While horror has evolved as a genre in every direction, there are some subgenres whose basics remain the same. Slashers are formulaic, and demonic possessions almost always follow the rules. The comfort of horror is built around the idea that, sometimes, you will see the same things you've seen before. Ghost horror movies aren't the exception.
However, there have been times when the land of the living and the... whatever you can think of, get mixed into a twisty storyline that breaks the rules. The supernatural horror classics were about lenient ghosts set to scare and not much else. However, in the case of the following R-rated films, the scares may have been too much for younger audiences, or the ghosts may have decided to jump into our realm and attack us.
These are the best R-rated ghost horror films of all time.
10 The Conjuring (2013)
- Release Date
- March 20, 2013
The Conjuring follows the Perron family as they move to a decrepit old house in Rhode Island. Roger and Carolyn, and their five daughters, begin experiencing supernatural phenomena, and they decide to conjure up Lorraine and Ed Warren, the famed demonologists, to help them exorcise their new home.
Rated R for Sequences of Disturbing Violence and Terror
The 2013 film by James Wan is a take on classic horror, albeit with new resources that up the game in terms of scare tactics. The Conjuring is a solid collection of jump scares and carefully planned set pieces designed by a dude who knows how to do horror. Just the dog dying may have justified its R rating. You've been warned.
9 Sleepy Hollow (1999)
- Release Date
- November 19, 1999
Sleepy Hollow is the story of a police constable named Ichabod Crane, who's sent to the town of Sleepy Hollow in 1799 because of a series of strange murders. Crane investigates the crime scenes where the victims have been decapitated and soon realizes the claims may be true: It's the work of a headless horseman seeking revenge.
Rated R for Graphic Horror Violence and Gore, and a Scene of Sexuality
Directed by Tim Burton, the film is a great display of Gothic horror tropes in the hands of a filmmaker who's not afraid to take things a bit further when showing the violence required for authenticity. Nevertheless, the balance provided by Johnny Depp's insecure and clumsy character is key to making the film more watchable than what its R rating implies.
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8 The Frighteners (1996)
- Release Date
- July 19, 1996
In The Frighteners, Frank Bannister is a con man who uses his ability to see the world of ghosts to his advantage. Frank makes a living by exorcising houses, and for authenticity, he uses his friendship with a group of ragtag ghosts. The problem is that one day, the Grim Reaper shows up and begins killing the undead, and Frank is forced to do some real ghost-busting.
Rated R for Terror/Violence
The film by Peter Jackson impressed Universal Pictures because of its groundbreaking set of visual effects created by Jackson's Weta Digital. Although it was a box office flop, it's actually a noteworthy execution of the difficult subgenre of horror comedy, led by Michael J. Fox in his most underrated performance. Unless you get creeped out by ghosts killing other ghosts, its R rating is almost unnecessary.
7 Crimson Peak (2015)
- Release Date
- October 13, 2015
- Director
- Guillermo del Toro
Crimson Peak follows Edith Cushing, a young New York socialite who meets an Englishman named Thomas Sharpe and immediately falls in love. When Edith marries Thomas in the aftermath of her father's brutal murder, the young bride realizes her new Northern England mansion is home to a ghost that may reveal the truth about Thomas and his sister Lucille.
Rated R for Bloody Violence, Some Sexual Content, and Brief Strong Language
Directed by Guillermo del Toro, this beautiful Gothic horror film is a unique presentation of a subgenre that's very rare nowadays; audiences are not keen on Victorian-Era stories of ghosts trapped in massive manors. The performance at the box office was poor, but many regard it as one of del Toro's greatest films. It may seem "too classic" to have an R-rating, but the third act is violent and disturbing enough to carry its rating proudly.
6 The Shining (1980)
- Release Date
- May 23, 1980
The Shining is the story of the Torrance family, as father/husband Jack accepts the caretaker gig at the Overlook Hotel, located in a remote area that's to be closed during winter. The isolation proves to be too much for Jack, who quickly falls prey to demonic entities residing in the Overlook and who convince him his family needs to be murdered in the most brutal of fashions.
Rated R for Disturbing Violent Content and Behavior, Bloody Images, Graphic Nudity, and Strong Language
Even though it was made during the beginnings of the slasher era, R-rated by default, The Shining was conceptually pretty special. Directed by Stanley Kubrick, an unconventional director who had made the fairly controversial A Clockwork Orange, the Stephen King adaptation featured axes to the chest, gory crime scenes, and a kiss scene that forever changed our perception of the elderly.
