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Indian burial grounds have been featured in various stories where individuals unexpectedly encounter them, leading to supernatural occurrences and eerie hauntings. The concept has become a common element in horror films, often involving vengeful spirits who curse anyone who disturbs their resting place. Although this portrayal is largely based on myth, it has remained a popular theme in Hollywood productions. Sometimes, the burial ground itself is not haunted but still plays a significant role in advancing the plot. Here are ten notable films that include the theme of Indian burial grounds.
10. Pet Sematary (1989)
The 1989 horror classic, Pet Sematary, based on Stephen King's novel, introduces a cursed burial ground of the Micmac tribe, located beside a pet cemetery. Anything buried in this graveyard returns from the dead, often with violent consequences. This storyline became a staple in horror films during the 1980s.
In the film, a cat named Church is killed and buried in the ancient burial ground. When Church returns, it is far more sinister, with an unpleasant odor and an insatiable need to kill. A young child is also killed and buried there by his father in an attempt to bring him back to life. The child returns, but like the cat, is not the same as before. The chilling lesson from this story is clear: sometimes, death is better left undisturbed.
9. Scalps (1983)
Scalps is a typical 1980s horror film that centers around an Indian burial ground. The plot follows six archeology students who venture into the California desert to conduct a dig, despite having been warned to avoid the area. As they begin their excavation near an ancient Indian burial site, they inadvertently release an evil spirit known as Black Claw.
Produced on a modest budget of around $15,000, the movie showcases Black Claw seeking revenge on the surrounding town. The malevolent spirit possesses one of the students and starts killing them off one by one. The low-budget film includes several drawn-out sequences where characters are gruesomely scalped, which ties into the film's title.
8. Identity (2003)
While Pet Sematary revolves around burials on sacred Indian soil and Scalps deals with excavation on such a site, Identity (2003) features a building constructed on ancient burial grounds. In the film, ten strangers are stranded at a remote motel during a torrential rainstorm. The flooding roads prevent them from leaving, forcing them to stay overnight in the isolated hotel.
An unknown murderer begins picking off each person at the hotel, one by one. As the group of strangers investigates, they find a brochure for the motel that reveals it sits atop land where Native Americans were once buried. The group begins to suspect that the murders may have a supernatural origin. This psychological slasher is inspired by Agatha Christie’s novel And Then There Were None, but whether the Indian burial grounds actually play a role in the killings is for the viewer to discover.
7. Poltergeist (1982)
In the 1982 film Poltergeist, a family’s house becomes the haunt of numerous spirits. Initially, the ghosts seem playful, moving objects around in the house in a harmless manner. However, things quickly take a darker turn as the spirits turn malevolent, terrorizing the family. The intensity peaks when the ghosts abduct the youngest daughter.
Poltergeist is frequently linked to the Indian burial ground trope, but this connection is often misunderstood. A parody of the film, titled Petergeist, aired on Family Guy, where the main character, Peter Griffin, discovers an Indian burial ground in his backyard. Although Poltergeist includes a cemetery in the plot, it does not involve an ancient tribal burial site. Despite this, the film remains associated with the overused horror trope of the 1980s.
6. The Shining (1980)
In Stanley Kubrick’s psychological horror masterpiece *The Shining*, Jack Nicholson gives an unforgettable performance. Based on Stephen King's novel, the film follows a family staying at an eerie hotel where they encounter a malevolent presence. Nicholson plays the father who becomes increasingly violent, while his son, who has psychic abilities, witnesses chilling visions of both past and future.
The Overlook Hotel, central to *The Shining*, was built on a Native American burial ground. Nicholson’s character, seeking the position of winter caretaker, learns about the hotel's dark history. Despite its frightening reputation, he decides to take the job, mesmerized by the hotel's grandeur. The film has become a cultural touchstone, widely regarded as one of the most influential in cinema history, and popularized the trope of haunted burial grounds.
