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The Science Fiction Horror and Fantasy Film Review

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Theme: Deathdream Endings

Deathdream Endings are films that arrive at the twist revelation where a series of strange and anomalous events are explained by the protagonist(s)’s discovery that they have been dead all along or are in the process of dying without realising it. These are almost always Conceptual Reversal Twist stories where the protagonist awakens to this discovery at the ending.

The theme was created by Ambrose Bierce’s short story An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge (1891) in which a hanged Confederate soldier escapes the noose and flees home only to realise this is a vision being had in the seconds before his neck breaks. The film version was An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge (1961).

The first treatment on film was Outward Bound (1930) in which the passengers on a cruise liner come to the realisation they are dead. The most famous variation on this was The Sixth Sense (1999) with its classic twist ending. Following The Sixth Sense, the twist has been endlessly repeated to the point that it can now be considered a cliche.


7500 (2014)

9 March 20159 April 2021

Rating: ★★

Haunted Happenings on an Airplane

Director: Takashi Shimizu
Actors: Ryan Kwanten, Leslie Bibb, Amy Smart, Nicky Whelan, …
Category: Horror

The Abandoned (2015)

11 July 201619 June 2025

Rating: ★★★

Haunted Building

Director: Eytan Rockaway
Actors: Louisa Krause, Jason Patric, Mark Margolis, Ezra Knight
Category: Horror

The ABCs of Death (2012)

26 February 201320 October 2024

Rating: ★★★

Horror Anthology

Director: Aaron Becker, Nacho Vigalondo, Adrian Garcia Bogliano, Ernesto Diaz Espinoza, …
Actors: Adam Wingard, Simon Barrett, Neil Maskell, Michael Smiley
Category: Horror

Alone (2017)

27 April 20214 February 2025

Rating: ★★

Children Awaken in a Mysteriously Deserted City

Director: David Moreau
Actors: Sofia Lesaffre, Stephane Bak, Paul Scarfoglio, Jean-Stan Du Pac, …
Category: Fantasy

Antidote (2021)

14 August 202210 August 2024

Rating: ★★

Nightmare Hospital

Director: Peter Daskaloff
Actors: Ashlynn Yennie, Louis Mandylor, Yorgos Karamihos, Augie Duke, …
Category: Horror

Baskin (2015)

28 August 201613 August 2020

Rating: ★★½

Turkish Horror/House of Devil Worshippers

Director: Can Evrenol
Category: Horror

Before I Fall (2017)

5 June 201718 July 2020

Rating: ★★

Timeloop/Young Adult

Director: Ry Russo-Young
Actors: Zoey Deutch, Halston Sage, Logan Miller, Erica Tremblay, …
Category: Fantasy

Bottom of the World (2017)

26 August 201926 August 2019

Rating: ★★

Surreal Reality Blurrings

Director: Richard Sears
Actors: Douglas Smith, Jena Malone, Ted Levine, Tamara Duarte, …
Category: Fantasy

Campfire Tales (1996)

25 August 200214 December 2023

Rating: ★★★½

Horror Anthology

Director: Martin Kunert, David Semel, Matt Cooper
Actors: James Marsden, Devon Odessa, Amy Smart, Chris Masterson, …
Category: Horror

Carnival of Souls (1962)

20 December 200014 October 2022

Rating: ★★★★½

Haunting/Deathdream

Director: Herk Harvey
Actors: Candace Hilligoss, Herk Harvey
Category: Horror

Cello (2005)

11 March 202013 May 2020

Rating: ★★

South Korean Ghost Story

Director: Lee Woo-cheol
Category: Horror

Clown Kill (2016)

13 December 20172 September 2021

Rating: 0­

Killer Clown in an Office Building

Director: Mark Howard
Category: Horror

Convergence (2015)

14 September 201712 December 2021

Rating: ★★

Hospital That Exists in an Afterlife Limbo

Director: Drew Hall
Actors: Clayne Crawford, Ethan Embry, Mykelti Williamson, Gary Grubbs, …
Category: Fantasy

Dead End (2003)

