5. THE WICKER MAN (1973)

We’re getting a little deeper down the rabbit hole now with this one as we enter the realms of folk horror. Hard to define, and even harder to forget, Robin Hardy’s 1973 classic The Wicker Man remains one of the most shocking films even now, some 44 years later.

It’s a strange film, one that may not immediately scream out to the audience as horror, but the discomfort around the individual sequences of the film create a sense of disorientation and uncertainty that is only recognisable as the genre.

But it’s the ending, now totally iconic, that really brings the fear of the film out. This is one that’s likely to linger with you for days after the credits role.

If you’re still just getting started with horror, then this is one to make you question everything you thought you knew about the genre. A strange, almost dreamlike movie with a lot to unpick and a lot to say about religion and society. There’s nothing quite like The Wicker Man, you’ve been warned.

IF YOU LIKED THIS: Blood on Satan’s Claw, Witchfinder General, Kill List, A Field in England