10 Best Horror Documentaries on Netflix Right Now – What frightens you the most? Is it the Nun from ‘The Conjuring’ or Ed Kemper from ‘Mindhunter’? Or is it a lizard or a spider that you’re looking for? There is no condemnation! Some things are just creepy! Despite this, the horror genre remains popular with audiences, even if it scares them to the point where they can’t go to the bathroom alone in the dark after a session. If you are one of these people, forget about movies; these documentaries and docuseries will shake your soul so much that the next horror picture you watch will feel like a joy trip in contrast. Here’s a roundup of some of the most terrifying documentary films and episodes available on Netflix right now:

10. Abducted in Plain Sight (2017)

‘Taken in Plain Sight,’ directed by Skye Borgman, digs into the story of Idaho girl Jan Broberg Felt, who was abducted not once, but twice, by none other than her neighbor and family friend Robert Berchtold. This film covers all facets of how a psychopath misled a naive, church-going family, only to take advantage of their adolescent girl in every way he saw fit in 91 minutes. It is a true criminal case that is stranger-than-fiction yet one of the most frightening we’ve ever come across, not only because a known individual was responsible but also because of the sophisticated concepts involved.

9. Crime Scene: The Vanishing At The Cecil Hotel (2021)

Elisa Lam, a college student and Canadian tourist, vanished from the Cecil Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles on January 31, 2013, leaving no trace. This documentary series thus covers her narrative, with a particular emphasis on how the cheap housing complex had already become infamous owing to a number of crimes/deaths that had occurred there in previous years. Despite various conspiracy theories, her strange conduct, and the frightening backdrop of the hotel, this installment of the anthology series ‘Crime Scene’ shows that not everything is as it appears.

8. Paranormal Investigation (2018)

The thought of ghosts, lingering spirits, and Ouija boards is one of the creepiest things in the world (at least for us), yet that’s exactly what ‘Paranormal Investigation’ explores. In other words, this gloomy and suspenseful French horror film follows a ghost hunter as he attempts to elicit a spirit who possessed a young boy while he was playing a Ouija game with pals. All the youngster had to do was ask how they’d died – as any interested person would – and things went horribly wrong. What makes this movie interesting is that it incorporates everything from actual investigations to backstories to an exorcism.

7. Voyeur (2017)

If you travel frequently, you are familiar with the experience of staying in hotels. They may not be as comfy as at home, but you have to make due with what you have when you’re on the road. Hotels nowadays feature every amenity imaginable, including free breakfast, Wi-Fi, and 24-hour room service; what else do you need? Oh, I forgot about safety! If you’re staying in an unfamiliar spot in a strange town and you’re worried about your hotel room, it’s most likely because something is wrong. If your gut instinct tells you to leave, please do so. Gerald Foos was the owner of one such place in Colorado, and I’m sure at least one of his guests felt the Bates Motel sensation at some point! His story is told in ‘Voyeur.’

6. Audrie and Daisy (2016)

According to studies, the majority of sexual assaults are committed by someone the victim knew. While this figure is concerning in and of itself, it also begs the question, “Is there no one we can trust?” Worse, instead of receiving encouragement to speak up for themselves, victims are frequently ridiculed and reprimanded, which usually occurs on social media sites. It’s no secret that cyberbullying may lead to insanity and suicide, and the fact that individuals don’t comprehend the sensitivity of the situation honestly makes our trust in humanity waver. ‘Audrie and Daisy’ depicts such situations of females who were sexually raped by people they’d known since they were children, only to be embarrassed by the rest of the world.

5. Myths & Monsters (2017-)

Taking us to the landscapes of Europe, ‘Myths & Monsters’ is a series that delves into some of the continent’s most perplexing legends. This docuseries essentially reveals the origins of each narrative while examining how they could all be very real, from ancient legendary divinities to frightening creatures and Viking sagas to fairy tales. This six-parter incorporates animations, narrations, and interviews to offer us with truly spine-chilling descriptions of, well, myths and monsters.

4. The Devil Next Door (2019)

‘The Devil Next Door,’ which chronicles the alleged inconceivable crimes done by John Demjanjuk, is a work that can only be described as heartbreaking. After all, he was a Ukrainian-American former Nazi Camp Guard accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity, only to have numerous questions raised regarding his involvement. At one time, he was even (mis)identified as the infamous “Ivan the Terrible,” but how many concentration camps did he truly work in, and what precisely did he do there? If you want to learn more about the Holocaust while simultaneously learning about the horrible realities of the Holocaust, this docuseries is for you.

3. I Am A Killer (2018)

There is a consequence for every crime. The legal system is specifically designed to ensure that a person receives what they deserve. However, this method, like anything else devised by man, has flaws. It sometimes assists a criminal in escaping its grasp, while other times it convicts the wrong individual. ‘I Am A Killer’ is on which side? Neither. It is not a study that calls the judicial judgement into doubt, nor is it an investigative series that attempts to solve a case. In actuality, through interviews with death row inmates, it basically describes their crimes and then leaves it up to you to decide whether you feel anger or sympathy for the offenders. Fair warning: the conclusion may cause you to reconsider your opinions about the justice system.

2. Unsolved Mysteries (2020-)

To be honest, no horror/paranormal/true-crime/scary list would be complete without mentioning ‘Unsolved Mysteries.’ This sequence has been around since the late 1980s, but Netflix’s revamp has made it bigger and better than ever. As the title suggests, it examines some of the world’s most perplexing and terrifying unsolved mysteries, leaving us not only perplexed but also wondering if anything like that could ever happen to us. We confess it’s not a pleasant notion, yet it occurs after each installment and manages to keep us interested.

1. Haunted (2018-)

Sitting around a campfire and telling each other horror stories is something that we’ve all tried at least once. While some people let their imaginations run wild in such circumstances, a select minority typically say that theirs was a true event — that it happened to someone who never lived to tell the tale! Yes, it can be tough to believe the veracity of these “real” horror stories, but ‘Haunted’ makes no attempt to do so. However, if you still want to hear some spooky stories in the dark, this is the perfect film for you.