25 September 20144 April 2024

Rating: ★★★

Haunted Backroads Journey

Director: Jean-Baptiste Andrea, Fabrice Canepa
Actors: Ray Wise, Lin Shaye, Alexandra Holden
Category: Horror

Disquiet (2023)

3 September 20243 September 2024

Rating: ★★

Hospital Nightmare and Hallucinations

Director: Michael Winnick
Actors: Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Rachelle Goulding, Elyse Levesque, Garry Chalk, …
Category: Fantasy

The Escapist (2008)

8 June 20169 June 2024

Rating: ★★½

Prison Escape Drama/Fantastic Twist

Director: Rupert Wyatt
Actors: Brian Cox, Dominic Cooper, Joseph Fiennes, Liam Cunningham, …
Category: Fantasy

Final Approach (1991)

20 December 20099 April 2021

Rating: ★

Amnesiac Air Force Pilot/Fantastic Twist

Director: Eric Steven Stahl
Actors: James B. Sikking, Hector Elizondo, Madolyn Smith, Kevin McCarthy, …
Category: Fantasy

A Fish (2012)

9 October 201216 March 2023

Rating: ★

South Koren Deathdream Film

Director: Hong-min Park
Actors: Jang-hoon Lee, Sun-bin Kim, So-eun Choi
Category: Fantasy

The Green Knight (2021)

28 August 20214 May 2023

Rating: ★★★

Chivalric Quest

Director: David Lowery
Actors: Dev Patel, Alicia Vikander, Sean Harris, Sarita Choudhury, …
Category: Fantasy

The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020)

24 October 20209 November 2023

Rating: ★★★★

Haunted House

Director: Mike Flanagan, Ciaran Foy, Liam Gavin, Ben Howling, …
Actors: Victoria Pedretti, Henry Thomas, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Ameilie Bea Smith, …
Category: Horror

The Haunting of Sharon Tate (2019)

10 June 201915 February 2022

Rating: ★★

True Crime/Precognitive Dreams

Director: Daniel Farrands
Actors: Hilary Duff
Category: Horror

The Haunting of Winchester House (2009)

14 July 201511 December 2024

Rating: ★★

Haunted House

Director: Mark Atkins
Category: Horror

Haunts of the Very Rich (1972)

19 November 202015 April 2024

Rating: ★★

Mysterious Happenings at a Luxury Resort

Director: Paul Wendkos
Actors: Lloyd Bridges, Cloris Leachman, Edward Asner, Anne Francis, …
Category: Horror

Hidden (2005)

25 February 200619 July 2021

Rating: ★

Backwoods Sinisterness

Director: Tim McLachlan
Category: Horror

I Pass for Human (2004)

21 October 200727 October 2021

Rating: ★★½

Ghosts of Drug Addicts

Director: Chris D.
Actors: Eleanor Whitledge, Mary Woronov, John Diehl
Category: Horror

Jack Goes Home (2016)

31 March 201717 May 2020

Rating: ★★

Weird/Disturbing Journey Back Home

Director: Thomas Dekker
Actors: Rory Culkin, Lin Shaye, Daveigh Chase, Louis Hunter, …
Category: Horror

Jack the Reaper (2011)

21 December 202321 December 2023

Rating: ★

Boogeyman/Mysterious Carnival

Director: Kimberly Seilhamer
Actors: Tony Todd, Jay Gillespie, Douglas Tait, Sally Kirkland
Category: Horror

Jacob’s Ladder (1990)

21 November 20036 July 2022

Rating: ★★

Deathdream

Director: Adrian Lyne
Actors: Tim Robbins, Elizabeth Peña, Danny Aiello, Matt Craven, …
Category: Horror

Jacob’s Ladder (2019)

1 September 201917 February 2024

Rating: ★

Drug Hallucinations

Director: David M. Rosenthal
Actors: Michael Ealy, Jesse Williams, Nikki Behaire, Richie Coster
Category: Horror

The Last Seven (2010)

17 October 20198 December 2020

Rating: ★★

Amnesiac Survivors in a Deserted City

Director: Imran Naqvi
Actors: Simon Phillips, Tamer Hassan, Daisy Head, Ronan Vibert, …
Category: Fantasy

