If there’s one thing that any kind of possession movie tells us, it’s that terror can come from within. We’ve been spooked by countless films where innocent people were slowly taken over by an unholy evil and turned into nightmarish monstrosities. Specifically, demonic possession films have horrified the imaginations of many audiences throughout the last century, showing the terrifying power of the supernatural subgenre.
Today, what would horror fans be without demonic possession films? Some make up a few of the scariest horror movies in history, providing excellent and immense terror, the likes of which continue to scare more and more horror lovers each generation. They have a powerful effect that never gets old and will always provide thrilling scares for those brave enough to watch them. In the last 100 years, these are the ten greatest demonic possession movies, powerful statements of faith and dread that still linger in our minds.
10
‘Black Sunday’ (1960)
The Master of the Macabre, Mario Bava, has had a helping hand in influencing the horror genre in the 1960s and ’70s. Recognized for his unique visual style and emphasis on atmosphere and dread, his work is as legendary as it is timelessly unsettling. Among his greatest achievements was 1960s Black Sunday, a chilling cult classic starring Barbara Steele as a young woman terrorized by the witchy spirit of her ancestor, who wants to steal her youth.
Rich with a dark setting, striking visuals, and shocking violence, Black Sunday is an eerie, remarkable tale that can’t be forgotten once you first see it. Its opening scene, in particular, is the stuff of nightmares as it shows the brutal execution of the witch princess Asa Vajda in all of its gruesome fashion. The rest of the film is an eerie build-up to the princess claiming her descendant’s poor soul, and a lot of the horror stems from whether she will succeed. Black Sunday is overall intense and shocking, not at all tame for a film that came out in the early ’60s.
9
‘The Witch’ (2015)
From Robert Eggers, the modern horror genius behind the recent Nosferatu, comes the chilling supernatural horror film that put him on the map, 2015’s The Witch. Elevated by a haunting score and eerie visuals, not to mention captivating and at times frightening performances, it follows a pious family in 17th-century New England as they slowly succumb to an evil lurking in the woods.
It uses slow-building terror and the raw emotions of the actors’ performances to create a truly unsettling experience. By the end, The Witch will leave viewers completely shivering with fear at what it was all leading up to, and the slow pace and the suspense leading up to it were well worth the wait. Much like the demonic presence looming over the characters, The Witch will creepily get under the audience’s skin and terrify them from beginning to end.
8
‘The Conjuring’ (2013)
James Wan‘s The Conjuring is an absolute nightmare fest that provides the most intense haunted house scares imaginable. With epic jump scares and thrilling suspense, this now legendary film is right for those looking for some major and startling horror. Supposedly based on true events, it follows an investigating couple as they try to help a struggling large family who are being targeted by a demonic spirit lurking in their new home.
What The Conjuring does is it takes audiences on a roller coaster of terror with plenty of extreme highs and shocking turns. This now-iconic movie has many of the fun haunted house clichés, like creepy dolls, dark basements, loud noises, and even a possession to become an exciting and undeniably horrifying experience. The Conjuring goes over the top and never lets up until the climax, and it just wants to scare the pants off of everyone who sees it.
7
‘Noroi: The Curse’ (2005)
One of the scariest found footage horror movies of the 21st century, Japan’s Noroi: The Curse is an unsettling, bleak supernatural thriller that’s full of shock and terror. It takes viewers on a bizarre mystery as it follows what happened to a famed paranormal journalist who went missing in search of a demonic entity that has supposedly been terrorizing a local village.
Noroi: The Curse takes a simple premise and elevates it with escalating tension, disturbing lore, and a frightening attempt to convey realism. There’s an intense lingering sense of doom looming throughout the film as the viewer is already aware that something terrible is about to happen to the protagonist. Once the finale comes, it’s a shocking and brutal reveal that will have them completely speechless. Noroi: The Curse is a nightmarish experience that haunts the memory of anyone who watches it long after.
6
‘Possession’ (1981)
Few movies are quite as uniquely disturbing and intense as Andrzej Zulawski‘s Possession. Released in 1981, this compelling mix of psychological thriller, body horror, and drama has captivated the minds of countless horror fans since its creation. There’s hardly anything else like it, as it sees Isabelle Adjani and Sam Neill as a couple going through a messy separation in West Berlin. But something strange and unnatural befalls the wife as she’s seemingly succumbing to a supernatural force.
