Top 20 Creepiest Documentaries Ever Made

Released by HBO, “Mommy Dead and Dearest” chronicles the events that led to Dee Dee Blanchard’s death. It details how she committed factitious disorder imposed on another, or what was once known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy, on her daughter, Gypsy Rose. Blanchard essentially made it seem like her daughter suffered from a number of terrible ailments. While upholding the lie, the mother put her child through unnecessary surgeries and other terrible things. Gypsy Rose then conspired with her boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, to kill Blanchard. It’s unsettling to think of the horrors that pushed a daughter to slay her own mother. No matter how you view it, “Mommy Dead and Dearest” makes for one creepy viewing experience.

Back in September of 1977, Mormon missionary Kirk Anderson was supposedly abducted and abused by a woman named Joyce McKinney. The story became known as the Manacled Mormon case. This terrifying story was extensively covered in the British tabloids, specifically the warring rivals Daily Express and Daily Mirror. The documentary “Tabloid” conveys these events with unnerving detail and is even narrated by Joyce McKinney herself. That shocking choice immediately brings viewers closer to the case than they expected. As a result, those watching will further question the story that she weaves because it has multiple viewpoints and perspectives. Many will find the documentary’s contents troubling, especially considering who gets to tell the story.

This troubling documentary tells the story of the 2009 Taconic State Parkway crash, a nasty traffic collision that resulted in eight deaths. It was caused by a woman named Diane Schuler— the titular Aunt Diane. On that fateful day, she was the one traveling on the parkway in the wrong direction. It’s a very disconcerting story that is rooted in unimaginable tragedy. Throughout the documentary, upsetting questions are raised about Schuler’s state of mind. Between footage of the accident, interviews with grieving individuals, and some rather uncomfortable topics, “There's Something Wrong with Aunt Diane” puts forth a very uneasy atmosphere.

The story of John du Pont was famously captured in the 2014 film “Foxcatcher,” which earned five Oscar nominations. “Team Foxcatcher” was released two years later and serves as an eerie companion piece, retelling the story with a more grounded, and arguably more disturbing, angle. This Netflix documentary uses harrowing archival footage to tell its story. Viewers are also given a rather personal and alarming glimpse into the mind of a killer. By incorporating all these details, viewers get a sense of what led to du Pont’s horrifying actions. The documentary explores how mental illness, wealth, and power can create a nightmarish situation.

“The Shining” is one of the most elusive films of all time, inviting endless interpretations and readings since its release in 1980. “Room 237” honors the movie’s legacy and examines some of the most profound and intriguing readings. Topics like American imperialism, Greek mythology, and the Holocaust are explored in depth. The famous conspiracy that Stanley Kubrick helped fake the moon landing is also covered. “Room 237” ultimately stands as a spooky, complex, and endlessly riveting glimpse into the granddaddy of all horror films. Its off-putting interpretations proved to be nearly as frightening as the movie itself.

Much has been written about the Zodiac killings. At this point, the case is among the most discussed serial tragedies in American history. “This Is the Zodiac Speaking” is one of the most definitive documentaries about the case. It contains interviews with retired police officers and criminal profilers. Their firsthand accounts of the case give viewers unfettered access into the distressing story that has captivated Americans and true crime enthusiasts for decades. The disturbing story covers how Zodiac targeted innocent people and flippantly discussed his crimes. All the interviews in the documentary play on his notoriety. Seeing the impact the case has had on people’s psyches is arguably even scarier than the story itself.

Released in 1982, “The Killing of America” argues that the United States is in the midst of a messy cultural collapse. The title has both metaphorical and literal layers to it. Much of the film is centered around the incredible wave of violence that struck America in the ‘60s and ‘70s. This includes the assassinations of John and Robert Kennedy, the rise of serial killers, and a very distressing shooting. It’s a shocking documentary that leaves viewers feeling extremely uncomfortable. Featuring genuine footage of violence and interviews with the likes of criminals like Sirhan Sirhan and Ed Kemper, “The Killing of America” makes for one distressing watch.

Having aired on the British station Channel 5, “The Cannibal That Walked Free” is a nightmarish glimpse into one of humanity’s darkest crimes. Through the lens of Japanese criminal Issei Sagawa, it explores the psychology behind cannibalism. In June of 1981, Sagawa killed and desecrated a student named Renée Hartevelt. But he was allowed to walk free thanks to a legal snafu between France and Japan. This documentary delves into Sagawa’s crimes and the psychology behind his actions through interviews with Sagawa himself. Seeing this perturbing story get conveyed through the lens of the perpetrator can be skin-crawling. For many, it may prove too much to bear.

Based on a nonfiction book of the same name, “Wisconsin Death Trip” is a sinister docudrama about a turbulent time in Wisconsin history. The story follows a series of disturbing occurrences that plagued the state in the late 19th century. This includes the abandoning of children, homicides, arson, and supernatural delusion. As if the subject matter wasn’t troubling enough, the docudrama is also shot in silent black and white to convey the style of old movies. The aged cinematography immediately puts viewers on edge. Meanwhile, the contemporary newspaper accounts are chillingly narrated by Ian Holm. The combined effect is one of deep and uncomfortable surrealism.

