Halloween 2008: 10 Must See Ghost Films

Bloody-Disgusting.com: Picks from David Harley

10. The Orphanage (2007)

Easily one of the best films of 2007, The Orphanage showcases the insurmountable and terrifying odds a mother overcomes for her son. Although not in the director's chair this time around, Guillermo del Toro and his penchant for the fantastical come to the forefront of the film's style with allusions to Peter Pan. Belén Rueda gives an excellent performance as Laura, the determined mother, as does Geraldine Chaplin, who stars as a psychic in the film's most chilling scene.

9. The Others (2001)

Like The Orphanage, The Others is an exercise in motherly affection, with quite a different end result. Having previously directed the genuinely thrilling Tesis and Abre los Ojos, Alejandro Amenábar created spine-chilling scene after spine-chilling scene, using nothing but footsteps and shadows. A beautifully crafted film from beginning to end, boasting exceptional performances and oozing with atmosphere, it serves as a variation on The Innocents.

8. Poltergeist (1982)

Unveiled during one of the best blockbuster summers of all time, Poltergeist has since spawned one of the most heated debates among movie lovers: Was Tobe Hooper or Steven Spielberg in the director's chair? Regardless of your stance, Poltergeist works almost solely on the basis that the supernatural threat is conveyed through the eyes of the Freeling family rather than just letting the spirits run amok in a special effects extravaganza. The family is so identifiable and normal that you can't help but feel completely immersed in their predicament.

7. The Innocents (1961)

Based on the classic Henry James novel The Turning of the Screw, The Innocents carries an interesting subtext of sexual repression for Deborah Kerr's character, Miss Giddens. The Innocents stands out mainly for its ambiguous story. While quite a few ghost films leave the authenticity of its otherworldly entities up to viewers, The Innocents goes a step further, leaving the audience with an abrupt finale that will cause hours upon hours of speculation and conjecture.

6. The Fog (1980)

For horror aficionados, the mere mention of John Carpenter and Tom Atkins working together on the same project should be more than enough to justify a place on your shelf for The Fog. I've heard many argue that The Fog is an entertaining but minor blip on Carpenter's filmography but I vehemently disagree. Not only is it visually stunning in its composition of seaside cinematography, it features one of the best Carpenter scores to  date. Physically manifested ghost pirates and leprosy marry perfectly in this atmospheric horror film.

5. House On Haunted Hill (1959)

Ah, William Castle, the King of Schlock. Almost all of Castle's filmography is fun in its own way but House on Haunted Hill always stood as his true masterpiece; a B-movie that could hold its own against A-list ghost productions of the same era. The brilliance of House is that there is a supernatural presence (dripping blood, pianos playing themselves) but there's foul play afoot at the same time. The special effects are simple, but effective, and Vincent Price gives what could be his most memorable performance.

4. The Frighteners (1996)

The Frighteners is one of those rare films that actually lives up to its horror-comedy label. Weaving tongue-in-cheek humor into a dark and atmospheric horror film has never felt so effortless. The Frighteners, for all intents and purposes, was Peter Jackson's introduction to the general movie-going populace in America. With over 500 computer-enhanced shots, The Frighteners still holds up as a great example of what kind of effects work can be done outside the Hollywood system.

3. Carnival Of Souls (1962)

An undeniable influence on Night of the Living Dead, Herk Harvey's horror masterpiece has one of the most memorably creepy settings ever put to celluloid: the Saltair Amusement Park. Harvey, who had mostly made industrial training videos up until that point, managed to capture the horrific beauty inherent in one woman's quest to find why she's drawn to a mysterious amusement park. Carnival of Souls is filled with iconic moments, such as Mary's hearing loss and a chilling dance sequence at Saltair, complimented by a carnival-esque score from Gene Moore.

2. The Haunting (1963)

Robert Wise has worked on a wide range of projects, from being Orson Wells’ right hand man to West Side Story and Star Trek. But for horror fans, Wise is known for his collaborations with Val Lewton and a little film called The Haunting. Adapting Shirley Jackson’s short story, Wise employs a noir-ish approach to the material, with unique cinematography and the presentation of the house itself, which acts as the main character and dramatic arena (or in this case, maze). His most useful technique is perhaps the inner-narration of Eleanor, in which her psychological profile changes at the drop of a hat (or creak of a floorboard in this case). It also manages to convince the audience of a supernatural presence without actually showing a ghost.

1. The Shining (1980)

The Shining acts as a template for the perfect horror film. Jack Nicholson’s performance is legendary as Jack Torrence, a man who can snap at any moment. Garrett Brown's technique in The Shining is the steadicam work by which all steadicam work is measured by. Right from the opening credit sequence, the now-famous helicopter shot, you know you’re about to witness a beautiful work of art, despite what Stephen King says. I think that after you watch a great film, you should be able to have, at the least, a 20 minute conversation about it. With The Shining, it could go on for hours.

And now, one of the creepiest trailers of all time:

Comments

[Ryan Pepper on October 10, 2008 at 07:14 PM]

What about Burnt Offerings and The Changeling? I love those. I see The Haunting on so many people's list and some even call it the definitive Haunted House/Ghost film however I was not all that impressed. I was actually watching it last year with a group of people and rather than being scared, they were laughing. The Others is my favorite featured on this list.

[Josh on October 11, 2008 at 01:48 AM]

Good list, but I would have included the following films my self:

Haunted (1995)
The Lady in White (1988)
Stir of Echoes (1999)
What Lies Beneath (2000)
1408 (2007) (I know it's fairly new, but it was one of the most effective ghost stories I've seen in years)
Ju-On (the tv movies from Japan, not the theatrical movies)

[999ghosts on October 11, 2008 at 09:01 AM]

I guess the list is made with the idea of getting US costumers to buy these DVD. There are some cool titels missing like

The Eye (No! not the cheap Alba remake)
A Chinese Ghost Story (What? you might say... go check it out)
There a couple of other Asian movies that should have been on this list like the Ring among other

One movie I do miss is Thir13en Ghosts (Yes I am serious. Just stop the movie when the Ghosts are in the middle and dream up your own ending)

Thank you though for putting Poltergeist on their. One of the nicest ghost sequences ever filmed!

[Ando on October 11, 2008 at 12:13 PM]

"For all intensive purposes" is not a phrase. The correct phrase is "for all intents and purposes."

[Mike Liddell on October 12, 2008 at 12:01 AM]

All of the films mentioned above are solid. The Shining, The Haunting, The Innocents, and possibly The Orphanage belong their however any of the films listed below could replace the others.
I would also add The Changeling.
The Woman in Black
Kwaidan
Let's Scare Jessica To Death
Don't Look Now
Hour of the Wolf
The Devil's Backbone
A Tale of Two Sisters
Shutter (2004)
Paperhouse
Dead of Night
Ringu

[Revenant Magazine on October 13, 2008 at 10:41 AM]

Where's the love for Session 9? I'd also have to add the classic version of The Uninvited as well as Lady in White.

~RM~

[ongoingly on October 17, 2008 at 03:47 PM]

Love the list...but one correction (since I am a serious Shirley Jackson fan). The movie The Haunting was based on Jackson's novel, not short story, called The Haunting of Hill House. An amazing read for those of you who are ghost story readers and well as watchers! I would have also included the Innocents and Woman in Black in the top 10 since they are both, I feel, seminal films in creating atmosphere and dread.

[Nike Air Force One on April 14, 2009 at 07:00 PM]

Awesome

[Nike Air Force One on April 23, 2009 at 10:09 AM]

I agree..