The World Cinema, accompanied by its great CGI technologies and storylines has produced some of the best Supernatural Horror movies in existence. It’s no doubt, that horror movies have their own cult following, with goosebumps and spine-chilling jump scares right around the corner to experience the feeling of thrill.
To assist you in your frightening and scary screen time, we’ve prepared this list of the 16 Best Supernatural Horror films, in descending order.
16 Best Supernatural Horror Movies:
16. The Exorcism of Emily Rose
- Directed by: Scott Derrickson
- Cast: Campbell Scott, Mary Beth Hurt, Jennifer Carpenter, Tom Wilkinson, Laura Linney
- IMDB Rating: 6.7/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 44%
- Platforms Available: Prime Video, Netflix
About The Exorcism of Emily Rose:
This Scott Derrickson-directed movie; The Exorcism OF Emily Rose is based on the true events experienced by Anneliese Michel. Anneliese Michel died after 67 exorcisms were performed on her during the course of 10 months. This film received mixed reviews from the critics and was ranked 86 by Chicago Film Critics Association in their Top 100 Scariest Films Ever Made list.
Last night I couldn’t sleep (surprise), so I revisited #theexorcismofemilyrose. It’s every bit as good and frightening as I remembered it being. Best #exorcism film since #theexorcist, and a master class in terror from @scottderrickson. #horror pic.twitter.com/XMIeJkMXNF
— Steve Barton (@UncleCreepy) June 14, 2022
15. The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
- Directed by: Terence Fisher
- Cast: Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee
- IMDB Rating: 7.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 81%
- Platforms Available: Prime Video
About The Curse of Frankenstein:
The first movie made by Hammer Studio with the color “The Curse of Frankenstein” remained the same today as the 1957 movie. Its Gothic grandeur has been retained and has always been an important element of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee’s horror career.
Although Mary Shelley wrote an iconic novel with many other genres, it is the more interesting version. It plays fairly quickly on this material. Yet this book also captures the most important features of this novel with dramatic torture: Cushing the Doctor, Lee the Monster.
14. Bram Stoker’s Dracula
- Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
- Cast: Gary Oldman, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Winona Ryder, Keanu reeves
- IMDB Rating: 7.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 75%
- Platforms Available: Netflix
Released in 1992, Dracula is a perfect example of a horror movie. The film is filled with a lot of Jump scares and horror sequences. Based on the 1897 novel Dracula by Bram Stoker, this movie is about Count Dracula, which is popular even in modern pop culture media. While the original film saw many sequels, this part will forever remain a cult classic.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula Plot:
Jonathan Harker, a young barrister, is posted to a bleak town in the mists of Eastern Europe. Dracula, the undead vampire, captures and imprisons him after being inspired by an image of Harker’s fiancee, Mina Murray.
Dracula begins a reign of seduction and terror in Britain, draining the life of Mina’s closest friend, Lucy Westenra. Lucy’s friends band together in an attempt to drive Dracula away.
13. Paranormal Activity
- Directed by: Oren Peli
- Cast: Micah Sloat, Katie Featherston, Ashley Palmer
- IMDB Rating: 6.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 83%
- Platforms Available: Starz, Hulu, Amazon Prime (USA)
Shot as if it’s documenting a real-life tale of supernatural elements occurring in a house, Paranormal Activity is a supernatural horror movie that narrates the story of a couple who have persisting psychological troubles from ghosts of their past that have followed them in their house.
Paranormal Activity Plot:
Katie, who was scarred as a youngster by a mysterious spiritual presence, now believes that the same thing has caught up with her and her lover Micah. When Micah suspects they are not alone in their house, and after ignoring critical advice Katie receives from a ‘paranormal specialist,’ he continues to use his new video recording equipment in an attempt to acquire recordings revealing what this mystery monster is and what it wants.
Paranormal Activity Review:
This film is a chronological collection of what that camera captured in Katie and Micah’s house, with each night becoming more wildly horrifying.
