Horror Movies With Hidden Messages

Get Out (2017)

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Horror movies often use symbolism and hidden messages to explore deeper themes, and provoke thought. 'Get Out' is a great example of this, as the movie explores racism and cultural appropriation in a really unexpected way. The movie uses a lot of psychological thrills to explore these themes.

The Babadook (2014)

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'The Babadook' explores the themes of grief and mental illness. This is done via the presence of an evil monster, which is believed to be real, and is going to attack the character of Samuel. All of this is occurring and worsening, as his mother's depression becomes deeper.

The Witch (2015)

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'The Witch' examines the themes of religious paranoia and female empowerment. These themes are explored via the banishment of a puritan family in 17th-century New England, and their gradual exposure to sinister forces and spirits. These spirits conjure up a breakthrough, within the female spirits in the family.

The Shining (1980)

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'The Shining' is a cult classic when it comes to horror movies, and it has made its way into the top 10 horror movies of all time. This movie explores the themes of alcoholism and family dynamics, via psychological twists and turns e.g. hallucinations and crazed episodes.

Hereditary (2018)

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'Hereditary' is one of the modern-day horror movies, that has become very popular among avid horror movie fans. It explores the themes of trauma and secrecy within the family. The exploration of these themes is done via disturbing events, and sequences throughout the movie.

Rosemary's Baby (1968)

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'Rosemary's Baby' is another cult classic when it comes to horror movies, and it tackles the loss of control over one's body. It follows the journey of Rosemary and her husband Guy, as they move into a new apartment. It isn't until Rosemary becomes pregnant, that she becomes paranoid about her sinister neighbors.

Donnie Darko (2001)

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'Donnie Darko' is an early 2000's classic, as it seamlessly blends horror with time travel and existentialism. This movie's portrayal of the awkward teenage experience, is done in a way that isn't patronizing or stereotypical, and leaves a lot for the viewer to interpret.

The Others (2001)

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'The Others' is a horror movie that explores the themes of existence and perception, and the ways in which these can become questioned by the human mind. The story is relatively simple, but is executed in a really effective way. It follows a mother, who moves into a new home with her children, and slowly suspects that her new home may be haunted.

The Cabin In The Woods (2012)

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'The Cabin In The Woods' is more of a comedy-horror, as it satirizes horror movie tropes, and completely flips audience expectations. The storyline is set-up as a typical horror movie would be, but there are a range of unexpected twists, that catch you off-guard.

A Quiet Place (2018)

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'A Quiet Place' is one of the more innovative modern-day horror movies, as it explores the themes of parenthood and communication, in a really unique and unexpected way. Based within a post-apocalyptic world, a family must fight for survival against a hoard of blind, yet noise-sensitive creatures. This means they must communicate through sign language, and remain silent.

The Ring (2002)

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'The Ring' is another cult classic horror movie, and it explores and critiques the obsession with media and technology. It is very much fitting of the it was released (2000's), as technology was really starting advance, and was becoming widely available to the masses.

The Sixth Sense (1999)

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'The Sixth Sense' is a movie that deals with the themes of death, grief and communication. The movie follows the story of a child psychologist, as he beings treating a young boy that has visions of dead people. The young boy is able to communicate with the deceased, and the movie has its fair share of twists.

The Exorcist (1973)

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'The Exorcist' adds to the list of cult classic horror movies, and it examines the battle between faith and evil. When the film was initially released, it was deemed as disturbing and was actually banned in several countries, due to the fear of its effects on the religious community.

It Follows (2014)

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'It Follows' has a slightly unique take on demonic possession, and the presence of demonic entities. The movie follows a group of care-free teenagers as they begin to explore the world of sex, but this all takes a dark turn, when they each experience an evil entity following them.

The Babysitter (2017)

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'The Babysitter' is another horror movie with a satirical twist, as it satirizes the high-school experience. The movie follows the story of Cole, and his crush on his beloved babysitter. This crush becomes fear after Cole discovers that his babysitter is part of a satanic cult, and is planning to sacrifice him!

