Any time is a good time for a horror movie marathon, but there’s something about October and Halloween that just makes you want to celebrate the holiday in earnest. And what better way to send chills down your spine than with some horror flicks?
If you’re like us here at Entertainment Earth, you get together with some like-minded friends and have a good time with a spooky movie marathon. So here is our list of favorite horror films that put us in a hauntingly good mood:
Psycho (1960)
“One reason why Psycho still endures so well today is because it started it all. This film was probably best viewed during opening weekend, when the surprises were so fresh that the film was downright shocking. Hitchcock insisted on top billing going to Janet Leigh, the film’s biggest star. It came as quite a shock when (spoiler alert) she is killed off in the first 20 minutes. Audiences trusted the formula—that the star whose name appeared above the billing would be the hero at the end. Instead, they were thrown a massive curve ball and they learned that they couldn’t trust anything they previously believed about movies. This film was full of surprises, leading to a final revelation that was downright shocking. For the next several decades, filmmakers would work to capture that same sense of suspense and shock.”
“This Hitchcock classic is well loved for a reason. The Bates Motel and the chilling musical score are so well known in pop culture that you pretty much know the story even if you’ve never seen the film. That was the case for me up until a few years ago, and I wish I had watched it sooner. The story is compelling and will keep you on the edge of your seat. The cast is fantastic and Anthony Perkins is bone chilling as the psychotic Norman Bates. And, of course, the music is to die for! As a side note, I also recommend the A&E television show Bates Motel. While it does have some unnecessary side plots, the overall storyline is well told, and Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore are brilliantly cast.”
The Ring (2002)
“I can hear you laughing from here, okay?! I’m not ashamed! This movie terrifies me. Anything that is remotely technology related gives me the wiggins. A girl crawling out of the TV falls under that category. Things that crawl funny are also terrible, so, it doubles down. Then you can add the overall story with an abused child seeking revenge against people who deserve it and it just leaves you thinking ‘Well, yeah, okay, I get it. Kill ‘em. BUT NOT ME I’M CUTE AND I WILL BAKE YOU COOKIES!”
“I know that I’m really pushing my luck here, but try and remember the first time that you saw this movie. This movie, a remake of the critically acclaimed Japanese film, really keeps you in constant suspense. The film-student style movie within a movie that you see again and again is just enough to shake you and to give you clues as to what the characters are looking for. The final twist? That was good. Admit it.”
– Sol
Friday the 13th (1980)
“Jason Voorhees has dominated the box office and the horror genre for over two decades at this point. The original remains the granddaddy of the slasher genre, and it helped usher in a new wave of horror films beginning in the 1980’s. The twist revealed at the end of the first film was a big shock at the time. Jason has continued to slash his way into our hearts through countless sequels, spin-offs, and reboots. I gladly don’t see him stopping anytime soon.”
– Lauren
“In 1959 a boy drowns in a lake while he’s at camp. A dramatic fire closes the camp down a few years later, and it finally reopens in 1979. However, camp counselors start to be killed. Could this be Jason, back from the dead and looking for revenge? This slasher film borrows so much from Halloween that they can be hard to keep straight – the masks, the knife, the return for revenge. It also sets a new bar for horror movies: how many ways can people be killed without repetition?”
– Sol
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
“Freddy Krueger is the wacky, one-lining serial killer of our dreams. Brought to life by Wes Craven, the original 1984 film introduced us to Robert Englund in the title role. Throughout the years we’ve seen the character progress from a silent menace to a pun delivering master, all while terrorizing the poor children of Elm Street. The first film in the franchise delivered grotesque visual effects along with a storyline that had never been seen before. It’s very obvious why this film is known as one of Craven’s best and also why it endures to this day.”
– Lauren
“Freddy Kruger was a more personal villain than Jason or Bates. He didn’t cover his face in a mask, or wear a wig; he just sported the horrible scars he got when he was burned alive. Traveling into the dreams of his victims, he taught many children to take up coffee drinking as early as possible.”
– Sol
The Shining (1980)
“You just can’t beat this one. While Rotten Tomatoes doesn’t give this movie the high marks that it could have, that’s mostly because it isn’t a very loyal book adaptation. Don’t listen to Stephen King on this – the movie is actually better than the book. Stanley Kubrick directs this stunning film that captures fear in the most effective way it has ever been captured on camera. The camera work itself surpasses anything that Hitchcock filmed, making the Overlook Hotel a the home to your nightmares.”
– Sol
“Based on Stephen King’s bestselling book, the 1980 horror film of the same name is a masterpiece. Stunning cinematography, captivating storytelling, and a mind-blowing performance by Jack Nicholson. This film delivers scares left and right, while also raising the bar on what a psychological horror film should be. It’s been lampooned by everyone from The Simpsons to iZombie, effectively earning its rightful place in pop culture.”
– Lauren
Sinister 1&2 (2012/2015)
“It’s rare that a movie keeps me scared after I watch it. Sinister messed with me. I have no idea why Boogie terrifies me to my core, but there is something about him, the mythos, and the TERRIFYING DEATH CHILDREN that make me go ‘NOPE’! My one comfort in the first film was that it seemed to only be an issue to people with children. Then Sinister 2 happened and took that comfort away from me so here we are, with me, terrified of this random between worlds man. Creeper.”
– Amelia
Cabin in the Woods (2012)
“How do you top a self-referential horror movie? You take it a step further. Instead of the characters just knowing how these killings take shape, have the film be a deep exploration of why these killings work this way. The entire sacrificial nature is explained in a vividly literal way, but it can be understood just as well as a metaphor for the audience’s need for sacrifice to their entertainment. Cabin in the Woods is a heady and intelligent movie built as an alter to the slasher film in the most loving way.”
– Sol
Carrie (1976)
“The original killer prom queen made her debut in this 1976 film. Based off of another Stephen King book, this film is a fantastic adaptation of the well written novel. We all knew a Carrie, or in fact were a Carrie, in high school. The perpetually shy girl who is a target for the worst kind of bullies. And while battling the bullies at school can be one thing, having to deal with your religious fanatical mother at home is quite another. When Carrie discovers her telekinetic abilities, her true personality finally starts to shine. She wants nothing more than to fit in and now she feels like she finally can. That all comes crashing down once some well-placed pigs blood ruins her night. Carrie is a story of revenge unlike any other. It’s one of the rare films that will have you cheering for the “villain” and leave you feeling remorse about their ultimate downfall. I also recommend checking out the 2013 remake starring Chloë Grace Moretz and Julianne Moore. Purists might look down their nose at it, but I truly think it is well made and entertaining modern update.”
– Lauren
So, those are our favorite flicks that put me in the Halloween spirit. What are some of yours? Let us know in the comments!
