Summary

Whether they ’re horror pic or not , spook movies have enamor the attention of audiences for many year , and the best movies involving ghosts put an innovative whirl on familiar tales of paranormal activity . No matter what kind of hereafter a film draws its inspiration from , there are plenty of folktale and spiritual philosophy to pass upon when making a flick about ghosts . Ghost movies disagree from traditional repulsion and fiend moving picture because they handle with the fright and mystery of an entity that might not be seeable , capitalise on the human reverence of the unidentified .

Outside of horror , ghosts can appear in motion-picture show about brokenheartedness and play an instrumental role in the healing physical process for the characters still alive onscreen .

Japanese horror movies are known for take the scariest ghostsin the repugnance genre , and many films on the inclination take direct intake from their style and stories . alfresco of horror , ghosts can appear in films about heartbreak and play an instrumental persona in the healing process for the lineament still alive onscreen . Similarly to other writing style that deal with illusion , ghost film excel in liveliness because of the unlimited opportunities for visual styles and effects . Conversely , live - action ghost stories have come a long way because of the invention in VFX applied science .

Darry from Jeepers Creepers, the doll from Child’s Play, and Alex from Final Destination

Movie

IMDb evaluation

ParaNorman ( 2012 )

Johnny Depp as Edward Scissorhands, Jack Skellington from Nightmare Before Christmas and Danny DeVito as Penguin from Batman Returns

7 / 10

Casper ( 1995 )

6.2 / 10

Alfred Hitchcock looking at the camera.

Beetlejuice ( 1988 )

7.5 / 10

Ghostbusters ( 1984 )

Jack-Nicholson-as-Jack-Torrance-from-The-Shining–Casey-Affleck-as-C-from-A-Ghost-Story-

Image by Yeider Chacon

7.8 / 10

The 6th mother wit ( 1999 )

8.2 / 10

Headshot Of Anna Kendrick

ParaNorman is a stop-motion animated movie about a young boy who uses his ability to see and communicate with the dead to save his town from an ancient witch’s curse. The voice cast includes Kodi Smit-McPhee, Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Leslie Mann, Jodelle Ferland, Bernard Hill, Tucker Albrizzi, and John Goodman.

Spirited Away ( 2001 )

8.6 / 10

Poltergeist ( 1982 )

Headshot Of Kodi Smit-McPhee

7.3 / 10

A Ghost Story ( 2017 )

6.8 / 10

Headshot Of Bill Pullman

Rebecca ( 1940 )

8.1 / 10

The shine ( 1980 )

Headshot Of Christina Ricci In The 29th Annual Critics' Choice Awards

8.4 / 10

The condition " supernatural " does n’t necessarily name to ghostwriter , as these smart as a whip repulsion movies have different transcendental entity prove .

10ParaNorman (2012)

Directed by Sam Fell

Cast

ParaNorman is a block - motility animated movie about a new boy who use his ability to see and communicate with the dead to save his townspeople from an ancient hag ’s curse . The voice cast includes Kodi Smit - McPhee , Anna Kendrick , Casey Affleck , Christopher Mintz - Plasse , Leslie Mann , Jodelle Ferland , Bernard Hill , Tucker Albrizzi , and John Goodman .

Stop - motion is well known for its contributions to horror , andParaNormanis a reprehensively underrated summation to the break - motion canon . The celluloid followsthe tale of pre - teen Norman , voiced by Kodi Smit - Mcphee , a son who can communicate with the dead . He ’s a unsure son who struggles to communicate with the life , soParaNormancharacterizes the spectre as friendly and illuminating presence who are looking out for the realm of the living . The antagonists of the movie are not the spectre themselves but a witch ’s curse that was placed many twelvemonth ago .

In this way , ParaNormangrapples with the chronicle of the Salem Witch Trials and their violent legacy in the United States . ParaNormanis noted for its ability to convey a complex message about history within a traditional shaver ’s data formatting and pertain it to the ups and downs of puerility . It ’s not uncommon for fry to twist to fanciful supporter or ghostswhen they feel that the live human beings does n’t translate them . The film is also notable for admit the first openly gay animated fiber .

HeaDSHOT oF Eric Idle

WatchParaNormanon Starz .

