Despite the best efforts ofCasperandGhostbusters, ghosts and horror will forever go hand-in-hand. The movie industry has yet to find a house, mental asylum, or ship that could not be improved with a couple of spirits, and these entities come in many shapes, sizes, and age groups. That said, compared to monsters like vampires and zombies, ghosts seem to go through frequent unpopular phases, although it only takes a smash hit likeParanormal Activityto reopen the floodgates.
If someone is looking for a good ghostly scare, they have hundreds of flicks at their disposal. That begs the question, which are thebest ghost horror movies? This article seeks to answer that question while highlighting both mainstream and lesser-known productions.
To avoid too much overlap with thisBest Haunted House Horror Moviesarticle, films such asThe Shining,House on Haunted Hill,The Conjuring,The Haunting,The Innocents,Ghostwatch, andHousewill not be included. That said, they are all fantastic.
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Kaneto Shindo was a legendary Japanese filmmaker, and the director knew how to create ahaunting story.Kuronekobuilds on the themes of 1964’sOnibabawhile also going full horror courtesy of two ghosts. The story revolves around a mother and daughter who seek revenge from beyond the grave on the soldiers who killed them.
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While not necessarily terrifying,Kuronekois unsettling and atmospheric. Bolstered by strong acting and brilliant cinematography, this ghost movie is a classic.
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The Changelingis a masterful haunted house flick that does not sacrifice logic in favor of thrills. George C. Scott’s John Russell moves into a mansion that appears to have a ghost problem, and it does not take long for things to get spooky.
Rather than run away, John decides to investigate the house’s history to figure out what might be happening.The Changelingexpertly crafts a sense of mystery around its central setting and poltergeist activity.
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Ghost movies rarely step into slasher territory, however, there are a couple of exceptions. Set in an urban climate,Candymanis a unique project for the horror genre, and the film has aged well since its 1992 release. The eponymous ghost can be summoned by repeating his name, a mistake a few graduates commit.
Candymanshould satisfy both slasher fans looking for violent kills and people yearning for a more cerebral horror experience. The sequels are all over the place in terms of quality, but the2021 filmis a solid watch.
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An Australian production,Lake Mungouses amockumentary styleto tell a story about grief, depression, and loneliness. Following the drowning of sixteen-year-old Alice Palmer, her family begins to notice strange things around the house that suggest a supernatural presence. Matthew, Alice’s brother, is the primary witness of these events, and the Palmers call in a specialist.
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While not bereft of scares,Lake Mungois far more concerned with exploring the family’s attempts to cope with this tragedy. The film also presents snapshots of Alice’s life, suggesting the girl felt a hopelessness that she could not articulate or share with anyone.
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Arguably the most famousghost horror movieof all time,Poltergeistis timeless. The Freelings live in a picturesque house, although that begins to change once the family’s youngest child starts to chat with the TV. Before long, the residence becomes a hub of paranormal activity that range from the spooky but harmless to the deadly.
Poltergeist’s special effects are just as impressive today as they were in the early 1980s, and this element is hardly the only thing that holds up about the movie. As the characters are well-written and reasonably grounded, the audience feels invested once the scares get going.
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Nowadays, Blumhouse andA24 release a critically acclaimed horror flickevery couple of months; however, for the longest while, the film industry appeared incapable of mustering more than one or two memorable fright fests per year. 2014’s winner wasThe Babadook, a psychological horror film about a single mother struggling to take care of her six-year-old son.
Sam comes to think that the monster of a book called “Mister Babadook” is real, a belief that strains his relationship with his mother, Amelia. The latter has not fully produced the loss of her husband, and this manifests through the film’s supernatural elements.
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John Carpenter’sThe Fogtends to be overshadowed since it is surrounded by, frankly, better films.HalloweenandThe Thingare two of the greatest horror movies of all time, whileEscape from New YorkandAssault on Precinct 13are fantastic takes on the action genre. Compared to those masterpieces,The Fogfalls somewhat flat; however, Carpenter’s talent nevertheless shines through in this ghost story.
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A disconcerting fog sweeps through a coastal town, bringing ghastly sailors along with it. Visually,The Fogmakes smart use of its titular threat to craft a sense of danger and mystery.
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As fun as 2002’sThe Ringis, the American adaptation cannot hold a candle to the Japanese original.Ringufollows a journalist, Reiko, investigating a supposedly cursed tape that kills viewers seven days after they watch it, a fate confirmed through a phone call. Reiko watches the tape for herself, and her son does the same thing; now, they only have a week to break the curse.
Ringuis bone-chillingly scary. Sadako has become an iconic ghost, and overexposure has done nothing to dull her scenes. The film is also a slow burn that grants its characters room to breathe as the tension builds towards an unforgettable final act.
