Halloween’s closure has blessed us with cold weather, useless costumes, drained bank accounts, regret, and most importantly, fear. But the arrival of November doesn’t mean these great vibes have to end. I’ve been preparing for the holiday with some of my favorite horror films, and continuing the holiday spirit with some of my favorite horror films. There’s something deeply special and effective about the cheesiness of a Halloween-esque movie that allows it to be relevant to any time of year. There are far too many of these types of movies that I have yet to watch, and I am most certainly holding myself to doing just that. However, for now, these are a few wonderful movies to watch around (either before or after) Halloween time.
1. The Exorcist (1973) – Dir. William Friedkin
I recently had the pleasure of watching The Exorcist for the second time with my parents before I left home for this semester. The adult man next to me in the theater kept covering his eyes, so if that isn’t an incentive, I’m not quite sure what is. The Exorcist is a film about a young girl, Regan, who becomes possessed by the devil. It’s trite and understated to call The Exorcist a “classic,” but I don’t really have a choice. It’s horrific, devastating, comedic, ahead of its time, and it paved the way for so many other films of its genre. Yet the movie has so much depth beyond its fear factor. It’s an extensive and nuanced commentary on religion, guilt, loss, and family, which broadens its versatility within horror.
2. Carrie (1976) – Dir. Brian De Palma
In one of the first major “good for her” films, the ability that Carrie has to create an affecting and horrific impact on its audience is incomparable (it also makes a good Halloween costume). I know I’m recommending this movie, but it’s certainly a tragic and emotionally painful watch. The film follows a deeply mistreated high school girl, Carrie White, who discovers she has supernatural powers. Carrie is a poignant and impassioned representation of adolescent isolation and anger that forces its viewer to sympathize with its protagonist throughout its chaotic and catastrophic ending.
3. Frankenstein (1931) – Dir. James Whale
In a beautifully adapted picture of your favorite high school English novel, James Whale brings to life a story about difference, identity, and monstrosity. I could dedicate an entire article to monster cinema alone and its significance to me and my upbringing. I remember watching this film at a very young age and being strongly impacted by it even then. The film is not only a beautifully told story, but beautiful and immensely influential in its visual presentation. Frankenstein is a movie that is truly the very first of its kind, and remains so astoundingly timeless that it can be watched and enjoyed at any time of year by any generation.
4. Jennifer’s Body (2009) – Dir. Karyn Kusama
It’s campy and girly.
5. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night – Dir. Ana Lily Amirpour
Described as “the first Iranian vampire western,” A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night is a powerfully unique and stunning feminist monster horror. It follows the story of a lonely vampire woman moving about the streets of a fictional place called Bad City and preying on its male predators. Though the movie is shot in Southern California in black and white, it’s written entirely in Farsi. With a complex portrayal of gender politics and power reclamation told through a monstrous and shadowy lens, Amirpour truly knows how to tell this story truly and effectively, and carves a much-needed space for female directors in the horror genre.