A Classic Scary Halloween Horror Playlist (with insightful notes)
This is my ideal lineup of the best horror movies. It also serves as a follow-up to my "Experience the Original Horror Films" list.
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- DirectorTobe HooperStarsMarilyn BurnsEdwin NealAllen DanzigerFive friends head out to rural Texas to visit the grave of a grandfather. On the way they stumble across what appears to be a deserted house, only to discover something sinister within. Something armed with a chainsaw.Great starter for a horror marathon because it begins like a drama and slowly ramps up for the most brutal and unrelenting psychological/ slasher horror film ever made. Hidden theme: slaughterhouses.
- DirectorWilliam FriedkinStarsEllen BurstynMax von SydowLinda BlairWhen a young girl is possessed by a mysterious entity, her mother seeks the help of two Catholic priests to save her life.A heavyweight of horror classics. Often feels like more of a drama or documentary than a horror film, which makes the scary moments that much more potent. Hidden theme: child abuse.
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsJack NicholsonShelley DuvallDanny LloydA family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where a sinister presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from both past and future.Stanley Kubrick was a master of cinema. This one belongs in a genre all its own. Deeply psychological and bizarre photography and storytelling which leaves much interpretation open for the viewer. Hidden theme: child abuse.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsSigourney WeaverTom SkerrittJohn HurtThe crew of a commercial spacecraft encounters a deadly lifeform after investigating a mysterious transmission of unknown origin.Ridley Scott's sci-fi horror masterpiece also engages in psychological warfare on its audience, designed to frighten you out of your wits. Hidden theme: sexual assault.
- DirectorWes CravenStarsHeather LangenkampJohnny DeppRobert EnglundTeenager Nancy Thompson must uncover the dark truth concealed by her parents after she and her friends become targets of the spirit of a serial killer with a bladed glove in their dreams, in which if they die, it kills them in real life.Wes Craven's timeless classic. So much happening in every shot to excite and unnerve your senses. The subject of dreams and reality is fascinating to explore. Hidden theme: child predators.
- DirectorSam RaimiStarsBruce CampbellEllen SandweissRichard DeManincorFive friends travel to a cabin in the woods, where they unknowingly release flesh-possessing demons.A gory and over-the-top thriller on a small budget that entertains its audience better than most large budget films can dream of. Just a fun ride.
- DirectorSam RaimiStarsBruce CampbellSarah BerryDan HicksAsh Williams, the lone survivor of an earlier onslaught of flesh-possessing spirits, holes up in a cabin with a group of strangers while the demons continue their attack.A kind of soft reboot/remake of the first film, taking events to an even greater extreme. It's more deliberately comedic than the first.
- DirectorSam RaimiStarsBruce CampbellEmbeth DavidtzMarcus GilbertWhen Ash Williams is accidentally transported to 1300 A.D., he must retrieve the Necronomicon and battle an army of the dead in order to return home.The even sillier and larger scale third edition to the "Evil Dead" trilogy.
- DirectorChuck RussellStarsHeather LangenkampRobert EnglundCraig WassonA psychiatrist familiar with knife-wielding dream demon Freddy Krueger helps teens at a mental hospital battle the killer who is invading their dreams.Many fans' favorite edition of the Nightmare franchise. A group of gifted teens team together to fight back against Freddy Krueger in the dream world.
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsKurt RussellWilford BrimleyKeith DavidA research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.Previously one of the most underrated horror films in history that became a cult classic. It's best just to experience this one blind.
- DirectorVincenzo NataliStarsNicole de BoerMaurice Dean WintDavid HewlettA group of strangers awaken to find themselves placed in a giant cube. Each one of them is gifted with a special skill and they must work together to escape an endless maze of deadly traps.A Canadian Sci-Fi horror experience which inspired a multitude of similar films about being trapped in a nightmarishly orchestrated death trap.
- DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsRod TaylorTippi HedrenJessica TandyA wealthy San Francisco socialite pursues a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn for the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people.Alfred Hitchcock's second horror classic after the B&W "Psycho" is filmed in color. It has much larger sets, wide nature shots, and a more ambitious concept. Hidden theme: social anxieties between a mother and daughter (in-law).
- DirectorRoman PolanskiStarsMia FarrowJohn CassavetesRuth GordonA young couple trying for a baby moves into an aging, ornate apartment building on Central Park West, where they find themselves surrounded by peculiar neighbors.A heavily influential horror film that helped pave the way for films like "The Exorcist". It is one of the few from the 60s to have the modern/post-B&W horror feel, and doesn't fit with the cheesier Hammer-type horror films of the time. It works more like a straight suspense drama with horror elements, relying more on story and character. Obviously influenced by Hitchcock. A young woman uncovers a dark Satanic plot which involves her.
- DirectorBob ClarkStarsOlivia HusseyKeir DulleaMargot KidderDuring their Christmas break, a group of sorority girls are stalked by a stranger.The first real slasher film which established many of the sub-genre's tropes. Iconic first-person views as a predator hidden behind the camera started here. This low-budget Canadian film was a direct inspiration for John Carpenter's "Halloween". Its influence can even be seen in Wes Craven's "Scream" many years later.
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsDonald PleasenceJamie Lee CurtisTony MoranFifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween night 1963, Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois to kill again.Carpenter's low-budget classic about a serial killer which directly inspired the "Friday the 13th" franchise. Borrows heavily from "Black Christmas" visually and in storytelling, and musically from "The Exorcist".
- DirectorStuart RosenbergStarsJames BrolinMargot KidderRod SteigerNewlyweds and their three children move into a large house where a mass murder was committed. They start to experience strange, inexplicable manifestations which have strong effects on everyone living in or visiting the house.Conceived as a made-for-TV movie that got a theatrical release. Similar to "The Exorcist", it's based on a true story which involves a demonic presence.
- DirectorRobin HardyStarsEdward WoodwardChristopher LeeDiane CilentoA puritan police sergeant arrives in a Scottish island village in search of a missing girl, who the pagan locals claim never existed.A detective visits an eccentric island community to investigate a disappearance. Instead, he uncovers an evil cult. Hidden theme: paganism.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsDennis WeaverJacqueline ScottEddie FirestoneA business commuter is pursued and terrorized by the malevolent driver of a massive tractor-trailer.Steven Spielberg's first movie was this 1971 made-for-TV horror film. A friendly family man becomes bullied on a country highway by the driver of a tank-like semitruck. The psychotic driver forces David Mann to man up as he struggles to survive.
- DirectorPhilip KaufmanStarsDonald SutherlandBrooke AdamsJeff GoldblumWhen strange seeds drift to earth from space, mysterious pods begin to grow and invade San Francisco, replicating the city's residents one body at a time.A remake of the 1956 version that holds up as one of my favorite horror films.
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsAdrienne BarbeauJamie Lee CurtisJanet LeighAn unearthly fog rolls into a small coastal town exactly 100 years after a ship mysteriously sank in its waters.John Carpenter's slower-paced, intriguing film about a supernatural mist which envelops a small town.
- DirectorWes CravenStarsMaren JensenSharon StoneSusan BucknerAfter her husband dies under mysterious circumstances, a widow becomes increasingly paranoid of the neighboring religious community that may have diabolical plans for her.An understated (and underrated) Wes Craven film.
- DirectorBrian De PalmaStarsSissy SpacekPiper LaurieAmy IrvingCarrie White, a shy, friendless teenage girl who is sheltered by her domineering, religious mother, unleashes her telekinetic powers after being humiliated by her classmates at her senior prom.Exceptionally well-made Brian De Palma film based on the Stephen King novel. Great performances throughout. An awkward teenage girl who is abused by her peers and mother discovers she has magic powers. Hidden theme: fear of growing up.
