10 Best Documentaries About Classic Horror Movies

Summary

• Horror classics like Child’s Play and Scream have deep-rooted legacies explored in captivating documentaries.
• Behind-the-scenes insight from cast and crew resonates with fans, connecting audiences to beloved films.
• Unique narrative approaches in these documentaries keep viewers engaged, celebrating the genre’s impactful legacy.

A few horror films are widely beloved beyond their initial release and have followed the same path as subjects of documentary films. Films like Child’s Play and Scream have become the focus of many documentaries that provide old and new fans alike with unknown behind-the-scenes facts and a reflection on the film’s lasting legacy. These documentaries include commentary from the cast and crew of the respective films, all who share an unequivocal love for their work.

This love is more often than not expressed by a passionate, enduring fan base as well and easily established a connection between audiences and the documentaries. Understanding these type of documentaries can easily become formulaic, filmmakers find a way to keep audiences engaged with a narrative approach that differs from the countless movie documentaries occupying the space. The horror films that have become classics over the years are praised most for their impact on the genre as a whole and the documentaries about them make it clear as to why that is.

10 Unknown Dimension: The Story of Paranormal Activity (2021)

Paranormal Activity franchise

One of the most famous examples of found-footage horror films is Paranormal Activity, whose timeline follows a demonic spirit named Tobi. A franchise comprising six more films was made following the first in 2009. The latest installment, Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin, was released alongside a deep-dive documentary about the franchise, Unknown Dimension: The Story of Paranormal Activity.

The documentary is a must-watch for Paranormal Activity fans, as various individuals who had a hand in making the films reminisce about the accomplishments and audience response within the franchise’s early installments. Refreshing stories are shared about the fun time on set and the creative freedom found in creating memorable scares. The positivity in critical responses to the films dwindled with each new installment. However, the mark of the first film within the horror genre is undeniable and the documentary highlights this.

9 Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street (2019)

A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985)

Starring as the lead in an iconic horror film is a big deal for most up-and-coming actors, but the result isn’t always positive. Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street examines the cultural impact of the franchise’s second installment, A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge, through the lens of its leading actor, Mark Patton. The sequel film has themes of homoeroticism, which in recent years has been confirmed as an intentional choice by Freddy’s Revenge writer, David Chaskin. These themes were included as a means of commentary on various responses towards homosexuality.

An unintended outcome of this choice was Patton’s experience as an actor in Hollywood. The documentary features commentary from numerous individuals in the horror world, including Patton’s former co-stars, who reflect on how they viewed the film at the time. Mixed with Patton’s complicated views of his experience, the documentary is sure to highlight how Freddy’s Revenge and other horror films are cult classics within LGBTQ+ communities.

8 Room 237 (2012)

The Shining (1980)

Most documentaries about movies follow a similar format in which the cast and crew members of a particular movie sit down and reflect on the making of the film and its cultural impact. However, Room 237 differs from this and instead utilizes narration from passionate fans of Stanley Kubrick and his work on The Shining. In the narration, these individuals toss out their preferred theories about The Shining.

The documentary doesn’t provide profound analytical insight, which was greatly disliked by Stephen King (via Rolling Stone). However, it’s a great viewing experience for fans who are just as intrigued by the horror film. The Shining‘s ambiguity has spawned several theories about the film’s themes and, particularly, the documentary’s titular room. Room 237 captures this fanfare and has been described by some critics as a tribute to the love of movies.

7 Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy (2010)

A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise

Where Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street tells a specific narrative, Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy takes a look at the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise as a whole. The lengthy runtime of the documentary can be jarring, but with as many behind-the-scenes stories and footage shared, it never feels like a chore to look back at the impact of the horror franchise.

This is helped by the clear love and passion of those featured in the documentary, which makes the detailed discussions feel like a conversation among fans. Interview subjects that start these discussions include various directors and actors from the franchise, such as Wes Craven, Ronny Yu, Heather Langenkamp, and Robert Englund. The documentary is also sure to include the cultural impact of the Nightmare on Elm Street films, making the reason for a lasting fan base more apparent.

6 Still Screaming: The Ultimate Scary Movie Retrospective (2011)

Scream (1996), Scream 2 (1997), & Scream 3 (2000)

Released the same year as Scream 4, Still Screaming: The Ultimate Scary Movie Retrospective, as the name suggests, takes a look at the beloved Scream films directed by Wes Craven. The Scream films reinvented parts of the horror genre and are known for the creation of one of horror’s most iconic killers, Ghostface. Additionally, what differentiated them from previous horror films at the time was the use of self-aware humor that was playful enough without taking away from the violence and thrills in the films.

