We’re all familiar with Poltergeist, The Ring, or well…Ghost, but the ghost-focused sub-genre in horror doesn’t seem as noticed or as popular as you might think. As we get closer to the spooky season (or, in the midst of it, if you’re Wal-Mart), let’s take a look at seven lesser-known ghostly films to add to your watchlists before this Halloween.
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1Hausu (House) – 1977
This film is probably the most unique inclusion on this list. Being honest, it may not be for everyone. Hausu is an extremely fun and completely chaotic (in a good way) Toho take on a haunted house story. The film follows a girl and her six friends, as they visit her aunt’s mansion to escape some family drama. They’re met with flying severed heads, human-eating pianos, blood-spewing cat spirits, and haunted appliances. The film is great mixture of silliness and horror, brought together with groovy funkadelic 70’s tunes, awesome lighting, and cool painted backdrops. Hausu is like a great mixture of Evil Dead and Poltergeist but came before both.
2We Are Still Here – 2015
One of my recent favorites, We Are Still Here is a beautifully shot film blending the horrors of grief and isolation with the terrors of…well, ghosts! The amazing Barbara Crampton stars in the lead role, there’s a weird cult-y American Werewolf in London/Children of the Corn vibe, and the film produces some of the most brutal practical effects and awesome makeup that I’ve ever seen in a ghost film. This was another winner from Dark Sky Films, who put together fan favorites like Victor Crowley, Late Phases, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, and the next film on this list…
3The Innkeepers – 2011
This film is the definition of a slow burn, but it keeps you invested with likable characters, a fun story, great technical aspects, a good score, and some jump scares along the way. The story follows the ghost hunting adventures of two clerks that run a failing and supposedly haunted inn. We’re also given a great supporting performance from Kelly McGillis. The Innkeepers has a neat idea of how being a medium works with the human mind, and gives us a solid new take on a classic-style ghost hunting film. Stick around for that ending!
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4Lady in White – 1988
This is one of those films that 80’s kids always say scared the crap out of them when they were little. It was strange because the film centered around a child trying to solve the mystery of serial killings, with clues being dealt to him from the apparitions of the victims. It was probably something that parents thought was suitable for kids at the time, but was the exact opposite. Lady in White had a lot of those classic 1980’s transparent ghost effects, creepy sets and spooky atmospheres, and a pretty damn good story. It’s worth going back to with a bucket of popcorn and a blanket.
5The Orphanage – 2007
This one of my favorite ghost films, period. The film is directed by Spanish filmmaker J.A. Bayona (A Monster Calls, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom), and presented by Guillermo del Toro. A woman brings her family back to her childhood home, a former orphanage for handicapped kids. Her son starts communicating with the spirits of former child residents, and a mystery starts unraveling. The atmosphere and environments in this film are so creepy, and the makeup/costume effects are extremely effective. If you asked me to pick one single film on this list to watch, it’d be this one. I watch it every October.
6Burnt Offerings – 1976
Here’s a tip, if you’re ever offered a giant mansion to stay at for the summer at an extremely discounted price, make sure no creepy old women come with the deal. Burnt Offerings is the tale of a decrepit old mansion, whose spirit seems to feed on blood and accidents in order to restore itself, while possessing the people that live there. I wouldn’t be a surprised at all if this film inspired some of the film aspects of The Amityville Horror (1977) or Mike Flanagan’s The Haunting of Hill House. Karen Black and Oliver Reed absolutely kill it in their roles, too. A bit slow, but like most 70’s horror, the thrill lies within the excellence of the storytelling.
7White Noise – 2005
I saw this one in theaters as a teenager, and I think at the time my early/mid 2000’s teenage brain was being over-saturated with films like The Ring, Darkness Falls, or Hide & Seek. I remember thinking this film was a dud, but upon re-watch, it really is a surprisingly unique film. Michael Keaton, in turtlenecks and blonde highlights, does a solid job as the lead and uses EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon) to attempt to decipher messages from his deceased wife, while malevolent spirits try to stop him. The film still has a little early 2000’s stink on it, but overall, the film is entertaining and doesn’t get much love.
What are some of your favorite lesser-known ghost films? We’d love to hear your picks!
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