Sick of trick-or-treaters? We’ve got you covered. Here are ten scary films you should watch this Halloween…
The Shining (1980)
Director: Stanley Kubrick
This psychological horror, based on the novel of the same name by “scream factory” Stephen King, follows a family as they overlook and take care of the isolated Overlook Hotel in the Colorado Rockies.
The young son of the family, Danny, possesses a psychic ability that enables him to see the horrific past of the hotel. This ability, combined with his unfulfilled, alcoholic father and trapped without contact to the outside world, leads to an unsettling and claustrophobic film.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Director: Tobe Hooper
A group of friends fall victim to a group of cannibalistic psychopaths and must try to survive as the he infamous ‘Leatherface’ and his family try to kill them in the most sinister and grotesque ways.
Famously based on murderer Ed Gein who took his victims and used their bodies to make furniture and keepsakes, it was initially banned in several countries as they complained about the violence. It’s a grotesquely fascinating film that isnāt for the faint of heart.
Psycho (1960)
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
The second film on our list based on murderer Ed Gein, Psycho is a psychological horror film that follows a young woman who steals from her boss and flees. She ends up staying at a secluded motel only to find out it is operated by a strange man named Norman Bates.
Psycho is considered one of the greatest films of all time, and a pioneer of slasher films. The film broke a lot of rules during its release and despite it being almost 60 years old, it is still chilling and creepy.
Halloween (1978)
Director: John Carpenter
Halloween follows Michael Myers as he escapes from a sanatorium fifteen years after killing his sister on October 31. He returns to his hometown and ends up stalking a young babysitter and her friends. Michael Myers is a cult figure in popular culture now because of this film.
The score is spine-tingling and immediately emits terror. The music is such a huge part of the film, and just adds to the fear. Myers is such a scary figure as he is a silent and ruthless killer who feels no remorse for anything he does.
Happy Death Day (2017)
Director: Christopher Landon
The film follows a student who is killed on her birthday but relives the day repeatedly – think Groundhog Day (1993), but with Michael Myers. She is a popular ‘mean girl’ character who must figure out who her killer is and how she can stop them.
It is a black comedy slasher film with shocking moments, showing her death in many different creative ways as she must adapt to learn new ways of surviving. It’s a fun film with a killer thrown in.
Goodnight Mommy (2014)
Directors: Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala
Two twin brothers move to a new house with their mother after she undergoes cosmetic facial surgery. Her face is bandaged up, but her eyes and mouth are visible. The two boys don’t recognise their mother underneath her bandages and start to doubt that this woman is really their mother.
They decide to test and torture her to verify who she is. It becomes a struggle of trust between the family and leads to horrific consequences. There are some graphic and gory scenes, but the film constantly questions everything on screen and it’s a struggle who to believe.
Last House on the Left (1972)
Director: Wes Craven
The plot revolves around two teenage girls who head to a concert but are kidnapped whilst they are trying to score drugs in the city, then taken into the woods to be tortured and mercilessly butchered.
The brutal gang then decide to stay at the nearest house, only to find that it belongs to one of their victims. After the parents discover that their daughter has been murdered, they enact a vengeful retaliation in the most graphic way possible.
Slither (2006)
Director: James Gunn
A small town in South Carolina is invaded by alien parasites that transform people into mutant monsters. The film blends B-movie sci-fi films with zombie horror films – think The Blob (1958) meets Dawn of the Dead (1978).
The debut film of James Gunn, Slither has a dark sense of humour that blends so well with the horror. Whilst the film didn’t excel at the box office, it is now a cult favourite amongst many horror fans.
Hush (2014)
Director: Mike Flanagan
Hush is a slasher film that follows a writer, who is deaf and mute, who must fight for her life as a masked killer appears at her window. The film becomes a cat and mouse game as the killer tries to get into her house and she must fend him off.
The scariest thing about this movie is that our heroine cannot scream for help and she cannot call the police. Both the killer and our leading lady are intelligent people who are determined to survive. Itās an intriguing film that keeps you hooked and rooting for the leading lady.
Audition (1999)
Director: Takashi Miike
The film follows a widower who is urged by his son to start dating again and find a new wife. With the help of his friend, he sets up a fake audition to find a potential girlfriend. After interviewing many women, he finds one that enchants him.
It is too late by the time he realises that this woman isn’t who he thinks she is. She lives in an empty apartment, only containing a mysterious sack and a phone. She has a dark past and it begins to challenge their relationship.
By Charlie Vogelsang