Horror Filmfest For Halloween
We Offer Horror Movie Suggestions for Every Occasion and Person
It’s that time of year again. The time when the weather cools, leaves fall, a cold breeze blows and it gets dark at 5 pm. Which altogether makes it the perfect time to sit down, get under a blanket, pop some popcorn and stream some scary movies.
Now, the quality of scary movies varies from person to person. Some are hypersensitive to gore and violence while others have been so desensitized its not a movie scene unless half the palette of the mise en scene is sanguine red. Fear not. We’ve tried to put a little bit of something for everyone down here for you. Starting with the easiest to watch.
Level 1: For Those Who Like “Tame” or are with Someone Who Doesn’t Like Scary Movies.
We all know them. Sometimes we have to compromise a little. Here are a few that should work out fine for their tastes.
The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Best for the Little Kids or that Girl who Likes to Sing Showtunes. Yes, I know, its not technically a horror film, but for those with little kids around it can help pass the time until they go to bed and you can put on more suspensful fare. As for those who may be dating Ms. Glee, that may be a bigger horror than the movie. In the words of many a horror character—- RUN!!!
Any of the first 10 Treehouse of Horrors. The Simpsons.
These still crack me up and are OK for anyone really.
Arachnophobia
This is actually a very tame thriller that works even for little kids. Starring everyday good guys Jeff Daniels and John Goodman, its about a variation of South American spiders taking over a rural town. Casual laughs and many spider related fear ensues.
The Blair Witch Project
For the most part, this has never been “scary” and much of it is just three people you wish would meet their doom harping at each other in the woods. When it finally “happens” there really isn’t anything noteworthy that is scary or shocking. I’ve seen 10 year olds shrug at the climax of this one as if its nothing. So if you know someone who doesn’t like scary films, start with this one. When they see its not that bad you can then elevate your game to one of the films further below.
Dracula (1995).
Francis Ford Coppola made this one with Gary Oldman and Winona Ryder in the lead roles as a “horror love story.” But the scariest thing about this is Keanu Reeves trying a British guilded age accent.
Level 2: Funny Horror Movies
For some, humor can be a good antidote to the violence of a horror movie. Here are a few to give you a chuckle as you see blood.
Werewolves Within.
Again, this isn’t a “horror” film so much as a suspenseful one, but the characters are so goofy and fun to watch and that woman from AT &T commercials kind of steals the show. Think of “Northern Exposure meets Silver Bullet.” It’s a completely fun film without much gore at all. It’s rated R but is really more a PG-13 (honestly, I think its R from the swearing more than any violence, which is really a joke).
Shaun of the Dead.
I can’t remember laughing this hard at a horror movie ever.
Zombieland.
Has a great cameo of Bill Murray which may be the best thing he’s done in 20 years, and also gets you yearning for a twinkie.
The Cabin in the Woods.
In this film you are always wondering WTF is going on, and it completely subverts your horror movie expectations. The last fifteen minutes of this rollercoaster I was out of breath from laughing/screaming so hard. Its a riot. Two words- Killer Unicorn.
Level 3: For those Who Like Horror Film Franchises
Horror franchises tend to suck. The thing is, they make a TON of money. They are cheap to produce, quick to churn out, and can get a studio rolling in dough to blow on some mega-blockbuster. New Line Cinema used to be known as “the House that Freddy Built” until Frodo and the Hobbits took it over. The longer franchises go, the more they rely on cheap gimmicks and not so witty one liners. Here are a few franchise movies worth your time.
A Nightmare on Elm Street.
The first Freddy film is easily the best and scariest. From watching Nancy’s friend do a bloody dance on the ceiling to watching Johnny Depp swallowed by his Sealy Posturepedic, this one is so much more than all the sequels put together.
Hellraiser (2022).
“Pinhead”1 has always been more menacing as an image than when he’s talking, being pensive, toying with people. When he shouts “We’ll tear your soul APART!” you kind of believe him. I mean, just look at him.