9Casper (1995)

Directed by Brad Silberling

Although there aresad fact about Casper ’s backstory , they only imbueCasperwith more heart and emotion . Based on the character Casper The Friendly Ghost from the Harvey Comics series , Casperis just as friendly as his original name suggests . A youthful Christina Ricci move into the place that the charitable spectre is haunting , and the two children , one experience and one dead form a connection . They bond because Casper still feel a wrench to the world of the living and has been solitary after all these years .

to boot , Kat ( Ricci ) has recently moved and feels isolate while trying to build novel friendships and adjust to her young environment . Though there are small elements of the shivery ghost narration , that ’s not really whatCasperis about . It ’s about move on and bring around from past traumas by sharing them with a supporter . ThoughCasperdoesn’t get out boundaries in its discussion of puerility , it has a serious emotional subject matter . The visual triumph of conflate live - action and animation should n’t be overlook , either .

8Beetlejuice (1988)

Directed by Tim Burton

Tim Burton ’s Beetlejuice star Michael Keaton as the titular " bio - exorciser " , an objectionable emotional state who specialize in force living occupants out of domicile . When Barbara ( Geena Davis ) and Adam Maitland ( Alec Baldwin ) die on the spur of the moment , they turn over into the spirit land , and must stay in their home . However , in the living world , the Deetz family purchases the house and go in , prompting the Maitlands to enlist the supporter of Beetlejuice to push them away .

There are many reasonableness whyBeetlejuicehas become such an iconic piece of ghoulish filmmaking and why it has become a significant touchstone in popular culture . From the skillful focussing of Tim Burton to the stellar cast that include Winona Ryder , Michael Keaton , Geena Davis , and Alec Baldwin , Beetlejuicewas a case of a plastic film being set up for success . Since its premiere , Beetlejuicehas been conform into a stagecoach musical , and there ’s plenty more on the horizon for the source textile . This variety of relevance so many years after the archetype indicate the timbre of the film .

The use of ghost and the conflict of Davis and Baldwin ’s characters test to use their ghostly powers to daunt a mob away from moving into their house is rife with comedy . Beetlejuiceexcels by counteract the mutual tropes of how ghosts are supposed to actand framing through two fresh minted spirit who have no idea how to be ghosts or how to cross into the afterlife . Additionally , the memorable and well - develop characters impart to how easily viewers are sucked into the plot of land and ca n’t count away .

Headshot Of Ben Stein

Tim Burton is a talented filmaker and storyteller , up to of bringing out the near in the actors he influence with and make rich imaginative worlds .

7Ghostbusters (1984)

Directed by Ivan Reitman

Ghostbusters is a 1984 phantasy sci - fi film from film director Ivan Reitman . The movie stars Dan Aykroyd , Bill Murray , Harold Ramis , and Ernie Hudson as Raymond Stantz , Peter Venkman , Egon Spengler , and Winston Zeddemore , paranormal investigators who travel New York hunt and capturing ghosts . The movie eventually became one of the most iconic films of the ' fourscore , spawn a multimedia franchise include a sequel , spinoffs , Book , and video games .

Few movies have become as classic of the ghost genre asGhostbusters . The many sequels that have add up out since the archetype in 1984 have tried , but nothing compares to the first picture show or can get its humor . Part of this is due to the original cast ’s chemical science and also because audience had never assure anything like it when it premiered . Using iconic buildings in New York City as its mise en scene lends itself to the film ’s timeless natureand the nostalgia that it already had in 1984 .

Part parody of repugnance plastic film about shade exorcisms and part geographic expedition into the intersection between science and the supernatural , Ghostbusterswas an underdog when it hit the box office . It was n’t prognosticate to be the success that it was , and the topic song has become one of the most iconic featured song in a comedic movie . There are many reasonsGhostbustersstands alone among similar films , and it ’s due to the witty dialogue and fresh writing that do n’t rely on as hard extra effects to carry the narration .

Headshot Of Catherine O’Hara

Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice stars Michael Keaton as the titular “bio-exorcist”, an obnoxious spirit who specializes in driving living occupants out of homes. When Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin) die suddenly, they pass into the spirit realm, and must stay in their home. However, in the living world, the Deetz family purchases the house and moves in, prompting the Maitlands to enlist the help of Beetlejuice to drive them away.

6The Sixth Sense (1999)

Directed by M. Night Shyamalan

channelise by M. Night Shyamalan , The 6th mother wit is a psychological thriller about a young son who can see and communicate with ghosts . Bruce Willis as Dr. Malcolm Crowe , a child psychologist who tries to serve Cole , play by Haley Joel Osment , while grappling with his own personal demons . The movie features a pull end that has become iconic in pop music culture .

