Halloween, known for everything remotely terrifying and creepy, is the best time to watch movies that scare us to the point of sleeping with the lights on. The following list contains ten movies that you must watch if you want to experience Halloween the right way. So, kick back with your bucket of candy and a blanket to pull over your head.
10. Scream (1996)
A classic directed by none other than Wes Craven. Featuring Courtney Cox and Drew Barrymore, making movie history as one of the first slasher movies of its time and paved the way for others like it.
9. The Shining (1980)
Based on the book by the king of horror, Stephen King, the story revolves around Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson), his wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and son Danny (Danny Lloyd) as they become the caretakers of the Overlook Hotel while strange things begin to occur. Director Stanley Kubrick applies his unique style to this classic story by capturing the solitude and overall eeriness of the hotel, which paints the Overlook Hotel as a living entity that make it the main and most developed character of this creepy story.
8. 28 Days Later (2002)
Directed by Danny Boyle, the story takes place in London 28 days after the spread of an infection turns everyone infected into frighteningly fast, red-eyed killers. The infected aren’t the only thing that make the film scary, but rather how humanity reacts to such an infection. The seemingly-kind survivors in this post-apocalyptic London may have darker intentions than the zombies do.
7. Treehouse of Horror (1990)
The Simpsons was one of the first depictions of a cartoon that was aimed toward young adults and adults earning it a special place in T.V. history, and in the hearts of all that watch it. Treehouse of Horror, first debuting in 1990, consists of a collection of Halloween themed episodes of The Simpsons that have to do with everything from the supernatural to science-fiction. These comedic episodes guarantee a laugh, but the stories are nothing short of scary. From a suspicious principal who may be a cannibal, to an evil twin locked in the attic, these stories are both hilarious and strange.
6. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
The first zombie movie by George Romero, this black and white film captures a night in which a woman named Barbra (Judith O’Dea) tries to survive a zombie attack after the dead rise from their graves. The film being in black and white and the use of over the top acting captures the vein in which horror movies were done at the time, and gives it an overall charming feeling.
5. The Lost Boys (1987)
A dark comedy, this film follows two brothers Michael (Jason Patric) and Sam (Corey Haim) as they move into a new town with their newly divorced mother. Sam soon meets two boys who reveal to him that vampires overrun the town, while Michael begins to grow more and more distant, resulting in him finding new friends who are vampires themselves. The hilarious dialogue perfectly balances with many scares that the vampires supply.
4. An American Werewolf in London (1981)
When two friends, David (David Naughton) and Jack (Griffin Dunne), go backpacking in Scotland, they disregard the many warnings that the locals give them about staying on the roads, which results in them getting attacked by what they think to be a wolf. However, the attack leaves David heavily injured and, worse, a werewolf. The progression of this story plays out strange and surreal, and the special effects are outstanding, especially in the film’s most famous scene where David transforms into a werewolf. Director John Landis does a great job of creating a bizarre atmosphere which definitely makes this movie a unique one.
3. Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), who works for the FBI, finds herself interviewing Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a cannibal psychiatrist, who may have information on a crucial case she is working on. Anthony Hopkins’ performance is chilling and director Jonathan Demme successfully creates a feeling of overwhelming dread. The last thirty minutes are genuinely terrifying, which makes this film not only a great horror movie, but a masterpiece.
2. Let Me In (2010)
An American remake of the Swedish film Let the Right One In, the story follows Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee), who endures bullying by his classmates as he deals with his parent’s divorce and their recent move to a new town. Owen then befriends Abby (Chloe Grace Moretz), his next door neighbor, who happens to suffer from vampirism. The film is a heartbreaking coming-of-age story about what it means to be loved. The sweet moments that the two share are equal in number to the horrific events that both Abby does to protect Owen, and what Abby’s guardian does to provide for her. These scenes are not shown for their mere shock value, but rather to show the lengths that these characters go for eachother.
1. Poltergeist (1982)
Truly a classic, this movie follows a family who begin to have strange occurrences in their home. Possessing one of the best lines in film history, “They’re here”, everything about this movie radiates creepiness, including chairs suddenly being stacked on the table or a tree in the yard that appears to be moving closer and closer to the window. Steven Spielberg captures the essence of the supernatural perfectly in this movie and cleverly warns about the dangers of television and that which it brings into our homes.
Hopefully, this list will scare you senseless and make you laugh just as much as you jump, giving your Halloween just the right kick not only this year, but for years to come. Never has there been a better season to indulge in these feelings of paranoia and fear; these movies are sure to supply just that.