Still Screaming introduces information that satisfies eager Scream fans and casual horror audiences alike. From the significance of Drew Barrymore’s role to the narrowing down on Ghostface’s identifying mask, Still Screaming covers a sizable amount of information in a reasonable runtime. Considering the documentary was released in 2011, it doesn’t cover the recent Scream movies, but it’s a great reflection on the work of Craven in the franchise’s early years.

5 Leap Of Faith: William Friedkin On The Exorcist (2019)

The Exorcist (1973)

The Exorcist was a groundbreaking horror film that shook up the genre and whose impact is seen in horror films that followed. As a result, a few different documentaries about said impact have been released, but none are as personal and informational as Leap Of Faith: William Friedkin On The Exorcist. The documentary doesn’t include the film’s cast or crew like other “making of” documentaries would.

Instead, Alexandre O. Philippe’s Leap Of Faith only features Friedkin as he acknowledges the films and filmmakers that inspired him to become a director of films such as The Boys in the Band, The French Connection, and The Exorcist. For any horror film fan, Leap Of Faith has intriguing bits of behind-the-scenes information about the making of the film. However, Leap Of Faith is a fascinating depiction of Friedkin’s story and worth viewing to learn more about the craft of filmmaking, learning it from one of the best to do it.

4 Birth of the Living Dead (2012)

Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Revolutionizing the horror genre with his use of zombies, George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead became a classic horror film. Romero’s influence on horror is just one of the many subjects included in Birth of the Living Dead. Romero gives in-depth explanations about how the film was made, and other interviewees highlight the changes made in horror cinema following Night of the Living Dead.

These changes include the way zombies were portrayed as antagonists in the media and the amount of gore included on-screen. In addition, part of what makes Night of the Living Dead such a compelling horror film beyond its initial premise is its subtle racial commentary. Birth of the Living Dead is also sure to bring this up, emphasizing the importance of casting a Black actor for the lead role at the time and how the circumstances the character finds himself in are eerily similar to real-life events.

3 You’re So Cool Brewster! The Story of Fright Night (2016)

Fright Night (1985)

Following the adventures of a teenager and a TV host as they try to catch a vampire, Fright Night has become a horror staple. With a hefty runtime, You’re So Cool Brewster! The Story of Fright Night doesn’t miss a single detail, as the cast and crew of Fright Night recount their experience making the film and its sequel, Fright Night Part 2. The sequel isn’t as highly praised as its predecessor, but both films carried on the combination of humor and thrills that’s often appreciated in horror films. The documentary also acts as a tribute to the late Roddy McDowall who immersed himself as the TV personality, Peter Vincent. Of Tom Holland’s horror films, Fright Night remains one of his best.

2 Living With Chucky (2022)

The Child’s Play franchise

One of the best slasher films of the ’80s, Child’s Play spawned one of the most memorable horror franchises that consists of several films, TV shows, and comics. The Chucky franchise is the focus of a more recent documentary, Living with Chucky, directed by Kyra Elise Gardner. The filmmaker has a personal connection to the films as her father, Tony Gardner, is a famous makeup artist and puppeteer for the horror films.

Living with Chucky provides some of the standard information found in documentaries about famous movies, but a majority of the runtime is dedicated to a unique perspective that differentiates Gardner’s documentary from others. Gardner, with her connection to the killer doll in mind, structures these stories with a familial theme. The passion for the Chucky franchise, as expressed by the interviewees, goes beyond gratitude for the critical success and rather showcases the sense of community created as a result of the films.

1 Pennywise: The Story Of It (2021)

It (1990)

It is largely known today as two horror films with the antagonistic clown played by Bill Skarsgård. However, a miniseries adapted from the Stephen King novel was created in 1990. Pennywise: The Story of It has sit-down interviews with director Tommy Lee Wallace and Pennywise actor, Tim Curry, among other key individuals who had a part in the series.

Each person brings a shared fondness when looking back on their experience making It, which allows audiences with strong feelings about the series to feel seen. The second part of the miniseries isn’t as favored as the first, and the documentary doesn’t shy away from this. Aware of the response towards the adult actors and some less than great special effects, interviewees in Pennywise: The Story of It shed light on behind-the-scenes facts that make it clear the project was made with care and the downfalls of part two aren’t because of negligence.