Editorials
We Recommend These 6 Spooky Documentaries for Horror Fans This Halloween Season
As leaves begin to fall and plastic skeletons start popping up in unsuspecting department stores, horror fans can finally rejoice with the knowledge that the spookiest season of the year is on its way. The autumn chill is also a sign that the media we consume is about to get a whole lot spookier as well, and while everyone loves a good Halloween special, I figured that it’s time to talk about an oft-neglected kind of scary movie.
Naturally, I’m referring to documentaries! Although these (mostly) grounded takes on societal issues and day-to-day life aren’t exactly the first things that come to mind when one thinks of horror flicks, there are actually plenty of documentaries concerning real-world terrors and humanity’s fascination with the macabre. That’s why I’ve compiled this list of six documentaries that I believe are sure to be appreciated by horror fans everywhere.
As usual, be sure to share your own favorites with us below! Now, onto the movies…
Rats
Historically, rodents already have a frightening (albeit highly exaggerated) reputation as filthy, plague-ridden omens of death. However, even that couldn’t prepare me for Morgan Spurlock’s unorthodox exposé on earth’s other highly-successful urban-dwelling mammal.
Featuring everything from baby-devouring swarms to cult-like rodent-worshippers, Rats is a terrifying and informative alternative to your average wildlife documentary. It’s definitely not for everyone, as I’m pretty sure that in-depth rodent dissections don’t make for an enjoyable family movie night, but one thing is for certain: this documentary is best enjoyed on an empty stomach, so squeamish viewers beware!
The American Scream
As I mentioned before, October is fast approaching, so we can’t not talk about one of my favorite staples of Fall: seasonal haunted house attractions! These elaborate homemade decorations are precisely the subject of Michael Stephenson’s The American Scream, which chronicles a handful of different families in their yearly efforts to build the best Halloween experience possible without destroying their homes in the process.
Along the way, we see the impact that this unusual hobby has on neighbors and individual family members (not to mention their bank accounts), in a surprisingly poignant look at America’s fascination with the scariest holiday of the year. If you’re looking for an atmospheric pick-me-up to get in the mood for the Halloween season, I’d recommend giving this movie a shot!
Cropsey
The only thing more terrifying than an urban legend is an urban legend which turns out to be true. This is why Joshua Zeman and Barbara Brancaccio’s documentary Cropsey is so damned effective, as they examine the real story behind a horrific figure thought to be the inspiration behind a boogeyman-like figure, proving that there may be a kernel of truth in even the most nightmarish of fiction.
Although the film slowly evolves from an exploration of scary stories to a true-crime investigation, horror fans are sure to be kept enthralled by a genuinely gripping main mystery and Cropsey’s connections to slasher films like The Burning (and consequently the Clock Tower games).
Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown
It’s hard to discuss modern horror without bringing up the master of cosmic terror himself, Howard Phillips Lovecraft. In Fear of the Unknown, director Frank H. Woodward gathers an impressive ensemble of Lovecraft aficionados (everyone from Neil Gaiman to John Carpenter have something to say) as he attempts to reveal the man behind the mythos, and find out why his stories are still so revered nearly a century later.
Being a hardcore Lovecraftian enthusiast myself, I’m actually prone to rewatching this documentary whenever I feel like revisiting the Cthulhu Mythos or even the Call of Cthulhu tabletop RPG. If you’re interested in exploring the possible origins of Howard’s disturbing tales and shining a light on his convoluted personal life, I wholeheartedly recommend this loving tribute to one of the genre’s greatest (and most controversial) creators.
Beware the Slenderman
Evolving from a seemingly innocent internet meme to the alleged inspiration behind a horrific attempted murder, Slenderman is one of the most fascinating (not to mention terrifying) internet phenomena in recent memory. It was really only a matter of time before a filmmaker like Irene Taylor Brodsky would attempt to delve into the internet’s obsession with this faceless creature, resulting in the HBO-produced documentary Beware the Slenderman.
While I was initially hesitant to watch this film, as it seemed to be capitalizing on a real-world tragedy only superficially related to online creepypastas, Beware the Slenderman actually turned out to be an in-depth exploration of internet psychology, storytelling and the unexpected real-world implication of viral memes. This is the spookiest that Slenderman has been in a while, and a must-watch for fans of internet horror.
Demon House
Some of you may remember the media frenzy back in 2014 about a supposedly haunted house in Gary, Indiana. Naturally, the house and subsequent movie rights were purchased by Zak Bagans (of Ghost Adventures fame), who proceeded to produce the aptly titled Demon House documentary, attempting to get to the bottom of the Ammons family haunting.
While skeptics are sure to groan at several logical inconsistencies and the general sensationalized approach to the story, Demon House works exceptionally well as a surprisingly sinister piece of horror entertainment. From spooky reenactments to chilling interviews, this documentary pulls no punches in its attempts to creep you out. Real or not, the Ammons family haunting makes for a good scary movie, and this is ideal viewing material for this year’s Halloween season.
I first heard about The Mandela Catalogue through a couple of nephews who were obsessed with the ARG’s sinister mythology. It was only after watching Wendigoon’s in-depth analysis of the series that I realized just how deep this rabbit hole goes.
In fact, I’d already been exposed to the nightmarish visuals of Alex Kister’s YouTube creation for years at that point without even realizing that it was the origin of several viral “cursed images” and spooky memes that had leaked into the wider internet – with this viral element actually being a part of the Catalogue’s overarching narrative.
