Spooky movies are made in such a way to give rise to fear and suspense. They often feature supernatural elements, horror themes and scary elements. Some are made on psychological thrills. Common types include ghosts, monsters, haunted houses, and scary surprise elements. They may also incorporate folklore, urban legends, or paranormal phenomena. In this blog post we have gathered five of the spookiest movies ever made.
1. The Exorcist (1973)
The Exorcist (1973), directed by William Friedkin, is a classic American horror film based on William Peter Blatty’s 1971 novel of the same name. A young girl becomes possessed by a powerful demon. Her mother takes help of two priests, who risk everything in a terrifying battle between faith and evil. This movie is considered to one of the most spookiest movies ever made.
- Genre: Horror, Supernatural, Thriller
- IMDB: 8.1/10
- Director: William Friedkin
- Runtime: 2h 2m
- Main Cast: Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Max von Sydow, Jason Miller
- Why It’s Spooky: Even after 50 years, The Exorcist is still one of the best examples of slow and gradually increasing fear. The possession scenes are so shocking because they feel frighteningly real and believable. When it first came out in 1973, people fainted and even puked in theaters. Watch it today, and it’ll leave you paranoid.
The Exorcist (1973) was officially selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry by the Library of Congress on December 29, 2010, recognized for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.
2. Hereditary (2018)
This is an American supernatural psychological horror drama film written and directed by Ari Aster. This film is about a family haunted by evil forces after the death of their secretive grandmother.
- IMDB: 7.3/10
- Genre: Horror, Drama, Mystery
- Runtime: 2h 7m
- Director: Ari Aster
- Main Cast: Toni Collette, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro, Gabriel Byrne
- Why It’s Spooky: This is a chilling horror film that shows atmosphere can be scarier than butchery bloodshed. This movie begins as a family drama but slowly unveils a suffocating web of paranormal activities and supernatural elements. The last 20 minutes of the movie are a pure nightmare fuel, and the scenes will haunt you for months.
3. The Shining (1980)
This is a psychological horror film which was produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick. It was co-written with novelist Diane Johnson. The story follows Jack Torrance who becomes the winter caretaker at the isolated Overlook Hotel. He brings his wife Wendy and psychic son Danny with him. At the hotel some supernatural forces drive Jack into violent madness. As a snowstorm traps them inside, Jack hunts his family with an axe. Wendy and Danny manage to escape, but Jack freezes to death in the snow.
- IMDB: 8.4/10
- Genre: Horror, Psychological Thriller
- Runtime: 2h 26m
- Director: Stanley Kubrick
- Main Cast: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers
- Why It’s Spooky: The haunting story of isolation, madness, and supernatural horror, filled with unforgettable chilling cinematography. It’s the horror of someone you love becoming the monster.
4. The Ring (2002)
This is an American supernatural psychological horror film directed by Gore Verbinski and written by Ehren Kruger. The movie follows a mysterious urban legend about a cursed videotape that supposedly kills anyone who watches it seven days after viewing.
- IMDB: 7.1/10
- Genre: Horror, Mystery
- Runtime: 1h 55m
- Director: Gore Verbinski
- Main Cast: Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, David Dorfman, Brian Cox
- Why It’s Spooky: This movie turns everyday technology—a VHS tape and TV—into a source of supernatural terror. The film’s dark look, mysterious sounds and terrified faces make the horror feel like creeping under your skin.
Also Read: Hulu Original Horror Movies
5. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
This is an American psychological horror film written and directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez. The story follows three student filmmakers—Heather, Josh, and Mike. They venture into the Black Hills Forest in Maryland to document the local legend of the Blair Witch. It’s believed that she is a mythical figure blamed for mysterious disappearances of people over the time. This movie was presented as a recovered footage from the camera of the student’s which was found a year later.
- IMDB: 6.5/10
- Genre: Horror, Mystery, Found Footage
- Runtime: 1h 21m
- Directors: Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sanchez
- Main Cast: Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, Joshua Leonard
- Why It’s Spooky: This movie shows the real meaning of spooky. You will never see any monsters, but the suggestion of something out there in the woods is so strong that audiences swore it was real. The claustrophobic footage makes you feel trapped with the characters. The ending of the film will actually tell what spookiest movies are.
Where to Watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime
These are truly the spookiest movies ever made. Each one has moments you won’t forget, no matter how hard you try. Which one you have watched or want to watch do let us know in the comment section.