The film is somewhat different from the normal horror genre movies. Instead of gruesome deaths, the movie focuses on the nighttime paranormal presence that is mostly subtle and spine-chilling. For a horror fan, this film makes you watch the dark corner of the screen, which makes it entertaining and frightening at the same time.
12. Sinister
- Directed By: Scott Derrickson
- Cast: Ethan Hawke, Julian Rylance, Fred Thompson
- IMDB Rating: 6.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 63%
- Platforms Available: Netflix
Sinister Plot:
Sinister is a horror movie about Ellison Oswalt, a crime writer, who moves his family into a house where a horrendous crime occurred earlier, but his family is unaware.
He starts investigating the crime with the aim of writing a book about it. Oswalt studies video recordings found in the house to aid in his research, but he soon learns that he has gotten more than he bargained for.
11. The Conjuring 2
- Directed By: James wan
- Cast: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga
- IMDB Rating: 7.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 80%
- Platforms Available: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
In a franchise full of sequels and spin-offs, The Conjuring 2 is the second installment of the supernatural horror film series. The film follows another case of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren as they venture into Enfield, in 1977.
The Conjuring 2 Plot:
Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren travel to London to assist the Hodgson in 1977. Peggy Hodgson seeks assistance after believing her daughter is possessed and her four children are afflicted by unexplained occurrences as a malignant demon takes possession of her second eldest child, Janet.
However, there is something more hazardous, not just for the residents, but also for the investigator-couple; something they could never have imagined.’
10. Poltergeist
- Directed by: Tobe Hooper
- Cast: JoBeth Williams, Craig T Nelson
- IMDB Rating: 7.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 87%
- Platforms Available: Prime Video
Poltergeist is a supernatural horror movie released in 1982.
Poltergeist Plot:
The close-knit Freeling family’s life is idyllic until a swarm of unearthly entities invades their tranquil suburban house. It begins with a few strange occurrences, but soon their home is transformed into a swirling supernatural sideshow. The forces at work aren’t benign, and if the unfortunate Freelings don’t flee soon, they’ll all be swept away into terrifying turmoil.
9. The Ring
- Directed by: Gore Verbinski
- Cast: Naomi Watts, Brian Cox
- IMDB Rating: 7.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 71%
- Platforms Available: Netflix
The Ring is a supernatural horror film released in 2002.
The Ring Plot:
Anyone who watches a weird video cassette will die. When the victim watches it, the phone rings, informing them that they only have one week to live. Rachel, a young reporter, is investigating these events, but as she and her little son watch the film, it becomes a race against time to figure out why the tape is killing everyone and how it can be stopped.
The mystery that revolves around the death of the people who watch these videos is what makes this Supernatural horror film amazing. The second half of the movie is a captivating quality thriller, with a lot of jump scares for the big fans of the horror genre, thus making it a must-watch.
8. Insidious
- Directed by: James wan
- Cast: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Barbara Hershey
- IMDB Rating: 6.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 66%
- Platforms Available: Zee5 (India), Netflix
Insidious Plot:
Insidious is a supernatural horror story about Parents Josh and Renée Lambert, together with their two boys Dalton and Foster, who are just settling into their new house. When their eldest son falls off a ladder, hurts his head, and falls into a coma.
The two parents in extreme tension had no idea what happened to their son after consulting with specialists and learning that he has no head injuries. After frightening, indecipherable incidents begin to occur, the two seek the assistance of Elise Rainer, a paranormal investigator, who offers the family sinister and horrifying news about their son that makes a coma the least of their concerns.
What makes the movie an amazing supernatural watch is the performances of Patrick Wilson and Barbara Hershey. The movie sets a benchmark for films, especially horror movies in how to narrate classic horror sequences.
7. The Exorcist
- Directed by: William Friedkin
- Cast: Max von Sydow, Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair
- IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 84%
- Platforms Available: YouTube, Google Play Movies, and TV
Directed by William Friedkin, The Exorcist is a 1973 supernatural horror film.
The Exorcist Plot:
A visiting actress in Washington, D.C., discovers remarkable and dangerous changes in her 12-year-old daughter’s behavior and physical makeup. Meanwhile, while dealing with his mother’s terminal illness, a young priest at neighboring Georgetown University begins to doubt his faith. And, at the story’s conclusion, a feeble, elderly priest understands the need for a showdown with an ancient demonic foe.
