Maybe it's a genuine fascination with spiritualism, or perhaps it's a morbid fascination with the unexplainable. Whatever the reason, many are drawn to the realm of occultism, and the subject tends to be fodder for fictitious horror and thriller films. That said, there's a far more serious side to the occult that often goes unexplored.
Fortunately, there are at least a handful of documentaries out there that offer honest accounts and representations of the occult. While many of these works seek to elevate the niche beyond campy horror trope status, these make for fulfilling watches for both those seeking to gain insight and those looking to be scared.
The Pendle Witch Child
In 1612, a nine-year-old child was made to condemn her own mother as a witch in a series of trials that would send shockwaves through history. Taking place in the English town of Pendle Hill, these trials led to the execution of ten people and helped to set the stage for the more widely-recognized Salem Witch Trials which occurred roughly eighty years later.
This 2012 documentary examines many of the grisly details recounted in a historic document about the trials penned by a man named Thomas Potts. It also explores its wider implications and the British monarchy's strange obsession with the situation.
Kymatica (2009)
Dealing heavily in mysticism, occultism, and metaphysics, Kymatica is a heady watch that may take audiences several viewing sessions to properly digest. Introducing ideas of a living Earth and universe that exist in a symbiosis with humanity, this documentary discusses how we as a species lost and may be able to reestablish spiritual connections known to our ancestors.
While it's by no means creepy in a traditional sense, Kymatica imparts a sort of the-abyss-stared-back sense of existential dread in viewers. It may come across as fantastical to many, but the documentary regardless makes for some interesting food for thought.
Sacred Weeds (1998)
In this four-part series, Dr. Andrew Sherrat explores the underground world of psychoactive substances and determines their connections to the ancient world. Of particular note is the documentary's third installment which deals with henbane, a notorious plant thought to have been used by practitioners of witchcraft and occultism centuries ago.
Though far from explicitly scary, Sacred Weeds provides some interesting insight into ancient culture's association with psychoactive substances. As it turns out, mind-altering elixirs may have had a major part in the establishment and further development of human religion, society, and culture.
Satanis: The Devil's Mass (1970)
Anton LaVey was the founder of the Church of Satan and is generally regarded as one of the most influential figures in the realm of Satanism. However, his movement spawned legions of detractors both contemporary and modern, and these sentiments are best summarized in the 1970 documentary Satanis: The Devil's Mass.
The film documents the establishment of LaVey's San Fransisco-based church and includes interviews with himself and his followers, but it also chronicles those who opposed LaVey and highlights some interactions with concerned neighbors and local religious leaders.
Scream Greats Vol. 2: Satanism And Witchcraft (1986)
Unapologetically a product of its time, 1986's Scream Greats Vol. 2: Satanism and Witchcraft feels like a bit of a scare tactic meant to keep teens from dabbling in the occult. That said, it does provide some interesting background on the subject and isn't completely subjective in its presentation. It is, however, undoubtedly cheesy by modern standards.
Interestingly enough, this documentary is notable for including interviews with demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren, who became famous all over again when their exploits were adapted to the silver screen in James Wan's The Conjuring and its sequels. Overall, while dated, this would make for some hilarious, hokey Halloween viewing.
Until The Light Takes Us (2008)
In 1991, arsonists targetted a series of churches in Norway, and the crimes were considered to be connected to the rise of an extreme subgenre of music known as black metal. A group of occult practitioners associated with the black metal movement known as The Black Circle was thought to be behind the crimes, though the coalition eventually fell apart after the controversial and contested murder of a prominent musician in the scene.
Until the Light Takes Us chronicles the events which lead up to these church burnings and features interviews with the band members directly involved in the scene. The events discussed in this documentary were eventually depicted in the 2018 film Lords of Chaos.
The Nightmare (2015)
The Nightmare focuses on the experiences those who suffer from sleep paralysis have endured and attempts to recreate the fear and terror the condition can invoke. While it walks the line between a documentary chronicling the lives of real people and a shlocky B-grade horror flick, it offers an interesting look into an often undiscussed illness.
Crucially, The Nightmare abstains from inviting a scientific perspective, focusing instead on the emotional toll of those who've experienced sleep paralysis. While there aren't really any explicit occult connections, tales of demons, shadow people, and the paranormal, those who've experienced a sleep paralysis episode can attest to the terrifying realism of these apparitions.
The Occult History Of The Third Reich (1991)
While it's not an oft-discussed aspect of World War 2, German leadership during the conflict had a vested interest in occultism. Heinrich Himmler was, in particular, deeply engaged in the occult and believed that traces and artifacts of Germany's so-called master race could be discovered in remote parts of the world.
Although far from the most important aspect of the war, it provides unique insight into the actions and beliefs of Germany's high command at the time. This 1991 four-part docu-series should intrigue those casually interested in the occult, as well as those heavily invested in military history.
Rasputin: The Devil in the Flesh (2002)
As czarist Russia careened ever closer to revolution in the 1910s, Czar Nicholas II turned increasingly to his trusted medicine man Rasputin for guidance. Rasputin was a controversial and mysterious figure whom the Russian public distrusted, and many believe that Nicholas II's ties to the mystic hastened his deposition.
This 2002 documentary delves into the strange life of Rasputin and explores the influence he had over Russia's ruling family. It also describes the many occult aspects of the man's life and works out exactly how he attained his sinister reputation.
Aleister Crowley: The Wickedest Man In The World (2002)
When occultism is discussed, Aleister Crowley's name is bound to come up. A self-described prophet born in England in 1875, Crowley traveled the world and supposedly gained knowledge of all things arcane and otherworldly. He is perhaps best known as the founder of Thelema, though he's remembered today as an alternative pop culture icon similar to Anton LaVey.
As the name might imply, Aleister Crowley: The Wickedest Man in the World paints its subject in a terrifying light and does its best to unnerve viewers. It explores the veracity of Crowley's claims and offers interviews with several historians who believe he may have been every bit as evil as he claimed.