Fans have enjoyed witnessing characters chopped, diced, and stabbed by a wide variety of monsters in the 130 years since the first horror film was shown. Fans have become accustomed to violent deaths at the hands of rogue adversaries. Because death is such an important part of the horror genre, it’s rare for a film to ignore its ravenous audience.
That said, just because a horror film doesn’t feature any deaths doesn’t make it any less terrifying. While most films enjoy the thrill of the death, there are a few that can convey the chills without the use of bodies.
Annabelle Comes Home (2019)
Annabelle Comes Home is the third installment of the Annabelle doll trilogy, which is still part of the larger Conjuring universe. This film, unlike its predecessors, is focused on the Warrens, notably their daughter. When Judy Warren and two of her friends open Annabelle’s prison by accident, the demon summons the spirits of several other cursed artifacts in the Warren home. Despite the commotion, there were no casualties.
Annabelle Returns was far less frightening and serious than prior installments. While it was well received by fans, most agreed that it was more “fun” than “chilling.” This is unsurprising given that the screenwriter for IT Chapter 2 was the director of Annabelle Comes Home. While the film was not as as terrible as fans had hoped, there were still enough scares and a great build-up of tension.
Eraserhead (1977)
David Lynch is regarded for making some of the oddest and creepiest thrillers of the last 60 years. His filmography dates back to the 1930s, with Eraserhead (1977) being his most famous work. Eraserhead, while not precisely a horror film, is definitely unpleasant and sure to make anyone’s hair stand on end. It explores the psychological effects of fathering an undesired kid. Eraserhead is more concerned with making the audience squirm than with terrifying them.
Unsurprisingly, there are no deaths in this film because that is not the goal of the story. It would be a relief to die. Lynch does not want to provide that release or satisfaction to the audience. The movie thrives on instilling fear in the audience. Eraserhead prides itself on being a shock to the senses, thanks to both its striking graphics and profoundly uncomfortable sound design.
Flatliners (1990)
Flatliners is the narrative of a group of medical students who seek to study what lies between life and death. While their discoveries are initially exciting, they quickly take a sinister turn as their wounded minds begin to perceive terrifying visions and repressed memories.
Nobody stays dead, despite the deceptive title. Despite going through some very horrible events, the characters are usually brought back to the land of the living just in time. While not the scariest picture, Flatliners is psychologically disturbing, hinting horrors that will linger long after the credits have rolled. Unfortunately, the 2017 remake abandons the elements that made the original so successful, instead relying mainly on jump scares.
Freaks (1932)
Freaks is a cult classic in every sense of the term, chronicling the torture and eventual retribution of a troupe of circus freaks. It sparked outrage when it was released because of allegations of mistreatment of the crippled actors who played the freaks. However, in the 90 years since its release, Freaks has grown to be considered as an unsettling and harsh portrayal of America’s class division.
Despite the fact that the film is difficult to watch, there are no recorded deaths. They are never slain, even near the conclusion, when all the “freaks” gang up on the two antagonists, Hercules and Cleopatra. Their fate, however, is considerably worse than death. Cleopatra is portrayed mutilated, tarred, and feathered in the final scene. After being castrated, Hercules is forced to sing falsetto for an audience, though this scene was omitted from later versions.
The Babadook (2014)
The Babadook was an unexpected success upon its initial release. It quickly became a horror cult classic, grossing more than five times its original $2 million budget. Following the death of his father, a supposedly haunted storybook leads a demonic monster to the doorstep of a little child and his mother.
The Babadook, like Eraserhead, gets its horrors not from gore or death, but from a patient build-up of suspense combined with some very superb sound design. In this film, a single knock on the door is enough to make you jump out of your skin. The titular character’s design is deceptively simple, since his static facial expressions and 2D animated movements would frighten even the most hardened viewers.
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
The Blair Witch Project was a cultural phenomenon, to put it simply. The movie’s found-footage structure seemed to spawn a completely new genre overnight, thanks to its viral marketing. There would be dozens of copycat catastrophes in the years to follow. None, however, have come close to emulating the original’s success.
Most of the scares in The Blair Witch Project were not seen, which added to the film’s uniqueness. The level of suspense was entirely dependent on the audience’s imagination. There are no proven deaths on-screen, despite the confusing finish. Fans have speculated for years about the meaning of the finale, but no confirmation has yet been given.
The Conjuring 2 (2016)
The Conjuring films are regarded for having some of the best-crafted and horrific scares in horror film history. The Conjuring started its movie universe full of ghosts, devils, and dolls in 2013. The Conjuring universe, which currently includes eight films and with more on the pipeline, is recognized for its terrifying images and well-crafted scares. However, many people may be surprised to learn that over half of these films had no deaths.
While there are no human deaths in The Conjuring, the Perron family dog dies in the first act. However, there are no deaths in the sequel, human or otherwise. The lack of bodies, on the other hand, has no effect on the terror. With many reviews hailing The Conjuring 2 as the scariest installment in the franchise, it’s evident that filmmaker James Wan can do more with less.
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