Regarded by many as the best of the best supernatural horror movies, it is no doubt that The Exorcist is a part of many people’s favorite horror films.
6. Crimson Peak
- Directed by: Guillermo Del Toro
- Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Mia Wasikwoska
- IMDB Rating: 6.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 72%
- Platforms Available: Netflix
Crimson Peak Plot:
Following a family tragedy, a promising novelist is divided between her feelings for a childhood friend and the allure of a mysterious outsider. She has been swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds, and remembers as she tries to escape the horrors of her past.
5. Evil Dead
- Directed By: Sam Raimi
- Cast: Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss
- IMDB Rating: 7.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 95%
- Platforms Available: YouTube, AppleTV
Evil Dead Plot:
Five friends have gathered at a scary remote cottage in the woods for the weekend. They discover a cassette and a decaying old book full of odd incantations while investigating the cellar.
When the tape is played, it unleashes a terrible evil force from the jungle that is determined to destroy them all.
4. The Shining
- Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
- Cast: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall
- IMDB Rating: 8.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 85%
- Platforms Available: AppleTV, Prime Video
Based on Stephen King’s novel, The Shining is one of the best supernatural horror stories ever. The supernatural component in the controversial Stephen Kings adaptation is powerful.
The Shining Review:
The movie is so effective, that a lot of viewers believe it, but some people believe it doesn’t really exist. There have been rumors that Jack Torrance has been appointed to oversee a private Overlook Hotel with his wife Shannon Duvalle and son Donald Lloyd.
There can be a lot of interpretations of the film. Why? The movie is probably the most frightening and mind-bending supernatural movie ever made.
3. Rosemary’s Baby
- Directed by: Roman Polinski
- Cast: Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes
- IMDB Rating: 8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 96%
- Platforms Available: AppleTV
Rosemary’s Baby Plot:
Rosemary Woodhouse begins to encounter strange, horrible things after moving into a horror apartment in Manhattan with her husband Guy. Guy falls for their eccentric neighbors, Roman and Minnie Castevet after the elderly couple’s ward appears to commit suicide.
Rosemary then becomes pregnant. Rosemary is not feeling well, thanks to a kind Minnie who continues giving her strange concoctions for the pregnancy. As the tagline says, the only solution is to pray for Rosemary’s baby.
2. A Nightmare on Elm Street
- Directed by: Wes Craven
- Cast: John Saxon, Ronee Blakley, Johnny Depp
- IMDB Rating: 7.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 95%
- Platforms Available: AppleTV
A Nightmare on Elm Street is a 1984 supernatural movie featuring characters like Fred Krueger.
A Nightmare on Elm Street Plot:
Nancy has nightmares about a scary, terribly scarred creature wearing a glove with razor-sharp “finger knives.” She quickly realizes that her friends are having similar night imaginations.
When the children start to die, Nancy understands she must stay awake in order to survive the horror. After discovering the dream killer’s secret identity and his link to the children of Elm Street, the girl devises a plan to lure him out into reality.
1. The Conjuring
- Directed by: James Wan
- Cast: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga
- IMDB Rating: 7.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 86%
- Platforms Available: Prime Video
The Conjuring Plot:
Carolyn and Roger Perron move their family into a derelict Rhode Island farmhouse in 1971, and soon odd things begin to happen around it, escalating into nightmare fear. Carolyn, in desperation, approaches renowned paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren to check the house.
What the Warrens discover is a whole area rife with a satanic haunting that is now following the Perron family everywhere they go. To put a stop to this evil, the Warrens will need to use all of their skills and spiritual strength to confront this ethereal threat at its source, which threatens to harm everyone involved.
Conclusion
For a big fan of supernatural horror movies, this list summarized some of the finest and best horror movies and films to exist. With exquisite breaking points in the story and tale, these films will surely be a hell of a lot of fun to watch, relieving you from the tension and stress through spine-chilling scenes.
