Yet Another Halloween Scary Movie List
With a little time left before Halloween, I figured I’d put together a short list of movies for the season. For this list, I wanted to cover a swath of classics and maybe a few that are less familiar.
John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978) — Starting things off, this should be on all lists with good reason: It’s a masterpiece. This film didn’t start the modern slasher film, but it spurred the run that followed in the 80s and it set the “rules” that they all followed. The film is well shot, well written and has a score that can stand the test of time. The simple premise delves into the core of Halloween and asks the question, “What is the boogeyman?”
Trick ‘r Treat — If you haven’t seen this one, find it right away. It attempts to study Halloween in the same vein of John Carpenter’s classic, focusing on the one night of the year when everyone dresses up and evil is afoot. It returns to the anthology format that used to be a staple of the genre, weaving all the stories together in a fun dark way. It’s worth a couple of watches with easy-to-miss bits interwoven throughout that connect the four stories.
The Blair Witch Project — Creepy things in the woods in the fall is a must. This found footage film does a lot with next to nothing going on and it lets your mind fill in the gaps. The simple premise of a documentary makes it incredibly believable.
Tales from the Darkside — There are a bountiful number of horror anthologies from the 80s, but this one has a certain flare that stands out. The stories round out each other nicely with creatures of revenge and tragedy. It has a pure 80s essence with classic practical effects that rival today’s capabilities.
Grave Encounters — This is one of the found footage copycats that did it right on so many levels. For anyone that enjoys the ghost hunting shows, this is for them as it balances the horror with a sharp sense of humor.
Sinister — The ghosts in this film are chilling. The story has elements of mystery and crime, and a slow burn that doesn’t let up. It may stick with you all night. It mixes crime/mystery genre with paranormal in a brilliant way.
The Innkeepers — This is another small production with a slow burn build up that focuses on crafting an atmosphere and world that pays off at the end. Ty West makes great use of effects and storytelling throughout the film to create something much greater than either one on its own.
Nosferatu (1922): With the familiar story of Dracula, this film one of the few remaining silent films that set the standard for future horror movies, up until now. Utilizing German expressionism, the imagery still holds as creepy as some the likes of The Exorcist. Having been in existence for 100 years, the runtime may vary, depending on which version you find.
Hellraiser: Something that is completely on the other side of much of what I have on this list, the story is seductive and horrific. The horror doesn’t lie in the monstrous cenobites but in the human sin as Clive Barker’s original story translates into film here. This is definitely one for the gore fans, but the story is never forgotten or sacrificed for gore, On top of that, it’s got an incredible score that is unparalleled.
Annabelle Comes Home: As the third film in the spin off series following the doll briefly seen in the original Conjuring film, it may seem a strange recommendation but it delivers good fun scares that don’t require serious knowledge of any of the other films. Without an overtly massive body count, Annabelle Comes Home delivers a fully fleshed out haunted house slasher-esque film with creative and creepy antagonists and scared kids and the welcome faces of the Warrens cameoing.
Return of the Living Dead: Zombie films are not my favorite. They tend to be massively allegorical and by nature are a societal horror with something that is impossibly difficult to overcome. Return of the Living Dead doesn’t break that mold too much, however it is unique in its approach by injecting a sense of fun without it becoming a complete comedy like Shaun of the Dead.
The Strangers: What creepier to have in the back of your mind on Halloween than that the person knocking on your front door might be there to kill you? The Strangers is a one of the several home invasion films that came out around the late 00s, however the creepy factor with the killers and the simplicity of the premise is enduring.
