Atmosphere is a crucial element ofhorror(vital for some) that seemed to taper off around the early 80s when campy slashers took over, and gory deaths of half-nude teens grew to be viewers' top priority. This isn’t to saya well-shot woodsy slasherdoesn’t evoke a mood of its own. In fact, some overlooked outdoorsy kill-fests are among the most atmospheric films the horror genre has to offer (The BurningandJust Before Dawn,for example). However, an overacted death in front of heavy synths doesn’t leave audiences with the same sense of unease as a slow-burning, persistent feeling of dread.
Atmospheric horror is a pervading sense of often existential unease, a grip of fright, or a pervasion of moodiness. Horror minds of the 60s and 70s had this drawn-out paranoia down to perfection. While most creepy and weird cinema lies in the 60s, 70s, and early 80s, thankfully, there’s been a resurgence of atmospheric horror as of late.
Updated June 4th, 2023: For all fans of creepy, crawly, and horror, this article was recently updated byAmanda Minchinto feature even more atmospheric terrors.
Unfortunately, folks who stick to other forms of horror are seriously missing out on authentically disturbing ambiance through suspense, score, and skillful shooting. This list features some of the most atmospheric horrors in existence, films with a uniquely anxious tone that unsettle the viewer throughout, whether that be through sight, sound, or mood. The atmosphere in many of these movies isn’t perfectly describable, which is a testament to the artful vision of the filmmakers… and is also sort of the point. So enjoy!
22Carnival of Souls (1962)
Carnival of Soulsmoves at a crawling pace, continuously keeps you theorizing about what exactly is going on, and never once strays from the weird territory. In it, Mary, the sole survivor of a fatal crash, takes on a church organist job in Utah following the accident. Soon, she finds herself drawn, no, magnetized to a mysterious abandoned carnival.
Frankly, the plot makes very little sense until the nightmarish climax when it all comes together. Nobody in the film is overly likable, including our hero Mary Henry, who’s sweet and naive but frequently antisocial, spineless, and paranoid to the point of frustrating. The inability to really relate to any one character makes this black & white classic all the more disturbing. Plus, carnivals, while highly underused in horror, are inherently bizarre places. Since its inception,Carnival of Soulshas gone on to becomean inspiration for low-budget horrormovies everywhere.
21It Follows (2015)
It Followsstars Maika Monroe as a hapless teen who, after a two-faced sexual encounter, is followed by a supernatural entity only she can see. The entity takes on increasingly realistic if not creepy, human forms as it makes its way through its list of victims cultivated by prior sexual encounters.
The themes of this film, including the loss of innocence, teen sexuality, violence, and mortality, transcend that of a typical horror movie. The movie serves as a perfect example of cause and effect, of consequence, and, of course, of consent. It could also be an easy metaphor for everything from Capitalism to STIs.
20Messiah of Evil (1973)
Criminally overlooked gem alert,Messiah of Evilfollows a young woman in search of her missing artist father who ends up in a bizarre seaside town where cold residents speak of a “red moon.“Messiah of Evilis a moody masterpiece and frighteningly well-done American imitation of Italian zombie flicks by (at the time) fresh out of film school directors Willard Huyck and his wife, Gloria Katz. As a result, it’s overtly artsy and beautiful to look at in a gritty magenta/maroon Argento sort of style.
It’s subtly horrifying as it meanders in all the right ways, with the perfect amount of odd that contributes to an already macabre aura. It isn’t gory, over-the-top zombie fare, nor is it particularly action-packed. The aptly slow-moving run pacing maintains a near-constant discomfort. In addition to all that, the audience is given some surprisingly strong character development, a superbly 70s horror score, and at least two scenes (namely the grocery store outing) that should be shown in film school classes.
19The Witch (2015)
The Witch, which was written and directed by Robert Eggers, was one of Anya Taylor-Joy’s first breakout starring roles. This folk horror masterpiece follows an immigrant New England family after they’re banished from their Puritan settlement over a religious disagreement. Their new home in the desolate woods is plagued by whispers of an evil that spare no time in taking their newborn son. Fingers point, and chaos ensues from there.
