Finally, it’s spooky month.
As we all know, Halloween starts on October 1st. It seems that as soon as October hits, we get an immense craving for all things creepy and spooky. Anything to get that fix of being scared. One of the easiest – and cheapest – ways to get that fix is sitting down in front of the TV with a bowl of snacks in complete darkness and turning on a good old horror movie. If you’re struggling with what movies to watch, here are some top recommendations that I’ve found to be the disturbing.
1. Halloween (1978)
This movie is obligatory to watch during the month of October, if not on Halloween. It revolves around the classic horror character Michael Myers. The movie takes place on the fifteen year anniversary (which just happens to be Halloween) of when Michael had killed his older sister. He comes back to his hometown and terrorizes teenagers, specifically looking for Laurie Strode.
It was responsible for the growing popularity of slasher movies in the 1980s. It’s also Jamie Lee Curtis’ acting debut, which earned her the nickname of ‘The Scream Queen.’ There are eleven movies in the franchise, including the one that’s being released this year.
2. American Horror Story, seasons 1 and 2 (2011 and 2012)
This TV series is one of the most popular “horror” shows on cable television. Each season is a different bunch of characters and a completely new storyline. There are some surprise appearances of characters that appeared in other seasons, but until season eight, there hasn’t been much – if any – overlap between the seasons.
AHS: Murder House revolves around the Harmon family that is moving across the country to California after dealing with major family trauma. They purchased a mansion with a bargain price, blissfully unaware that the ghosts of past residents and other murder victims are still living there.
AHS: Asylum takes place at Briarcliff Manor (which is based off of Letchworth Village asylum in New York) and it focuses on the stories of several staff members, inpatients, and a journalist. It shows the horrors that had happened at the asylum along dramatized events, giving the show it’s dark twists.
These two seasons are more scarier than the rest because, in my personal opinion, they use a lot of the traditional factors that horror movies do. They use a lot of mystery with both the first and second season, which makes it compelling. They also have interesting settings that reek of eeriness. In Murder House, it’s a big Victorian mansion that looks like it would double as a haunted house. It looks like it holds a lot of dark history that might deter you from wanting to enter. In Asylum, it’s a haunting building that looks straight out of a dystopia. It’s surrounded by dark gray clouds, the people look abused…it looks like it was plucked out of a horror movie. The rest of the seasons are alright, but these hold true to the name American Horror Story.
3. Friday the 13th (1980)
Another classic horror film with another classic horror character. This one is also obligatory to watch during the month of October.
Despite its murder history, Camp Crystal Lake is open for counselors to start getting ready for summer camp. As the camp counselors arrive in the town, they’re warned to turn back and forget about it because something bad will happen. They’re soon introduced to Crystal Lake’s own Jason, a serial killer that has tormented past visitors.
This is another movie franchise with multiple follow-ups to it. In 2017, they even released a video game where you and friends put yourselves in both the camp counselors and Jason’s shoes. It’s nearly a forty year old horror movie with cheesy acting, but it still provides your fix of jump scares and a good spook.
4. The Conjuring (2013)
This is one of the most recent horror movies that leaves me chilled and spooked every time I watch it. I’ve never been a fan of possession because it’s usually really cringy because they try to recreate The Exorcist or they make it feel so fake and it doesn’t even look like it could be remotely realistic like the rest of the movie did. But this one is actually well executed.
It’s claimed to be based off a true story. It takes place in the 1970s around the Perrons family that paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren are called to when their new home introduces a supernatural presence. As soon as the paranormal events begin to escalate and make the Perrons life miserable, Ed and Lorraine swoop in to help them.
5. Ghost Adventures (all seasons)
If you’re into ghost hunting reality shows this will certainly give you the spooks. This is one of my favorite shows to sit back and watch if I’m in the mood to creep myself out, especially at night. The show has been on the Travel Channel for ten years now, following the success of their Ghost Adventures documentary movie in 2004. A group of friends and paranormal investigators – Zak Bagans, Aaron Goodwin, Billy Tolley, Jay Wasley, and (past) Nick Groff – travel to different haunted locations and lock themselves in all night, trying to capture evidence. They’ve had a few monumental discoveries, helping to build their reputation and even a case that spirits are real.
6. Scream (1996)
Scream was the reinvented slasher movie, thanks to Wes Craven. People still dress as the character today and there is even a spinoff show on MTV. It brings in different aspects like humor and scare. There are three more installments in the series (with rumors of another one to be released soon), but the first one is certainly the scariest.
A serial killer has struck the town of Woodsboro, killing several high school students. The killer is known for calling his victims and asking “what’s your favorite scary movie?” and having a taunting conversation with his victims before striking. He zeroes in on one specific person though – Sidney Prescott. It’s both a good slasher movie, but it’s filled with a good amount of suspense to keep you on your toes.
7. The Shining (1980)
Another classic horror movie based on both the book by Stephen King and the Stanley Hotel in Colorado. It seems that someone knows at least something from this movie, having seen it or not. Something like “redrum,” the creepy twins, or “Here’s Johnny!”
It revolves around a writer who brings his family to an isolated hotel in hopes to cure his writer’s block. His wife and son become plagued with paranormal visions. As time goes on, the writer learns the hotel’s dark secrets, which turn him into a homicidal maniac that wants to torture his family.
8. Halloween H2O: 20 Years Later (1996)
Out of the many movies involved in the Halloween franchise, this is by far the best one. This one is the seventh one in the franchise.
It takes place twenty years after the first, going back to the point of view of Laurie Strode. Laurie changes her name and is the headmistress of a private school. However, Michael Myers soon discovers her location and comes back to torment her on Halloween, taking care of anyone else who gets in the way.