People's first impression of a movie often comes from the poster; this is especially true for movies in the pre-internet era, when it was difficult to find trailers or reviews; ultimately, you had to rely on the visual stimulation provided by the promotional materials. Creating eye-catching posters is still effective now, especially in the field of horror movies. In order to achieve the effect of fear or shock, horror movie posters often use various confrontational images and match them with attractive slogans.

It would be easy to list hundreds of the best horror movie posters, as each era has its own unique style and charm. Here are 10 movie posters that best show the selling points of horror movies.

10 The Birds (1963)

A series of sudden, unexplained, violent bird attacks overwhelms the residents of Bodega Bay, California. Melanie Daniels, a wealthy socialite, unexpectedly gets caught up in the chaos while pursuing a male crush in a small Northern California town.

The poster for The Birds is a little silly and overcrowded by modern standards. It also features Alfred Hitchcock’s review of the film: “It could be the most terrifying motion picture I have ever made.”

Even Hitchcock himself stands off to promote his own film, with a small photo of Tippi Hedren in the corner and a meaningless compliment like “A fascinating newcomer” underneath. But this 60s poster design is still very different, and the awkward wording and layout are attractive in their own right.

What makes this poster stand out, however, is its iconic artwork, with the title “birds” swarming around an unsuspecting woman. The poster directly and effectively communicates the film's deceptively simple storyline and is one of the most memorable posters of its era.