15 Best Horror Movies With Happy Endings
Before we begin, let's dispense with a little bit of housework. The movies on this list may or may not be what others think of as traditional "horror" or "scary" movies. It goes without saying that the word "happy" is subjective.
So, let's just say these films at least made us tense up or gave us the squickies, but the ending left us surprisingly satisfied. Okay, let's go!
White Zombie (1932)
Any movie with Bela Lugosi (unless Ed Wood was directing) is worth at least watching once. White Zombie (the movie, not the band fronted by Rob Zombie) is a story of love, jealousy, and the monsters birthed from these emotions.
Lugosi plays a zombie creator named Murder Legendre asked by the spurned lover, Charles, to turn the object of his affection, Madeline, into a zombie—a love slave.
Everything begins unraveling when Murder also falls for the woman. When confronted by Madeline's current beau, Neil, Murder orders his zombie guards to kill him. Murder is knocked unconscious, and his control over the zombies is broken, leading to them lemming-ing off a cliff.
Madeline's trance is broken after Murder and Charles also perform a feat of lemming acrobatics. Neil and Madeline embrace happily amid the carnage.
The Bad Seed (1956)
Eight-year-old Rhoda Penmark looks so sweet, but we soon learn she's not a burgeoning psychopath, she's full-on Ted Bundy beast mode.
Rhoda has no preference for victims, indiscriminately killing adults and children. The climax of the movie has her mother admitting to herself that her daughter is a killer.
The mother, realizing Rhoda won't willingly stop killing, must make the decision to commit murder or murder-suicide. In the book on which the movie is based, Christine dies, and Rhoda survives.
The Motion Picture Production Code wouldn't approve this ending. The compromise resulted in Christine being saved and Rhoda being struck down by lightning.
Poltergeist (1982)
Although initially mildly amused by the supernatural happenings in their home, the Freeling family is terrified to find that their youngest child, Carol Anne, has been spirited away (pun intended) by the home's spectral inhabitants.
With the help of parapsychologists and a psychic, the family is reunited and flees their accursed residence just before it gets sucked into some interdimensional portal.
Gremlins (1984)
Teenager Billy is given a mogwai named Gizmo by his father for Christmas. While the title references creatures known as gremlins notorious for wreaking havoc on aircraft and pilots during WWII, what the Cantonese refer to as "mogwai" is soooooo much scarier. Google it.
The pet Billy receives is adorable but comes with a laundry list of rules Mogwai owners must follow. Since teenagers are so great with things like that (pardon the angsty sarcasm) everything goes to hell in a handbasket.
This movie touches on the deep scars traumatic events leave on the psyche. And boy howdy, seeing this movie as a kid was very damaging.
The Cantonese man who sold Gizmo arrives to retrieve him, Gizmo and Billy share an emotional goodbye. Things look up however when the old man tells Billy he's not ready for the responsibility yet, but perhaps one day soon.
Misery (1990)
Stephen King 's story of a popular novelist, Paul Sheridan, being pulled from the wreckage of his automobile by a woman named Annie Wilkes who just happens to be A.) a nurse and B.) his "number one fan," is a cautionary tale for aspiring writers.
After years of writing a series featuring a character called Misery Chastain, Paul has just written a manuscript in which the beloved Misery dies. The injured and immobile writer slips in and out of consciousness after Annie moves him into her house to nurse him and wait out the blizzard that caused his accident.
Annie asks for permission to read the manuscript, blissfully unaware of Paul's plans for Misery. That's when the ish really hits the fan. A life-or-death struggle ensues between Annie and Paul.
We learn Annie is far from the butter-won't-melt-in-my-mouth caregiver she appears. Once Paul on two broken legs proceeds to bash Annie's brains in a 'la fellow writer Jack Torrance, the movie skips ahead to Paul talking with his literary agent when he notices Annie approaching.
Although he quickly realizes he was mistaken, we practically see all the color drain from his face when the woman tells him she is his "number one fan."
Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Chances are you're already acquainted with this film. Sir Anthony Hopkins is riveting as the intellectual Dr. Lecter who just so happens to enjoy consuming parts of his victims.
Housed in a secure cell specifically made to prevent his escape, the doctor's expertise in forensic psychology is needed by FBI agent Clarice Starling to catch a killer.
The entire movie is a tense tour de force, but it's the very last moments, when we realize Dr. Lecter is out in the free world and about to have a nemesis "for dinner," which leaves us captivated and a smidge amused.
Army of Darkness (1992)
This third movie from the Evil Dead series once again finds intrepid central character Ash is once again hurtled through time and space on the hunt for the Necronomicon.
There's a whole lot of black comedy and fight scenes. In the end, Ash returns to his own time where he's still employed by S-Mart and plants a wet one on a female co-worker after noting, "Hail to the king, baby."
The Fear (1995)
Psychology major Richard takes some college acquaintances to his family's cabin. The plan is to have each person state their deepest fear and explore its cause.
Richard has a human-sized hand-carved dummy called Morty who is placed in the role of confessor. Already aesthetically creepy-looking, Morty begins to show up unexpectedly in the hot tub, outside the window, etc.
It is after a group session that really bad things happen. A woman is assaulted, someone is murdered, and the whole time we're left wondering the same thing the as the characters; is Morty to blame?
Whether he is guilty of all these acts, we feel a lot better when Morty apparently destroys himself by calmly walking into a pond and disappearing from sight.
Dee Snider's Strangeland (1998)
Arguably one of the most disturbing movies of all time, this movie encapsulates parents' fear for their child's safety. In the early days of the internet, people were just beginning to realize the ease with which they could connect with others on a global scale.
Teens were especially active in chat rooms and where there are youngsters, there are predators. Snyder plays dual roles equally well and it's easy to despise one and empathize with the other. The ending leaves us happy with a bit of melancholy around the edges.
Jennifer's Body (2009)
High school "it" girl Jennifer and her mousy BFF Needy attend a concert where most everyone is killed in a chaotic fire. The two are separated and the next time Needy sees her friend, Jennifer is a hot mess.
Turns out she's been diabolically possessed and goes on a killing spree that puts Saucy Jack to shame. Needy is finally able to stop her friend's destruction but must kill her to do so.
She is then admitted to an asylum where she begins manifesting some of the same powers her friend had.
The Babadook (2014)
At six years of age, widow Amelia's son Sam begins to be obsessed with warding off an imaginary monster called The Babadook.
The monster is a character from a book that appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Before long mother and son are pitted against each other and it's only Amelia's cunning that frees them from their insidious tormentor's hold.
Gravy (2015)
While outwardly disturbing, the film is not merely fake gore and lowbrow gags (no pun intended). Costume attired miscreants hold diners hostage and it's clear the diners will be the special of the day.
Characters fight back using brains to overpower brawn and good reigns triumphant.
Constantine (2015)
Chain smoker John Constantine has one foot in the grave and one on a banana peel as he battles the powers of darkness. The problem is, the lines are way too often blurred. The "oh no he didn't" ending is pure chef's kiss awesome.
Get Out (2017)
Chris's white girlfriend assures him prior to the couple heading to her parent's house for the weekend that they aren't racist. This is an extremely unsettling film. If one can make it through, the ending is well worth it.
Ready or Not (2019)
Be advised the catchy song that accompanies the hide and seek game in this movie will be stuck in your head long after the movie ends.
Grace is about to wed Alex, the son of a wealthy family who made their fortune manufacturing board games—or their sworn allegiance to Satan—who knows? Semantics.
After the wedding, Grace learns of the family's wedding day tradition of playing hide and seek. She quickly learns these people play for keeps. The movie's ending is so satisfying. Ah, revenge is sweet.
All in all, we love horror movies. But sometimes you just need a happy ending. Hopefully, the movies on this list will satisfy that fix next time you need it.