over-the-top action and a healthy dose of pure ‘80s camp horror.

While some might consider the concept to be a little far-fetched, you can’t help but be impressed by Craven’s willingness to dive into such an outrageous concept and then make it work.

If anything, Shocker is a reminder that Craven could be unpredictable, and sometimes that unpredictability meant goofy but endearing thrills. The film demonstrates Craven’s willingness to experiment and take creative risks, even when they might not pay off commercially.

A Little About the Filmmaker: Wes Craven

Born on Aug. 2, 1939, Wes Craven grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. Before entering filmmaking, he taught humanities at Westminster College and Clarkson University.

Making his directorial debut in 1972 with The Last House on the Left, Craven had 20 feature films to his credit in his four-decades-long career.

After a prolific career spanning over four decades, Craven died of brain cancer on August 30, 2015, at age 76.

“Ideas that come out of families which are fractured or disturbed in some way are the most profoundly terrifying things to me,” Craven told The Georgia Strait in 1991. “And I’ve always felt that I was on solid ground when I was making movies about families.”

Sure, some of his movies missed the mark, but even in those misfires, you could see the genius behind the madness.

Did your favorite Wes Craven movie make it on our list?