The manager , M. Night Shyamalan , is known for making films with incredible twisting that are nearly impossible to forecast . He gain this reputation through films likeThe Sixth Sense , which always leave first - sentence viewers stunned when they realize that the entire film ’s substance has changed in the last few minute . For this reason , watchingThe Sixth Senseonly once is almost unimaginable because it ’s just as fun to watch knowing how it ends . Having insight into the twirl allows the audience to genuinely prize the foreshadowing and the jot that are dropped along the elbow room .

Cole Sear ( Haley Joel Osment ) is a child who go out ghost , and he render the renowned line , " I see dead people . " However , The 6th Senseis much more than this iconic and frequently parodied tune of negotiation . Bruce Willis gives a show - stopping performance as Dr. Malcolm Crowe , a man examine to help Cole . Despite the striking element , there are still manyscary aspect inThe Sixth Sense . Though many films have explore what happens when someone can see the dead , few have done it good thanThe Sixth Sense .

Headshot Of Michael Keaton In The Los Angeles Special Screening Of ‘Knox Goes Away’

5Spirited Away (2001)

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Spirited Away , a chef-d’oeuvre by Hayao Miyazaki , is an animated fantasy film that come after the enchanting journey of a youthful girl named Chihiro . Trapped in a mystic world after her parents are transform into squealer , Chihiro must pilot a kingdom filled with emotional state and rummy animate being to save her family .

Spirited Awayis one ofthe best anime moving-picture show of all timebecause of its gorgeous optical mode , the moving story , and the brilliant director from Studio Ghibli ’s Hayao Miyazaki . ThoughSpirited Awaystands out not only in animation but in filmmaking in ecumenical , shade are more a means to an end in telling the story , which is why it does n’t rank higher on the list . Spirited Awayis more concerned with folklore and fable of Nipponese mythology than ghosts . However , this get the story even more impactful because of its power to transform long - held beliefs into the modern era .

The agonist , Chihiro , is a unseasoned girl transported to the spirit kingdom and starts working at a supernatural health spa / bagnio after her parents are transform into hog . Like all children in Miyazaki movies , Chihiro is uncommonly braveand fail through more than many children her age . However , Spirited Awayunderstands that the emotions of children should be taken as seriously as adult and communicate this within a beautifully realized world . Though the spirit creation is different from realness , in some manner , it captures the human experience more fully because of this .

Headshot Of Geena Davis

WatchSpirited Awayon Max .

4Poltergeist (1982)

Directed by Tobe Hooper

base on the creative squad behind the originalPoltergeist , it ’s unsurprising that it ’s one of the best - known ghost movies and one of the scariest . Steven Spielberg collaborated on the script with Tobe Hooper directing due to his work onThe Texas Chainsaw Massacre , a motion picture that has issue forth to body forth the modern definition of a slasher motion picture . Poltergeistis an exceptionally frightening moving-picture show , and even with the engineering science of the 1980s , that does n’t stop it from being terrorize to this day . When viewers recollect of ghosts in a revulsion context of use , the first matter that come to mind is oftenPoltergeist .

Outside the scares , Poltergeistis also a well - made film that was nominated for three Academy Awards . This accomplishment is no small exploit since the horror music genre is habitually pretermit and underrepresented during the mainstream awards season . However , Poltergeisttranscended this because it tell a compact and intriguing story and knew better than to incline too far into particular effects . look of the thriller genre are implemented , making the import between scares experience just as gamey - post as when the ghosts are onscreen .

3A Ghost Story (2017)

Directed by David Lowery

Fantasy , reality , and grief come together to interweave a storey that spans centuries in David Lowery’sA Ghost Story . Even with a microbudget of $ 100,000 , viaBox Office Mojo , the moving-picture show manage to sense both enormous in scope and distressingly versed in its storytelling . A Ghost Storytakes the question of what happens after death and takes it to the extreme point when a piece derive back as a ghost and is unable to move on because he leave behind his wife in the dwell world . He remains on the fringes of realness until he finds closure .

Starring Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara , A Ghost Storyis not an easy watch and can border on torturous for the hearing and performer . There is a scene systematically of a exclusive take of Mara exhaust an entire Proto-Indo European by herself . haunt takes on many forms inA Ghost Story , and the consultation ca n’t help feel as if their own regret and unfinished job are dawdle behind them . Despite its circumscribed firing , the pic return enough returns but deserves much more popularity than it has .

