There is a chill in the air, leaves are falling, and strange orange spheres keep popping up on our neighbor's front steps. That's right, it's Fall, which means the spooky season is in full swing. Soon will come the scariest night of the year, Halloween, and with it a slew of horror movie marathons just waiting to be watched.
A specific sub-genre of horror that feels the most apt this time of year are haunted house films. Decrepit manors, forgotten traumas, and creepy kids are hallmarks of some of these supremely spooky flicks. To assist you in planning the haunted house portion of your Halloween movie nights, here are the top 10 haunted house movies as rated by IMDB.
The Changeling - 7.2
A cult classic in the world of supernatural horror, The Changling is a film you won't soon forget. Directed by Peter Medak, this film tells the story of accomplished classical pianist John Russell, as played by the legendary George C. Scott.
After an unexpected tragedy, John moves into a massive historical mansion to reflect on his grief and focus on his music. Where he expects solitude is where he instead finds the spirit of a long-dead child. This film is a haunting tale that shows how easily the powerful can hide their injustice, and what happens when it is allowed to fester.
Poltergeist - 7.3
Without a doubt, Poltergeist is one of the most essential haunted house films ever made. Not only did it produce one of the most quotable movie lines in history, but it also scarred a whole generation when it comes to demonic clowns.
Though not technically directed by Stephen Spielberg, you can feel his influence all over the film due to his screenwriting and producing. If you ever wondered what would happen if E.T. went full horror, this is what you would get. It captures the fear that we all hold as children, and how easily the adults around us fall to the same horrors.
Hereditary - 7.3
Though a recent arrival, one can't doubt that Hereditary already feels like an instant classic. This tale of grief and familial tension is one of the scariest ghost stories ever put to film. The performances from Toni Collette and Alex Wolff are some of the most shocking and believable in any horror film and deserved far more recognition during awards season than they did.
But the real star of the show is director Ari Aster. This being his feature film debut is mind-blowing, as it is a technical masterpiece. Every bit of camerawork set design, and story choice feels so precise and controlled.
The Haunting - 7.5
While The Haunting of Hill House on Netflix has scared viewers into oblivion, the original film adaption of Shirley Jackson's novel is just as infamous. The film was directed by the powerhouse director Robert Wise, the craftsman behind West Side Story, The Sound of Music, and Star Trek: The Motion Picture. The film is a much closer take on the original novel, telling the story of four strangers who spend the night in a haunted manor.
The film is renowned as one of the greatest in the genre. Martin Scorcese included it on his list of 11 scariest horror films of all time. If any haunted house movie was required viewing, this one is it.
Beetlejuice - 7.5
Maybe you're in the mood for a less scary haunted house flick. Perhaps instead of scares, you're looking for laughs and outrageous art direction. If so, what better option is there than Beetlejuice? One of Tim Burton's earliest films, Beetlejuice is one of the best spooky comedies ever made.
Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis are beyond likable as the lead ghosts, Winona Ryder is charmingly dreadful as Lydia, and what else can be said about Michael Keaton's performance as the titular Bio-Exorcist? It is the perfect fun Halloween movie.
The Conjuring - 7.5
One of the films that really kicked off the current explosive era of excellent horror films we're enjoying is The Conjuring. The film brings to life the supposed real-life investigations from paranormal researchers Ed and Lorraine Warren. Though it's now considered as the beginning of an expanded universe of horror films, this first film really is one of the greatest of the modern era.
Embracing an old school aesthetic with inventive scares and a perfect emotional core, the film is one of the scariest of its kind. There are sequences here that will give any viewer nightmares for days.
The Others - 7.6
The Others is everything a ghost story should be. Choosing atmosphere and melancholy over flat out scares, The Others is a perfect homage to its inspired source material The Turn of the Screw by Henry James.
Nicole Kidman perfectly plays the icy mother Grace, embodying a victorian-like strictness with all the pent up emotion of any Brit. The film has some truly scary moments, but it is far more concerned with exerting a feeling. That being said, it is also an example of expertly crafted storytelling, with an ending you won't soon forget.
The Innocents - 7.8
Also adapted from Henry James' novella, The Innocents is an equally chilling film that captures a more traditional take on the story. Played by Deborah Kerr, Miss Giddens is the governess to two children in a stately British home. She is soon pushed to her mental brink by strange happenings in the home.
The Innocents is a perfectly spooky and frightening ghost story that feels timeless. Through an exceptional lead performance by Kerr, The Innocents will suck you in slowly, only to leave your mind racing by the time it's finished with you.
The Ghost And Mrs. Muir - 7.9
This selection is far less spooky than most, but it remains one of the best ghost stories ever produced by Hollywood. Choosing the romance route over scares, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is an oceanside haunting that results in a perfectly atmospheric haunting.
Lucy Muir moves herself and her child into an oceanside cottage, only to find it haunted by its former owner, the late sea captain Daniel Gregg. The two form a bond that helps Muir move past her grief as a widow, but this creates an unsustainable relationship. It might sound a bit silly, but it is truly one of the best ghost stories of classic Hollywood.
The Shining - 8.4
Whatever is said here has been said a million times about The Shining. It is arguably the crowning achievement of Stanely Kubrick's career, as well as that of Shelley Duval and Jack Nicholson. This film about the slow deterioration of a family in a haunted hotel has inspired countless other films since.
From The Witch to Hereditary, horror films have constantly tried to emulate or honor this classic bit of horror cinema. The film redefined the genre and remains just as frightening today as it did upon release.