Leones (2012)

18 October 201222 July 2019

Rating: ★★

Deathdream

Director: Jazmin Lopez
Actors: Julia Volpato, Pablo Sigal, Macarena del Corro, Diego Veghezzi, …
Category: Fantasy

The Locals (2003)

19 October 200321 December 2022

Rating: ★★

Backwoods Undead

Director: Greg Page
Actors: Dwayne Cameron, Kate Elliott, Paul Glover, Peter McCauley, …
Category: Horror

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge (1961)

10 March 200427 April 2021

Rating: ★★★½

Deathdream

Director: Robert Enrico
Category: Fantasy

Orgy of the Dead (1965)

11 November 201511 April 2024

Rating: ½

Undead Strippers in a Graveyard

Director: A.C. Stephen
Actors: Criswell, Pat Barringer, Fawn Silver
Category: Horror

Passengers (2008)

18 February 20159 June 2024

Rating: ★★

Haunted Plane Crash Survivors/Deathdream

Director: Rodrigo Garcia
Actors: Anne Hathaway, Patrick Wilson, David Morse, Andre Braugher, …
Category: Fantasy

Phobia (2008)

14 May 201520 September 2024

Rating: ★★★

Anthology of Thai Ghost Stories

Director: Yongyoot Thongkongtoon, Paween Purijitpanya, Banjong Pisanthanakun, Parkpoom Wongpoom
Actors: Maneerat Kamounan, Apinya Sakuljaroensuk, Nattapol Pohphay, Wirot Ngaoumphanphaitoon, …
Category: Horror

A Pure Formality (1994)

22 December 20005 July 2021

Rating: ★★★½

Police Interrogation/Deathdream

Director: Giuseppe Tornatore
Actors: Gerard Depardieu, Roman Polanski, Sergio Rubini
Category: Fantasy

Realms (2017)

21 August 201921 August 2019

Rating: ★★

Thai Haunted House

Director: Daric Gates
Actors: Praya Lundberg, Pitchaya Nitipaisakul, Ryan Kelley, Madison McKinley, …
Category: Horror

Reeker (2005)

9 May 20175 September 2019

Rating: ★★★

Hunted by an Unearthly Creature

Director: Dave Payne
Actors: Devon Gummersall, Scott Whyte, Tina Illman, Derek Richardson, …
Category: Horror

Row 19 (2021)

8 August 20238 August 2023

Rating: ★★★

Haunted Plane Flight

Director: Alexander Babaev
Actors: Svetlana Ivanova, Wolfgang Cerny, Marta Timofeeva, Irina Egorova, …
Category: Horror

Seizure (1974)

22 December 199910 March 2025

Rating: ★★

Deathdream

Director: Oliver Stone
Actors: Jonathan Frid, Martine Beswick, Mary Woronov, Christina Pickles, …
Category: Horror

Shadow People (2016)

5 September 201923 October 2020

Rating: ★

Haunting

Director: Brian T. Jaynes
Actors: Bug Hall, Kat Steffens, C. Thomas Howell
Category: Horror

Siesta (1987)

22 May 200510 May 2025

Rating: ★

Deathdream

Director: Mary Lambert
Actors: Ellen Barkin, Gabriel Byrne, Julian Sands, Jodie Foster, …
Category: Fantasy

The Sixth Sense (1999)

14 August 19993 September 2024

Rating: ★★★★½

Child Medium

Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Actors: Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Collette, Olivia Williams, …
Category: Horror

Sole Survivor (1970)

3 September 202424 May 2025

Rating: ★★★★

Deathdream

Director: Paul Stanley
Actors: William Shatner, Richard Basehart, Vince Edwards, Lawrence Casey, …
Category: Fantasy

Sole Survivor (1983)

11 July 200713 March 2024

Rating: ★

Airline Disaster Premonition/Deathdream Hauntings

Director: Thom Eberhardt
Actors: Anita Skinner, Kurt Johnson, Brinke Stevens
Category: Horror

Someone’s Knocking at the Door (2009)

