4 Psychological-Horror Movies That Will Keep You Up in The Dead of Night
Psychological-horrors—the subgenre of horror for those that love creeping suspense, mind-bending twists and a good scare. This Halloween, we’ve curated four underrated films that blur the lines between thriller, drama, and horror—perfect for a fear-filled October marathon.
If you’re ready, read on…
The Voice (2010)
In this Turkish psychological-horror, a strange, haunting voice consumes the protagonist Derya’s mind. As a bank’s call center agent, Derya’s life is uneventful but peaceful—until a mysterious voice begins to speak to her, instructing her to follow the man closest to her, Onur, who is her boss and childhood friend.
With the promise that it would leave her alone, Derya abides by its demand dutifully but soon learns of Onur’s shocking secrets.
Deep In The Wood (2015)
It all happened five years ago during the terrifying Krampus festival, people dress up as the half-goat, half-demon monster “Krampus”, known in central European popular legend as a monster that punishes misbehaving children at Christmastime. As the festivities went on through the night, no one noticed little Tommi running away into the woods, fearing the masked festival-goers swarming the streets.
That night, Tommi disappears, and all fingers seem to point at his father.
Now, five years after his mysterious disappearance, Tommi is found in a building site on the outskirts of Naples. When he is brought home to his family, Tommi’s parents and the town locals realise that this Tommi isn’t quite the same.
Goodnight Mommy (2014)
This Austrian film gives a sharp twist to psychological horror and family drama. Twin brothers Elias and Lukas return home to their mother, whose face is concealed beneath bandages after cosmetic surgery. But something feels different—her warmth is gone, replaced by a cold, volatile temperament. As her behaviour grows increasingly unsettling, the boys begin to suspect that the woman in their house may not be their real mother. Their doubts spiral into paranoia, pushing them toward a chilling and violent confrontation.
Nominated for the Best Film in the Venice Horizons Award at the 2014 Venice Film Festival, Goodnight Mommy blends suspense and body horror into an unsettling meditation on loss and the tortured ways one copes with grief.
The Uninvited Guest (2004)
Never open your door to a stranger. After a recent breakup, Felix is left alone in his vast, empty house. One evening, a man knocks, asking to use the phone. But once inside, the stranger mysteriously vanishes, and Felix finds himself in a cat and mouse chase in the maze-like interior of his house.
What follows is a chain of unnerving events that blur the line between reality and paranoia.
For a horror-filled October, catch these films on CinemaWorld and CinemaWorld On Demand.
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