The reboot in 2022 changed Pinheads from long time portrayer Doug Bradley2 to newcomer Jamie Clayton. The vision Clive Barker had in mind originally was a more androgynous Pinhead and she fits the bill well, both calm and terrifying at the same time. The Hellraiser films were never great stories mind you, but they always had their scary, gory moments (and this one REALLY is gory). This Hellraiser also actually has something that most franchises don’t after the first film—a plot and a direction.
X.
This recent film about a 70s film crew making a porn film on a rural farm is both the format for many a dumb horror film (and porno while we’re at it) and also the perfect location and teaser as to what happens. This film was one of the best horror films of the past several years but the way its being franchised is pretty dumb.
Psycho II.
What makes this one superb is how they use the original to fill you with anticipation of how it SHOULD go, building the suspense and tension, and then it goes in a completely different direction. Excellent storytelling.
Prey.
A retread on the Predator series that takes place in colonial times on the prairie, it follows a Native American woman as she battles scurrilous fur traders, rival tribes and the eponymous Predator. Outstanding take on the series that left me wanting more.
Level 4: Stephen King Adaptations
There’s a reason he’s the King of Horror.3 His books and level of detail creep everyone out.
It (Chapter 1 and 2).
If you’ve ever had an irrational fear of clowns, this one is sure t give you the willies. The book4 takes place in two parallel timelines, in 1985 and 1958. They did the right thing in adapting it by splitting it into two films on each timeline and modernizing it between the 80s and 2010s. One of his best adaptations.
Gerald’s Game.
This is actually one of my favorite books by King, who takes a male sexual fantasy and turns it into a subtle, terrifying struggle for sanity and liberation. Mike Flanagan, who has done a good job adapting some of King’s novels, takes this and let’s it go. Carla Gugino is fantastic as the main character.
The Dead Zone.
If you have a friend who genuinely fears what a Trump Presidency would do to the world again, you should watch this one with him. Christopher Walken is just quirky and awkward by nature but in this one he’s at his unstable best, with the ability to see the future and prevent catastrophe.
Misery.
Kathy Bates. James Caan. Sledgehammer. Nothing more to say.
Others from the 1980s you may want to check out
Cujo, Silver Bullet, Children of the Corn, Pet Sematary, Christine. All of them have their moments but are somewhat cheesy too.
Level 5. ‘70s and ‘80s Horror Canon
In the ‘70s, directors and cheap productions got more creative and took more chances, and it was the hey day for early horror films. In the ‘80s, they got better at special effects and cinematography, and that is when horror films really took off.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Made by Tobe Hooper (see next) for a pittance, this extremely cheap film had some of the most jarring horror scenes and images of all time. The set up is pretty ludicrous (strange hippie hitchhiker? Yeah, keep driving) but where it goes is just freaky. The last 30 minutes are crazy unnerving.
Poltergeist.
Steven Spielberg produced this, with Tobe Hooper directing. The result is a two hour creepshow with a huge budget, light show special effects that are entirely dated now and some of the single best horror scenes that still creep people out today. “They’re heeeeerrrrrreeee.”
Halloween.
Again, a movie so emulated it’s become cliche. That revised William Shatner mask is itself frightening, but the way Michael Myers is hidden in the background of almost every shot, and the lighting where there are always shady corners and unlit parts of rooms just give you that heightened sense of something out there. John Carpenter made this on the cheap, including the score which he made on his own. 5
The Fly (1986).
Jeff Goldblum has played this character in every film since 1986, but this film is an outstanding piece of science gore horror. David Cronenberg amps up the physical disfigurement as Goldblum’s genius descends into an insect. Gets better with each viewing.
Level 6. The Best Horror Films since 2000
The Ring.
More than any film of the past 25 years, this one made me look in the back of my car on my way home and leave the lights on. Scary enough to make you feel uneasy.
