Content Warning: The following article contains discussions of abuse and suicide.It’s been over 130 years since the birth of the horror genre in motion pictures. Ever since the release ofGeorges Méliès' featureThe House of the Devil(original title:Le Manoir du Diable) in the late 1890s, the beloved category has become one of the most popular in the film industry. Today, the treasured genre features many unique sub-genres that appeal to different viewers, often reflecting the cultural fears of a collective psyche.
Although the films that fit into the horror category explore many different themes, trauma seems to be a very recurring one, especially in recent times, which says a lot about today’s societal frights. From recent hits likeHereditaryto older classics likeRosemary’s Baby,these are some of the best horror movies about trauma that delve into the subject flawlessly as they terrify audiences.
25’Antichrist' (2009)
Directed by Lars von Trier
Blending psychological horror with explicitly unsettling imagery,Antichristfeatures a disturbing narrative guaranteed to leave an unforgettable impression on audiences. The story mostly focuses on a grieving couple, played byWillem DafoeandCharlotte Gainsbourg, as they retreat to their cabin in the woods hoping to repair their marriage.
As the two attempt to work out their struggles, nature takes its course and things go from bad to worse, with the film delving into intriguing but dreadful aspects of grief and guilt, as well as the consequences of such strong emotions.InAntichrist, nature is often used as a force that reflects the couple’s internal turmoil. However, its most notorious aspect is perhaps the shocking depictions of physical violence and how they reflect the trauma they have endured.
Antichrist
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24’Mother!' (2017)
Directed by Darren Aronofsky
In this deeply bizarre anddisturbing Darren Aronofsky film, the bond between a couple (Jennifer LawrenceandJavier Bardem) is put to the test when uninvited strangers come to their house unannounced and disturb their peace. This results in a chaotic descent into a nightmare that won’t leave anyone indifferent.
Depicting a different kind of trauma with the protagonist representing Earth and the eradication of the couple’s home reflecting the damage caused by human exploitation,Mother!is undoubtedly an interesting allegory of environmentalism and the irreversible damage that humanity actively causes on the planet. Furthermore, in addition to its great execution, Aronofsky’s visually alluring horror movie is elevated by its chilling, strong central performances.
23’Lake Mungo' (2008)
Directed by Joel Anderson
InJoel Anderson’sLake Mungo, viewers are invited to delve deep into the haunting story of Alice Palmer (Talia Zucker), a 16-year-old who perishes while swimming in the neighborhood dam. After the verdict of accidental death, the grieving family buries her body but later comes across a series of bizarre occurrences.
Grief and trauma are, of course, two major elements in Anderson’s 2008 horror film; it is evident that it sends a strong message about the fear and despair of loving someone, raising questions about life’s logic, asCollider’s Vinnie Mancuso argued. Furthermore, it’s its terrifying and realistic found-footage narrative – with sad and moving undertones – that makes these themes stand out, undoubtedly putting the film up against the most devastating horror movies to date.
Lake Mungo
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22’Carnival of Souls' (1962)
Directed by Herk Harvey
Herk Harvey’sblack-and-white horror classicCarnival of Soulsfollows Mary Henry (Candace Hilligoss), who undergoes a major car accident with her two friends but somehow ends up making it alive. After recovering, Mary eventually accepts a job in a new town as a church organist. That’s when she starts being pursued by a peculiar phantom figure and is forced to come face to face with her own demons.
The impressive surreal 1962 budget horroris often said to be ahead of its time. Featuring a huge uneasy atmosphere,Carnival of Soulsoffers its audience an intriguingly haunting, layered character study that makes for a very entertaining— even if equally creepy — viewing, shedding light on the horrors of post-traumatic stress after a devastating accident.
Carnival of Souls
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21’The Night House' (2021)
Directed by David Bruckner
StarringRebecca Hallas the emotionally scarred Beth,The Night Housefollows the character as she returns to a lake house her now-deceased husband has built for her in a beautiful forest. Beth finds herself slowly descending into madness after unpacking her late husband’s belongings and uncovering his disturbing secrets in the night house.
