Splatter films are extreme horror movies that focus on exaggerated blood, gore, and grotesque bodily harm. This subgenre of horror rose to popularity in the 1970s and ’80s, with directors pushing boundaries through disgusting effects, absurd amounts of blood, and grotesque murder scenes. These films often combine humor with shocking body horror, making them both cult favorites and sources of controversy.
Here are the 10 best and most influential splatter films ever made.
1. Braindead (1992) – The bloodiest movie ever
Peter Jackson (yes, the one behind The Lord of the Rings) began his career with extreme splatter horror, and Braindead (also known as Dead Alive) is his masterpiece.
When a man tries to hide his zombified mother, everything spirals into a mess of blood, guts, and disgusting humor.
With an iconic scene where a lawnmower is used as a weapon, this film is often called the goriest ever made.
2. The Evil Dead (1981) – Pure nightmare and gore
Sam Raimi’s low-budget horror hit The Evil Dead is a legendary splatter film that combines intense horror, demonic possession, and extreme gore.
A group of friends discovers the Necronomicon in a remote cabin, unleashing demonic attacks, bloody body mutations, and a non-stop nightmare of violence.
The film’s primitive, filthy, and hyperactive style turned it into a cult classic that remains influential.
3. Cannibal Holocaust (1980) – The most controversial splatter film ever
This extreme found-footage film by Ruggero Deodato is one of the most infamous and banned films ever.
A documentary crew disappears in the Amazon, and their footage reveals realistic executions, cannibalism, and brutal torture.
The film was so realistic that the director was arrested because authorities thought real murders had occurred.
4. Tokyo Gore Police (2008) – Japanese cyberpunk splatter
This Japanese cyberpunk extravaganza is an explosion of absurd gore, mutations, and pure chaos.
In a dystopian Tokyo, a female officer battles mutants with weaponized limbs, resulting in utterly insane action and gallons of blood.
It’s one of the most over-the-top splatter films ever, blending sci-fi, body horror, and extreme bloodshed.
5. Re-Animator (1985) – Horror and humor in perfect balance
This cult classic blends H.P. Lovecraft horror with twisted gore and dark humor.
When a scientist discovers a serum that reanimates the dead, chaos, carnage, and hilarity ensue.
The film features one of the most bizarre horror scenes ever, involving a severed head trying to ‘please’ a woman.
6. Ichi the Killer (2001) – Sadism and pure brutality
Takashi Miike’s ultra-violent Japanese splatter film centers on Yakuza violence, sadomasochism, and extreme torture.
The film features dismembered limbs, sadistic abuse, and explicit torture, but balances it with a unique style and dark comedic tone.
Not for the faint of heart, but visually stunning and a masterpiece within the genre.
7. The Green Inferno (2013) – Eli Roth’s tribute to cannibal splatter
Eli Roth (Hostel) delivered a modern ode to ’70s cannibal horror with The Green Inferno.
A group of activists is captured by a cannibal tribe and torn apart in the most gruesome ways imaginable.
Brutal, violent, and packed with disgusting practical effects, it stands as a modern splatter highlight.
8. Street Trash (1987) – Melting people and absurd gore
This trash splatter film revolves around a toxic drink that causes homeless people to melt in the most grotesque ways.
With colorful gore, dark humor, and filthy practical effects, it’s a cult favorite in the sleazier corner of horror cinema.
If you want melting faces, exploding bodies, and gore with a comedic twist, Street Trash is perfect.
9. Guinea Pig: Flower of Flesh and Blood (1985) – Japan’s snuff legend
This Japanese underground film was so realistic and shocking that the FBI was called to investigate if it was an actual snuff film.
The film shows a man dressed as a samurai slowly dismembering a woman with incredibly realistic practical effects.
It’s one of the most disturbing and filthy splatter films ever made, and not for the squeamish.
10. Terrifier 2 (2022) – The modern splatter champion
This modern horror hit brought old-school splatter back to the big screen.
Art the Clown commits some of the most brutal kills ever filmed—from people being skinned alive to an over-the-top blood-soaked finale.
The film made audiences faint and vomit in theaters, proving splatter is still alive in today’s horror era.
Conclusion: Splatter remains the ultimate gore subgenre
Splatter films are filthy, absurd, extreme, and surprisingly entertaining. They shy away from no taboo and remain a beacon of extreme cinema.
Do you dare to take on these splatter classics? 🎬💀🔪