Frailty.
You know how some people preach about God and you look at them and can’t think of anything less religious than what they believe in? This one is for you.
Let the Right One In.
This one is Swedish6 about a bullied boy who befriends a young girl vampire (who is actually hundreds of years old). Contains one of the best pool scenes, ever.
The Babadook.
I’ve thought long and hard how to describe this one and just can’t without giving anything creepy about it away. Watch it. You won’t be disappointed.
The Witch.
Also known as Anya Taylor-Joy’s breakthrough film, the time period, archaic manner of talking and always overcast skies provide this with all the eerie atmosphere you need. As it progresses though and evil seaps in, it really gets uncomfortable. By the end, you just want the macabre tale to show some mercy. Some of these images will stay with you for some time.
Level 7. The Best Horror Films of All Time
OK. I know I am going to get some disagreement here. But there are reasons these have set the standard and have been emulated in hundreds of horror films since they first came out. Its because they’re scary. And good.
The Thing.
John Carpenter’s masterpiece is the perfect movie for a cold night in late October before the snow comes. It has it all. Pratical special effects (that can look a little laughable now), a tense, suspenseful story and a real sense of dread. Unlike most horror films that get dated once you see the scares, you’ll watch this one repeatedly appreciating the story and craftmanship.
The Sixth Sense.
It’s still scary. Still a masterclass in storytelling. Bruce Willis’s finest work.
Alien.
This film is the most feminist horror film of all time. A woman is the hero. The God-like computer is named “Mother.” The men are the ones giving birth and are the helpless victims. Fantastic from beginning to end. It’s sequel, Aliens, is worthy of your time too.
The Shining.
Yeah, I know, King hates this film and much of what makes it scary were the touches Kubrick added to it. You know what? I don’t care. It’s still the scariest movie I’ve ever seen. That stillness, the isolation, the weird quiet and cavernous set. The elevator of blood. The old woman. The twins. The guy in the dogs outfit. It’s all creepy AF.
The Exorcist.
The practical effects are pretty terrible nowadays, and much of it is cliche since its been copied so often, but the way this movie tells a story, particularly with its use of light (and Max Von Sydow, who played chess with Death in the Seventh Seal) is still masterful. The pacing draws out the horror over the entire running time, slowly showing you an evolution of the Regan character, until you really see it in amazingly shocking ways.
Psycho.
Simply the biggest twist in a movie in all time. One of the most iconic scenes of all time. You know what? Even then, if you’ve never seen it, its fantastic and shocking. Hitchcock’s masterpiece.
And there you have it. Some great films to take your time from now until November. Watch as many as you can and enjoy!
Do you think we missed some? Do you have a favorite you want to talk about? Add it to the comments!
PurpleAmerica’s Final Word on the Subject
Happy Halloween. :)
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Footnotes and Fun Stuff
Pinhead as a name has always been reviled by the creator of the series Clive Barker. It was a joke made by several of the studio hands when they were filming and the name stuck.
Yes, there were some direct to video movies with a different Pinhead, but those were hackneyed pieces of trash put out only to retain the rights, and should be quickly disregarded.
You know its funny that although he writes the best horror novels, his horror movies have been rather ho-hum mostly. They’re more of the Cujo, Maximum Overdrive, Children of the Corn cheese than they are classics. His non-horror films though are usually excellent.
Which was actually the first novel I went out of my way to read in 6th grade. All 1100 pages of it.
Carpenter is actually an accomplished musician, and scored all of his own films. The best to me was always that bassline in The Thing.
If you want the American english version of it, there was one made with Chloe Grace Moretz titled “Let Me In.” Its OK, but Moretz is too attractive to be playing the character here and it doesn’t seem right.
Thanks for the spooky season recommendations. There are a few here I haven't seen yet, and I hadn't heard of Frailty, which sounds right up my alley. Any list with The Thing, Alien, and The Shining up top is a list I can trust!