With Halloween around the corner, it’s pretty ironic that the polls for one of the scariest elections in our lifetimes are just opening. To get in the mood for Halloween—and to get pumped for voting—here are our top five frightening political movies.
5. Nashville (1975)
Widely underrated, Nashville is an exciting social commentary. Focusing on a presidential election, it features multiple connecting storylines, twenty-four main characters, a ton of musical numbers, and an extremely distressing surprise conclusion. Although it’s definitely not a thriller, Nashville exposes the disturbing underbelly of American politics—something definitely scary enough to keep you awake at night.
4. All the President’s Men (1976)
Though released only a year after Nashville, All the President’s Men has a decidedly different tone. Focusing on the reporters who exposed the Watergate Scandal, the film provides a paranoid, fast-paced insight into one of the largest political scandals in American history.
3. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
Released at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis, The Manchurian Candidate is a classic psychological and political thriller. With a hyper-suspenseful plot and a sinister villain, the film is frightening for more than its plot. To make it even better, Frank Sinatra plays the leading role.
2. V for Vendetta (2006)
This film is definitely the scariest in its aesthetics. Set in a dark, dystopian vision of the United Kingdom, the film highlights the perils of a government no longer run by its people. Exciting but scary, it’ll certainly make you appreciate your right to vote more than you already do.
1. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
While technically a comedy, Dr. Strangelove provides a dark and insightful commentary into government and international relations. The film is a suspenseful wild ride, and will definitely make you wonder about its unsettling implications long after it has ended.
While it’s hard to imagine that there’s something scarier than intense horror movies or haunted houses, something even more ominous is haunting this week—the election. So change up your usual thriller/horror Halloween movie night routine by throwing in a political thriller, and remember to vote!