Flash-forward to 2026 and the unprecedented success of Kane Parsons’ Backrooms has led to Hollywood betting on horrific internet properties with existing fanbases, which means that Kister’s unique hybrid of both religious and analog horror is finally headed to the big screen with a script written by Kister himself alongside Tyler Clifton.
While this news shouldn’t be too surprising if you’ve been keeping up with the ongoing success of The Mandela Catalogue (both myself and Wendigoon having previously predicted that the series would inevitably make the jump to theaters one day), plenty of horror fans are likely confused as to why so many folks are excited for what appears to be a Hollywood adaptation of a series of creepy .jpeg images under a VHS filter.
With that in mind, today I’d like to invite fellow readers to accompany me as I explore the origins of Alex Kister’s viral hit and attempt to explain exactly why we should all be excited about the Mandela Catalogue adaptation!
From High School Writing Project to Internet Horror Phenomenon
The first seeds of The Mandela Catalogue were sown when Kister was still in high school and developed a writing project subverting religious tropes in a world where biblical history had been altered by demonic forces. A little while later, Kister came across an analog horror contest on Reddit and decided to adapt his ideas into a standalone video where he would edit a religious kids’ cartoon –The Beginner’s Bible: The Nativity, to be specific- into something far creepier. This is how the iconic Overthrone video was born, with this viral short film taking on a life of its own as fans demanded more eerie content from Kister.
Though the video was originally meant to be a one-and-done sort of affair, with Kister actually regretting some of its primitive visuals and considering the editing amateurish and “YouTube-Poop-like” when compared to his current standards, fan reaction and free time during the COVID-19 pandemic encouraged the (then) seventeen-year-old filmmaker to continue producing content set in this same world. The Mandela Catalogue name was inspired by the Mandela Effect conspiracy theory, as the series would slowly begin to explore the subtle horror of alternate histories.
Inspired by existential dread brought on by extended periods of quarantine as well as a personal crisis of faith, Kister continued to expand his alternate timeline where the rise of Christianity had been prevented by what was presumably the Devil disguised as the Archangel Gabriel. This alternate course of fictional events led to the existence of certain paranormal anomalies that had come to be accepted as “normal” by the 1990s, which is why most of the series’ supernatural horror is presented in such a matter-of-fact manner.
Most of this background information and religious lore is delivered by increasingly cryptic broadcasts and in-universe PSAs, as well as the occasional found footage video, that often have to be decoded by clever viewers. Of course, it’s the consistently disturbing imagery that made the series so popular – much of which was originally created by Kister on a smartphone!
The Alternates: Horror’s Most Unsettling Modern Monsters
The show’s early episodes mostly take place within the fictional Mandela County in Wisconsin and depict life in a world where demonic entities are capable of using media to enter our reality. This process usually involves scaring victims into killing themselves and then repurposing their bodies as horrific doppelgangers referred to as “Alternates”. This terrifying phenomenon has become so common that local police already have specialized procedures in place to deal with the issue, though this usually consists of simply ignoring calls for help so as to avoid spreading so-called “Metaphysical Awareness Disorder” any further.
Over time, Kister would expand this mythology and incorporate different kinds of Alternates into the mix, though the story never stopped deconstructing religious concepts. The series’ second volume exponentially increased both video quality and the overall narrative scope as we began to follow the lives of characters who had already grown up in this dystopian hellscape where the government is forced to prohibit religion, television, and even mirrors in the hopes of mitigating the damage done by the ongoing invasion of otherworldly entities.
The really interesting part comes into play when you realize exactly how the Alternates make use of scary media in order to spread their demonic influence, with the analog horror of it all being a diegetic part of the story and something of a memetic trap orchestrated by the false Gabriel.
I particularly appreciate how some characters begin to suspect that there’s something wrong with their version of reality and that things weren’t meant to play out this way, especially when Mark utters the haunting line “who have I been praying to all this time?” That’s why I think The Mandela Catalogue is an effective piece of religious horror even if you don’t subscribe to the Christian worldview, as the mere idea of a world where evil has already won is a universally terrifying concept in and of itself. Not only that, but the series’ uncanny analog imagery alone is already worth the price of admission, as you’ve likely already noticed by looking at the pictures accompanying this article.
Why The Feature Adaptation Could Be Horror’s Next Big Success
It’s actually been a whole year since Kister first announced that he had been working on a feature-length screenplay for a Mandela Catalogue movie since 2022, with his proposed story following an ensemble of high-school graduates who uncover a supernatural conspiracy after the mysterious disappearance of a fellow student. This premise sounds similar to narrative elements present in the series’ second volume, but I’m pretty sure that Kister is going to go the Kane Parsons route and make the movie more of a spin-off than a re-imagining of its source material.
While notable Hollywood producers like Aaron B. Koontz, Scott Stuber, and Steven Spielberg himself are backing the upcoming project, I feel like there’s no one better to adapt this deeply personal exploration of faith and the dark side of communication than the person who first came up with it. That’s why I can’t wait to see Kister’s work on the big screen, as I have a feeling that this young filmmaker is the next one on the list about to make cinematic history – especially since this is clearly a passion project that has been in the works for years at this point!
That being said, there’s always a chance that the film could end up unleashing a fresh wave of Alternate incursions, but I guess that’s just a risk we’ll have to take.
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