It's that time of year again. Time to stay in and watch enough horror movies to unnerve even the gothiest of goths. Only this time, it's kind of by necessity. So why not set this year apart from the others in a fun way for once? Thanks to a lovely group of friendly number nerds, fans of cinematic terror now have a list of the top 10 most heart-racing horror films, and they have the science to prove it.
With Halloween fast approaching, the statistic-loving team at GIGA Calculator noticed that Google searches for "horror films" have gone up 2,750% (and no, that comma isn't supposed to be a decimal). Rather than just going "huh, that's neat" like any average human, they decided to aid those intrepid fright seekers with a little list of recommendations. But this couldn't be just any old list. No, it would have to be unique. So the proudly proclaimed "experts in the art of measurement" took it upon themselves to compile a definitive list of the most chilling films in the genre based entirely on heart rate.
To do this, they first asked a group of 2,542 horror experts to select the top 10 scariest films of all time, but that alone would be far too simple. Once they had a solid list, they brought in 150 lucky test subjects who hadn't seen the films before, slapped heart monitors on them, and let the good times roll. After the dust cleared in this extremely important experiment worthy of Professor Farnsworth, they had their results.
Topping the list is 2018's Hereditary with an average 115 BPM among viewers, seemingly proving that Hollywood's ability to tear down the minds of its audiences is still well intact. It's particularly impressive considering the film doesn't tend to rely on jump scares or other frightening moments like many horror films, instead allowing its spine-tingling atmosphere to do the talking. 2004's original Saw also made its legacy known with a respectable 2nd place, which is interesting considering the film's mixed critical reception, though ultimately not entirely surprising given its reputation. In fact, the test audiences described it as "harrowing" and "disturbing," which certainly seems to fit right in.
Other highlights include 2014's Australian hit The Babadook in 3rd place, while the 1973 classic The Exorcist continues to exert its lasting legacy at number 10. The BPM numbers come in contrast to the average resting state of 60-100, which should put in perspective just how terrifying these films are, particularly the first 6 with BPM measurements all above 100. Naturally, some might make the classic argument that jump scares shouldn't count as a horror movie, and that real terror comes from a slow build. It's a worthwhile argument in general, though it's hard to argue with numbers.
Besides, since both styles of fright are pretty adequately represented here, it could be safe to say that horror is more about results than methods. Everyone has different tastes, after all, and there's no reason that distinction shouldn't apply to within the genre as well. Hopefully this list will not only act as a creative suggestion for a Halloween binge, but maybe it can also prompt those unfamiliar with horror to finally take that plunge.
This study was conducted by GIGA Calculator.