Facing the Shadows: 13 Horror Films That Illuminate Grief
it's not as scary as you think 👻
The camera pulls back, revealing a desolate cemetery where crooked headstones jut from the earth like broken teeth. Low-hanging clouds hover ominously, teasing the arrival of rain. Mourners dressed in black shuffle past, their heads bowed, each one pausing to drop a single rose into the waiting grave below.
One of the reasons I love horror is because it validates and normalizes grief. Even the new Beetlejuice film touches on the individual nature of grief. As a thanatologist—someone who specializes in death, dying, and bereavement—I tend to view the world through this lens. When I watch horror, I’m often looking for themes of grief. In many horror movies, grief follows a traumatic death, while others explore the lingering aftermath of loss.
Choosing just 13 films for this list was a challenge. Some didn’t make it because they’ll be featured in my upcoming lists of POC/Femme-created horror or mental health-focused horror, or they’re already included in my international horror film list.
But for now, here are some horror films that delve deep into themes of grief. So, grab your tissues, settle into your favorite spot, and let's dive in.
Friday the 13th
Streaming on: AMC+, Paramount+, Amazon Prime
We begin with a classic slasher—one of the originals. At its core, it’s all about Mrs. Voorhees’ grief. After losing her son, she seeks revenge on the camp counselors who let him drown while they were too busy with their self-indulgent distractions.
Check out my podcast about this movie and grief.
Killing of a Sacred Deer
Streaming on: Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime
Dr. Steve Murphy and his family befriend a young man, the son of one of Steve’s patients, who died during surgery. At its core, this film deeply explores the theme of grief. After a traumatic death—especially one marked by suddenness and violence—the instinctive human response is to seek justice. We long for a sense of order in a world upended by tragedy. The shock of such a loss shakes us to our core, as we struggle to make sense of the incomprehensible.
Want more? Check out my review.
The Crow (1994)
Streaming on: Pluto tv, Paramount+, Amazon Prime
One of my all-time favorites is based on the graphic novel by James O'Barr, who wrote it while grieving the traumatic loss of his girlfriend. The story powerfully captures the guilt and the desire to right wrongs.
Check out my podcast about the Crow and grief.
Smile
Streaming on: Hulu, Paramount+, Disney+
The movie explores the lingering impact of unresolved trauma and grief. After witnessing a traumatic event, Dr. Rose Cotter finds herself haunted by a sinister force tied to her own suppressed grief. The film delves into how unaddressed pain can manifest in terrifying ways, making it a powerful commentary on the emotional toll of avoiding one's past.
Pet Semetary
Streaming on: Paramount+, Pluto tv, Amazon Prime
The movie examines the profound depths of grief and the desperate lengths we go to in order to avoid loss. After the tragic death of his son, Louis Creed discovers an ancient burial ground with the power to bring the dead back to life—but at a terrible cost. The film explores how grief can cloud judgment, leading to horrifying consequences when we’re unable to accept death’s finality.
To know more about this movie and grief, check out my podcast and my review:
Taking of Deborah Logan
Streaming on: Tubi, AMC+, Amazon Prime
The movie intertwines the horror of supernatural possession with the emotional devastation of watching a loved one succumb to dementia. As Deborah’s condition worsens, her daughter Sarah grapples with the grief of losing her mother piece by piece. The film explores the pain of witnessing someone you love fade away, blending psychological terror with the heartbreaking realities of illness and loss.
Learn more about the impacts of dementia:
Signs
Streaming on: Hulu, Max
This film delves into the lingering effects of grief and loss. After the death of his wife, former priest Graham Hess struggles with his faith while trying to protect his family during an alien invasion. The film explores how grief and tragedy can shake one’s belief system, and how healing often comes through confronting both personal and external fears.
