Steven Soderbergh’s Presence transcends the standard haunted house narrative, utilizing the supernatural to explore the tragic undercurrents of a fractured family. The movie is told entirely from the perspective of Presence‘s ghost, and it focuses more heavily on the Payne family’s hidden dysfunctions — a strained marriage, parental neglect, and the lingering grief of a young girl — than the ghost itself. Of course, Presence‘s twisty ending brings both narratives crashing together, and it may leave viewers wanting more tragic ghost movies.
Soderbergh’s chilling commentary on familial breakdown is a reminder that horror is especially resonant when it incorporates tragedy. The ghost story framework can be a vehicle to illuminate poignant themes, such as the consequences of isolation, denial, repressed trauma, and disconnection. Audiences who enjoyed Soderbergh’s 88% horror movie, Presence, can find a treasure trove of similarly moving options.
10
His House
Directed By Remi Weekes
His House is a BAFTA-winning horror thriller by Remi Weekes, which portrays the refugee experience in Britain in a thought-provoking way. The tragedy aspect is shown through the past Bol struggles to face in the movie, which the “witch” and classic haunted house aspects of the film represent. The true horror of the piece is how far people sometimes have to go to survive. Weekes’ 2020 film had widespread critical acclaim, with standout performances from Wunmi Mosaku and Sope Dirisu, along with Matt Smith, who plays the couple’s antagonistic caseworker, Mark.
The setup with the Sudanese refugees trying to settle in an English town is masterfully executed. The apprehensive feel of His House‘s soundtrack emphasizes the fear the family experiences from the microaggressions in their environment. That they are made to feel they should be grateful for the house they are in also works in the horror’s favor; the family has a rational reason not to leave the house, making their reactions more believable. The horror simmers below the surface in the story, representing their vulnerability, as well as what is beneath the surface, both environmentally and from a trauma perspective.
9
The Orphanage
Directed By J.A. Bayona
The Orphanage is a visually stunning Spanish supernatural horror film by J.A. Bayona. It was his first feature-length movie and was nominated for scores of European accolades, including a win for Best New Director at the 22nd Goya Awards. It first opened at Cannes to a 10-minute standing ovation — and the movie lives up to the hype. With its restrained use of jump scares and poignant story, The Orphanage incorporates heart-wrenching drama and a mystery box narrative into its haunted house narrative.
It is the emotional world of the movie that makes The Orphanage stand out as one of the best supernatural tragedies…
The movie follows Laura who, with her husband Carlos, has returned to her childhood orphanage, which she plans to reopen as a facility for disabled children. Their son, Simón, soon makes an imaginary friend named Tomás, who is at the center of the orphanage’s unfolding mystery when Simón goes missing. The ghostly aspects of the movie linger in the background of its unnerving atmosphere, which effectively builds dread. However, it is the emotional world of the movie that makes The Orphanage stand out as one of the best supernatural tragedies, with its memorably beautiful ending.
8
Lake Mungo
Directed By Joel Anderson
In Lake Mungo, a 2008 Australian film by Joel Anderson, a family grapples with the devastating loss of their daughter, Alice. As they try to heal, they are confronted with strange, possibly paranormal events. Told in a compelling pseudo-documentary style, the film delves into grief and the unsettling unknown. The mockumentary is genuinely scary, and Anderson is known for making the movie and then becoming a relatively obscure figure in the filmmaking world. This makes the film all the more enigmatic.
Lake Mungo follows the mystery of what happened to Alice Palmer — a clear reference to Twin Peaks — who disappeared while picnicking with her family. The performances of the actors playing Alice’s family as they’re being interviewed really sell its realism with them seeming to hold back their emotions, along with the found-footage clips. Anderson has said about the movie, “The idea of someone in your family or someone you care for dying, and being in a tragedy, is the one thing I think everyone fears most,” (via Den of Geek), making the ghost of Alice as tragic as it is genuinely terrifying.