At the heart of its success are the actors, as Adjani and Neill are perfectly cast and deliver some of the most riveting and eerie performances of their careers. Especially the former, who went above and beyond in her physical and emotional role as a troubled, emotionally torn woman slowly being taken over by a horrifying entity. Zulawski’s direction and the mind-bending story have made Possession truly one of the most unique and utterly terrifying films of the 20th century.
5
‘The Wailing’ (2016)
2016’s Korean horror film The Wailing is full of unimaginable terror, the likes of which continue to stun fans. It takes viewers on quite an eerie journey as a policeman travels to a small mountain village struggling with a deadly disease and chaos after the locals are greeted by a mysterious stranger who has come down off the peak.
It’s, on the one hand, a complex and deep mystery with a great build-up, then on the other, it’s an intense nightmare flick with unmatched scares and a horrifying supernatural twist that’s truly unforgettable. With a fresh premise, well-written characters, chilling suspense and atmosphere, and one of the most intense and disturbing exorcism scenes in recent memory, The Wailing is among many of those considered to be the peak of modern horror.
4
‘Hereditary’ (2018)
Ari Aster has become one of the faces of modern horror filmmaking thanks to his chillingly brilliant and undeniably iconic horror masterpiece, Hereditary. Starring a powerful mix of new and established stars, including an Oscar-worthy performance by Toni Collette, it sees an ordinary family being targeted by a shadowy Pagen cult, plaguing them with tragedy and psychological torment.
Now considered a bona fide classic, this blend of psychological and emotional terror combined with supernatural suspense has scared viewers out of their minds, to the point where they could not believe what they saw. Hereditary provides maximum horror and never lets up until right up to its bleak and unforgettably disturbing finale. There are a lot of ghostly disturbances throughout, and a sinister presence looming over the characters. Truly, Hereditary won’t leave anyone without goosebumps.
3
‘When Evil Lurks’ (2023)
One of the most shocking horror films of the 2020s so far, When Evil Lurks is unbelievably freaky, featuring a premise and moments that feel straight out of a nightmare. Set in rural Argentina, two farming brothers attempt to remove a bloated, demonically possessed boy from their property before he births a demon. But when the body goes missing during the ride, its evil essence soon spreads death and misery to whoever the brothers come across.
With such a sinister and outright unhinged plot, viewers know they are in for one wild and unsettling ride. When Evil Lurks has become a terrifying standout in recent years for its unflinching violence and its escalating sense of dread. You’ll be shivering with fear every moment as the story continues to progress to its inevitable conclusion. When Evil Lurks is dark, intense, and scarily unique, making it a must-watch for modern horror lovers.
2
‘Evil Dead II’ (1987)
Sam Raimi‘s greatest contribution to horror was his eerie, gory, and wildly over-the-top Evil Dead franchise, which continues to be a highlight of the genre. Among its three compelling installments was Evil Dead II, arguably the best in the trilogy for its balls-to-the-walls approach and hilarious blood-soaked comedy. Starring Raimi’s regular Bruce Campbell, it sees him as an unlucky guy fighting off waves of flesh-possessing spirits at a dark cabin in the woods.
Evil Dead II is wild, ridiculous, and spectacularly bloody, featuring iconic lines and moments that have become staples of the horror genre. You’ll laugh and shiver with fright, but most importantly, you’ll be blown away by its thrilling story and impressively gory visuals. A cult classic the likes of which others can only dream of becoming, Evil Dead II is a certified horror masterpiece that just can’t be watched only once.
1
‘The Exorcist’ (1973)
At number one is the film that pretty much popularized demonic possessions in movies. It’s William Friedkin‘s The Exorcist, the 1973 Academy Award-winning masterpiece that’s today widely considered the scariest, most intense horror film of all time. Featuring Oscar-calibre acting, directing, and cinematography, it tells the iconic tale of two priests sent to a home to save an innocent little girl by performing a dangerous exorcism to free her soul of a demonic entity.
The Exorcist is the one that nearly every demonic possession film has taken inspiration from since its box office and commercial success. A genuine cultural event that instantly became a phenomenon, The Exorcist was game-changing for horror because of its incredible scares, performances, and lines. It’s hard to top any other demon or possession film when this one has pioneered so many of their classic tropes and ideas.