Ghost movies and shows can fall into a wide range of genres, including romance, comedy, horror, juvenile interest, and drama. Depictions of ghosts are as diverse as

Casper the Friendly Ghost Casper the Friendly Ghost is the protagonist of the Famous Studios theatrical animated cartoon series of the same name. He is a pleasant, personable and translucent ghost, but often criticized by his three wicked uncles, the Ghostly Trio. The ...

Beetlejuice ''Beetlejuice'' is a 1988 American fantasy horror comedy film directed by Tim Burton, written by Michael McDowell, Larry Wilson, and Warren Skaaren, produced by The Geffen Company, distributed by Warner Bros., and starring Alec Baldwin, ...

, Hamlet's father,

Jacob Marley Jacob Marley is a fictional character in Charles Dickens's 1843 novella ''A Christmas Carol'', a former business partner of the miser Ebenezer Scrooge, who has been dead for seven years.Hawes, Donal''Who's Who in Dickens'' Routledge (1998), Goog ...

Freddy Krueger Freddy Krueger () is a fictional character and the primary antagonist in the ''A Nightmare on Elm Street'' film series. He was created by Wes Craven and made his debut in Craven's '' A Nightmare on Elm Street'' (1984) as the malevolent spirit ...

, and Moaning Myrtle, as well as the traditional spectral spirits and other bumps in the night.

History

With the advent of motion pictures and television, screen depictions of ghosts became common and spanned a variety of genres; the works of

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...

and Oscar Wilde have all been made into cinematic versions. Children's benevolent ghost stories became popular, such as Casper the Friendly Ghost, created in the 1930s and appearing in comics, animated cartoons, and eventually the 1995 feature film '' Casper''. Noël Coward's play '' Blithe Spirit'', later made into a film, places a more humorous slant on the phenomenon of haunting of individuals and specific locations, and ''

The Ghost Goes West ''The Ghost Goes West'' is a 1935 British romantic comedy/fantasy film starring Robert Donat, Jean Parker, and Eugene Pallette, and directed by René Clair, his first English-language film. The film shows an Old World ghost dealing with American ...

'', a comedy in which a Scottish castle and its ghost are moved to Florida, was voted the best British film of 1935. Sentimental depictions were more popular in early cinema than horror, and include the 1947 film ''

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir ''The Ghost and Mrs. Muir'' is a 1947 American romantic fantasy film starring Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison. It was directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, and is based on a 1945 novel written by Josephine Leslie under the pseudonym of R.A. Dick. I ...

'', which was later adapted to television with a successful 1968–70 TV series.Newman, pg. 135. Genuine psychological horror films from this period include 1944's '' The Uninvited'' and 1945's ''

Dead of Night ''Dead of Night'' is a 1945 black and white British anthology horror film, made by Ealing Studios. The individual segments were directed by Alberto Cavalcanti, Charles Crichton, Basil Dearden and Robert Hamer. It stars Mervyn Johns, Googie W ...

''. The 1970s saw screen depictions of ghosts diverge into distinct genres of the romantic and horror. A common theme in the romantic genre from this period is the ghost as a benign guide or messenger, often with unfinished business, such as 1989's ''

Field of Dreams ''Field of Dreams'' is a 1989 American sports fantasy drama film written and directed by Phil Alden Robinson, based on Canadian novelist W. P. Kinsella's 1982 novel ''Shoeless Joe''. The film stars Kevin Costner as a farmer who builds a ...

'', the 1990 film '' Ghost'', and the 1993 comedy ''

Heart and Souls ''Heart and Souls'' is a 1993 American fantasy comedy-drama film directed by Ron Underwood. The film stars Robert Downey Jr. as Thomas Reilly, a businessman recruited by the souls of four deceased people, his guardian angels from childhood, to ...

''. In the horror genre, 1980's '' The Fog'', and the ''

A Nightmare on Elm Street ''A Nightmare on Elm Street'' is a 1984 American supernatural slasher film written and directed by Wes Craven and produced by Robert Shaye. It is the first installment in the ''A Nightmare on Elm Street'' franchise and stars Heather Langenka ...

'' series of films from the 1980s and 1990s are notable examples of the trend for the merging of ghost stories with scenes of physical violence. Popularised in such films as the 1984 comedy ''

Ghostbusters ''Ghostbusters'' is a 1984 American supernatural comedy film directed and produced by Ivan Reitman, and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. It stars Bill Murray, Aykroyd, and Ramis as Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, and Egon Spengler, thr ...

'', ghost hunting became a hobby for many who formed ghost hunting societies to explore reportedly haunted places. The ghost hunting theme has been featured in reality television series such as ''

Ghost Adventures ''Ghost Adventures'' is an American paranormal and reality television series that premiered on October 17, 2008, on the Travel Channel before moving to Discovery+ in 2021. An independent film of the same name originally aired on the Sci-Fi Cha ...

