There is nothing worse than self-isolating at university, where your days consist of nothing but online lecture after online lecture, slowly going mad in your room. As Halloween season is among us, a wide variety of horror films are being added to Netflix and other online streaming services. You might think spooky movie nights are the perfect opportunity to pass the time. You’d be mistaken.
The realistic depictions of post-apocalyptic landscapes, eerily familiar dystopian ideals and relatable characters allow these fictional films to hit too close to home. Avoid these films at all costs unless you’re prepared for a good scare.
1. Quarantine (2008)
Starting off with the scariest is Quarantine. Based on the Spanish found-footage horror film Rec, Quarantine is a 2008 American horror film directed by John Erick Dowdle. The scares begin with the reporter of a reality-TV show, Angela, and her cameraman Scott who are whisked off to a Los Angeles apartment building after an urgent late-night distress call. Once locked inside they discover they are trapped inside the building with not only the residents but a mysterious virus that turns humans (and dogs) into demonic blood thirsty killers.
This zombie thriller is not for the light-hearted. Expect blood, gore and jump scares. Suddenly, the thought of self-isolating in a townhouse on campus is not so pleasant. Quarantine will fill you with dread as you keep a careful eye out, praying that you won’t be ‘turned’ by your flatmates in the middle of the night.
Age Rating: 18
2. Bird Box (2018)
Quarantine is not the only film with parallels to the Covid-19 outbreak. Bird Box, directed by Susanne Bier, is an American horror film released in 2018. The thrilling horror explores the decimation of population caused by a mysterious force that takes on the form of your worst fears. Once you see it you die. The plot follows the story of Malorie Hayes who, in search of a place that offers sanctuary, must travel through the woods and along a river with her young children, blindfolded.
The film can appear slightly prophetic with regards to the current global situation. Instead of blindfolds, we are required to wear masks. Instead of vision, we have been forced to control our sense of touch. The film serves as a public reminder that Coronavirus is a monster we cannot see.
3. Shaun of The Dead (2004)
As an admirer of Simon Pegg, I was ecstatic to watch Shaun of the Dead despite my irrational fear of zombies. There is no doubt that the 2004 horror film directed by Edgar Wright is pure comedy gold. But this didn’t stop me from hiding behind my blanket as Shaun, an unmotivated, emotionally lost salesman, attempted to battle an entire community of zombies. The similarities between the film and the madness of 2020 was recognised by the cast themselves as Simon Pegg and Nick Frost reimagined a scene from Shaun of the Dead on The Plan, recommending that we ‘stay home, have a cup of tea and wait for this to all blow over’.
After watching people collapse in the street to emerge as flesh eating zombies, I couldn’t stop myself from imagining a post-apocalyptic Lancaster. The second ‘mirror shot’ depicting Shaun’s roommate bursting out of the shower as a zombie is terrifying enough, but even more terrifying for students sharing a bathroom in university accommodation.
Age Rating: 15
Although I wouldn’t recommend watching these films during self-isolation, they do help to pass the time. Sitting on the edge of your seat waiting for the next jump scare certainly takes your mind off your laundry and next online shop. Alongside this, research has shown that fans of horror films have experienced less psychological trauma during the pandemic due to having developed greater resilience. So whether they have helped you build up a greater resilience or have nearly scared you to death, there is no doubt horror films have a close relationship with our current situation.