Top Ghost Films of All Time

It is a curious aspect of human nature that we love to scare ourselves silly and when it comes to horror films, for most of us it`s a case of the scarier the better. The history of horror stories can be traced as far back as the beginning of verbal human history and can be found in the myths and legends of the ancient civilisations right up to the urban myths of today. Whether we simply enjoy the thrill of adrenalin that comes from terrifying ourselves or these tales of dark goings on serve a broader social purpose to caution us, the popularity of horror films is unlikely to diminish any time soon.

The top ten ghost films of all time are a varied bunch but they all have in common the ability to shock and scare. My top ten, in no particular order, starts off with The Blair Witch Project, a movie that had achieved cult status before it was even released. This was largely due to the mock documentary style and low budget effects. Directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, the film tells the story of a group of student filmmakers who disappeared in the woods a year before their tape, which constitutes the film, was found. Next up is What Lies Beneath, Robert Zemeckis`s chilling story of an apparently perfect suburban life with a disturbing secret. What puts this film in the top ten are the special effects, which really contribute to the scare factor.

The Sixth Sense, released in 1999 and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, tells the subtly disturbing story of a child (the gifted Haley Joel Osment) who can "see dead people". The plot twists are genuinely unexpected and the acting is first rate making this an undeniably excellent ghost film. No list of top ghost films would be complete without The Shining, possibly the scariest film ever made. Kubrick`s version of Stephen King`s disturbing story is a brilliantly made horror film telling the story of Jack Nicholson`s writer character spending the winter with his family in a secluded hotel and slowly going mad. The performances are faultless and the imagery is powerful. This is a must see for any horror fan.

Also look out for Spielberg`s outstanding Poltergeist, a much talked about classic of the genre, which shows what can happen when you build your house on an ancient Indian burial ground. The acting is excellent but what really makes this film stand out are again the special effects, guaranteed to give you goose bumps. The remaining five to make my list all come highly recommended and are as follows: The Ring (a remake of the terrifying Japanese original), Candyman, The Others, The Exorcist and The Birds. Rent two or three of these on DVD and you have the recipe for a first rate horror evening.

As well as these classic films, there are plenty other ways to scare yourself silly. The rise in popularity of horror as a genre has also caused a surge in horror fiction and even games. Despite the newcomers, one of the best loved horror writers is still Stephen King and for anyone new to this genre he is definitely the place to start. If you need a break from horror then lighten the mood with a music quiz

(The Webmaster wishes to express his grateful thanks to Braindash for their very kind gesture in submitting this article to the site.)