Smartest horror movies
 

What are some of the smartest horror movies you've ever seen?

Here are a few of mine (in no particular order):

Don't Look Now
The Exorcist
The Haunting (original)
The Legend of Hell House
Nightmare on Elm Street (original)
Psycho
Dead of Night (1945)
Most of the Tourneur/Lewton films
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (first two)
Halloween (original)
The Ring (American)
The Others
The Thing (original and Carpenter remake)
The Uninvited
The Night has a Thousand Eyes
Cabin in the Woods
In the Mouth of Madness
Session 9
Candyman

Could you explain what you mean by "smart"?

Interesting question. Also not sure what you mean by smart exactly.

If you mean pays attention to intellectual depth details & stays logical to itself, I think of these films:

The Incredible Shrinking Man
The Thing 82
The Europa Report
Alien
Zodiac
Se7en
Silence of the Lambs

I wanted to leave it open. Could be script, subject matter, plot. The kind of movie where, when it's done, you get the feeling: The creators really thought this one through.

The Incredible Shrinking Man -- agree
The Thing 82 -- agree
The Europa Report -- need to re-see to weigh in
Alien -- definitely
Zodiac -- so-so
Se7en -- diabolically smart
Silence of the Lambs -- agree

The Changeling (1980)
The Sixth Sense (1999)

Yes, The 6th Cents was a smart film.