10 Forgotten 90s Horror Movies You MUST Watch
2. Haunted
Lewis Gilbert may be better known for helming James Bond, but 1995's Haunted proves the Moonraker and The Spy Who Loved Me filmmaker also has a knack for adapting paranormal stories.
Based on James Herbert's novel of the same name, Haunted revolves around a parapsychologist called David Ash (Aidan Quinn) who's determined to disprove the existence of ghosts. While debunking psychic phenomena at the estate of Christine Mariell (Kate Beckinsale), David starts being haunted by a ghost from his own past.
The cast are top-notch across the board, especially Quinn who portrays David's inner conflict and denial with subtlety and poise. Despite being one of her earlier movies, Kate Beckinsale effortlessly commands the screen as the seductive and manipulative Christina. John Gielgud is relegated to a cameo, but the esteemed thespian makes every fleeting moment count.
What separates Haunted from its peers is how it's seen from the lens of a cynic. David always pushes for a scientific explanation, no matter how much evidence he's presented with of the alternative. It's distressing to see the estate's occupants being tormented by the spirits, but it's more fascinating to watch David's whole world collapse, as he gradually acknowledges his life's work was for nothing.
As creepy as the phantoms are, the truth behind the hauntings themselves is more chilling, to the point where it'll unnerve anybody long after the credits roll.