Killers or monsters will scare some, but that is a physical threat that you can fight against. A ghost or demon that defies reality makes it harder for victims to survive the hopeless situation. For those who think you can fight off a horde of zombies or a home invasion, good luck with these threatening beings.
#6: It Follows
It Follows makes sex even deadlier as a shapeshifting entity slowly hunts you down unless you give someone your supernatural transmitted disease. It makes for a unique monster with a narrative that does not rely on blood, guts, and nudity. The focus on tension and atmosphere makes this a chilling experience to watch while making anyone question who you are banging.
#5: Hereditary
Hereditary is the most traumatizing movie I have ever seen. A mix of family drama and religious horror is a combination that will haunt you after the credits have entirely rolled.
The theme of possession has been beaten to death, but Ari Aster crafts something with a different angle as it focuses on a family’s grief and twists it into psychological abuse from a secretive force lurking in the shadows for a sinister agenda. I hope other filmmakers learn from Aster’s masterful debut before chucking out some generic mess with CGI spirits.
#4: The Exorcist (1973)
Children are terrifying, especially when being controlled by Satan. To this day, the original Exorcist is one of the most horrific films ever made by its pacing that ramps up into a nightmarish experience, be sure to not sleep alone after watching this 1973 classic.
#3: The Shining
Stephen King may not like it as it differs from his best seller, but Stanley Kubrick made a brilliant adaption that makes it his own. It is an excruciating slow burn, but seeing Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) lose his mind and terrify his wife (Shelley Duvall) and son (Danny Lloyd) is worth the wait. A mix of psychological and supernatural horror builds to a hit that will leave you needing time to recover, good luck.
#2: The Evil Dead
It is hard to turn the corner without seeing a nod to Sam Raimi’s ultra brutal classic. A book turning friends and objects into demons makes for an insane bloodbath. The relentless violence pushes the limits for today’s standards with one scene involving a tree raping a woman putting her under the power of the Necronomicon.
If you need some comedic relief with a pinch of horror, then this will help you cope with some of the other more dramatic entries on this list.
#1: IT (2017)
King’s epic got a modern take that did the book some justice. Besides its brilliant casting, IT brings together a nightmarish monster that tackles different areas of his prey’s psyche to open them up for an attack. Pennywise remains as one of the most terrifying antagonists in horror history for a good reason.
The list can go on and on, so what did I miss? Tell me your favorites in the supernatural genre.
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Tristan Zelden 