by Anne Glover

Created on: October 19, 2008   Last Updated: March 24, 2010

Haunted house movies have been a staple of film horror since almost the dawn of the silver screen. Whether in the mood for spine chilling entertainment or a good laugh, here is a list of some of the best (and worst) haunted house movies.

Good for a Laugh

1. Beetlejuice (1988). Yuppie couple moves to the country only to find their house haunted by Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin and a pesky poltergeist in this Tim Burton classic. Young Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton round out the all star cast in this surreal comedy.

2. Casper (1995). PG rated family movie starring Bill Pullman and Christina Ricci featuring Casper the famously friendly ghost. Great set and action make this a fun Halloween rental.

3. The Ghostbreakers (1940). Bob Hope stars in this early haunted house comedy about a young woman who inherits a haunted castle in Cuba.

4. The House on Haunted Hill (1959). Vincent Price at his best, hosting a country house party full of ghouly gimmicks.

5. High Spirits (1988). Great comedic cast including Peter O'Toole, Steve Guttenbery, Daryl Hannah and Liam Niesson in this story about a hoaxed haunted Irish Castle that suddenly turns out to be the real deal.

Mildly Scary

1. The Uninvited (1944). Leaving the city for a coastal house, brother and sister discover their house is haunted. Acclaimed for its subtlety and use of suspense rather than horror.

2. What Lies Beneath (2000). Michelle Pfeiffer and Harrison Ford in a suspense filled drama that has Claire (Pfeiffer) experiencing strange occurrences at her new house. With her daughter off to college and her husband always working, Claire finds herself unravelling a mystery.

3. Evil Dead (1981). Cult classic starring Bruce Campbell. Apparently Sam Raimi trashed the family mountain cabin during the making of this horror, which has a few scares but it mostly worth checking out for its cult status.

4. Burnt Offerings (1979). Bette Davis stars in this movie about a family who leaves the city to vacation in a Victorian mansion in California, only to find they are not the only residents.

5. Amityville Horror (1979). Although true events of the Lutz family haunted house have now been debunked, the original film shows a family in crisis when they believe their home is haunted. Remade in 2005, the original is more interesting.

Scary

1. The Grudge (2004). American remake of Japanese horror film stars Sarah Michelle Gellar in this creepy film about an American who uncovers a creepy homicidal spirit who inhabits and curses a Japanese home.

2. Poltergeist (1982). Classic Spielberg scare fest about a family who moves into a suburban tract development built on a cemetery. Important part of American culture, and a classic suburban horror film.

3. Watcher in the Woods (1981). This film scared the heebies out of me as a kid. Children in English country house terrorized by something watching in the woods.

4. The Haunting (1963). Psychic researcher seeks answers to the mystery of the haunted Hill House. Great psychological horror.

5. Ghost Story (1981). Elderly men swap ghost stories only to find themselves haunted by a vengeful spirit.

Scary and Excellent...

1. Session 9 (2001). Set in an old State Hospital, workers remove asbestos only to disturb something frightening. One of the freakiest movies I have ever seen, with a slow, quiet build up.

2. Stir of Echoes (1999). This one was overlooked during the fervor for the Sixth Sense. It is a fabulous thriller that focuses on relationships and the family as much as a ghost in the house.

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