7
The Others
Directed By Alejandro Amenábar
The Others (2001) is an unforgettable gothic horror movie directed by Alejandro Amenábar and starring Nicole Kidman, and is now considered a classic in the genre, especially because of The Others’ twist ending. It is one of the most beautiful haunted house movies ever made, and Kidman’s performance is a standout. Its proximity to 1999’s The Sixth Sense meant their respective plots were inevitably compared at the time of its release, but it has nonetheless stood the test of time.
Its big twist is the source of the movie’s moving tragedy, and it is not cheaply done by any means.
Its big twist is the source of the movie’s moving tragedy, and it is not cheaply done by any means. In fact, it makes the movie extremely rewatchable. The brilliance of The Others‘ twist lies in its subtle, pervasive foreshadowing. Throughout the film, the children’s veiled references to “what happened” hint at their ghostly existence, a reality they seem to half-acknowledge yet refuse to fully confront. This quiet denial makes their eventual resigned acceptance of their fate all the more poignant and bittersweet.
6
A Ghost Story
Directed By David Lowery
David Lowery’s A Ghost Story utilizes the supernatural to explore grief and the agonizing struggle to let go. It centers on C, who, after a sudden car accident, returns as a classic bedsheet ghost to observe his grieving wife, M. This traps him in a liminal space, unable to interact with the world he once inhabited and forced to witness time’s relentless march as it erodes the life he knew. The movie’s unique visual language, employing a distinct frame rate for the ghost and framing sH๏τs that emphasize his isolation, underscores the chasm between the living and the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ.
This journey through time, punctuated by a nihilistic monologue from a future partygoer, highlights humanity’s futile attempts to leave a lasting mark.
This ghostly form becomes a potent symbol of the emotional burdens that tether us to the past, preventing us from moving forward. The movie further deepens its exploration of tragedy through its use of time as a character, propelling C through centuries to witness the cyclical nature of existence and the ultimate insignificance of individual lives. This journey through time, punctuated by a nihilistic monologue from a future partygoer, highlights humanity’s futile attempts to leave a lasting mark.
The ghost’s desperate search for meaning in M’s hidden note becomes a symbol of his attempt to cling to the last vestige of their shared life. Yet, the note’s content remains unknown, emphasizing that the act of letting go rather than the specific memory, is what ultimately frees him. The movie’s tragic portrayal of another ghost, trapped in an endless wait for an unknown someone, serves as a stark warning of the dangers of clinging to the past. This underscores the film’s central message: that true freedom lies in accepting the pᴀssage of time and releasing burdens.
5
The Awakening
Directed By Nick Murphy
The Awakening is a stunning melodrama and one of the best period horror films, exploring trauma through a ghost story lens. It employs supernatural tropes not merely for jump scares, but to delve into the profound tragedy of repressed memories on both a personal and historical scale. The movie, set in post-WWI England, uses the classic haunted house narrative to mirror the psychological unraveling of its protagonist, paranormal investigator Florence Cathcart.
The spectral encounters, punctuated by unsettling music and carefully crafted scares, serve as catalysts for Florence’s journey into her subconscious. The uncanny elements, like the recurring scene of her mother’s death and the vividly colored rabbit toy, act as symbolic triggers, echoing Freudian concepts of the return of the repressed. The dollhouse, a miniature replica of the haunted manor, becomes a powerful metaphor for Florence’s mind, reflecting her growing trepidation as she confronts the haunting’s true nature. This supernatural framework transforms the film into a poignant exploration of Florence’s buried memories.
The film’s post-war setting underscores the lingering trauma of a nation, using the haunted manor as a symbol of societal wounds.
Beyond individual trauma, The Awakening weaves the supernatural into the fabric of British cultural memory. The film’s post-war setting underscores the lingering trauma of a nation, using the haunted manor as a symbol of societal wounds. The ghostly presence is not just a personal haunting, but a reflection of the era’s spiritual unease.
