Basements tend to be a place for creepy things to happen in movies and TV shows. They tend to make people think of something hidden and secretive. How well have these movies and TV shows done that? Here are some of the creepiest basements in film and TV, ranked by their source material’s IMDB score.
1. The Grudge – 4.1
At the bottom of the list is The Grudge, which includes a scene where one of the characters heads to the basement armed with only a flashlight. It might be the lowest-rated movie on the list, but it still birthed many horror movie tropes still in use today.
2. The Evil – 5.8
This is a classic horror movie from 1978. In this movie, the home’s trap door that ostensibly leads to the lower level is actually a portal to hell.
3. The Amityville Horror – 6.2
One of the scariest rooms in The Amityville Horror is a hidden room in the basement. It’s not in the building plans and measures only 4 feet by 5 feet.
4. The Rocky Horror Picture Show – 7.4
The Rocky Horror Picture Show is more of a comedy-horror than a real screamfest. Still, the main character’s laboratory, set in the basement of a castle, boasts a Medusa Transducer that can turn people into statues.
5. A Quiet Place – 7.5
The basement in A Quiet Place is the set for some true horrors. Though it’s intended to be soundproof to avoid attacks from noise-sensitive monsters, a burst pipe ends up subverting the intentions.
6. The Evil Dead – 7.5
The Deadites live in the basement of the cabin that was used to film The Evil Dead. In a creepy twist, the cabin has burned down since the movie’s filming.
7. A Nightmare On Elm Street – 7.5
This movie flips between the real world and the dream world. Freddy’s boiler room in the dream world is called the Nightmare Factory because of its association with torture and murder.
8. Get Out – 7.7
Some of the scariest parts of Get Out take place in the basement. Here, a laboratory is set up for transferring people’s consciousnesses.
9. Misery – 7.8
The damp, rat-infested cellar in serial killer Annie Wilkes’ house is truly terrifying. It’s one of the tools she uses to keep her captive from signaling for help.
10. The Exorcist – 8
To be honest, the basement in the exorcist doesn’t have a lot to do with its creepiness. However, it’s where the main character first finds the Ouija board that sets off paranormal experiences.
11. Psycho – 8.5
In one of the climaxes of this movie, the main character goes into Norman Bates’ fruit cellar. Here, she finds the horrifying mummified corpse of his mother.
12. Parasite – 8.6
The Kim family, who are main characters of this movie, live in a basement bunker called a banjiha. That sets the stage for many horrifying experiences.
13. The Silence of the Lambs – 8.6
This is possibly the most horrifying basement in film. It’s where serial killer Buffalo Bill sequesters women to starve them before he skins them alive.
14. Stranger Things – 8.8
Though Stranger Things might not have the scariest basement, it does have the highest IMDB rating. In this well-received TV show, one character calls another from his basement pillow fort every night.
Conclusion
There are many scary basements in film and TV. For better or for worse, basements in film are a surefire way to evoke creepiness and outright fear. These basements showcase the scariest that a basement can be on screen. You can also watch the best scary movies on netflix.