David Bruckner’s well-crafted supernatural whodunit horror movie depicts tremendous emotional loss, depression, and trauma to perfectionthrough its creepy atmosphere and storytelling. While the 2021 horror may not appeal to everyone, it is still worth checking, as it delivers a great performance by Hall and introduces some interesting concepts. Still,The Night House’s strongest aspect is the way it deals with the universal themes it has at its heart, including the inescapable burden of grief.
The Night House
20’The Others' (2001)
Directed by Alejandro Amenábar
Nicole Kidman is the leadin thisAlejandro Amenábarperiod psychological horror set immediately after the Second World War. It sees a woman living with her two sensitive children on her old family estate, illustrating how she later becomes convinced that the home is haunted.
The Othersexplores trauma, grief, and a deep state of denial by intriguingly revolving around Grace’s psyche: it sees the character refusing to confront the truth, which ultimately manifests as the movie’s eerie narrative and mystery. At its core, Amenábar’s film is about unresolved trauma, with its ghostly atmosphere and the haunted house it is set in adding layers to its compelling narrative, ultimately making it even more meaningful and terrifying. The twist near its end encapsulates this well.
The Others
19’Titane' (2021)
Directed by Julia Ducournau
Julia Ducournau’s fantastic Palm d’Or winner body horrorTitanecombines, in a transformative arc, dark humor with horror elements. The French 2021 film centers on a car accident survivor, Alexia (Agathe Rousselle), who has a medical-grade titanium alloy implant firmly fixed to her skull. Ten years after her cranioplasty, Alexia finds that she has developed a bizarre fetish with cars.
Tackling both generational and childhood trauma,Ducournau’s shockingly entertaining and deeply disturbing, gruesome film is guaranteed to leave a memorable mark on viewers. Throughthe horror movie’s metaphor for a sexual awakening, the beautifully shotTitanealso shines a light on identity and the very human desire to feel connected to others and build meaningful bonds, on top of loss and grief.
18’Possum' (2018)
Directed by Matthew Holness
This 2018 psychological horror film byMatthew Holnessis an adaption of Holness' short story of the same name published in the horror anthology “The New Uncanny: Tales of Unease.” It centers around a children’s puppeteer (Sean Harris) who is forced to face the trauma he experienced as a child by his wicked stepfather (Alun Armstrong), as well as the hidden secrets that have tortured him throughout his entire life.
WhilePossummay not be everyone’s cup of tea, it surely delivers an intriguing plot— one that essentially resorts to a puppet with spider legs and uses it as a metaphor for the character’s trauma and a reflection of himself, which he often attempts to destroy. With great performances from those involved,Holness’Possumis a nightmare-fueled filmthat is considered an underrated gem by many; one that flawlessly depicts what confronting long-buried wounds feels like.
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17’Saint Maud' (2019)
Directed by Rose Glass
Centering around a deeply devoted nurse with a tumultuous past,Saint Mauddepicts the titular character’s (Moryfydd Clark) journey to an English coastal town in order to look after a terminally ill former dancer, Amanda Köhl (Jennifer Ehle). Maud quickly develops an unhealthy obsession with freeing her helpless patient from herself and guiding her to the light.
While Rose Glass' thought-provoking and slow-burn feature film debut obviously deals with religious fervor, it also tackles sensitive topics like trauma and PTSD, which is exactly what makes the character turn to a misguided religious zeal. This original study of faith and alienation assuredly makes for a peculiar psychological horror watch and is perhaps one of themost underrated gems of the horror genre.
Saint Maud
16’Gerald’s Game' (2017)
Directed by Mike Flanagan
Based on Stephen King’s bookof the same name and directed by the talented mind behindThe Haunting of Hill House,Gerald’s Gameillustrates a couple attempting to spice up their marriage in a remote lake house. After the sudden death of the husband, the wife is left handcuffed to their bed frame and must fight to survive.
With a sexual abuse survivor struggling to break free from what’s holding her back in such a vulnerable position,Gerald’s Gameoffers a unique take on how long-buried, repressed trauma can trap a personand how important it is to confront it. It is a terrifying psychological horror because it is realistic and raw, resonating with audience members who may have undergone similar traumatic situations and repressed them later on.