5. *Monsterwolf* (2010)
*Monsterwolf* combines elements of fantasy and horror in this low-budget TV film. Despite its poor reviews and ratings due to predictability and subpar acting, it still manages to entertain a certain segment of horror enthusiasts. The plot centers on a group of oil workers who, while exploring new land to drill, accidentally awaken a monstrous wolf-like creature that terrorizes them and the town.
As the story unfolds, it’s revealed that the land the workers are drilling into is sacred Native American burial ground. The spirit of the wolf is there to guard it, punishing those who threaten its sanctity. The oil workers meet a grim fate at the hands of the wolf, and only the last surviving Native American can put an end to the creature’s wrath. This plot draws from traditional Native American legends but introduces a fresh twist with the terror of the monstrous wolf.
4. Little Big Man (1970)
While many films on this list delve into horror, sci-fi, or fantasy genres, Little Big Man stands out for its blend of drama, adventure, and comedy. This 1970 movie follows the life of Jack Crabb, now an old man, as he recounts his unusual upbringing by Native Americans. The film portrays the Native Americans with empathy, contrasting them against the villainous depiction of the United States Cavalry.
Jack recalls how he was raised by the tribal leader, Old Lodge Skins, after being taken in as a young boy. He earned the nickname 'Little Big Man' due to his bravery, despite his short stature, after saving the life of another child. A pivotal moment in the film happens when Jack accompanies Old Lodge Skins to an Indian burial mound, where the elder declares it is his time to die. As rain drenches him, Old Lodge Skins rises and quips, 'Well, sometimes the magic works. Sometimes it doesn't.'
3. The New Daughter (2009)
Spanish screenwriter Luis Berdejo made his feature directorial debut with The New Daughter, a chilling horror movie based on John Connolly's short story of the same name. The plot follows a recently divorced writer who relocates with his two children to an isolated, old house in South Carolina. On their first night in the house, the daughter begins to hear unsettling noises outside her bedroom window.
While exploring their new home the next day, the children uncover a chilling discovery: their house is situated next to an ancient Indian burial mound. The father soon learns that the property has a dark history in the town, linked to the mysterious disappearance of a woman who once lived there. Upon returning home, he finds his daughter’s cat has been mutilated. The family is relentlessly tormented by supernatural occurrences, with the ancient burial mound playing a crucial role in the escalating terror throughout the movie.
2. The Amityville Horror (1979)
Released in 1979, The Amityville Horror tells the harrowing tale of a couple who move into a grand home, only to be plagued by its sinister past. They experience a range of bizarre and terrifying events, ultimately prompting them to flee. This film is based on the true accounts of the Lutz family, who claimed to have been subjected to supernatural phenomena, including eerie visions and disturbing physical changes.
The connection to an Indian burial ground is drawn from the Lutz’s book, which suggests the house was constructed over ancient burial grounds. They alleged that the property had once been home to a sanitarium where dying Native Americans were brought to meet a grim fate. While the veracity of the Lutz family’s claims is debated, the movie has remained associated with the idea of an Indian burial ground, contributing to the chilling atmosphere that captivated millions of viewers.
1. Silent Hill: Revelation (2012)
Understanding the plot of Silent Hill: Revelation can be just as perplexing as algebra, yet it's still a fun ride for fans of low-budget horror films and the Silent Hill video game series. The film reveals that Silent Hill was once a prison colony in West Virginia, built upon land that was wrongfully taken from Native Americans. The area was referred to as “The Place of the Silent Spirits.”
The movie follows Heather Mason, a young woman drawn into a parallel reality in the eerie town of Silent Hill. She believes she’s on the run with her father, who killed a man in self-defense. However, on the night before her 18th birthday, Heather learns that her father has been shielding her from a dangerous cult known as the Order of Valtiel. Upon uncovering her true identity, she is thrust into the demonic world of Silent Hill, facing the grim reality that escape is almost impossible.