4
The Haunting
Directed By Robert Wise
Before Mike Flanaghan’s groundbreaking TV series The Haunting of Hill House, there was The Haunting (1963). And this film is a must-see for viewers who want to see the blueprints of the genre and a more classic take on Shirley Jackson’s book. Often overlooked by its ‘90s remake, the original adaptation had a huge influence on modern horror, especially of the haunted house variety. Robert Wise innovatively creates the unsettling feeling of Jackson’s novel, which explores themes of family trauma and belonging in its tragic narrative.
The house itself becomes a metaphor for repressed trauma and internal conflict…
The ghosts, though unseen, manifest through unsettling sounds, shifting architecture, and chilling cold spots, effectively externalizing the internal turmoil experienced by characters like Eleanor. The house itself becomes a metaphor for repressed trauma and internal conflict, with its history of tragic deaths mirroring Eleanor’s own sense of displacement and longing to belong. The movie’s use of sound, camerawork, and implied horror creates an atmosphere where the psychological and supernatural are inextricably intertwined, leaving the viewer to question whether the haunting is a product of the house or the characters’ own troubled minds.
3
The Ring
Directed By Gore Verbinski
The Ring (2002) is an unusually good American remake of the J-horror classic by Hiroshi Takahashi. It is culturally iconic for its horror, but it is underrepresented for its thought-provoking metatextual elements and the tragic story of Samara. The Ring transcends typical horror tropes by weaving Samara’s tragic backstory into its narrative, using the cursed videotape as a fragmented visual diary of her tormented existence. The horse imagery, the ladder, the well — all these fragmented images are not just jump scares but pieces of Samara’s traumatic memories.
Rachel’s maternal character emphasizes the emotional connection she has to the mystery of Samara, and her journalistic skills add to the tension of uncovering her story before the seven days are up. The horror of the movie stems from the vicious cycle of trauma, with the ring itself being a symbol of this. Although the emotional relief of exhuming Samara’s past is somewhat undone by The Ring’s depressing ending, it remains a masterpiece of tragedy in the ghost story subgenre.
2
Don’t Look Now
Directed By Nicolas Roeg
Don’t Look Now (1973) uses ghost story elements to portray the tragedy of grief. The film’s haunted Venice mirrors the Baxters’ inner turmoil after their daughter’s death. Premonitions and visions, not overt ghosts, reflect their fractured psyches. Fragmented editing and recurring imagery of water and the color red symbolize their loss and foreshadow John’s fate. Water becomes a constant reminder of Christine’s death and the tragedy that hangs over the family. These supernatural elements express their inability to escape grief.
The film’s tragedy deepens by exploring intuition versus skepticism. John, a rational man, ignores premonitions, contrasting with Laura’s openness. His late acceptance of prophecy leads to fatal misinterpretation. The ghost story examines perception’s limits and the cost of denying intuition. The ambiguous ending leaves viewers pondering fate. Through ghostly elements, Don’t Look Now’s ending makes it one of the best movies about grief and the tragic results of ignoring the unseen.
1
The Sixth Sense
Directed By M. Night Shyamalan
The Sixth Sense’s big ghost twist has become a cliché in the genre, but its impact cannot be overstated. The movie establishes Malcolm Crowe as a dedicated child psychologist, yet his inability to connect with his wife, Anna, creates a palpable sense of emotional distance. This distance, initially perceived as a marital strain, becomes the heart of the movie’s tragedy when the twist reveals Malcolm’s own death, blending subtle emotional depth with a compelling supernatural mystery.
His ghostly existence, unbeknownst to him, casts a poignant shadow over his interactions, transforming seemingly mundane scenes into heart-wrenching moments of missed connections and unexpressed love. The haunting of Cole Sear, therefore, becomes a catalyst for Malcolm to confront his own unfinished business, not just with the living, but with his own state of being. M. Night Shyamalan skillfully uses the ghost story framework to explore the emotional landscape of loss in this classic horror perfect for fans of Presence.
Source: Den of Geek
