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But what links all of these horror films?

The answer is the presence of nuns within their terrifying narratives.

Immaculate

The existence of nuns within genre cinema is far from unusual.

Nun’s the word

But what is it about them that sends shivers running down audiences spines?

Theres also a history of nuns as quite formidable characters dressed in this strange stuff.

Taissa Farmiga as Sister Irene in The Conjuring spin-off The Nun

No hair is showing, only their face under the white part of their habit.

He states: “The first thing that you associate with nuns is the idea of repression.

When it comes to being a nun, I’m sure you have to repress many things within yourself.

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Despite their rising prominence in horror, mystery surrounds nuns, with them becoming a rarer sight in public.

The number of nuns worldwide peaked at 180,000 in 1965, and this had more than halved by 2010.

He says: “Nuns are almost seen as human beings that happen to come from another planet.

the nun movie

And by that, I mean, they have a different worldview.

So instantly, there’s a sense of inherent mystery, disconnect, and uncanny valley.”

The representation of nuns is varied within horror cinema as our cultural attitudes and anxieties surrounding religion have changed.

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