21 May 201014 November 2023

Rating: ★★½

Demonic Rapists

Director: Chad Ferrin
Actors: Noah Segan, Ricardo Gray, David Z. Stamp, Timothy Muskatell, …
Category: Horror

Soul Survivors (2001)

9 September 20019 August 2019

Rating: ★

Haunting

Director: Stephen Carpenter
Actors: Wes Bentley, Melissa Sagemiller, Eliza Dushku, Casey Affleck, …
Category: Horror

Spider Forest (2004)

9 January 20146 July 2020

Rating: ★★★

Enigmatic South Korean Horror

Director: Song Il-Gon
Category: Horror

Stairs (2019)

4 October 202018 February 2022

Rating: ★

Soldiers Trapped in a Timeloop

Director: Tom Paton
Actors: Samantha Schnitzler, Shayne Ward, Bentley Kalu, Alana Wallace, …
Category: Fantasy, Horror

Stay (2005)

2 December 200725 March 2025

Rating: ★★½

Deathdream

Director: Marc Forster
Actors: Ewan McGregor, Ryan Gosling, Naomi Watts, Bob Hoskins, …
Category: Horror

Sublime (2007)

22 November 200827 April 2020

Rating: ★★

Hospital Nightmare and Hallucinations

Director: Tony Krantz
Actors: Tom Cavanagh, Kathleen York, Katherine Cunningham-Eves, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, …
Category: Horror

The Survivor (1981)

23 December 199924 November 2020

Rating: ★

Haunting/Deathdream

Director: David Hemmings
Actors: Robert Powell, Jenny Agutter, Ralph Cotterill, Joseph Cotten
Category: Horror

Tales from the Crypt (1972)

18 February 200117 March 2023

Rating: ★★★

Horror Anthology/Comic-Book Adaptation

Director: Freddie Francis
Actors: Peter Cushing, Ralph Richardson, Joan Collins, Chloe Franks, …
Category: Horror

Tales from the Hood (1995)

23 July 20143 August 2024

Rating: ★★★

African-American Horror Anthology

Director: Rusty Cundieff
Actors: Clarence Williams III, Corbin Bernsen, Rosalind Cash, Wings Hauser, …
Category: Horror

The Vault of Horror (1973)

27 February 20031 April 2024

Rating: ★★

Amicus Horror Anthology

Director: Roy Ward Baker
Actors: Tom Baker, Denholm Elliott, Daniel Massey, Anna Massey, …
Category: Horror

The Wave (2019)

31 January 20202 December 2024

Rating: ★★

Reality Bending Drug Hallucinations

Director: Gille Klabin
Actors: Justin Long, Donald Faison, Sheila Vand, Ronnie Gene Blevins, …
Category: Fantasy

Wound (2010)

29 March 201213 June 2025

Rating: ★

Hallucination and BDSM

Director: David Blyth
Actors: Kate O'Rourke, Brendan Gregory, Ian Mune
Category: Horror

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Theme Essays

  • Films About Atlantis
  • Werewolf Films
  • Virtual Reality
  • Imprisonment Thrillers
  • Films Depicting NASA and the Space Program
  • Human Bloodsports and Death Games
  • Animals Attack Films
  • Films About Plague and Pandemic
  • Disaster Movies
  • Steampunk Films
  • Documentaries
  • Films About Halloween
  • Films About Prophecy
  • Magicians and Sorcerers
  • Secret Societies
  • Real-Life People in Fiction
  • Techno-Thrillers
  • Twins in Fantastic Cinema
  • Asylums
  • Possession Films
  • Films About Imaginary and Magical Lands
  • Religion in Fantastic Cinema
  • Romantic Comedies
  • Film Noir
  • Spy Films
  • Jekyll and Hyde Films
  • Films That Make Dubious Claims to Being True Stories
  • Coming of Age Stories in Fantastic Cinema
  • Films About Cryogenics and Suspended Animation
  • Alternate History Films
  • Disturbed Psychology as Portrayed on Film
  • Law Enforcement in Fantastic Cinema
  • Weird Westerns
∧

Copyright Richard Scheib 1999-2025

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