Horror is a genre that doesn’t overly rely on language to get its point across. This creates the perfect ecosystem for horror filmmakers to get inspired by stories across different languages and then adapt them within the frameworks of a full-length feature film.
Rather than adapting already established novels and series, these films take another route and look for inspiration within the world of short stories. When paired together, short horror stories can provide the perfect breeding ground for horror movies to fester in, as they create a scary ethos without being narratively overbearing. From films like The Thing to Hellraiser, here are some terrifying horror movies that are based on short stories and are bound to scare you.
10 The Body Snatcher (1945)
Robert Wise’s 1945 film is based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s short story of the same name. One of Bella Lugosi’s (who we might remember as Dracula), final major studio features, The Body Snatcher is a strange period horror film that’s based on the true tale of Burke and Hare.
The film revolves around a surgeon who reaches out to a cab driver and his assistant to arrange for some corpses for his surgery. As the bodies start piling up, so does the suspicion of the people as to how the cabbie is finding such fresh corpses.
9 Re-Animator (1985)
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Re-Animator is based on H.P. Lovecraft’s short story titled, Herbert West Reanimator. Despite not being an accurate adaptation of Lovecraft’s story, Re-Animator is a fun watch for fans of the blood and gore genre, as it has more in common with Sam Raimi’s sensibilities than it does with Lovecraft.
The film follows a narcissistic scientist that’s deeply in love with the idea of playing God, as he invents a drug that can bring the dead back to life. Full of loud and over-the-top moments, Re-Animator is the sacrifice of science for the sake of horror
8 Duel (1971)
The mention of Duel doesn’t ring a bell, as it’s one of Spielberg’s most unassuming films. Based on a short story by Richard Matheson (I Am Legend, What Dreams May Come), Duel serves as a case study in how to achieve uninterrupted atmospheric tension with limited resources.
The film follows a man named David as he passes by an old truck in the Mojave Desert area. Unbeknownst to him, he angers the truck driver, who happens to be a sociopath, resulting in an epic chase that could ultimately result in David’s death.
7 1922 (2017)
It would be impossible to have a list of horror movies inspired by short stories without mentioning the great Stephen King. 1922 is yet another testament to King’s prowess as a sorcerer of dark words, as it explores a farmer’s conspiracy to murder his wife for monetary gain, sending him and his sons into a descent of madness.
6 Sleepy Hollow (1999)
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Based on Washington Irving’s short story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Tim Burton’s film is often deemed as one of his best collaborations with Johnny Depp. Sleepy Hollow perfectly blends gothic elements within the frameworks of a supernatural slasher, transporting the viewer to the late 17th century.
5 Hellraiser (1987)
Hellraiser is a rare case in which the filmmaker has adapted his own work and turned it into a film. Acclaimed novelist-turned-filmmaker, Clive Barker’s made a film that follows a group of interdimensional beings that cannot distinguish between pleasure and pain, and serves as a bona fide gore fest that purposely smudges the lines between gross and scary.
4 Candyman (1992)
Based on novelist/filmmaker Clive Barker’s short story The Forbidden, in his Books of Blood anthology, Candyman is a creepy film that will keep you up for days. Playing on the tightropes of part myth, part urban legend, the film explores America’s dark history of racism and slavery, while presenting it within the framework of a slasher film. Upon its release, Bernard Rose’s film went on to become an instant cult classic, credited with birthing one of the most terrifying villains of the ’90s.
3 Children of the Corn (1984)
Another example of Stephen King’s innate talent for horror, Children of the Corn is based on one of King’s most popular tales. Rather than creating a monster that appears in the dark, King’s antagonists take the form of small, creepy-looking children that belong to a cult and have butchered an entire town.
Children of the Corn is terrifying and abhorrent in equal parts, as it sheds light on the fact that humans are capable of unimagined monstrosities when left to their own devices.
2 The Birds (1963)
Directed by the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock’s, The Birds ranks high up there with the likes of Psycho, Rear Window, and Vertigo. Based on a short story by Daphne du Maurier, Hitchcock’s film is a claustrophobic pot-boiler that offers no explanation or respite.
The film revolves around a rich socialite, Melanie, who follows an acquaintance to his mother’s house for a few days. Once there, strange happenings begin engulfing the area as birds start attacking human beings for no apparent reason. Rather than explaining the logic behind the attack, Hitchcock’s film tends to focus on the sheer terror of such a scenario, as he turns calm and docile animals into ferocious predators.
1 The Thing (1982)
John Carpenter’s horror classic is based on John W. Campbell’s novella Who Goes There?, and tells the story of a group of American researchers in Antarctica as they encounter a brutal, shape-shifting alien entity.
Carpenter’s film is tethered in violence and gore, but doesn’t abandon logic and atmospheric tension, as it uses the tropes of horror sparingly. The film also plays out as a constant whodunit thriller, blurring the lines between who’s human and whose not.