2Rebecca (1940)

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock may be the Rex of thriller flick , but he seldom dipped his toe into the supernatural outside his 1940 filmRebecca . The cinema is an adaption of the novel of the same name by Daphne du Maurier . Though it has paranormal elements , Rebeccais still altogether a Hitchcock film , and all the marks of his work are present . The ghost of Rebecca , the first wife of the piece that Mrs. de Winter ( Joan Fontaine ) marries , obsess her throughout the cinema , and though Rebecca is never seen , she is a persistent comportment in every scene .

Rebeccaalso shoot a line the legendary actor Laurence Olivierperforming in the film as her married man , Maxim de Winter . He and Fontaine act off each other brightly as she becomes sucked into his World Wide Web and chance out the truth behind Rebecca ’s death . There is n’t a second of respite in the celluloid , and the sense that there ’s something hide in the darkness permeates the storey . If not for one other celluloid , it would be the beneficial ghost story ever told .

Alfred Hitchcock directed over 50 feature - length movies , and his best thrillers are still just as suspensive and terrifying tenner later .

Headshot Of Alec Baldwin I

1The Shining (1980)

Directed by Stanley Kubrick

Stanley Kubrick ’s horror classic star Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall evidence the story of the Torrance phratry , who move to the isolated Overlook Hotel so that father Jack Torrance can act as its winter caretaker . Stuck at the hotel due to the wintertime storms , the malevolent supernatural personnel inhabiting the building slow start to force back Jack insane , causing his married woman and psychically gifted son to be beguile up in a fight for their lives when Jack is pushed over the edge .

The Shiningis arguably Stanley Kubrick ’s unspoiled celluloid and the best trace movie ever made . The picture is the benchmark that all horror movies aim to strike , but few compare with the iconic account . Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall devote everything to giving fantastic performances , and without them , the movie would n’t be half as compelling . As Jack ( Nicholson ) slowly unravels before the eyes of his married woman and minor , the audience feels themselves slip one’s mind away along with him .

Although it was n’t an immediate smash at the fourth dimension of its handout , The Shininghas descend to be accredit as an incredible contribution to the horror writing style and filmmaking in general . As critics and audience have realise the grandness of the film , many disconfirming review have been rescinded . Arthouse horror has always had a difficult time being decently appraised , and thoughThe Shiningsuffered from this , it ’s now an example of on-key excellencein the genre . Kubrick was a master of his craft , andThe Shiningwas no elision .

Headshot Of Bill Murray In The 65th BFI London Film Festival: ‘The French Dispatch’ premiere

Ghostbusters is a 1984 fantasy sci-fi movie from director Ivan Reitman. The movie stars Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, and Ernie Hudson as Raymond Stantz, Peter Venkman, Egon Spengler, and Winston Zeddemore, paranormal investigators who travel New York hunting and capturing ghosts. The movie eventually became one of the most iconic films of the ’80s, spawning a multimedia franchise including a sequel, spinoffs, books, and video games.

Headshot of Dan Aykroyd

Headshot Of Sigourney Weaver In The James Cameron And Jon Landau Handprints And Footprints Ceremony.

Headshot Of Harold Ramis

Headshot Of Bruce Willis In The Premiere of Motherless Brooklyn

Directed by M. Night Shyamalan, The Sixth Sense is a psychological thriller about a young boy who can see and communicate with ghosts. Bruce Willis as Dr. Malcolm Crowe, a child psychologist who tries to help Cole, played by Haley Joel Osment, while grappling with his own personal demons. The movie features a twist ending that has become iconic in pop culture.

Headshot Of Toni Collette

Headshot Of Haley Joel Osment In The Premiere Of Shout! Studios

Headshot Of Olivia Williams IN The London celebration of ‘The Crown’ finale at the Royal Festival Hall

Cast Placeholder Image

Spirited Away, a masterpiece by Hayao Miyazaki, is an animated fantasy film that follows the enchanting journey of a young girl named Chihiro. Trapped in a mystical world after her parents are transformed into pigs, Chihiro must navigate a realm filled with spirits and peculiar creatures to save her family.

Headshot Of Jane Adams

Headshot Of Rosemarie DeWitt In The 2023 WIF (Women In Film) Oscar Party

Headshot Of Jared Harris In The 31st Annual Producers Guild Awards

Headshot Of Sam Rockwell

Headshot Of Rooney Mara

Headshot Of Shelley Duvall

Headshot Of Jack Nicholson In The 2007 MTV Movie Awards