If you are anything like me, then you love Halloween for more than just the costumes. I wait all year for Halloween because as soon as it hits October 1st, the Halloween movies start back up! I am all about being scared and watching horror movies in the dark, so here are some movies that I recommend for your next scary movie marathon.
1. Halloween
This is the quintessential Halloween movie, hence the title. It is the right amount of creepy and proves that you do not need gore to be an effective scary movie.
Bonus: Look for a young Jamie Lee Curtis before she played Lindsay Lohan’s crazy mom in Freaky Friday
2. The Strangers
The Strangers is one of my favorite horror movies and it is hard to find newer horror movies that live up to the story and scare factors of older horror movies. The Strangers is effective because although it has a slow build up, there is always an air of suspense lingering. The sole idea of being trapped inside of an isolated house by people you don’t know is terrifying to say the least.
3. You’re Next
This is the only other “new” movie on my list because it defies horror movie stereotypes. When you first watch it, you think it will be another typical, stupid horror movie. However, there is such a change in direction halfway through the movie that you will be pleasantly surprised that it does not stick to the clichés.
4. Scream
Scream is so 90s and it is wonderful. Scream starts the self-aware horror movie craze and in the 90s it was huge. It was also pretty notable to have a strong female role such as Sidney Prescott to show that girls can kick butt too.
Bonus: Drew Barrymore’s role is one of the most iconic scenes in horror movie history.
5. A Nightmare on Elm Street
The 80s seemed to be a time for horror to flourish, with A Nightmare on Elm Street being one of the decade’s most famous horror movies. The concept is terrifying: a killer who can kill you in real life by killing you in your dreams. However, Freddy Krueger has such a personality that it is almost comical. I think that might be an even more terrifying concept.
Bonus: Check out a young Johnny Depp; still a looker, even back in his younger days.
6. The Ring
The movie that started the American remakes of J-Horror films, The Ring was one of the very few horror movies that absolutely terrified me when I was younger. Evil. Children. Enough said.
Bonus: All you Seth Cohen fans should look for a small cameo by Adam Brody.
7. Audition
A J-Horror film had to make it on the list. As someone who has watched a lot of horror movies, I have noticed that Japanese Horror has been far superior. Audition is a prime example of that. It is gory, it is unsettling, it is disturbing, but to this day it still sticks with me as being one of the most terrifying movies I have ever seen. You will never look at wire the same way after.
Fun picks:
1. Hocus Pocus
This should be on your list for ANY movie marathon, no matter what. This movie is why I look forward to fall. I think I pretty much have all of the words to the movie memorized by this point. If you have not seen this movie yet, I would say that you are severely missing out.
2. Halloweentown
One of the best, if not the best, Disney Channel Original Movies to ever be made, Halloweentown makes you wish you lived with a bunch of ghosts and ghouls. If you can get past the evil Kalabar, then this would be the ideal vacation spot for someone like me.
Do you agree with my list? What are some of your favorite Halloween movies? Leave your ideal Halloween movie list in the comments!