Aileen Wuornos was a sex worker who killed seven clients between 1989 and 1990. Two years later, Nick Broomfield made a documentary. Most of the film is centered around Broomfield’s attempts at conducting an interview with Wuornos in prison. As she discusses the case, viewers witness the troubling defense that she put forth and the implications that it represented. The interviews with Wuornos are also bone-chilling. It’s clear that her life was full of extensive pain and suffering at every stage. Years later, the documentary became an enormous inspiration for Charlize Theron, who would later win an Oscar for playing Wuornos in “Monster.”

In 1994, 13-year-old Nicholas Barclay disappeared in Texas. Three years later, a man claiming to be Nicholas came forward, but this man wasn’t Nicholas at all: he was Frédéric Bourdin, a French con artist. “The Imposter” explains how Bourdin was able to get away with it for so long, despite being significantly older than Nicholas and not looking anything like him. It’s incredibly disturbing how Bourdin inserted himself into the Barclay family and tricked them into accepting him. Most remarkable of all, however, is that director Bart Layton conducted interviews with Bourdin himself, which makes the case even more complex as he somehow manages to come across as sympathetic.

A pair of filmmakers who grew up on Staten Island decided to take a closer look at the New York version of the boogeyman, Cropsey, and how or if this urban legend fits into the mysteries involving a series of kidnapped children in the '70s and '80s. From the letters prime suspect Andre Rand sends the documentarians claiming his innocence; to investigating the tunnels underneath the condemned Willowbrook State School for the mentally handicapped; and finally theories about devil worshippers, “Cropsey” is sure to send a chill down your spine.

The Golden Gate Bridge may be one of America’s most iconic landmarks, and the image that comes to mind when you think of the city of San Francisco, but for many, its looming presence is a symbol of tragedy. This documentary takes a closer look at some of these tragic incidents in 2004, but it certainly isn’t easy viewing. It remains controversial, with reports of bridge jumpers increasing after the documentary was released, and in 2015 it was even removed from Netflix in New Zealand.

While searching for a new home and a new purpose in the 1980s, film grad Will Allen fell in with the Buddhafield new religious movement – a cult based in West Hollywood at the time. Allen became the group’s documentarian and lived with them for 22 years, finally leaving in 2007. He became inspired to make a movie, and used all the footage he had of his time with the Buddhafield cult and its leader, Michel, to create “Holy Hell”. This direct look at the inner workings of a cult is both rare and creepy, made all the more unsettling by the fact the cult continues to this day, now based in Hawaii.

Originally intended to examine juvenile criminals in the US, this documentary quickly shifted to focus on the personal tragedy faced by Charity Lee in February 2007 involving her young daughter. It follows Charity as she grapples with the reality of her son having killed her daughter, as she mourns Ella’s loss but refuses to abandon Paris, still visiting him in prison. It’s difficult to know what to make of this uncomfortable watch, as the film leans into the fact that with true crime, there are no easy answers.

One of the most disturbing films ever made, “Titicut Follies” was banned for over 20 years upon release. Shot in black and white with no narration, it’s a raw exposé of the injustices America’s mentally ill faced in the 1960s. Specifically centered on the Bridgewater State Hospital in Massachusetts, the film shows the gross mistreatment of the inmates - all people in need of real care who were dehumanized and abused by those tasked with looking after them. Despite being banned, the film was able to draw attention to these issues, though it still took decades for this to begin.

This look at a summer camp for one branch of evangelical Christians has been disturbing viewers around the world since its initial release. Seen by many as a damning portrayal of allegedly abusive practices at camps like the featured Kids on Fire School of Ministry, it played a role in getting the camp shut down; the camp pastor Becky Fischer was forced to close the retreat due to backlash. But it’s arguably a credit to the directors that you can’t necessarily tell where their own sympathies lie while watching this movie. It’s down to the viewer to decide what’s right and what’s wrong.

A harrowing watch, “Dear Zachary” follows Kurt Kuenne as he makes a movie about Andrew Bagby, his lifelong friend who was allegedly murdered by his ex, Shirley Jane Turner. Turner revealed shortly after Andrew’s death that she was pregnant with their child, but police had a difficult time pinning the murder on her. The movie is intended as an archive of Andrew, a widely loved person by all accounts, for his son Zachary. But the project became more complex the longer it went on, and by the time it was finished, it had become a fully-fledged documentary. An examination of loss and grief, “Dear Zachary” is as poignant as it is upsetting.

With subject matter this heavy, “The Act of Killing” was always going to be a tough watch. In Indonesia, filmmaker Joshua Oppenheimer interviews former executioners who took part in the Indonesian mass killings of 1965 to 1966. They re-enact the killings in a variety of genres, including westerns and musicals, while Oppenheimer asks them both about their artistic choices in the portrayals and about the events themselves. The “fun” re-enactments juxtaposed with the horrific topics they portray is extremely disturbing. It’s not hard to see why this documentary remains so controversial.

Jan Broberg’s story is particularly disturbing. When she was just an adolescent in the 1970s, one of the Broberg family’s neighbors, Robert Berchtold, befriended Jan’s parents and inserted himself into their lives. Twice, Berchtold abducted Jan, including taking her to Mexico when she was 12. His manipulation knew no bounds; even after Jan was brought home the first time, her parents still allowed Berchtold to be around her, even letting him sleep in her bed. By far, the strangest detail is the recordings Berchtold made of aliens to further increase his influence on Jan. Thankfully, Jan and her family survived the long ordeal.