Top 10 Demon Movies

Upon its expansion into wide release, legions praised “Paranormal Activity” as the scariest movie of all time. While people might have overhyped it in retrospect, the film still holds up as a cool supernatural thriller. In an age where horror movies are notorious for being flashy and gory, this found footage flick derived most of its scares through what the audience doesn’t see thanks to a plot revolving around a young couple who’re supposedly being haunted by a demon in their new home. Admit it, the first time you watched “Paranormal Activity,” you jumped out of your seat on several occasions and couldn’t get a wink of sleep that night. So be sure to choose your bedfellows wisely, or you may end up with one of them turning into this.

If you saw “It” for the first time as a child, then Pennywise haunted your dreams well into your grown up years. Of course if you initially saw this two-part Stephen King miniseries as an adult, you probably find Pennywise more funny than frightening. Either way, the TV movie remains an iconic staple of the horror genre with an unforgettable performance from Tim Curry as the dancing clown-slash-demonic-alien and a surprisingly effective story about friendship that spans over thirty years. Let’s just try to overlook that giant spider in the final act.

Although Sam Raimi hit it big with the “Spider-Man” trilogy, that didn’t stop him from returning to his campy roots with “Drag Me to Hell.” The title speaks for itself as characters are literally dragged down into the pits of hell in this horror film. After a hideous old lady curses Alison Lohman and she finds out she’ll be haunted by the Lamia demon, though, the underworld almost sounds like a welcome escape. With anvils dropping on people’s heads and possessed, talking goats, “Drag Me to Hell” has the essence of a demented cartoon. It’s silly, it’s scary, and it’s just a ton of fun.

Advertised to American audiences as the movie that inspired the 2008 remake “Quarantine,” this Spanish found footage film unsurprisingly shares a similar premise with later flick. [Rec] follows a TV reporter interviewing a group of firefighters on their night shift. When called upon to rescue an elderly woman locked inside her apartment, they uncover a much more hazardous story. The film makes good use of the shaky cam technique and creating a claustrophobic atmosphere, but where “Quarantine” stuck to the mutated virus approach, “[Rec]” injects an unexpected demonic twist that’s further explored in its sequels.

“The Conjuring” is one of those classic haunted house movies where the homeowners don’t move out even after their dog turns up dead and one of their daughters starts sleepwalking. While it doesn’t revolutionize the genre, this is actually an effective thriller carried by a genuinely chilling mood, convincing performances, and a surprisingly touching relationship between two paranormal investigators played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga. It also has one of the creepiest dolls ever in the haunted Annabelle, who sadly became less credible with her 2014 prequel/spinoff.

At the turn of the 1980s, more and more parents started to argue that we needed a new rating to bridge the gap between PG and R-rated fare. The PG-rated “Poltergeist” undoubtedly fueled this argument. By today’s standards, this story about a suburban family that’s haunted by wicked entities is clear PG-13 material. Never afraid to frighten your little ones, the film overflows with creepy imagery, inventive antagonists, and effects that still hold up quite nicely. After watching it, you’ll never look at a clown doll the same way again.

Sam Raimi established his knack for mixing absurd horror with absurd humor through this 1981 cult classic. On a low budget, Raimi crafted a gross-out, gut bursting good time that really stood out from the crowd. The cabin in the woods setting may be familiar, but “The Evil Dead” distinguishes itself with gleeful gore, impressive stop-motion visuals, and let’s not forget the demonically possessed raping trees. It would go on to inspired a 2013 remake/reboot, which, while not as funny as its processor, is still positively to die for.

Having a demon inside you is one thing. The idea of that demon also being your unborn child, however, is bloodcurdling beyond belief. What makes “Rosemary’s Baby” a masterful psychological horror movie is how it plays with both the protagonist’s mind and the audience’s minds. For much of the film, we’re not sure if Rosemary is losing her sanity or if she’s at the center of a demonic cult’s evil scheme. It amounts to one hell of a climax in which the truth stares Rosemary dead in the eye.

Although we never see Satan’s spawn in “Rosemary’s Baby,” his offspring takes center stage here. The definitive Antichrist movie, “The Omen” has no shortage of immortal frights involving a nanny hanging herself, a household accident involving a tricycle, and the reveal of Damien’s unusual birthmark. Any parent who names their kid “Damien” is pretty much setting him up to be evil, though. Even if it doesn’t take an exorcist to figure out the little bugger has malevolence running through his veins, Richard Donner’s disturbing direction keeps you consistently on edge.

Before we summon our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

“Insidious” (2010)

“The Exorcism of Emily Rose” (2005)

“Sinister” (2012)

“Session 9” (2001)

“Rosemary’s Baby,” “The Omen,” and “The Exorcist” are often grouped together as a spiritual trilogy of demonic child pictures with the latter being the crowning achievement. Nowadays, it’s hard to imagine a film leaving audiences running out the screening room screaming. Holding nothing back, “The Exorcist” served up scares unlike any other horror movie with stunning direction, a tense musical score, terrifying visuals, and captivating performances, particularly from the young Linda Blair as the demonically possessed Regan. It’s so head-twistingly shocking that theaters actually supplied audience members with vomit bags. Anyone else see the irony in that?

Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite demon movie? For more entertaining Top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.