16 Horror Anthologies with Segments That Stand Alone as Shorts

Horror anthologies are special because they deliver a series of short, scary stories all in one movie. This format lets directors try out different types of horror and moods without having to create a long, complicated plot. People often spend a long time after the movie discussing which story was the scariest or best. The really good anthologies have at least one segment that’s so well-made, it could stand on its own as a separate short film.

‘Dead of Night’ (1945)

As a horror fan, I always revisit this British anthology film, and it consistently delivers. While the whole movie is good, there’s one segment that truly stands out and has stuck with me for years. It follows a ventriloquist, Maxwell Frere, who starts to believe his dummy, Hugo, is actually alive and controlling him. It’s a brilliantly unsettling descent into madness, and honestly, it’s the reason we see so many evil doll stories in horror even today. It’s the most genuinely creepy and memorable part of a really influential film.

‘Black Sabbath’ (1963)

Directed by Mario Bava and introduced by Boris Karloff, this Italian horror film features several terrifying tales. The last story, ‘The Drop of Water,’ is particularly chilling. It follows a nurse who steals a ring from a dead psychic during a séance. Soon, she’s tormented by the psychic’s angry ghost in her own home. The film uses striking visuals and sound to build a truly frightening atmosphere.

‘Kwaidan’ (1964)

I absolutely love this classic Japanese film! It’s a collection of ghost stories, and one in particular, ‘The Woman of the Snow,’ really stuck with me. It’s about these two woodcutters caught in a snowstorm who meet a beautiful, ghostly woman. She lets one of them live, but only if he never tells anyone about her. Years go by, and he’s trying to live a normal life with his family, but the secret is just eating away at him. It’s not just scary, it’s beautifully shot and really makes you think about keeping your word and the consequences when you don’t.

‘Tales from the Crypt’ (1972)

Okay, so there’s this awesome anthology movie, and one segment starts with five people getting totally lost in these creepy underground catacombs. They stumble upon this really unsettling character, the Crypt Keeper, who basically tells them what’s going to happen to them – super spooky! Then there’s this other segment, ‘…And All Through the House,’ and it’s set on Christmas Eve. This woman has a major problem: she’s just killed her husband, and now a maniac is trying to break in! She can’t call the cops, obviously, and spends the whole time trying to hide the body before the killer finds her. It’s brilliant because it’s both genuinely scary and really darkly funny. It walks that line perfectly.

‘Trilogy of Terror’ (1975)

This TV movie features Karen Black in three separate stories. The last one, ‘Amelia,’ has become a beloved cult classic. It tells the story of a woman who unknowingly brings a Zuni fetish doll to life when she buys it as a gift. The miniature figure then relentlessly chases her around her apartment with a knife. Despite being made on a low budget, the segment is brilliantly paced and features impressive practical effects.

‘Creepshow’ (1982)

I’m a huge fan of the collaboration between George A. Romero and Stephen King, and their segment ‘The Crate’ is a real standout. It tells the story of a professor who finds a terrifying creature lurking beneath the stairs, and in a truly twisted turn, he uses it to deal with his awful, emotionally abusive wife. Even now, the creature effects created by Tom Savini are incredibly unsettling and effective. What I love most is how perfectly it balances genuinely creepy monster horror with a really dark sense of humor. It’s a brilliant piece!

‘Twilight Zone: The Movie’ (1983)

This movie reimagines four beloved episodes from the original TV show. George Miller directs the last segment, ‘Nightmare at 20,000 Feet,’ featuring John Lithgow as a passenger on a stormy flight. He becomes convinced he sees a creature damaging the plane’s wing, but his desperate warnings make everyone think he’s lost his mind. The tight, enclosed space of the airplane adds to the frightening and suspenseful encounter.

‘Cat’s Eye’ (1985)

This collection of stories connects three tales by Stephen King, all seen through the eyes of a wandering tabby cat. The last story, ‘General,’ shows the cat bravely defending a young girl from a tiny troll that lives in her bedroom wall. The troll tries to steal the girl’s breath as she sleeps, and audiences will root for the cat as it fights the creature in an exciting, small-scale battle. The special effects make the creepy little troll feel very real.

‘Tales from the Darkside: The Movie’ (1990)

A boy finds himself telling stories to a witch who intends to eat him. In the ‘Lover’s Vow’ segment, an artist sees a gargoyle commit a crime. The gargoyle lets him live only if he promises to keep the secret, but when he eventually confesses to his wife, it leads to a devastating outcome. This story is particularly memorable for its powerful emotions and the unique design of its monster.

‘Trick ‘r Treat’ (2007)

This beloved horror film intercuts multiple storylines unfolding on one Halloween night. One particularly chilling tale centers on a school principal who secretly leads a double life as a murderer. He desperately tries to hide a body in his yard, all while dodging nosy neighbors and his own son. The movie expertly blends scares and humor, creating a darkly funny and unsettling suburban horror story. It truly captures the playful and spooky essence of Halloween like few other films do.

‘V/H/S’ (2012)

A team of criminals gets a job to steal a unique videotape from an abandoned house. The tape, called ‘Amateur Night,’ depicts three friends who invite a mysterious girl back to their motel. Things quickly become violent when the girl transforms into a winged monster with a craving for human flesh. The movie is filmed from a personal viewpoint, making the intense violence feel unpredictable and shockingly realistic. This short film went on to create a popular series of found footage horror movies.

‘V/H/S/2’ (2013)

The follow-up to the popular found footage film features a segment widely considered the best in the series. ‘Safe Haven’ centers on a documentary team interviewing the head of a cult in Indonesia. They arrive right as the cult is starting a large ritual intended to summon the Antichrist. The story quickly shifts from unsettling suspense to complete chaos. It’s a thrilling experience that makes excellent use of the found footage style.

‘Southbound’ (2015)

I was completely hooked by this segment, ‘The Accident’! It throws you right into a driver’s worst fear – hitting someone and then desperately trying to make things right. What really got to me was how he was directed to this creepy, abandoned hospital to perform surgery himself, guided by these unsettling 911 operators. It’s not just scary, it feels totally dreamlike and messed up, with really impactful practical effects. It’s a gripping story that really digs into feelings of guilt and how far someone would go when they’re desperate. I honestly haven’t seen anything quite like it.

‘Ghost Stories’ (2017)

A professor who studies skepticism looks into three strange events. The first involves a security guard at an abandoned women’s asylum. While on duty, he senses something unsettling that makes him face his own personal history. The story creates a lot of suspense through the guard’s loneliness and the use of darkness within the empty building. It’s a classic ghost story, done in a fresh, modern way.

‘The Mortuary Collection’ (2019)

A funeral director tells a new employee about some of the bizarre deaths he’s witnessed. One story stands out: a man finds a hidden medicine cabinet and takes some unusual pills, even though he doesn’t need them. The result is a terrifying and disturbing physical transformation, a grim reminder that curiosity can be dangerous. It’s a short, impactful story with a shocking twist.

‘Scare Package’ (2020)

I just finished watching this horror-comedy anthology, and it’s a blast! It’s clearly made by people who love horror and aren’t afraid to playfully mock all the familiar tropes. The first segment, ‘Cold Open,’ really hooked me – it’s about a character who’s totally aware he’s just there to be killed off and move the story along. It’s a really clever bit of self-awareness that horror fans will especially appreciate, and it perfectly sets the stage for the wild, funny, and gory stories that follow.

Tell us which anthology segment kept you up at night in the comments.

2025-12-05 07:46