16 Of The Scariest Documentaries According To Horror Fans

Sometimes truth is far scarier than fiction. Sure, we fill our brains with classic horror movies and have a great time while doing it, but what about the documentaries chronicling real life horrors? They’re often more terrifying because they really happened. If you feel like getting spooked to the core, check out what some horror fans suggest as the creepiest documentaries.

Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996)

The crime scene photos were almost too much for me. Great documentary about a terribly fucking sad case.

u/iraqlobsta

Just, Melvin: Just Evil (2000)

One of THE most fucked-up documentaries I’ve ever seen. The grandson makes a movie about how his mother and all of her siblings were abused horribly by their grandfather. It’s so normalized to them that they speak about the most terrible things in a very casual and matter-of-fact way, some torn, some in denial. It’s upsetting and heartbreaking but also fascinating.

u/prince_of_cannock

Capturing the Friedmans (2003)

The sons in that movie are the biggest group of slapdicks I’ve ever seen ever.

Every single one of them after hearing that their dad clearly was guilty: “DADDEY DIDNT DEW IT”

I wanna slap that whole family minus the mom in the face.

u/TacoTown2081

Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008)

One of the saddest movies I’ve ever watched. I would add that you need to go in blind for the full impact.

u/Regular-Mouse7954

Cropsey (2009)

Clicked to mention this one. The image of the suspect drugged out of his mind for court still haunts me.

u/udar55

Into the Abyss (2011)

I re-watched Into the Abyss about 3 times because I just couldn’t believe it.

u/Beesplants541

There’s Something Wrong with Aunt Diane (2011)

I lived in NYC when that happened and holy fuck what a weird story. How does someone go THAT far off the rails one morning? My god the horror those children experienced. May she rot.

u/Kailscanvasart

The Nightmare (2015)

Just wanted to add that The Nightmare is the one documentary that I’ve seen that most resembles an occult horror movie – no True Crime Serial Killer tedium here! The monsters are real and they’re under your bed. Or is it all in your head??

u/financewiz

The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (2015)

No one here has mentioned “The Jinx” which to me is one of the best true crime docs of all time and helped re-open the case.

I would recommend to go into this one blind and enjoy the ride. The ending will have your jaw on the floor and you will be running to google to see what happened after the doc came out.

u/corkysoxx

Tickled (2016)

I watched tickled completely blind and was surprised where it went.

Strongly recommend it.

u/Grodd

Mommy Dead and Dearest (2017)

Mommy Dead and Dearest (2017), recommend to all those who like truly messed up true, documentary stories that are so out of control it’s hard to believe it really happened.

u/Analytica0

Abducted in Plain Sight (2017)

Abducted in Plain Sight is a good one. Be prepared to do a lot of yelling at the TV, though.

u/andandandetc

Wild Wild Country (2018)

Wild Wild Country is a great one. It’s not super creepy in the sense of some of the others mentioned here but it’s a wild ride featuring a cult, sex, domestic terrorism, and murder. 

u/texasrigger

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark (2020)

The whole thing is great. Very creepy, as it was local crimes and the killer lived in my friend’s neighborhood.

u/Either_Orlok

Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer (2021)

The Nightstalker doc on Netflix is pretty well done, and the less you know about Richard Ramirez going into it the better! Super creepy stuff.

u/Whompey1587

Worst Roommate Ever (2022)

This series is an excellent set of examples about why you shouldn’t try to outdo crazy people at their own game. They will ALWAYS be more crazy than you.

u/nooneimportan7