Ghosts and The Supernatural
Poltergeist (1982)
"When I first saw this movie I was about three years old. It scared the hell out of me. The little girl was just that creepy kind of performance people just wish for when making a scary movie. She was a cute and young little girl but still could make you shiver and wince at the same time while looking at the T.V. screen through the cracks of my fingers.
With other performances such as the old lady played amazingly by Zelda Rubinstein, I still shudder when I hear those words, "They're here!" " -
Gorephobia
The Devil's Backbone aka
El Espinazo del diablo (2001)
"Ghost stories have been around for ages, told around campfires and at sleepovers by adults and children alike.
Why is it then that we constantly find ourselves at a loss for great movies in the ghost story genre? I think it really boils down to atmosphere and that's Guillermo del Toro's "
The Devil's Backbone" (
El Espinazo del Diablo) strongest asset. Set during the Spanish Civil War, "
The Devil's Backbone" tells the story of an orphanage and the secrets kept within.
The acting is superb, as I've mentioned the atmosphere is incredible, and there is a sense of dread that stays with you from the very start of the film. Politics, morality, and humanity are all blended together with excellent narrative and gorgeous cinematography to create a very chilling and truly magnificent movie." -
Despare
The Fog (1980)
"They don't get any more atmospheric than this. Vengeful ghost,spooky lighting, and the star of the movie...the fog.
Jamie Lee was going for a tri-fecta in 1980, between
Prom Night, Terror Train and
The Fog, which many regard to be her finest work since
Halloween.
Much like "
Jaws" skewered people's perspective of the ocean....after watching this one...you will never look at a fog the same way. "There's something in the fog..."." -
Newb
The Others (2001)
"
The Others tells the tale of a mother and her two children living in a haunted, World War II era mansion. The children are photosensitive, allergic to sunlight so the curtains are closed throughout the movie. This creates a dreary atmosphere as well as many dark corners for people, or ghosts to lurk in.
The Others starts out like any other ghost story, with a few jumps and a ton of atmosphere, but the twist ending will leave you shocked!" -
Miss Macabre
The Sixth Sense (1999)
Honorable Mentions:
House of Usher (1960)
"
House of Usher was Roger Corman's first Edgar Allen Poe adaptation and it's one of the best. With a masterful script by Richard Matheson and a spot-on characterization by star Vincent Price, Corman set the tone for many Poe adaptations to follow - some more successful than others. The tale of a tortured soul beset by the fear he has inherited a familial madness and that his sister will follow suit is pure American Gothic.
Usher's moral decay is mirrored by the decay of his family home. Determined that his family curse will not carry on, Usher buries his sister in a tomb beneath the house, then frets he may have buried her alive.
Price's understated portrayal of madness, guilt and implied incest here is one of his career's best. Corman shot the film in two weeks for $250,000 but it looks far better than that. This is what made Corman the King of the B-movies in the 60s. He knew how to make a buck count. The house is dark and moody, full of rich reds, which contrast with the stark paleness of Usher and his sister.
Right up the the final conflagration which became a trademark of Corman's Poe films, everything clicks - atmosphere, acting, suspense. A true classic." -
Neverending
The Other (1972)