Best Horror Movies That Play On Your Fear Of The Dark, Ranked

Summary

• Horror movies like Darkness Falls use fear of the dark to provoke anxiety and physiological responses.
• Facing common phobias, films like Lights Out can be spine-chilling for viewers scared of the dark.
• The use of lighting, shadows, and sounds in horror movies like Them and Babadook creates suspense and terrifies viewers.

Data shows that around 50% of American adults have some degree of nyctophobia — the fear of the dark. Based on these results, movie producers use this common phobia to their advantage. Horror movies like Darkness Falls, the Babadook, and Them provoke feelings of anxiety, tense body muscles, and sweats, all characteristic symptoms of people scared of the dark.

On the other hand, if seen from the bright side, horror films playing on the fear of the dark can be used to face and overcome this vulnerability that the horror cinema strategically uses to create a physiological response. For viewers who are scared of the dark, these movies will be especially spine-chilling.

8 Lights Out

A Magnificent Combination Of Shadows And Sound

• Release date: August 4, 2016
• Running time: 1h 21m
• Director: David F. Sandberg
• Streaming: Hulu, Amazon Prime Video

From the director of The Conjuring, Lights Out takes the fear of the dark to a whole new level. The movie is about a dead woman, Diana, who is haunting a family’s household and is only able to move in the dark. She feeds on it and appears when someone switches off the light, and disappears when the lights are on.

The movie provokes the vulnerability of the viewers by tricking them with shadows, sounds, and camera angles. Reviews mention the great visuals and quick scares. Overall, reviews agree that it’s overall enjoyable, but nothing too scary.

7 Them

A Horror Based On Actual Events

• Release date: July 19, 2006
• Running time: 1h 17m
• Director: David Moreau, Xavier Palud
• Streaming: Netflix

Them is a horror movie based on the actual events that happened in France. The movie takes on the life of a couple: Clément, a school teacher, and Myrtille, a novelist who lives in a countryside house. One evening, a couple of kids intrude into the house and transform it into a house of terror.

The story’s authenticity is what makes Them scary. Its premise could happen to anyone, making it terrifying to watch. The movie’s directors played with lighting, shadows, and sounds to deliver suspense and pure terror.

6 The Night House

A Ghost Story Starring Rebecca Hall

• Release date: August 20, 2021
• Running time: 1h 47m
• Director: David Bruckner
• Streaming: Disney +

The Night House takes viewers to another ghost story. The plot is set in an isolated river house and stars Beth (played by Rebecca Hall) as the main protagonist facing her husband’s suicide. He left behind a note saying she will now be safe — but from what?

The director uses a haunting soundtrack and explores the fear of the dark with disturbing visuals, creating dread for the viewers.

5 The Boogeyman

An Adaptation Of Stephen King’s Short Novel

• Release date: June 2, 2023
• Running time: 1h 38m
• Director: Rob Savage
• Streaming: Disney +, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV

Boogeyman is a psychological and supernatural horror film that touches on themes of loss, grief, and parental neglect. It tells the tragic story of an overwhelmed father, who works as a therapist while going through the loss of his wife. He is unable to provide the proper mental support to his grieving children, and ends up neglecting them. After a patient visits the father at home, he leaves behind a supernatural force that changes everything.

The shadows and dark spaces in the movie scenes are notable and used to bring tension. Viewers also watch two children facing common childhood fears and phobias that play on the fear of the dark.

4 Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark

An Unbelievable Kid In A Haunted House

• Release date: November 6, 2010
• Running time: 1h 39m
• Director: Troy Nixey
• Streaming: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV

The plot of Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark centers around Sally, an eight-year-old girl, who moves with her father and soon-to-be stepmother into a creepy Gothic mansion in much need of renovation. In this house, there is a basement. Sally, a very smart kid, gets curious but is scared to go downstairs. Eventually, she finds a hidden pit with creatures that whisper and lure her to set them free. Despite her attempts to let the father know she dislikes the place, she’s ignored.

The film is a remake of the 1973 original . Director Troy Nixey uses a dark basement with little light to bring the fear of the dark into place. Throughout the film, viewers will also notice the primal use of shadows and darkness, which allows the creatures to creepily move and hide.

3 The Babadook

A Tale Book That Becomes Real And Terrorizes A Grieving Mom

• Release date: May 22, 2014
• Running time: 1h 34m
• Director: Jennifer Kent
• Streaming: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV

The Babadook has to be one of the greatest horror movies around. It all starts when a mom, Amelia, who’s grieving the death of her husband, is left alone in a house with her young son, Samuel. One night, she reads a bedtime story to her son, Mister Babadook, and everything changes. She attempts to burn the book to stop creepy things from happening at night, but fails.

Jennifer Kent, an Australian director, focuses on the indoor scenes. These are presented to the viewers in dim spaces with creepy shadows appearing from the corners, enhancing how tense anyone gets in the presence of darkness.

2 Darkness Falls

When The Tooth Fairy Returns As An Evil Spirit

• Release date: January 24, 2003
• Running time: 1h 26m
• Director: Jonathan Liebesman
• Streaming: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV

Darkness Falls centers around Matilda, also known as the Tooth Fairy. She is wrongly accused by the townspeople of hurting the children. Eventually, she dies and returns as an evil spirit. Spurred by revenge, Matilda decides to hunt the town and target children who lose a baby tooth. This evil only attacks at night, and kills everyone who locks eyes with her.

The movie heavily focuses on the fear of the dark to build up tension and panic. Viewers can expect fast movements from shadows and terror every time the lights are out.

1 Paranormal Activity

A Couple Decides To Record Disturbing Events Happening At Night

• Release date: February 5, 2010
• Running time: 1h 26m
• Director: Oren Peli
• Streaming: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV

Paranormal Activity revolves around Katie and Micah, a couple who decide to set up a camera in their bedroom during the night. Katie shares that she’s been haunted since a young age, and even though her boyfriend doesn’t initially believe her, he decides to do this for her. Viewers can expect jump scares and fear the dark between 1 and 4 AM when the demon awakens.

Nighttime, darkness, and the night-vision footage serve as sources of suspense and anxiety about what’s about to happen. In addition, the manipulation of dim lights and stillness makes viewers uneasy, compelling them to keep watching.