5 Stir of Echoes (1999)
- Release Date
- September 10, 1999
Stir of Echoes tells the story of Tom Witzky, a working-class lineman who doesn't believe in ghosts. However, his sister-in-law hypnotizes him during a party and inadvertently opens a door in Tom's mind. This leads Tom to see beyond our realm (just like his son) and he realizes his new home may be hosting a very angry ghost set out to avenge her murder.
Rated R for Violence, Sexuality and Language
Released a few weeks after The Sixth Sense, Stir of Echoesfell to second in the ghost horror movie competition. But in reality, it's actually an extremely well-written movie with a great performance by Kevin Bacon. Though it isn't as violent as its rating says, the scene of the girl becoming a ghost is a bit too disturbing for unsupervised kids: the teeth, the nails, and the implied sexual violence are some of the elements that'll give you nightmares.
4 The Devil's Backbone (2001)
The Devil's Backbone
The Devil's Backbone takes viewers to Spain during the Civil War of the 1930s. Carlos is the new arrival in the orphanage located in the middle of nowhere where children whose parents have died in the war are cared for. After he arrives, Carlos notices the ghost of a boy wandering around the orphanage, and he realizes someone inside his new home may have committed a murder.
Rated R for Violence, Language, and Some Sexuality
Once again, del Toro with a ghost film. Only this one is a bit more kid-friendly. Nevertheless, the director isn't keen on making historical events friendlier or sugarcoated. He's used to showing things the way they are, even if it involves children dying, a bomb explosion, or even a brutal murder. The Devil's Backbone is one of the best ghost horror films ever made.
3 Lake Mungo (2008)
- Release Date
- July 30, 2009
- Director
- Joel Anderson
- Cast
- Talia Zucker , Rosie Traynor , David Pledger , Martin Sharpe , Steve Jodrell , Tamara Donnellan
Lake Mungo is a horror mockumentary that tells the story of the Palmers, a family going through grief after their daughter, 16-year-old Alice, is found at the bottom of a lake. Her brother Mathew has installed cameras around the house trying to capture Alice's ghost, and what he finds is something much more disturbing.
Rated R for a Scene of Sexuality, and Brief Gruesome Images
Named one of the scariest films ever made by hundreds of viewers, Lake Mungo is an Australian import that never goes past the lines that make it a sober film about grief. But yes, it's also a pure horror movie with one of the best jump scares and unsettling images you will see in the genre. Also, Alice's bizarre behavior during her final days is due to a dark secret that also justifies the film's R rating.
You can stream Lake Mungo on Tubi.
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2 The Orphanage (2007)
- Release Date
- December 28, 2007
- Director
- J.A. Bayona
- Cast
- Belén Rueda , Fernando Cayo , Roger Príncep , Mabel Rivera , Montserrat Carulla , Andrés Gertrúdix , Edgar Vivar , Óscar Casas , Geraldine Chaplin , Carmen López , Óscar Lara , Georgina Avellaneda , Carla Gordillo , Alejandro Camps , Enric Arquimbau , Blanca Martínez , Isabel Friera , Jordi Cardus
- Main Genre
- Horror
In The Orphanage, Laura and Carlos move with their adopted son, Simón, to Laura's childhood home: a derelict orphanage that they have bought, seeking to renovate it. When Simón disappears, a search ensues, and Laura soon becomes aware that his disappearance may have to do with her past, and the ghosts that wander the house.
Rated R for Some Disturbing Content
This Spanish horror film is not anywhere as disturbing as some of its PG-13 peers. However, director J. A. Bayona's scare methods are undoubtedly effective, and while the film flows into a beautiful and bittersweet ending, The Orphanage is an unsettling piece with disturbing imagery and a masked ghost character that will give you nightmares.
You can stream The Orphanage on Paramount+.
1 Personal Shopper (2016)
- Release Date
- October 19, 2016
- Director
- Olivier Assayas
- Cast
- Kristen Stewart , Lars Eidinger , Sigrid Bouaziz , Anders Danielsen Lie , Ty Olwin , Hammou Graïa
Personal Shopper is the story of Maureen Cartwright, a young woman who does personal shopping for a supermodel in Paris. Maureen's twin brother, Lewis, has died recently, and per their agreement, she's waiting for him to give her a signal that there's something beyond death. After receiving suspicious text messages and finding her drawings have been violently destroyed, Maureen begins to believe.
Rated R for Some Language, Sexuality, Nudity, and a Bloody Violent Image
Styled as a psychological thriller, Personal Shopper doesn't reveal its true essence until halfway through when, just like Maureen, we start believing there may be a ghost behind some of the subtle signs. Kristen Stewart's incredible performance also helps viewers to properly "navigate" her character throughout her complex situation. Yes, there's nudity, but the R rating seems to be excessive.
You can stream Personal Shopper on The Roku Channel.
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