Haunted Houses
There’s something irresistibly spine-tingling about haunted house movies – they chill you to the bone and keep you coming back for more. One of the earliest examples is The Uninvited (1944), a subtly unsettling classic that, surprisingly, didn’t spark a wave of ghost stories at the time. The genre truly gained momentum in the 1960s with standout films like The Innocents (1961), an adaptation of The Turn of the Screw, and The Haunting (1963), based on Shirley Jackson’s novel of the same name. The 70s and 80s continued the trend and turned up the notch with memorable entries, and today, haunted houses have become the backbone of entire franchises – The Conjuring, Insidious, and Paranormal Activity, to name a few.
Amityville 1992: It’s About Time (1992) 5/10
Straight to video sequel about a haunted clock; this one goes for thrills, and it’s a fun ride.
Amityville II: The Possession (1982) 8/10
A prequel that manages to be superior to the original, this has good performances, FX, scares, unsettling incest theme, and an Exorcist-like ending.
When objects aren't being hurled at the audience, this silly 3D sequel is quite enjoyable though the shocks have been toned down for a PG rating. aka Amityville III: The Demon
The Amityville Horror (1979) 7/10
Never mind the inaccuracies, this haunted house horror, while long and overblown, deserves its 70s blockbuster status and has plenty to recommend it, like the Lalo Schifrin score.
Amityville Horror: The Evil Escapes (1989) 4/10
Bad sequel made for TV about a haunted lamp, filled with endless horror movie clichés. aka Amityville 4: The Evil Escapes
Annabelle (2014) 6/10
Disappointing prequel to The Conjuring, centred on a creepy doll but weighed down by cheap jump scares and thin characters that makes it feel like a cash-in, which certainly worked at the box office.
Annabelle: Creation (2017) 7/10
A marked improvement over its predecessor, this brings back the old school horror tricks and delivers real surprises – though it still lacks compelling characters to truly invest in.
Dan Curtis’ big screen horror outing has a great cast, creepy atmosphere and decent ending – one of the best evil house movies of the 1970s.
The Changeling (1980) 10/10
George C. Scott is outstanding in this tale of ghostly revenge – first-rate atmosphere, suspense and chills.
The Conjuring (2013) 8/10
Very effective and creepy horror with old school scares and Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga making a good Ed and Lorraine Warren; it manages to maintain believability to the finale.
Creepy, suspenseful and highly atmospheric horror with great period detail, a terrifying demon, and over-the-top finale – which is where director James Wan could have turned down the dial a little bit.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021) 7/10
Yet another entry in the franchise, kicking off strong before slipping into familiar haunted house theatrics – but Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga’s chemistry keeps it compelling.
The Entity (1982) 10/10
Gripping and intense, if a little long, this apparently true story about a young mother under attack by an invisible entity is essential viewing right through to the terrifying and obscene final line.
The Evil (1978) 7/10
Nifty haunted house horror with fine moments and hammy acting in the basement.
Full Circle (1977) 8/10
This could have used more narrative drive but is a chilling tale of grief and a supernatural haunting, with one of Mia Farrow’s best performances, backed with an interesting score by Colin Towns. aka The Haunting of Julia
The Haunting (1963) 10/10
Robert Wise’s classic horror deals firmly in the realm of what you can’t see – a gorgeous masterpiece of terror, rendering any attempt to remake it utterly pointless.
House (1985) 6/10
Horror comedy about a troubled writer who moves into a haunted house featuring charm, good creature effects and a touch of Namsploitation.
House II: The Second Story (1987) 5/10
This has a different house and different characters – and involves a crystal skull, Royal Dano as a cowboy zombie, and time travel – for some PG-13 rated comedy horror fun.
The House Where Evil Dwells (1982) 5/10
A family in Japan battle spooky samurai in this incredibly silly ghost story where mechanical crabs steal the show.
The Innocents (1961) 9/10
Deborah Kerr becomes convinced that her house is haunted in the best big screen adaptation of Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw; cinematography by Freddie Francis particularly outstanding.
Insidious (2010) 7/10
A young boy inexplicably enters a comatose state and becomes a vessel for demonic entities in another well-made James Wan horror that led to a series; on its own merits, not entirely convincing.
Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013) 6/10
Continuation of a series, with Patrick Wilson possessed this time – and without a child in danger this falls a little flat and must rely on gimmicks for its scares.
The Legend of Hell House (1973) 8/10
Haunted house story with questionable motivations; otherwise, this is an underrated horror classic, just dripping with atmosphere and dread.
Lights Out (2016) 6/10
Supernatural chiller about a little boy haunted by a monster in the dark – this mostly works, with threatening atmosphere hampered by Maria Bello’s crazy mother routine and some lazy jump scares.
The Others (2001) 9/10
Nicole Kidman is excellent as a paranoid woman with photosensitive children on a creepy estate – basically an update of The Innocents, but superbly helmed and thoroughly engaging.
Poltergeist (1982) 8/10
A family’s home is haunted by malevolent ghosts in horror that is more Steven Spielberg than Tobe Hooper – key to its success is that the FX don’t overwhelm the likeable human characters.
Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) 6/10
Effective sequel with H. R. Giger designs, another strong Jerry Goldsmith score, and some scares – but a bit noisy and unoriginal.
Hampered by the death of its young star prior to release, this joyless follow-up is set in a cold high-rise, and the characters run around shouting “Carol Anne!” ad infinitum; a couple of spooky moments help.
The Sentinel (1977) 7/10
A young woman moves into an apartment building that houses a sinister evil in tasteless horror directed by Michael Winner with all-star cast and demented moments.
Sinister (2012) 7/10
Ethan Hawke plays a true-crime writer who finds a box of creepy Super 8 movies in scary tale that delivers the goods despite implausibility and a demon that looks like a member of Slipknot.
Sobrenatural (1981) 7/10
Little-seen Spanish horror directed by Eugenio Martín who adds some grisly moments, jump scares and pseudo-scientific nonsense; far from The Entity, but still fun. aka Return of the Poltergeist; Supernatural
Twice Dead (1988) 5/10
A family move into a haunted LA home and are harassed by a gang whose leader has a Flock of Seagulls haircut; clichéd and dumb, with fun moments saved for the finale.
The Uninvited (1944) 8/10
Ray Milland and Ruth Hussey buy a seaside home with an unsavoury past in early haunted house movie with exquisite atmosphere and cinematography, and some genuinely spooky moments.
The Woman in Black (2012) 7/10
This starts out as a wonderfully atmospheric, old-fashioned chiller, filled with darkness and dread, before becoming a kinetic thrill ride; the 1989 TV movie did it better.