HORROR TEN SPOT: Top 10 Possession Movies

Last Updated on August 3, 2021

THE LAST EXORCISM comes out this week. Trailer looks decent, although early word has been, well, not so much. But, since it’s all about demonic possession and whatnot, I thought it was a good opportunity to check out some of the best flicks that feature poor peeps (usually at least) getting taken over.

Now while possession is typically associated with demons and the supernatural, that doesn’t mean that other avenues and vessels are not in play. But don’t worry, Jason slug is nowhere to be found here. This is a list of the best possession movies. Also worth noting, pod people replace, not possess, that’s why the various IOTBS iterations get no love here.

So let’s get into it, and make sure that the tickle you feel at the back of your neck tonight really freaks you out grand style. As usual, if you got comments, concerns or feedback (sorry, been dealing with a lot of customer service reps this week) then spit some bullets below.

1. THE EXORCIST

When you take a young girl and have her masturbate with a crucifix you’re probably going to get the top spot on a list like this for time immemorial. Watching everything that this poor child endures is a nightmare for any parent, and ultimately as shocking as the movie was on release, what it does well is play on the fear of a child in jeopardy. The fact that she spits out lines like, “Your mother sucks c*cks in hell,” is just a bonus.

2. ROSEMARY’S BABY

I actually think this is the sickest possession on the list, because when the Devil knocks a chick up he possesses her womb, her child, her future and her whole damn life. You do not need to mess with taking over a brain when you’ve got your hooks in a lady’s kid. In fact the end of the movie makes clear just how effectively Satan has corrupted the woman that Rosemary once was, and it’s a powerful bit of filmmaking.

3. THE EVIL DEAD 2

Pretty much any ED flick would work here, but I like ED 2 for this list because you have so many different possessions going on. Ash, the mirror, Ash’s hand, so on and so forth. Obviously the battle against his hand is the most epic and well known event, but those deadites get up to so many nifty shenanigans that you definitely do not have to settle on just one favorite.

4. THE SHINING

I’ve had multiple arguments with people about whether Jack Torrance is possessed in this, or just descending into madness, but it’s always seemed clear to me that he is taken over by the evil of the hotel, and that is possession my friends. As to why that particular path is pretty awesome should be clear. We get to see Jack Nicholson go full bore crazy. There are so many iconic images from this flick that it’s almost hard to keep track of its full impact anymore.

5. CHILD’S PLAY

One thing that tends to happen with long running franchises is that we often forget that the villain used to be scary. Chuck’s a helluva lot of fun, and quite a character, but all you have to do is revisit the first time that little possessed doll came to life to remember he used to make us jump out of our f*cking seats. I like just about every installment of the series, but make sure to revisit the badass original at least once a year.

6. THE HIDDEN

I don’t think there’s another pic this fun on the list, but that’s really no surprise. When you have parasitic space slugs going mano a mano it’s gotta be fun. When the bad slug is a heavy metal loving, speed demon with a penchant for loads of hardcore violence how can you not get a huge grin on your face. The fact that a young Kyle MacLachlan anchors the whole thing is just a bonus. This is a helluva fun time.

7. CHRISTINE

We’re used to demons possessing humans, and certainly in a way Christine does posses Arnie as evidenced by his slow decent into badness, but for the most part we are talking about a car taken over by one pissed off spirit. The most fun part of the film to me is that cars are not really inherently scary, but Christine is such a mean, unpredictable bitch that you really do get some chills while watching her work. Not an easy thing to pull off, but damn well done nonetheless.

8. THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE

I know this flick wasn’t to everyone’s taste, especially since it was a bit light on the actual horror, but I really dug it and found the lead performance by Jennifer Carpenter as Emily Rose to be one of the more stunning takes on what a body in the throes of possession would go through. It also benefited from a much stronger cast than genre fare typically enjoys. Not exactly a good time at the movies, but a strong flick.

9. FALLEN

This movie is a little too helter skelter for its own good, with the body hoping demon Azazel playing by such a loose set of rules that it almost feels like cheating. But it doesn’t alter the fact that the base concept that anyone could be the killer you are searching for is eerie as hell and explored with some interesting twists. And of course it’s anchored by the amazing Denzel Washington giving lots of weight to the proceedings.

10. THE POSSESSION OF JOEL DELANEY

This isn’t a great movie, but it is pretty high quality trash, and features an ending best known for its complete awfulness. Our protagonist is taken over by the murderous spirit of a Santeria loving Puerto Rican serial killer. It’s got incestual overtones, gleeful abuse of children, and all sorts of crazy island music, man. If you’re not horrified by the product you’ll probably be highly entertained.