Top 13 Haunted House Favorites
The Conjuring (2013)
It seems fitting to follow The Amityville Horror entry with that of The Conjuring as the two are tied quite closely together. Featuring Ed and Lorraine Warren, who were best known for investigating the Lutzes’ story, which became The Amityville Horror. Audiences flocked to The Conjuring and made it the most popular new haunted house film in recent memory. Director James Wan scored big with Insidious and Insidious 2 and the creepy ghost in those films, but with The Conjuring he absolutely knocked it out of the park. The film was hailed by critics and fans alike and was an absolute monster at the box office. Sequel and spin-off to follow.
Poltergeist (1982)
Tobe Hooper’s haunted house masterpiece, Poltergeist is perhaps the only film franchise about hauntings that may very well be haunted itself. Of course we’ve all heard the stories of how Poltergeist is cursed. (Apparently Hooper forgot to move the bodies when he cleared tombstones off the land for the Sawyer home in Texas Chain Saw, and he’s been paying for it ever since!) Co-written and produced by Steven Spielberg, Poltergeist was the ultimate haunted house movie for those who grew up in the late 70’s/early 80’s. There were so many iconic moments and scares… the parapsychologist hallucinating that he’s tearing his face off after eating a chicken leg covered in maggots, Carol Anne’s line “They’re heeere!” and that goddamn clown. Poltergeist handed out nightmares aplenty which still reside in our psyches to this day. Why didn’t you just move the bodies?!
The Shining (1980)
Okay, this one is an obvious no-brainer for the list. Adapted from one of the all-time scariest novels ever, The Shining was simply the perfect haunted house film. With extremely freaky ghosts, plenty of blood, a great backstory and a legendary performance by Jack Nicholson, The Shining is the perfect storm of horror. From the grotesque woman in the bathtub (that’s Mrs. Massey for those of you keeping score at home) to the utterly creepy sisters (the Grady girls… and although the actresses who played them were twins, in the story the Grady girls were not) to Jack marauding around the hotel swinging an axe like Mark McGwire in his prime, The Shining was incredible. A horrific tale with an interwoven mystery as to just what the hell was going on. This is how it’s done.
Need more haunted house histrionics? Don’t miss The Invoking TOMORROW, February 18th, available on DVD, digital download, and VOD. The film is directed by Jeremy Berg and stars Trin Miller, Brandon Anthony, Josh Truax, and D’Angelo Midili.
Synopsis
After inheriting a house from the family she never knew, Samantha Harris (Miller) and three friends head to rural Sader Ridge to inspect the property. Soon after arriving, Sam begins to experience horrific visions of savage brutality and unspeakable evil. Plagued by the sinister forces closing in around her, Sam descends into a waking nightmare when the demons from her past refuse to stay buried any longer.
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