Gaslighting, a form of psychological change that makes a person question their reality, can be found in a variety of films — from drama to horror and everything in between. The term comes from the 1940s thriller Gaslight. Such changes are often subtle and layered, making them difficult to detect. Although most often found in personal relationships, politics can also manifest itself in institutions such as health care. The goal of gaslighting is to confuse and rely on manipulators, making it a pervasive and shocking concept.

Here are some of the best gaslighting movies:

Gaslight (1940).

Based on the play “Angel Street,” this British classic gave us the term “gaslighting.” The story follows Paul and Bella, who live in a house where a murder once took place. Bella starts experiencing strange things, such as footsteps on the second floor, gas lights dimming, but her husband dismisses her concerns and tells her that she is imagining things at n ‘mind, and he himself had secretly brought these things about.

Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964) .

Originally intended to be a sequel to Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, the film was changed when Joan Crawford fell ill and her role was recast. When the authorities plan to demolish her mansion, Charlotte asks her cousin Miriam for help, but Miriam plans to drive Charlotte insane with the help of a doctor to get her inheritance They are Charlotte’s sense of reality, and give he believes he committed murder.

Rosemary’s Baby (1968) .

Rosemary, played by Mia Farrow, moves into an old New York apartment with her husband and soon finds herself pregnant. His strange neighbors seem kind at first, but he begins to suspect that their gifts and shaky health are making him sick. Her husband and her therapist view her anxiety as obsessions, and the community around her works to minimize her reality.

Stepford Wives (1975) .

Joanna and her family move to the seemingly perfect town of Stepford, where the local housewives are modest and busy with household chores and her husband provides gas lighting alternates between leaving home and keeping them, while revealing the horrific truth behind the actions of Stepford wives. This dystopian story is based on a novel by Ira Levine.Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964) .
Originally intended to be a sequel to Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, the film was changed when Joan Crawford fell ill and her role was recast. When the authorities plan to demolish her mansion, Charlotte begs her cousin Miriam for help, but Miriam plans to drive Charlotte insane with the help of a doctor to get her inheritance They use Charlotte’s sense of reality, and convinces him that he has committed murder.

Possession (1981)

The film follows a detective who returns home to find that his wife, Anna, is seeking a divorce. Just when she thinks the affair is coming, Anna gets involved in a weird over-the-top relationship, uses gaslighting techniques to hide her secret and the film sinks deeper into psychological horror and twisted relationships.

Sleeping Enemy (1991) .

Julia Roberts plays Laura, who appears in a perfect marriage with Martin. But Martin’s anger and jealousy turn innocent communication into accusations of infidelity, convincing Laura that she deserves to be abused. He knows he has done nothing wrong but has changed out of self-doubt. Based on the novel by Nancy Price, the film shows the drastic measures taken by Laura to escape.

The Truman Show (1998).

Truman Burbank, played by Jim Carrey, leads the ordinary life of a private television reality show. He begins to see cracks in his “normal” world, like a stage light falling from the sky, but those around him — his wife, his best friend, even his parents — build on it plant that all is well and the film explores the extent to which one person can change another’s reality.

What Lies Beneath (2000)

Michelle Pfeiffer and Harrison Ford play a couple trying to rekindle their marriage in a lakeside house. As Claire experiences visions and strange occurrences, her husband Norman shares her concerns, knowing only too well the truth behind the phantom sensation that his constant gaslighting catches her suspiciously and in fear.

Memento (2000)

A man with previous amnesia tries to solve his wife’s murder by using a tattoo as a clue, but his memory makes him an easy target In an episode is openly declared by an alleged friend who wants to use him, and likes the fact that he was powerless to stop him.

Flightplan (2005)

Jodie Foster plays Kyle, who boards a plane with his daughter, only to wake up to find her missing. The flight attendants tell her that her daughter had never been on the flight, attributing her panic attack to the psychosis caused by grief. Foster’s character fights to maintain his sanity, swallowing the loss and deception around him.

These films show the disturbing effects of gas lamps, where reality is distorted and trust is destroyed, leaving victims to question everything they know