Movies About the Grim Reaper The Phantom Carriage (1921) The Phantom Carriage is notable not only for its impressive special effects, but also because of its influence on famous Swedish director Ingmar Bergman. Either way, this list chronicles the most notable depictions of the Grim Reaper in movies along with a few interesting variations. Or perhaps it’s because audiences aren’t terribly eager to be directly confronted with their own mortality. Perhaps it’s the Reaper’s traditionally grim demeanor that keeps him (or her) out of the spotlight. Since then, the Grim Reaper has appeared in movies in various forms, some more human than others.Īs a character and an archetype in film, the Grim Reaper is used in far fewer films than more popular supernatural entities like vampires and witches. However, The Phantom Carriage(1921) may be the earliest reaper-like appearance of Death, complete with a dark robe and scythe. In movies such as The Phantom Carriage (1921) seen here, the Grim Reaper is often the conduit for a morality tale.ĭeath as a character in movies goes back to the silent era with early portrayals seen in films like Eerie Tales(1919). Much later, the name “Grim Reaper” was first used in association with the personification of Death in the book The Circle of Human Life (1847). The image of a scythe-wielding skeleton stuck.
With the Black Death killing millions of people in the 14th century, the idea of a soul-harvesting figure creeped into everyone’s minds. The image of the Grim Reaper as a skeletal figure wearing a black, hooded robe and carrying a scythe is thought to originate in Europe during the 1300s. The most recognizable form of Death in Western culture is that of the Grim Reaper. Since dying is a natural part of life, people throughout history have personified Death in various ways.
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