Midsommar (2019)

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'Midsommar' is a horror movie that has to be watched at least a couple of times, in order to really understand the themes, and pick up on the subliminal messaging/'easter eggs'. It explores the themes of grief, and the cult-like nature of relationships, in the most disturbing ways possible.

The Wicker Man (1973)

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'The Wicker Man' addresses religious beliefs and pagan rituals, with a disturbing and psychological twist. A police sergeant is sent to a remote Scottish island, in order to search for a missing child, but things take a strange turn when the sergeant comes into contact with the island's locals.

The Ritual (2017)

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'The Ritual' is a British horror movie, that follows a group of old college friends, as they attempt to rebuild their stained relationships with one another. The movie explores the themes of guilt and trauma, via a secluded Swedish forest setting, and the presence of sinister individuals.

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

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'The Blair Witch Project' is very much a horror movie of its time (1999), as it utilizes found footage to create a sense of dread and ambiguity. The movie follows three students as they decide to uncover the history of the Blair Witch incidents, but things take a dark turn after they lose their map.

The Village (2004)

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'The Village' examines fear and isolation within a secluded community. The story is based within a small village that lives in fear of an unknown creature, that lives in the village's surrounding woods. After a local is severely injured, a blind girl takes it upon herself to seek help.

The Belko Experiment (2016)

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'The Belko Experiment' explores the dehumanization of corporate culture, and takes the phrase: 'it's a dog eat dog world' pretty literally. 80 Americans become trapped in their corporate office building, where they are told to kill one another, in order to survive the 'experiment'.

The Invitation (2015)

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'The Invitation' explores the themes of paranoia and trust within the setting of a dinner party. A man and his girlfriend are invited to a dinner party, by his ex-wife and her new partner, but there seems to be a strange tension within the atmosphere. The man suspects that there are sinister intentions behind the dinner party.

Cronos (1992)

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'Cronos' tackles the themes of immortality and addiction, through the story of an old antiques dealer. The dealer comes across an ancient scarab, that grants him immortality, but he must feed on blood. It isn't until a man comes to retrieve the scarab for his grandfather, that things take a darker turn.

The Skeleton Key (2005)

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'The Skeleton Key' is a gothic, supernatural and psychological horror movie, that addresses cultural appropriation and slavery. The story follows a hospice nurse, that is caring for patients on a New Orleans plantation, and finds herself caught up in the dark history of the plantation.

Session 9 (2001)

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'Session 9' is a supernatural horror based within an abandoned sanitarium, where a cleaning crew discovers mysterious objects within the building. Slowly but surely, they find themselves at the centre of eerie, paranormal activities. The movie explores the psychological toll of working within an abandoned asylum.

Let The Right One In (2008)

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'Let The Right One In' is a psychological thriller with vampiric elements. It explores the theme of childhood loneliness, through a vampiric lens. Oskar is a sensitive boy who is often bullied, but he quickly builds a friendship with neighbor Eli. Their friendship takes a strange turn, after Eli admits her involvement in a range of local murders.

The Mist (2007)

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'The Mist' is a science-fiction horror that examines group dynamics, and moral dilemmas in a crisis. David and son become trapped in supermarket, when a sudden mist engulfs the local area, releasing blood-thirsty creatures who destroy anything in their path.

A Tale Of Two Sisters (2003)

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'A Tale Of Two Sisters' is a supernatural horror that explores the themes of family trauma and mental health. Two sisters return home from a mental health facility, and alongside their step-mother, slowly become haunted by the ghost of their late mother. They have to work together, in order to deal with their mother's ghost.

Candyman (1992)

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'Candyman' is a cult classic horror movie that explores the themes of racism and discrimination, via the presence of an urban legend. The story follows a young reporter, as she researches the urban legend of the Candyman. However, it seems that the legend is far from a myth.

A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)

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'A Nightmare On Elm Street' is yet another cult classic horror movie, that uses terrifying dreamscapes throughout. This movie explores the idea that 'sex is sinful', and it should only occur within married life. The relationships of the teenagers with one another and their parents, creates the dark world of Freddy Krueger.