- DirectorJoe DanteStarsDee WallacePatrick MacneeDennis DuganAfter a bizarre and near deadly encounter with a serial killer, a television newswoman is sent to a remote mountain resort whose residents may not be what they seem.A nice edition to any horror movie list. Great FX for its time.
- DirectorPeter MedakStarsGeorge C. ScottTrish Van DevereMelvyn DouglasAfter experiencing tragic personal losses, a music professor rents a Seattle mansion, haunted by a slain boy.A thought-provoking horror film.
- DirectorTobe HooperStarsJoBeth WilliamsHeather O'RourkeCraig T. NelsonA family's home is haunted by a host of demonic ghosts.Aided by the secret hand of Stephen Spielberg, and featuring impressive FX for its time. A young family moves into a haunted house where they encounter a force of immense supernatural power. Hidden theme: parental anxiety, and the fear of a family being torn apart.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsRoy ScheiderRobert ShawRichard DreyfussWhen a killer shark unleashes chaos on a beach community off Cape Cod, it's up to a local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer to hunt the beast down.Stephen Spielberg's horror masterpiece about a man-hungry shark still thrills and alarms viewers to this day. It inspired many similar shark and hungry giant monster movies. Hidden theme: parental anxiety.
- DirectorJohn McTiernanStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerCarl WeathersKevin Peter HallA team of commandos on a mission in a Central American jungle find themselves hunted by an extraterrestrial warrior.A somewhat satirical action film set deep in a Central American jungle. Arnold Schwarzenegger leads a team of macho commandos to strike a terrorist camp and rescue any survivors. But this unstoppable force of GI-Joe heroes soon find themselves being hunted by a mystical predator, picking them off one by one. Hidden theme: fear of a foreign enemy.
- DirectorDario ArgentoStarsJessica HarperStefania CasiniFlavio BucciAn American newcomer to a prestigious German ballet academy comes to realize that the school is a front for something sinister amid a series of grisly murders.Definitely one to be experienced. Dario Argento's best film. A visually marvelous experience on occultism and witchcraft.
- DirectorClive BarkerStarsAndrew RobinsonClare HigginsAshley LaurenceA woman discovers the newly resurrected, partially formed, body of her brother-in-law and lover. She starts killing for him to revitalize his body and escape the demonic beings that are pursuing him after he escaped their underworld.Clive Barker's first major film is still underrated. A tale of human weakness leading to damnation. Hidden theme: the self-destructive path of debauchery.
- DirectorStan WinstonStarsLance HenriksenJeff EastJohn D'AquinoAfter a tragic accident, a man conjures up a towering, vengeful demon called Pumpkinhead to destroy a group of unsuspecting teenagers.The opening sequence scared me as a kid. The creature design and FX were impressive. A great little Halloween movie.
- DirectorWes CravenStarsHeather LangenkampRobert EnglundJf DavisA demonic force has chosen Freddy Krueger as its portal to the real world. Can Heather Langenkamp play the part of Nancy one last time and trap the evil trying to enter our world?Wes Craven's reimagining of Freddy Krueger for a new audience, presenting him as an even darker and more serious threat. The story centers on the makers of the Nightmare franchise being killed one by one. It seems the horror movie serial killer has somehow come to life.
- DirectorAdrian LyneStarsTim RobbinsElizabeth PeñaDanny AielloMourning his dead child, a haunted Vietnam War veteran attempts to uncover his past while suffering from a severe case of dissociation. To do so, he must decipher reality and life from his own dreams, delusions, and perceptions of death.A trippy, psychological rollercoaster. Like David Lynch's "Eraserhead", this one can be considered a horror art film.
- DirectorJonathan DemmeStarsJodie FosterAnthony HopkinsScott GlennA young F.B.I. cadet must receive the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims.The second time we saw Hannibal Lector on the screen (the first being "Manhunter" (1986.) A masterpiece of cinematic writing, directing and performances. Lector was played by Anthony Hopkins as a kind of modern classic horror performance (such as Bela Lugosi's Dracula.) It is so well grounded in a sense of reality that Hopkins' enigmatic performance never loses us.