Eggers, a longtime costume, set, and production designer, took great pains in the research of his first-time feature. The film was shot using mostly natural lighting and without makeup. The dialogue was taken directly from the time, which can make it difficult to understand for even the best of hearing without subtitles. This all, however, adds to the strangeness and allows the audience to delve deeper into the anxiety of the time, creating a sense of what it was like to be in the strange land of Puritanical America. Elements the audience would consider benign today had often dire consequences for a family on their alone, on their own, in the woods… and, unfortunately, vice versa.
18Nosferatu (1922)
Nosferatuis a wonderfully dreadfulcentury-old masterpiecefrom the Silent Film era. In this German Expressionist masterpiece, a vampire, aka Count Orlok, preys on the wife of his estate agent. Good help is so hard to find, isn’t it?
Related:The Most Underrated Horror Movies of All Time
This unauthorized and unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novelDraculastill stands the test of time. A round of applause is due to Max Schreck for his haunting performance as the monstrous Count.Nosferatusimply never strays from its atmosphere of decay inherent to the vampire genre.
17Let’s Scare Jessica to Death (1971)
Both one of the greatest titles in film, and one of the creepiest slow-burners in horror history,Let’s Scare Jessica to Deathis drenched in paranoia, ridden with scary sights and sounds, and has all the quintessential 70s weirdness you could want and more. In it, the poor titular Jessica moves in with her husband following a stay at a psych ward, only to find herself in the midst of a series of bizarre events that have her questioning her sanity once more.
Due to some masterful sound work, this haunting flick chills viewers to the bone with the eerie whispers in Jessica’s head. Impressively, the horror subgenre it falls under is almost unpinpointable until the very end of the film. The audience is constantly on edge, made to wonder what type of horror movie it is. Is this a paranormal, a psychological thriller, a zombie flick, or a vampire film? They simply can’t distinguish whether a legitimate haunting is taking place or if it’s all in her head. This ambiguity is all achieved through the atmosphere, makingLet’s Scare Jessica to Deathan absolute must-watch, own, and cherish for any lover of atmospheric horror.
16Suspiria (1977)
Suspiriais Italian horror legend Dario Argento’s finest effort. It’s sheer terror from start to finish, as visually appealing as it is hair-raising, and masterfully scored to boot. The mere setting, a German ballet academy, is enough to give you the creeps.
An innocent young woman being tormented by her own mind and the strange behaviors of those around her seems to be a common trope in old horror, but it does serve its purpose. Following this young girl at a new, foreign ballet academy brings on a sort of second-hand delusion. While not quite as good inits 2018 remake, it still holds up as a horror classic.
15The Babadook (2014)
The Babadookis an Australian feature that packs quite an emotional punch. The film follows a young son and his mother, who is still grieving the sudden loss of her husband, who died while driving her to the delivery room. Add in a wild child and the terrifying monster that he claims follows him, and this is literally every parent’s worst nightmare.
All joking aside, this film has an intelligent insight into the effects of grief and loss on a family dynamic. While a monster flick would not traditionally be considered atmospheric in nature, this one just has this overwhelming sense of grief just oozing from the screen. Its oppressive force is seen visually through the bleak and dark tones used throughout. This seemingly benign bedtime story will definitely keep viewers up at night.
Bob Clark, Canadian director of the fan-favorite horror filmBlack Christmasand, oddly enough,A Christmas Story, kicked off his film career with this film,Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things, a film about friends from a theater group who dig up a corpse on an abandoned island for their mock satanic ritual.
While this movie doesn’t frequently get ranked amongthe best zombie films, the notion that it’s less than that is simply incorrect. Dryly funny lines from eccentric characters litter this movie, juxtaposing the overall morbidity of this dark comedy. While the movie is certainly dark and bleak, its on-screen projection is anything but. In doing so, Bob Clark shows us just how far simple can go.
13Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
Here’s a flick that demands almost no write-up.Rosemary’s Babyis the mother of all slow-burners, an influence for so many films that came after, known far and wide as criminal Roman Polanski’s masterwork. The audience is left spellbound as a young couple on the verge of new homeownership and parenthood are swept up in a series of events brought about by their creepily helpful neighbors.
This is perhaps the finest of “wait for the finish” films.Rosemary’s Babyis suspenseful to the point of nauseating throughout. Being it’s a staple that has been endlessly referenced and parodied, most of us already know how it concludes, but awareness of the big twist won’t leave a first-time viewer any less disturbed. The “conception” scene, for example, is a haunting montage that may never leave your brain once you’ve seen it.