'', '' Ghost Hunters'', '' Ghost Hunters International'', '' Most Haunted'', and ''

A Haunting ''A Haunting'' is an American paranormal drama anthology television series that depicts eyewitness accounts of alleged possession, exorcism, and ghostly encounters. The program features narrations, interviews, and dramatic re-enactments based on ...

''. It is also represented in children's television by such programs as ''

The Ghost Hunter A ghosthunter is a person who engages in ghost hunting, the process of investigating locations that are allegedly haunted. Ghosthunter(s), Ghost Hunter(s) or Ghost Hunt may also refer to: Literature *''Ghosthunters'', a four-book series by Germa ...

'' and ''

Ghost Trackers ''Ghost Trackers'' (also known as GTK) is a children's reality show created by Chris Gudgeon on HBO that was previously aired on Discovery Kids Canada, & YTV. It ran for fifty-two episodes in four seasons (thirteen episodes per season) from 200 ...

''. Ghost hunting also gave rise to multiple guidebooks to haunted locations, and ghost hunting “how-to” manuals. The 1990s saw a return to classic “gothic” ghosts, whose dangers were more psychological than physical. Examples of films from this period include 1999's '' The Sixth Sense'' and 2001's '' The Others''. Asian cinema has been adept at producing horror films about ghosts, such as the 1998 Japanese film '' Ring'' (remade in America as '' The Ring'' in 2002), and the Pang brothers' 2002 film '' The Eye''.

Films

Television series

Dramas and comedies

* 1953–1955: '' Topper'' * 1955–1965: '' Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' * 1959–1961: '' One Step Beyond'' * 1959–1964: ''

The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, sup ...

'' * 1968–1970: ''

'' * 1969–1971: ''

Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) ''Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)'' is a British private detective television series, starring Mike Pratt and Kenneth Cope respectively as the private detectives Jeff Randall and Marty Hopkirk. The series was created by Dennis Spooner and p ...

'' * 1971–1978, 2005– : ''

A Ghost Story for Christmas ''A Ghost Story for Christmas'' is a strand of annual British short television films originally broadcast on BBC One between 1971 and 1978, and revived sporadically by the BBC since 2005. With one exception, the original instalments were direc ...

'' * 1975: '' The Ghost Busters'' * 1976–1978: '' The Ghosts of Motley Hall'' * 1976–1984: '' Rentaghost'' * 1985–1989: '' Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' * 1985–1989: ''

'' * 1986–1991: '' The Real GhostBusters'' * 1987: '' Second Chance'' * 1989–1996: '' Tales from the Crypt'' * 1990: '' Elly & Jools'' * 1990–1991: '' Shades of L.A.'' * 1992–1994: '' So Haunt Me'' * 1993–1997: '' Zee Horror Show'' * 1994-2018: ''

The X-Files ''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction drama television series created by Chris Carter. The series revolves around Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), who ...

'' * 1994–1997: '' The Kingdom'' * 1995–2015: '' Aahat'' * 1997–1998: '' Ghost Stories'' (episode list) * 1997: '' The Shining'' * 1999: ''Polterguests'' * 1999–2002: '' Providence'' * 2000: '' The Others'' * 2000–2001: '' Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased)'' * 2001: '' All Souls'' *2001–2010: '' Ssshhhh...Koi Hai'' *2001-2005: '' Six Feet Under (TV series)'' * 2002: '' Haunted'' * 2002–2003: ''

'' * 2004: ''Kingdom Hospital'' * 2004–2005: '' Hex'' * 2004-2011: '' Rescue Me'' * 2004–2011: '' Medium'' * 2005–2010: '' Ghost Whisperer'' * 2005–2020: '' Supernatural'' * 2007: '' The Dresden Files'' * 2008–2013: ''Being Human'' * 2010: ''

Dead Gorgeous ''Dead Gorgeous'' is a 2010 children's supernatural fantasy television show which premiered on 15 March 2010 in Britain and 5 April 2010 in Australia. It was produced by Burberry Productions and Coolabi Productions with funding from Screen Austra ...

'' * 2011: '' American Horror Story: Murder House'' * 2011: '' Becoming Human'' * 2011: '' Bedlam'' * 2011: '' The Fades'' * 2011: '' Bag of Bones'' * 2011–2012: '' A Gifted Man'' * 2011–2014: '' Being Human'' * 2012–2017: '' Saving Hope'' * 2013–2015: ''

The Haunted Hathaways ''The Haunted Hathaways'' is an American television supernatural sitcom that began airing on Nickelodeon July 13, 2013, and ended on March 5, 2015. It tells the story of a single mother and her two daughters who move into a home occupied by thre ...

'' (episodes) * 2013–2017: '' Sleepy Hollow'' * 2015–2016: '' Puli'' * 2015–2021: '' The Magicians'' * 2015–2016: '' American Horror Story: Hotel'' * 2016: '' American Horror Story: Roanoke'' * 2016: '' The Living and the Dead'' * 2018: '' The Haunting of Hill House'' * 2018-2020: ''

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina ''Chilling Adventures of Sabrina'' is an American comic book series published by Archie Horror, an imprint of Archie Comics, beginning in 2014. The series is a darker take on the characters and setting of ''Sabrina the Teenage Witch''. It is writ ...

