This article lists all of the horror films rated from #2 to #10 for the weekend box office from c. 1982 to the present-day, while films prior to 1982 are mostly taken from ''Variety's top 50 weekly grossing films charts, which ran from 1969 up to 1990. #1 movies are not included on this page...
**Films listed before 1982 are from the weekly box office charts, and reports. The Monster (inaugural US No. 1 horror film, and peaked 18 February, 1925) The Phantom of the Opera Frankenstein King Kong Hold That Ghost Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde House of Wax The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms It Came...
New movies are too gory. Older movies from the 70's and so on, relied on shock value. Sure, sometimes blood is seen just the same, but it's not as forced.
This morning, I found out that the actor John Saxon has passed away. That's very sad. He played Nancy Thompson's father in the A Nightmare on Elm Street movies, and appeared alongside the legendary Bruce Lee in his last feature length movie, Enter the Dragon.