With Halloween just a week away, I’m pretty sure you have indulged in all of the typical October festivities. As the air gets crisper and the colors of autumn surround us, its time to pull those sweatshirts out of the closet and grab some sort of pumpkin crap flavored beverage. Halloween is traditionally a holiday for children with all the dressing up and romping through neighborhoods but that doesn’t mean that they should have all the fun. When it comes to holiday movies, Halloween tends to rule. By now you have watched Hocus Pocus 47 times and the people you live with probably want to kill you if you sing “This is Halloween!” (Nightmare Before Christmas) just one more time…
So let me help you with your Halloween fatigue and give you a list of films that skew towards a more off-beat path. No more Halloween 8 or H2O or even those god awful Scooby-Doo live action movies. The list consists more of indie or classic and foreign films that have become more accessible over the years to a larger audience and are definitely worth checking out. Also the list doesn’t consider any kind of ranking or preference, they are just some movies I think you should check out or re-watch to make your Halloween even spookier. So let’s begin!
- Hausu (1977)
Do you enjoy a little bit of weird in your Halloween? Well then you should check out this classic Japanese horror film. House is about a group of schoolgirls who visit their ailing aunt in the countryside. They realize that she has died and begin to wander around the mansion. What begins to torment the girls are the demons that reside. Sounds pretty standard but let’s just say that this film is an acid trip that ate mushrooms and then sniffed bath salts. Absurd, surreal and obviously campy, House will definitely have you scratching your head.
- Island of Lost Souls (1932)
An American pre-code sci-fi flick based on the H.G. Wells novel The Island of Dr. Moreau. This cult classic has it all, crazed scientists, a spooky private island, and people transforming into beasts! The film also displays impressive makeup and effects for it’s time.
- Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
Guillermo del Toro’s masterful fantasy tale about a young girl who stumbles across a world of magical creatures and bizarre revelations. Taking place during the Spanish Civil war (1944), the film’s unique approach to story telling reminds us a bit of Alice in Wonderland mixed with heavier overtones that deal with war, repression and resistance. The film shapes it’s world like a lucid dream. Full of “real life” evil and fairy-tale obstacles, Pan’s Labyrinth is absolute magic.
- Timecrimes (2007)
Suspenseful and heart pounding, not necessarily words used to describe a movie about time travel. In Nacho Vigalondo’s 2007 thriller, a man accidently gets into a time machine and travels to the prior hour multiple times. Time travel can be a real downer in movies with all the fancy physics and science stuff but have no fear, Timecrimes doesn’t require any credentials rather it focuses on a man looking to fix a problem that keeps getting worse. The film is enthralling and fun, and the surprise ending will have you shocked.
- The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
German expressionism at its peak, this 1920 classic is still the standard for gothic horror. A simple story about a man that is hypnotized by Dr. Caligari who uses him to commit murders. Filled with shadows, light, and heavy angles, the world created is just absolutely creepy. Anyone that is interested in the Expressionist movement needs to check this out, clearly Tim Burton was a huge fan.
- Night of the Living Dead (1968)
George A Romero’s classic zombie flick was way ahead of its time in relation to the horror genre. Today’s zombie craze owes this 1968 classic everything. Lacking the gore and violence of today’s zombie movies, Night of the Living Dead breeds fear into you like nothing else. Isolation, confusion and hysteria make this landmark horror film a must see. With the barrage of zombie movies out there, why not check out the one that planted the flag.
- Audition (1999)
A Japanese film about a widower who struggles connecting with women until he is setup by a friend, where he becomes enamored by a mystery woman. Rob Zombie himself said that this is the creepiest and most unsettling horror film ever. Rob knows horror, and Audition isn’t for the queasy.
- M (1931)
For many this black and white thriller is usually their first encounter with a foreign film. If you have ever taken a film class in high school, chances are you watched M within the first week. Pete Lorre plays a spine-chilling child murderer who roams the streets with his luring whistle. For a film where no actual violence is shown on screen, the tensions created are enough to give you a heart attack. Think that films from this era can’t be frightening? Give this one a chance.
- Deep Red (1975)
An Italian “giallo” film directed by Dario Argento. Considered as the king of horror in Italian cinema, Argento’s influence has basically formed the modern horror genre. Deep Red is essentially a murder mystery that brings to focus the psychological coldness of the killer. Chilling atmosphere and camera movements make this one a real screamer.
- Suspiria (1977)
A young American travels to Berlin to join a prestigious ballet school, little does she know that the school has a far more sinister secret. Yes, another film from Dario Argento, as this is his masterpiece and most in vogue film. Remarkable use of color and lighting take this movie to another level. Ignore the weak plot and enjoy the bizarre display of imagery.
With thousands of films that span the horror genre and sub genres, these are just a sample of what you could be missing out on, so check them out and I hope you enjoy.
Happy Halloween!