'' * 2018–present:

Wellington Paranormal ''Wellington Paranormal'' is a New Zealand mockumentary comedy horror television series which first aired on 11 July 2018 on TVNZ 2. The series is a spin-off of the 2014 film '' What We Do in the Shadows'' and first television series in the fran ...

* 2019–present: '' Ghosts (2019 TV series)'' * 2019: ''The InBetween'' * 2020–present: Julie and the Phantoms

Animation

* 1963–1969: '' The New Casper Cartoon Show'' * 1971–1972: ''

The Funky Phantom ''The Funky Phantom'' is an animated television series, produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, in association with Australian production company Air Programs International for the American Broadcasting Company (ABC). The show was a clone of Hanna ...

'' * 1979: '' Casper and the Angels'' * 1985–1986: ''

The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo ''The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo'' is an American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, and the seventh incarnation of the studio's ''Scooby-Doo'' franchise. It premiered on , and ran for one season on ABC as a half-hour ...

'' * 1986: ''

'' * 1986–1991: '' The Real Ghostbusters'' * 1989–1991: ''

'' * 1991–1992: '' Little Ghosts, There, Here, and Where'' * 1993–1994: '' Ghost Sweeper Mikami'' * 1996–1997: ''

Extreme Ghostbusters ''Extreme Ghostbusters'' is an American animated television series based on the ''Ghostbusters'' franchise. It is a spin-off to the animated series '' The Real Ghostbusters''. The series originally aired on the syndicated Bohbot Kids Network's ...

'' * 1996–1998: '' The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper'' * 2000–2001: '' Ghost stories in school'' * 2004–2007: '' Danny Phantom'' * 2009–2012: '' Casper's Scare School'' * 2010–2013: '' Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated'' * 2012–2016: ''

Gravity Falls ''Gravity Falls'' is an American mystery comedy animated television series created by Alex Hirsch for Disney Channel and Disney XD. The series follows the adventures of Dipper Pines ( Jason Ritter) and his twin sister Mabel ( Kristen Schaal) ...

'' * 2013: '' Dude, That's My Ghost!'' * 2015: '' Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu'' Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu#Episodes * 2017-2021: ''

DuckTales ''DuckTales'' is an American animated television series produced by Disney Television Animation. The original cartoon series premiered on syndication and on Disney Channel on September 18, 1987 and ran for a total of 100 episodes over four sea ...

'' * 2018-2021: '' Vampirina'' * 2021–present: '' The Ghost and Molly McGee''

Puppets

* 1989: '' The Ghost of Faffner Hall''

Ghost reality shows

* 1996–1997: '' Ghosthunters'' * 1998–2001: '' Haunted History'' * 2000–2006: ''

Scariest Places on Earth ''Scariest Places on Earth'' is an American paranormal reality television series that originally aired from October 23, 2000, to October 29, 2006, on Fox Family, and later ABC Family. The show was hosted by Linda Blair, with narration by Zelda Ru ...

'' * 2002–present: '' Most Haunted'' * 2004–2016: '' Ghost Hunters'' * 2005–2011: '' Ghostly Encounters'' * 2005–2006: '' Ghost Hunt'' * 2006: '' Extreme Ghost Stories'' * 2007–2011: ''

Paranormal State ''Paranormal State'' is an American paranormal reality television series that premiered on the A&E Network on December 10, 2007. The program follows and stars the Pennsylvania State University Paranormal Research Society, a student-led college cl ...

'' * 2008–present: ''

'' * 2008–2012: '' Ghost Hunters International'' * 2009–2014: '' Celebrity Ghost Stories'' * 2009-2010: '' I Believe in Ghosts: Joe Swash'' * 2009–2010: ''

Ghost Hunters Academy ''Ghost Hunters Academy'' (''GHA'') was a paranormal reality television series that premiered on November 11, 2009, on the Syfy channel. The program was the third spin-off series based on '' Ghost Hunters'' (after '' Ghost Hunters International ...

'' * 2009–2011: '' Ghost Lab'' * 2009–2010: '' Ghost Stories'' * 2009–2010: '' Most Terrifying Places in America'' * 2010–2013: '' My Ghost Story'' * 2011: '' Paranormal Challenge'' * 2011–present: '' The Dead Files'' * 2011–2016: ''

Paranormal Witness ''Paranormal Witness'' is an American paranormal documentary television series made by a British production company which described itself as "true tales of supernatural hauntings and explanation-defying paranormal experiences, which are brought ...

'' * 2012: '' Haunted Encounters'' * 2005–2007; 2012–2019: ''

References

Sources

* Newman, Kim, ed, ''BFI Companion to Horror'', Cassell: London, 1996. {{DEFAULTSORT:Ghost Films Lists of films by common content Lists of films by topic Lists of horror films Fictional ghosts Thrillers