Summary
Films about ghost huntersoften involve paranormal and mystery events. The chosen locations for this genre tend to be isolated Victorian mansions and abandoned mental hospitals thatbring panic and horrorto the viewers. However, there are ghost hunter movies, like the iconicGhostbusters, that take the genre to a whole different level bymixing comedywith paranormal occurrences.
The filmmaker’s approach to the ghost-hunting genre varies. Some films choose to take advantage of thefound footage styles, likeGrave Encounters(2011) andGonijam: Haunted Asylum(2018), while others rely on scientific equipment to communicate with all types ofdiabolical entitieslike viewers can see inThe Haunting in Connecticut(2009) andPoltergeist(1982) movies. There are no spoilers included in this list.
8The Others
A Slow-Burn Haunting Mystery
Starring Nicole Kidman,The Othersis a slow-burning horror movie that focuses on a single mother who is grieving for her husband’s death. Trying her best to raise her two photosensitive children, she hires the help of three odd servers. Based on the children’s allergy to daylight, strict rules need to be followed.
This movie takes place in a British Victorian mansion post-WW2. And, while not traditionally a “ghost hunters movie,” it touches on supernatural ghost investigations. Viewers can see the family’s journey intouncovering the truthabout who else is living in that same haunted house.
7Winchester
A Ghost Hunting Story Based On Actual Events
Winchesteris a ghost-story movie inspired by thetrue events that happened in the Winchester Mystery Housein San Jose, California. Considered one of the most haunted places in history, the film stars Helen Mirren as Sara Winchester. She believes she’s cursed by the spirits of the people who got shot by Winchester rifles. She plans to build 40 bedrooms with 47 staircases, to hunt these souls, spirits, ghosts, and all kinds of diabolical beings.
Viewers can expect the classic jump scares and the creepy atmosphere of a typical ghost-hunting movie. While this film has mixed critics, most of them are unfavorable because everyone had high hopes based on its cast and directors, the Spierig Brothers.
6Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum
A Team Of YouTubers Creating Paranormal Content
Gonijam: Haunted Asylumfalls into the found footage genre. The plot centers around a team of broadcasters who choose the Gonijam Psychiatric Hospital to create online content. They do a night investigation of this abandoned hospital where it is believed odd experiments and torture took place thatled to the suicide of all the patients. Viewers have the point of view of live cameras intensifying the tension of the supernatural horrors within those walls.
In this ghost-huntingKorean film, the combination of technology and social media gives a more realistic experience and makes the place seem more intimate. The positive critical reviews mention the sound design professionalism and the great choice of the cast members.
5The Haunting in Connecticut
A Desperate Mother And An Ill Son Witnesses Supernatural Events
The Haunting in Connecticutgets its inspiration from thetrue story of the Snedeker family. In the film, viewers can view a desperate mother, facing financial struggles, who decides to rent a surprisingly cheap property located close to her son Matt’s cancer facility center. The mother regrets the decision when her son Matt starts to witness supernatural events. Unable to relocate, the family gets help from a local priest and spiritual investigator to confront the ghosts, which includes a young child with a burnt face.
Viewers can expect classic ghost-hunting components such as slamming doors, blackbird appearances, and scratches on walls.
4Grave Encounters
A Ghost-Hunting Crew Terrified By Founded Paranormal Events
Grave Encounters' plot revolves around a group of four people on a reality TV show led by Lance Preston. The crew voluntarily lock themselves inside an allegedly haunted mental hospital—Collingwood Psychiatric Hospital, Maryland—to discover if there’s life after death. As the film unfolds, viewers can see the genuine terror of the cast members when paranormal events take place.
Grave Encountersis a must-watch that cleverly uses the found footage format to deliver terror and jump scares tofans of horror. The movie was successful, resulting in a sequel a year later.
3The Conjuring
The Winner of Multiple “Best Horror” Awards
The Conjuringis inspired by the actual paranormal events that happened to the Perron family. After they moved to their dream farmhouse in Rhode Island, disturbing events started to occur. From strange noises in the middle of the night to sudden apparitions inside the bedrooms. As a result of the supernatural occurrences, the family hires paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine to aid them in unraveling the ghosts and spirits in their home.
James Wan—who also directedSawandInsidious—delivers another successful hit withThe Conjuring, which is considered one of the most frightening movies in the genre. Viewers must be ready for intended jump scares in this psychological paranormal investigation film,rated 7.5/10 on IMDb.
2Ghostbusters
Three Students Create A Ghost-Hunting Business
Ghostbusterstook ghost-hunter movies in a different direction.Ghostbustersis a comedy and supernatural fantasy that centers around three parapsychologist students who graduate from Columbia University in New York City. Using their knowledge and skills, they decide to open a ghost-hunting business to aid frightened yet skeptical people with a professional ghost removal service.
Unlike the other ghost movies,Ghostbusterswas a hit in the 80s upon its release. Director Ivan Reitman mixed supernatural interventions with comedy like never seen before. With anIMDb rating of 7.8/10,Ghostbustersuses the humor of the one and only Bill Murray to deliver a whole new narrative in the genre.
1Poltergeist
An American Family Hires Spirit Investigators To Bring Their Abducted Daughter Back
Poltergeistis a ghost-hunting movie centered around an American family that starts to witness the presence of spirits inside their home. The movie has haunting components like furniture and objects moving independently to the real terror that ends up with the abduction of their youngest daughter, Carol. Carol is taken away to another dimension, or to “the other side,” after making contact with theTV people, as she calls them.
The desperate family proceeds to hire help from professional spirits/ghost investigators who take extreme approaches to fight these evil presences. The paranormal investigators in the film can communicate with the other side by using scientific equipment to fight the entities that enter the home. A must-watch for fans of the genre.
