Demons, witches, devils, and dark magic. These subjects have always been a source of both fascination and fear, which is why they make such excellent fodder for horror genre filmmakers. Occult movies are so successful because they bring just a hint of realism to the scary stories viewers know and love; and the best occult movies don’t just provide frights in the moment — they continue to linger in our brains long after the credits roll.
Unsurprisingly, mostmovies about the occult tend to fall under the horror genre, a genre that many dismiss as being low culture. While some horror movies offer little more than cheap scares, the best offer thought-provoking commentary on subjects like feminism, grief, and religion. And there are those occult movies that have stood the test of time and are considered the scariest horror movies ever made.
Directed by Liam Gavin,A Dark Songcenters on Sophia Howard (Catherine Walker), a mother grieving over the loss of her son. Heartbroken and angry, Sophia ends up asking her occultist friend Joseph Solomon to assist her in summoning an angel to find answers. Joseph makes Sophia suffer through a series of grueling trials in order to fulfill her goal, but things go awry when their personal vendettas get in the way.
A Dark Songmay have been limited to festival screenings and a tiny theatrical release window, but luckily it found its audience through digital streaming. The movie received high praise from critics and has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 91%. With fantastic performances from lead actors Catherine Walker and Steve Oram,the occult horror’s terrifying premise and haunting imagery is balanced with heartfelt themes of love and loss.
The Wicker Man
Cast
The Wicker Man is a horror film released in 1973 and follows Police Sergeant Neil Howie, who heads to an island on the coast of Scottland in search of a missing girl. Howie discovers that the disappearance is related to a pagan society that conflicts with his Christian values - but his continued search leads him to the heart of something sinister.
Not to be confused with the 2006 remake starring Nicolas Cage,The Wicker Manis a classic horrorthat is listed among many as one of the best. Police Sergeant Neil Howie (Edward Woodward) travels to a remote Scottish island to investigate the disappearance of a young girl, only to find that the island’s inhabitants have formed a pagan cult. As the islanders seemingly attempt to thwart Howie’s investigation, a shocking secret comes to light that puts Howie in more danger.
The Wicker Manhas famously been called “theCitizen Kaneof horror movies."
The Wicker Manhas famously been called “theCitizen Kaneof horror movies,” a quote attributed to one of the first reviews for the film. Years later, horror buffs and critics alike still maintain that sentiment.The Wicker Manhas inspired many similar movies in the folk-horror subgenre, such as Ari Aster’s chilling masterpiece,Midsommar.
The Blair Witch Project
The Blair Witch Project is a 1999 horror film that follows three film students who venture into the Black Hills near Burkittsville, Maryland. As they document their search for the Blair Witch legend, strange and unsettling events unfold. Presented as found footage, the film is directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, and it pioneered the found footage genre in mainstream cinema.
The film that began the “found footage” horror trend,The Blair Witch Projectstill stands as an iconic work in the occult genre. A trio of film students travel to Burkittsville, Maryland to document the myth of the Blair Witch, who is said to haunt the woods of the area. When one of them accidentally destroys a stone cairn, bizarre things start to happen and tension builds among the group, as an unseen evil presence wreaks its havoc.
Wait, Did The Blair Witch Project Actually Show The Witch?!
The Blair Witch Project is known for not showing the title witch, but a theory explains the witch was shown, and she was hiding in plain sight.
Whereas many horror movies rely on graphically violent imagery,The Blair Witch Projectis a perfect example of how it isn’t always what the audience sees, but what they don’t see. The added realism of using true accounts of supernatural phenomenon and historic records of alleged witchcraft enhances the movie’s authenticity, as does naming the fictional characters after the actors playing them.
Constantine
Constantine follows John Constantine, a chain-smoking occult detective who has journeyed to Hell and back. Released in 2005, the film pairs him with a policewoman to investigate her twin sister’s mysterious suicide, taking them into a hidden world of demons and angels in modern Los Angeles.
