10 Scary Movies That Actually Get ‘Witches’ Right | ScreenRant – Screen Rant

Witches have been a mainstay in films for decades, but which movies actually manage to get the idea of witchcraft correct in their storytelling?

The figure of the witch is one of the most sinister and frightening figures ever conjured by the human imagination. She (and, more rarely, he) always seems to lurk at the corners of the collective consciousness, a receptacle for everyones greatest fears.

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She has also made a number of appearances in films of various types. While some of her appearances have been more for comedic effect, there have been a surprisingly large number of horror films that have shown the witch in all of her terrifying glory even if, as sometimes happen, she actually remains out of the viewers sight.

The Witch is, without a doubt, one of the best films to have ever been made about this figure. Taking place in the earliest days of the United States, it focuses on a family who is banished into the forest, where they begin to encounter the titular character.

Ultimately, the young girl Thomasin (the films major character) becomes ensnared by the devil and begins to worship him, becoming a witch just like the one that terrorized her family.

Roald Dahl was one of those authors who had the ability to craft stories that were supposedly for children but had a dark and sinister edge.

In the hands of Nicholas Roeg, a film director known for edgy dramas, Dahls book was brought to brilliant life on the big screen. A lot of the credit for the films frightening aspect goes to Anjelica Huston, the divine actress who plays the leader of the witches. Shes truly hideous in all of the right ways.

The 1970s was something of a golden age for horror films of a particular type, usually involving someone who doesnt realize that she is part of a sinister plot.

In this case, its about a young woman who joins a dance studio that she gradually realizes is run by witches. Its not every horror film that manages to be both gory and chilling, but thats exactly what happens here. No one who watches this film will ever look at witches the same way again.

Theres no film genre thats quite as associated with the essence of the American imagination quite like the western. Despite this fact, there are surprisingly few westerns that intersect with the horror film.

However, thats precisely what happens with The Pale Door, and thats a big part of what makes it such a fascinating, and terrifying, film to watch. The best part about it is that it does a lot with a little, drawing the viewer in and never letting go.

The figure of the witch has taken many different shapes in many different cultures, and one of the most notable is the Baba Yaga, who makes an appearance in this film. Shes a truly terrifying creature, and she is one of those cinematic creations thats sure to keep the viewer on the edge of their seats.

Theres not a lot about this film thats terribly new in terms of what it does with the horror genre, but theres something to be said about leaning into what viewers expect from a horror film.

As if witches werent scary enough while they were alive, they frequently appear in films as malevolent spirits that continue to haunt the living, which is exactly what happens in The Conjuring. This particular witch is a truly horrifying creation, a testament to the twisted imaginations that directors often bring to their projects.

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Aside from everything else, its one of those horror films that really does take a lot of effort to create a film thats not just terrifying but also, at times, downright beautiful.

These days, its hard to create a horror film that can do anything different with the established formulas, but every so often one comes along that reminds people that there are still new ways to put a spin on the genre.

Its impossible not to get caught up in the story of The Wretched, which focuses on a young boy who confronts a malevolent witch who lives next to his father. There are more than enough scares in this film to make it well worth a watch on Halloween.

Theres something to be said for a horror film that manages to evoke the terror of a witch without really showing the witch on-screen. Thats exactly what happens with The Blair Witch Project, which was one of the first found footage horror films that have become increasingly popular in recent years.

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Though she is notoriously camera-shy in this film, its precisely the fact that she is so evasive that makes this particular witch so compelling and so absolutely terrifying.

There are some films that have come down as part of the horror canon, and this film is one of those. The titular Rosemary becomes ensnared by a group of Satanists living next door who want to use her to produce the child of Satan.

Its a moody and atmospheric film, and the genius of it is that it presents the witch-like characters as seemingly charming and humorous old people. Ruth Gordon is particularly excellent, and a reminder of the many forms the witch can take.

Scooby-Doo and the Witchs Ghost belongs to that particular period of Scooby-Doo films that featured creatures that were actually real. In this case, the titular witch is a powerful being that was imprisoned in her own spellbook by a group of Wiccans, only to be brought back by her descendent.

For an animated film, this one actually goes to some dark places, and its easy to get a chill down the spine when Sarah Ravencroft manages to come back to wreak havoc on the present.

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10 Scary Movies That Actually Get 'Witches' Right | ScreenRant - Screen Rant

Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero