There’s a natural association between crime thrillers and horror movies. The emotions that both genres bring out in viewers are often similar, with the distinction coming from the tones of conclusions that range from typical happy endings to the victory of ruthless villains. In fact, thrillers can often turn into horror movies part-way through, if the storyteller behind the script desires so.
A good detective story is usually the place for this natural transition from one thrilling genre to a scary one. Detective movies aren’t always horror movies, but when the case gets disturbing enough, the transition is almost inevitable. Just in time for the spooky season, we’ve put together a list of the best detective horror movies with great mysteries to get lost in.
10 From Hell (2001)
Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell, From Hell tells the story of Inspector Frederick Abberline as he teams up with a prostitute named Mary Kelly. Together, they investigate the horrible murders committed by Jack the Ripper in late 1800s London.
Solving the World’s Greatest Mystery
The film wasn’t very successful, although it made double its budget at the box office. Critics were divided as it failed to capture the essence of the graphic novel. However, the production value and the performances by Johnny Depp and Ian Holm are good enough to revisit the film in a trip to the past when the directing duo The Hughes Brothers decided to make a very difficult detective horror film.
9 Se7en (1995)
In Se7en, detectives David Mills and William Somerset witness the horrific acts of a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as the themes for brutal murders. When the killer, John Doe, surrenders himself in the third act of the movie, viewers scratch their heads, wondering how the film could end with a satisfying climax. Oh, it does.
How to Turn a Thriller Into a Horror Movie?
David Fincher’s modern horror classic is a gloomy suspense film that enters horror territory early on when the audience gets a glimpse at the viciousness of cinema’s craftiest serial killer. While you would think it’s all about cracking the case, the script by Andrew Kevin Walker delivers a final punch that will leave you shaking. It was one of 1995’s highest-grossing films.
8 Shutter Island (2010)
Based on Dennis Lehane’s novel of the same name, Shutter Island follows U.S. marshals Teddy Daniels and Chuck Aule as they visit a psychiatric hospital on a secluded island. One of the patients has vanished without a trace, and upon arriving, they realize shady experiments are possibly being performed in the rundown hospital.
The Place Where Nightmares Take Place
Starring an ensemble cast that includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Michelle Williams, Max von Sydow, Mark Ruffalo, and Ben Kingsley, the 2010 film was critically acclaimed. Many hailed Scorsese’s ability to put together such a compelling mystery with great characters that come together in a heartbreaking conclusion. It is Martin Scorsese’s closest approach to the horror genre after 1991’s Cape Fear.
7 The Exorcist III (1990)
The Exorcist III follows Lieutenant Kinderman, the detective from the first film, as he tries to solve a series of murders in Georgetown that resemble those committed by the Gemini Killer, a serial killer who passed away. When Kinderman visits a psychiatric hospital, he has an encounter that makes him question his faith and sanity.
The Continuation That Was Supposed to be More Sober
One of the most underrated sequels of all time, The Exorcist III has the essence of the Exorcist franchise while moving to the more grounded territory of a crime film. Much of the film’s alleged inconsistency has to do with producers forcing director William Peter Blatty to make an exorcist film and not a detective film. The result is a fascinating example of two genres awkwardly blended in a rather original detective horror movie.
6 The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
The Silence of the Lambs follows an FBI agent named Clarice Starling, who’s forced to seek the help of a very clever sociopath to find a serial killer on the loose. Dr. Hannibal Lecter, aka “Hannibal the Cannibal,” helps Starling and gives her enough clues to find Buffalo Bill, but Lecter also has an agenda that only Starling sees with their emotional connection.
Exploring the Many Shades of Human Evil
This detective horror film has a pretty juicy mystery in what Starling finds so engaging in Lecter, and not exactly the mystery of who Buffalo Bill is. However, the relationship between the two leads is interesting enough to convince you to go smoothly down the rabbit hole. The film remains the only horror film to win Best Picture (and one of the few to win the Big Five) at the Academy Awards.
5 Psycho (1960)
In Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, Marion Crane decides to steal a lot of cash from her boss so she and her lover can run away and reboot their lives. But while driving through a rainstorm, she’s forced to pull over at Bates Motel. Unfortunately, the rundown motel on the side of the road is where Marion will pay for her sins.
The Detective Mystery Movie That Laid the Foundation for Modern Horror
The 1960 horror classic is the quintessential mystery film that transitions to horror after its iconic shower scene. When the detective shows up and investigates Marion’s disappearance, it may seem Hitchcock has lowered his guard. Nevertheless, he provides a final blow that makes Psycho a perfect Halloween feature and a solid detective horror classic.
4 Angel Heart (1987)
Angel Heart is the story of Harry Angel, a private investigator from New York who goes to New Orleans in order to investigate the disappearance of a musician. The year is 1955, and Angel’s new client is a mysterious stranger called Louis Cyphre who needs to get his hands on Johnny Favorite, the crooner who didn’t respect his contract with Cyphre.
One of the Best Psychological Horror Films of the 1980s
Alan Parker’s psychological horror film is an underrated gem based on the novel Falling Angel by William Hjortsberg. In 1987, it failed to make a dent at the box office, and people forgot about it quickly. Still, the detective story that turns into horror with an awesome final twisthas seen its cult status grow in the years since its release.
3 The Wailing (2016)
South Korean import The Wailing follows Jong-goo, a detective who desperately seeks some cure for his daughter’s illness: she’s part of a community strangely affected by a disease that causes people to go on a murderous rampage. Jong-goo digs deep until finding himself in a conspiracy where folklore and legends are powerful and real.
One of the Most Underrated Asian Features in Modern Horror
The 156-minute film from South Korea is a tense horror experience that remarkably uses genre tropes and depicts the story of a father who will do anything to save his child — yes, even diving into a dangerous mindset to believe in the unknown if that’ll help him cure her. This Asian gem holds a 99% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the highest score on this list.
2 Fallen (1998)
Directed by TV legend Gregory Hoblit, Fallen follows Detective John Hobbes as he investigates a series of murders committed by what can only be a copycat killer. Hobbes’ most famous case was that of serial killer Edgar Reese, who has just been executed but apparently has found a way to possess people from the afterlife.
A Genre Mashup We Don’t Talk About Enough
Undoubtedly one of Denzel Washington’s most underrated features, Fallen is supported by a great cast that includes John Goodman, Embeth Davidtz, Donald Sutherland, Elias Koteas and James Gandolfini.
Even though critics weren’t as receptive to the blend between thriller and supernatural horror, it’s a very scary movie that will cause you to hum The Rolling Stones’ tune “Time Is on My Side” for weeks.
1 Saw (2004)
In Saw, Adam and Dr. Gordon wake up chained to the pipes of a very dirty bathroom. Between them, there’s a body lying on the floor holding a gun and a tape recorder. This is only the beginning of a very sick game by an individual who’s torturing helpless victims with an ultimate purpose and that will lead police detectives to a thrilling cat-and-mouse game.
A Clever Villain That Fooled an Entire Generation
Saw has one of the best screenplays in modern horror. Written by Leigh Whannell, it laid the foundations for modern slasher theory, even though it was criticized by many for its perceived reliance on gore and the sea of imitators it spawned. However, the excellent movie that launched an entire franchise is definitely smarter than it is violent and has one of the best twist endings in modern cinema.
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