Loosely based on the DC comic books,Constantineis an action-packed thrill ride of supernatural proportions. An occult expert with a cynical outlook on life, John Constantine (Keanu Reeves) walks between the world of mortals and the immaterial planes of angels and demons. He is entreated by a woman named Angela (Rachel Weisz) to investigate her twin sister’s death, but along the way, Constantine uncovers a plot among denizens of Heaven and Hell that could destroy the world.
Constantinemay not have been a big hit with critics upon its initial release, but it remains a favorite among fans of the occult genre.
Part superhero movie and part horror,Constantinemay not have been a big hit with critics upon its initial release, but it remains a favorite among fans of the occult genre. It doesn’t hurt that action star Reeves is fantastic as the lead.The movie is edgy and cool with just the right amount of devilish fervor and funthat neither comic fans nor occult fans will want to miss.
The Ninth Gate
The Ninth Gate follows a rare book dealer who embarks on a global quest to authenticate a mysterious text, The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows. As he delves deeper, he uncovers a sinister world of murder, deception, and occult practices.
Though often overlooked and underrated,The Ninth Gateis the perfect movie for true fans of the occult genre. Dean Corso (Johnny Depp), a purveyor and seller of rare books, is hired by a man named Boris Balkan (Frank Langella) to find and inspect three copies of an occultist tome titledThe Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows,in order to determine which one is the genuine article. Along the way, Dean meets several nefarious characters who seek to claim his copy of the book, and a dark conspiracy unfolds which may be more than he bargained for.
Despite the dismal reviews from critics when it first released, both Johnny Depp fans and occult fans don’t want to discount this imaginative thriller.The Ninth Gatecombines the neo-noir, horror, and thriller genres in a masterful, tension-filled roller coaster ride that demands the viewers’ attention throughout.
The Craft
The Craft is a 1996 teen horror movie starring Robin Tunney, Neve Campbell, Fairuza Balk, and Rachel True. The Andrew Fleming-directed film focuses on a group of outcasts at an LA high school who practice witchcraft and create their own coven. The film received mixed reviews but was a surprise hit at the box office for Columbia.
Oftenconsidered one of the most respectful and accurate depictions of the Wiccan religion on screen,The Craftfollows teenager Sarah Bailey (Robin Tunney) into the dangerous world of magic, witchcraft, and high school. As the enigmatic new girl in town, Sarah catches the attention of three other girls who are looking for a fourth witch to complete their coven. Things seem peachy at first until thewitches' fearless leader Nancy(Fairuza Balk) becomes jealous of Sarah’s innate magical talent and calls on dark powers to enhance her own abilities.
Why The Craft’s “We Are The Weirdos Mister” Line Is So Iconic
Teen horror The Craft remains a beloved movie more than 25 years after its release, and its iconic line “We are the weirdos mister” is one reason why.
Stylish and borderline campy,The Craftis a cult classic that expertly combines supernatural horror and teen drama. Balk earned national fame for her manically intense portrayal of Nancy, as did her ‘90s gothic chic attire in the film. One of Balk’s most memorable lines, “We are the weirdos, mister,” has become a favorite for many fans of the movie.
Stigmata
Stigmata is a supernatural horror film centered on Frankie Paige, an atheist hairdresser whose life is turned upside down when she begins to exhibit the stigmata—the wounds of Christ. The phenomenon catches the attention of the Vatican, prompting the church to send Father Andrew Kiernan to investigate its authenticity. Directed by Rupert Wainwright, the film explores themes of faith, possession, and the intersection of science and religion.
Directed by Rupert Wainwright,Stigmatatells the story of a priest who has lost his faith, and the woman who finds the faith she never had. Father Andrew Kiernan (Gabriel Byrne) is a priest who investigates alleged miracles, but years of false claims have made him cynical. When he hears the case of an atheist woman named Frankie (Patricia Arquette) showing signs of the stigmata, he goes to Pittsburgh to investigate. What he finds is something that could turn the Catholic church upside down and change the religious institution forever.
Critics did not likeStigmatain the least, and the universally panned supernatural thriller has a score of 22% on Rotten Tomatoes. Nevertheless,Stigmatadeserves a place as one of the best occult movies.Not only is it a tense thriller with strong performances from the lead actors, but it’s also an inspiring message that faith is more important than dogma.