Learn more about grief in the film Signs:
Lovely Dark and Deep
Streaming on: Tubi, Youtube, Apple tv
A psychological horror that explores the haunting nature of grief and guilt. Following a tragic loss, a park ranger is drawn into the mysterious disappearance of hikers in the woods, uncovering eerie parallels to her own unresolved trauma. As she ventures deeper into the wilderness, the film reveals how grief can distort reality, leading to a chilling confrontation with the past.
Learn more about the grief in this film here:
Baghead
Streaming on: AMC+
In Baghead, Iris inherits a cursed pub from her father, Owen, who was unable to leave without death following him—a fate he passed on to her. As the first female guardian of the pub, Iris tries to break the curse, but she encounters Neil, a grief-stricken man desperate to see his deceased wife. The witch, summoned to help communicate with the dead, reveals painful truths that amplify Neil’s obsession, leading him to a reckless plot that results in Iris’s death. At its core, the film explores how grief and desperation can drive people to dangerous extremes, the exploitation of power, and the inescapability of death as a constant in life.
Learn more about the grief in this movie here:
Umma
Streaming on: Hulu, Disney+
This film centers on Amanda, a mother living a quiet life on a secluded farm, who is haunted by the unresolved grief and trauma of her past. When the ashes of her estranged mother arrive, Amanda is forced to confront buried memories and fears, as her mother’s spirit begins to manifest. The film delves into generational trauma, exploring how grief, especially when repressed, can become a haunting force passed down from parent to child.
Birth/Rebirth
Streaming on: Hulu, Amc+
The film follows Celie, a dedicated maternity nurse and single mother, whose life is shattered by the heartbreaking loss of her daughter to bacterial meningitis. This tragedy sparks the research of Rose, a determined pathologist, and brings the two women together as they navigate their roles in the hospital and their pursuit of life’s deeper mysteries. Through its exploration of life, death, fertility, grief, and love, the film offers a poignant reflection on the complexities of the human experience.
More on grief in this film here:
The Invitation (2016)
Streaming on: Peacock, Tubi, Pluto
The film follows Will, who reluctantly attends a dinner party hosted by his ex-wife and her new partner in the house they once shared. As the night unfolds, Will’s grief over the death of his son becomes a central theme, surfacing old wounds and unresolved emotions. The film explores how grief can distort perceptions and intensify suspicion, as Will’s growing unease leads him to question the true intentions of the hosts. Ultimately, The Invitation delves into the psychological toll of loss and the desperate need for control in the face of overwhelming grief.
Midsommar
Streaming on: Max, Hulu
The movie follows Dani, a young woman reeling from the traumatic loss of her family, as she joins her boyfriend and his friends on a trip to a remote Swedish village for a midsummer festival. The film explores Dani's deep grief and emotional isolation, which become more pronounced in the unsettling, ritualistic community they encounter. As the group's experience spirals into horror, Dani's journey becomes one of confronting grief, loneliness, and the search for belonging. Midsommar delves into how grief can be manipulated and transformed, ultimately leading to Dani's unsettling catharsis amidst the chaos.
Learn more on my podcast.
Honorable mentions because they have been mentioned on the International List
Tigers Are Not Afraid
La Llorona
Censor
Relic
Lake Mungo
Horror movies with grief themes on my to-watch list:
Lamb, Handling of the Undead, Oddity
Final Thoughts
Grief is a universal experience, and these 13 films offer a hauntingly beautiful exploration of its many facets. Through the lens of horror, we confront our deepest fears—of loss, of the unknown, and of the void left behind. These stories remind us that grief isn't a singular emotion but a complex journey through pain, love, memory, and healing.
Horror as a genre allows us to face the unspeakable, often giving shape to the intangible aspects of loss. It can offer catharsis by externalizing the internal struggles that many of us face in silence. Whether it's through supernatural elements or deeply personal character studies, each of these films holds a mirror to the ways we process grief, offering both cautionary tales and moments of hope.
What did you watch? Is there a movie you’d love to share or discuss that wasn't mentioned?
If you want to stay current on what I am watching and my thoughts, check out my letterboxd, I also have movie list for grief related horror movies.