If there’s one subgenre of horror that seems to be a bit of a guaranteed money-maker, it’s paranormal activity. Obviously, that’s a pretty flexible and elastic label, as it basically takes account of any horror film that involves something that can’t be rationally explained, ranging from stories about spirits to stories that are just plain strange.
Because paranormal films often cause less than other, more big-budget horror, they are a safer bet for Hollywood studios. Unfortunately, not every one of these films has managed to succeed, and some that should have been successful with audiences ended up being flops.
10 The Watcher in the Woods (1980)
This is definitely one of the stranger films to come out of the paranormal genre, which is really saying something. However, what other way is there to describe a paranormal film that was one of the last roles of the great actress Bette Davis? Though the film was a bit of a flop when it came out, due in part to the strange ending, it’s gotten a bit more credit as the years have gone by—not least because of its creation by Disney.
9 Bless The Child (2000)
Bless the Child has the misfortune of being both a critical and a financial flop, and it is true that the plot is a bit silly, as it focuses on a woman who discovers that her adopted niece has supernatural abilities that a bloodthirsty cult wants to use. However, that being said, it is a film very much of its time, since the early 2000s saw quite a few strange and paranormal films. It’s a shame that it didn’t get a warmer reception from the audience, even as a camp classic.
8 Bones (2001)
Even though Snoop Dogg is more identified with his musical career than acting, every now and again he does appear in a movie, and Bones is one of the most notable. In the film, he’s a gangster who is resurrected from the dead.
It’s a truly unique film, and it obviously is something of a call-back to the era of blaxploitation. Unfortunately, it really landed with a thud at the box office, though some people have begun to reappraise it and give it the respect that it undoubtedly deserves.
7 Cursed (2005)
The werewolf is one of those creatures that emerges time and time again in horror films. This mixture of man and animal is a terrifying reminder of the often-porous boundary between the human and the animal.
In the case of 2005's Cursed, it's werewolf double-trouble when a pair of siblings become transformed because of their encounters with the monster. The film has its charms, to be sure, and there are some points that are positively disturbing. It’s just a shame that audiences and critics didn’t seem to like it.
6 The Haunting (1963)
The novel The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson has been the basis for a number of film adaptations—and a recent television one, as well—and it’s not hard to see why. After all, the haunted house is one of the most iconic institutions to appear in the horror genre, a reminder of strange pasts and twisted psychologies. This version of the story is dark and atmospheric, and, while it didn’t get a lot of love when it came out, it’s subsequently come to be regarded as a true horror classic.
5 Ghosts Of Mars (2001)
John Carpenter is one of those directors who has become so successful in horror as to be synonymous with it. However, it’s also true that not all of his films, especially in the late 90s and early 2000s, were as acclaimed as his earlier efforts. Ghosts of Mars, which, as its title suggests, combines a ghost story with an outer space adventure, was pretty heavily dismissed by everyone, but, even now, it still retains its power to chill and to frighten.
4 The Wolfman (2010)
At first glance, it would seem that 2010's The Wolfman should have been a success. After all, it was updating a classic horror film, and it has some Hollywood heavyweights, including none other than the titanically talented Anthony Hopkins. Unfortunately, all of this wasn’t nearly enough to save it, and it crashed and burned at the box office. It’s truly a shame, too, because it really is a pretty great horror film in its own right.
3 Mother! (2017)
Darren Aronofsky has a well-earned reputation for being one of the most visionary and unique directors working in Hollywood today. Every film that he’s made has asked the viewer to think in new ways about what the medium of film can accomplish.
Alas, not everyone has been met with critical or financial appreciation, including Mother!. This is truly a shame, though, since it has great performances, a truly strange and disturbing storyline, and quite a bit of philosophy.
2 Crimson Peak (2015)
Guillermo del Toro has done a great deal to cement his legacy in filmmaking, and he seems to be someone with a keen eye for the macabre and the horrific. He’s brought this sensibility to almost all of his productions, and that includes Crimson Peak, which is one of the best examples of the gothic paranormal horror film to appear in recent years. For some reason, though, it really struggled to get the kind of warm reception that so many of his other films received.
1 The Haunting (1999)
Shirley Jackson’s novel was also adapted into a 1999 film which, unfortunately, was met with a very hostile reception—especially compared to that which greeted the 1960s version. However, in its defense, it has a decent storyline, and the performances are actually quite good.
However, the critics didn’t seem to appreciate it. Seen in hindsight, though, it comes across as an earnest effort to adapt Jackson’s work for the end of the millennium, even if it did tend to lean too much on the established formula that one associate with the horror genre.
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