The Omen
The Omen is a classic supernatural horror film that follows a family that begins seeing a dark change in their son as he ages. Unbeknownst to his wife, Kathy, Robert Thorn sees that their child has died during birth and is aided by a chaplain to replace the deceased child with a newborn orphan and raise him as their own. As the years pass, increasingly violent incidents, including the suicide of the family nanny, begin to occur around their son, Damien. Little do the parents know, the child they took on is actually the antichrist.
One of the most chilling supernatural horrors of the ‘70s,The Omencontinues to be one of the greatest occult films of all time. An American diplomat living in Rome, Robert Thorne (Gregory Peck) adopts a newborn boy after his own child died at birth. As the years pass, young Damien (Harvey Spencer Stephens) grows up to be something of a hellraiser — literally. It turns out that Damien is the son of Satan, and Robert must make an unthinkable decision or else allow the coming of the Antichrist.
Every Omen Movie Ranked, Worst to Best
The Omen franchise is one of the horror genre’s most iconic, though the six movies in the series thus far vary wildly in terms of quality.
At the time of its release,The Omenwas not a hit with critics. However,more and more have come to appreciate the movie’s tense-filled atmosphere and frightening subtleties in retrospect. Jerry Goldsmith’s musical score for the movie’s soundtrack enhances the unsettling terror happening on screen, and the composer won an Academy Award for Best Original Score because of it.
Hereditary
The feature film debut of writer-director Ari Aster, Hereditary tells the story of the unwittingly cursed Graham family. Annie Graham (Toni Collette) lives with her husband Steve (Gabriel Byrne) and their children Peter (Alex Wolff) and Charlie (Milly Shapiro). After the death of Annie’s mother, the family is beset by disaster and stalked by a supernatural entity that dredges up a past that Annie had spent her life trying to overlook.
Studio A24 has a sterling reputation for delivering truly terrifying horror movies, and it all started with Ari Aster’s directorial debut,Hereditary.The film opens with Annie Graham (Toni Colette) and her family attending the funeral of Annie’s mother, with whom she had a strained relationship. Later, Annie’s daughter Charlie (Millie Shapiro) is killed in a terrible accident, and she is overcome with grief and anger. In pursuit of answers, the Graham family holds a seance to communicate with Charlie but instead summon a demon that seeks to find a human host to house its spirit.
For such a recent movie,Hereditaryis already considered one of the greatest horror films of all time
For such a recent movie,Hereditaryis already considered one of the greatest horror films of all time, thanks to Toni Collette’s riveting performance as Annie and writer-director Ari Aster’s masterful storytelling.The movie’s unsettling ambiance and disturbing imagery leave an imprint on the viewer’s brain that they will not soon forget— whether they want to or not.
Rosemary’s Baby
Directed by Roman Polanski and starring Mia Farrow, Rosemary’s Baby chronicles the chilling tale of Rosemary Woodhouse, the wife of an actor who, after finding out she is pregnant, begins to suspect that her unborn child is something far more sinister than a normal baby. John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer, and Maurice Evans also star.
The occult psychological thrillerRosemary’s Babyhas been a staple of American horror since its release in 1968. Newlyweds Rosemary (Mia Farrow) and Guy (John Cassavetes) move into a Manhattan apartment with a strange history, and even stranger neighbors. As Guy befriends the elderly couple next door, Rosemary grows more and more uneasy with their odd behavior. Soon Rosemary becomes pregnant, but what should be a joyful occasion turns to terror when Rosemary discovers the nefarious plans of her occultist neighbors.
10 Horror Movies That Were Clearly Inspired By Rosemary’s Baby
With its slow-build tension, psychological horror, and urban location, Rosemary’s Baby is arguably one of the most influential horror movies today.
Considered a true movie classic,Rosemary’s Baby’s clever visual storytelling and building suspense make it a must-see occult film. Farrow gives a fantastic performance as Rosemary, perfectly portraying a woman fighting for her life against manipulation and gaslighting, only to be doomed to her fate.Rosemary’s Babyproves that scary movies don’t need jump scares or gore to be frightening — just good storytelling.
