As far as horror subgenres go, the supernatural seems to be an audience favorite. Here are the best supernatural horror films to watch, rated by IMDb.
10. A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984) – 7.5
Wes Craven’s 1984 hit classic A Nightmare on Elm Street terrified viewers for decades with the introduction of Freddy Krueger, a burned and clawed supernatural ghost that haunted the nightmares of his victims. The film launched a successful franchise that included a Friday the 13th crossover film and a less successful reboot that all starred the incredibly popular and comical Krueger character, though the first film focused more on his horrifying attack on nightmares than his own clever wit and wordplay.
9. The Evil Dead (1981) – 7.5
A cult classic was born in 1981 with Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead, which introduced Bruce Campbell’s chainsaw-and-Boomstick-wielding Ash as he unleashed a dark supernatural force that killed and reanimated his friends. Ash’s never-ending battle with the Evil Dead and the Deadites launched a film franchise that led to a modern TV revival with the fan-favorite Ash vs. Evil Dead, proving the lasting power of Raimi’s original gore-filled horror.
8. The Omen (1976) – 7.5
In The Omen, an American diplomat named struggles to get a child with his wife Katherine. After Katherine delivers a stillborn baby, the couple decides to adopt a boy named Damien. Shortly after, Damien’s first nanny commits suicide and a priest warns the couple that Damien will bring sorrow to the family. The priest soon dies and a pregnant Katherine ends up having a miscarriage after Damien makes her fall off a balcony. Damien begins causing plenty of misfortune and this forces Robert to dig into the boy’s background. He eventually makes a shocking discovery: Damien might just be the Antichrist.
7. The Haunting (1963) – 7.5
The Haunting has appeared in many “Greatest Horror Movies” lists. Even director Martin Scorsese once named it the best horror movie of all time. A remake was made back starring Liam Neeson, but it was heavily panned by both fans and critics. In this original film, a scientist named Dr. Markway decides to investigate a mansion named the Hill House to prove the existence of supernatural beings. He invites two women to go with him, but soon, one of them begins exhibiting weird behavior.
6. The Conjuring (2013) – 7.5
Director James Wan rarely has missed and when he made The Conjuring, he didn’t disappoint either. With events taking place in 1971, the movie sees family man Roger Perron relocates to a farmhouse in Rhode Island with his wife and daughters. They soon find a hidden basement and shortly after that, they are haunted by strange beings. They thus decide to bring in two famous paranormal investigators to find out what’s going on. The investigators conclude that an urgent exorcism is needed.
5. The Others (2001) – 7.6
Set in 1945, The Others revolve around a woman named Grace Stewart. After waiting for her husband to come back from World War II, she gives up and concludes that he is dead. She thus decides to live quietly in the Channel Islands with her photosensitive children. She teaches her son and daughter to follow strict religious principles while making sure to close all doors and windows at all times to protect them from light.
4. The Innocents (1961) – 7.8
Set in Victorian England, The Innocents sees a wealthy and busy man hire a new housekeeper for his orphaned niece Flora and nephew Miles. The housekeeper Miss Giddens is instructed to raise the children in the best way possible. However, the job doesn’t turn out to be as rosy as the thought. She soon begins suspecting that the children are possessed by the spirits of the former housekeeper Miss Jessel and valet Peter Quint who are both deceased. She thus makes it her mission to deal with the ghosts and weird behavior in the estate.
3. The Exorcist (1973) – 8.0
The Exorcist was the first-ever horror film to be nominated for Best Picture. It was also nominated for ten other Oscars. Interestingly, a couple of major Hollywood stars had turned down offers for roles in the film as they weren’t sure it would be a success. In The Exorcist, a mother seeks help from two Catholic priests after her daughter becomes possessed with demons.
2. The Sixth Sense (1999) – 8.1
The Sixth Sense follows a young boy named Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment) who has the ability to see and talk to the dead, and a psychologist in Philadelphia named Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) who tries to assist him in dealing with his strange condition. The movie did so well at the box office that it became the second-highest-grossing film of 1999. It was also nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture. Willis missed out on an Oscar nod but got nominated for several other awards in different award organizations.
1.The Shining (1980) – 8.4
Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining remains a classic in the horror genre as a whole. The movie, which was one of many to be adapted from Stephen King’s books starred Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrence, a writer and alcoholic who gets a job as an off-season caretaker for a hotel then strange things begin to happen. Despite the film being adored by both fans and critics, it never impressed Stephen King. Moreover, He has always insisted that The Shining was a poor adaptation of his work. Furthermore, The movie was also somewhat of a sleeper hit, as it took time before becoming widely popular.