Scares fade; craft doesn't
Horror rankings must decide whether fear itself is the metric — because fear ages badly. The Exorcist terrified 1973 and unsettles 2026; Paranormal Activity terrified 2009 and plays like a screensaver now. Elevated-horror entries (Hereditary, Midsommar) rank on craft and dread rather than jump-count, drawing eternal 'not even scary' objections from slasher partisans. Franchise entries carry sequel debt: Halloween and Scream rank on their originals while later installments quietly drag the brand down a tier.