Because sometimes truth is scarier than fiction, we’ve made a list of the best horror documentaries:
1. THE KEEPERS
The Keepers is a seven-episode American documentary web series that explores the unsolved murder of nun Catherine Cesnik in 1969.
Where to watch: Netflix
2. DEMON HOUSE
“Paranormal investigator Zak Bagans documents the most authenticated case of possession in American history.”
Where to watch: Amazon Prime (subscription needed)
3. CROPSEY
“Realizing the urban legend of their youth has actually come true; two filmmakers delve into the mystery surrounding five missing children and the real-life boogeyman linked to their disappearances.”
Where to watch: DOCUMENTARY+ (free)
4. DARK TOURIST
From a nuclear lake to a haunted forest, journalist David Farrier visits unusual — and often macabre — tourism spots around the world.
Where to watch: Netflix (subscription needed)
5. FINDERS KEEPERS
A man loses his leg in an accident. Another man accidentally buys it at a North Carolina auction. The story only gets stranger from there.
Where to watch: DOCUMENTARY+ (free)
6. MAKING A MURDERER
Filmed over 13 years, this real-life thriller follows the unprecedented story of two men accused of a grisly crime they may not have committed.
Where to watch: Netflix (subscription needed)
7. THE DONNER PARTY
“Trapped in the Sierra Nevadas during the bitter winter of 1846, nearly 90 members of the Donner and Reed families longed for California’s ‘Promised Land’ but an untried shortcut became a death warrant for half of the victims of madness, death, and cannibalism.”
Where to watch: PBS (free)
8. MOMMY DEAD AND DEAREST
“In this documentary, the murder of Deedee Blanchard by her daughter Gypsy Rose is explored, as well as the circumstances leading up to the event.”
Where to watch: HBO Max (subscription needed)
9. THE NIGHTMARE
“A documentary-horror film exploring the phenomenon of sleep paralysis, a frightening condition which leaves a person unable to move, speak or react.”
Where to watch: DOCUMENTARY+ (free)