- DirectorMary HarronStarsChristian BaleJustin TherouxJosh LucasA wealthy New York City investment banking executive, Patrick Bateman, hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he delves deeper into his violent, hedonistic fantasies.A semi-satirical and psychological thriller which defies convention. An examination of Wall Street narcissism, the dark side of living in a bubble world where you are perceived as one of the 'better men'. Based on the novel by Bret Easton Ellis.
- DirectorWes CravenStarsNeve CampbellCourteney CoxDavid ArquetteA year after the murder of her mother, a teenage girl is terrorized by a masked killer who targets her and her friends by using scary movies as part of a deadly game.Wes Craven's cleverly satirical revision of the slasher horror genre. Originally titled "Scary Movie". To confuse things, a movie called "Scary Movie" later came out spoofing this film (and others.) But is 'spoofing' a satirical film really spoofing, or just an excuse to blatantly rip off a successful film? Regardless, "Scream" is the original "Scary Movie".
- DirectorGore VerbinskiStarsNaomi WattsMartin HendersonBrian CoxA journalist must investigate a mysterious videotape which seems to cause the death of anyone one week to the day after they view it.This one spooked me the first time I saw it.
- DirectorRobert EggersStarsAnya Taylor-JoyRalph InesonKate DickieA family in 1630s New England is torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic and possession.An immersive, haunting experience.
- DirectorJames WanStarsPatrick WilsonVera FarmigaRon LivingstonParanormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse.Based on events surrounding real world supernatural investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. They struggle to help a family from a demonically possessed house.
- DirectorJames WanStarsVera FarmigaPatrick WilsonMadison WolfeEd and Lorraine Warren travel to North London to help a single mother raising four children alone in a house plagued by a supernatural spirit.The sequel actually surpasses the first one for me for its believability and tension, upping the stakes from the first.
- DirectorJohn KrasinskiStarsEmily BluntJohn KrasinskiMillicent SimmondsA family struggles for survival in a world where most humans have been killed by blind but noise-sensitive creatures. They are forced to communicate in sign language to keep the creatures at bay.This was good fun to watch in the theater. After the end of the world (for mankind) those few who remain must keep very quiet or draw to them the ever-watchful predators that wiped out the rest of humanity. A family struggles to survive in their house while attempting to remain forever silent.
- DirectorAri AsterStarsToni ColletteMilly ShapiroGabriel ByrneA grieving family is haunted by tragic and disturbing occurrences.Unquestionably inspired by Stanley Kubrick's filmmaking, especially "The Shining". With obvious influences from "The Exorcist". This is one of the most solid horror films made in the past couple decades. A deeply psychological horror film set around a troubled family. The twists and turns are striking and unforgettable.
- DirectorScott DerricksonStarsEthan HawkeJuliet RylanceJames RansoneA controversial true-crime writer finds a box of Super 8 home movies in his new home, revealing that the murder case he is currently researching could be the work of an unknown serial killer whose legacy dates back to the 1960s.Beautiful visuals. A film made by and for horror lovers, though it is part relationship drama.
- DirectorAri AsterStarsFlorence PughJack ReynorVilhelm BlomgrenA couple travels to Northern Europe to visit a rural hometown's fabled Swedish mid-summer festival. What begins as an idyllic retreat quickly devolves into an increasingly violent and bizarre competition at the hands of a pagan cult.Definitely inspired by "The Wicker Man".
- DirectorJennifer KentStarsEssie DavisNoah WisemanDaniel HenshallA single mother and her child fall into a deep well of paranoia when an eerie children's book titled "Mister Babadook" manifests in their home.An emotional film centered on a mother-son relationship and paranoia around a scary children's book.
- DirectorMichael DoughertyStarsAdam ScottToni ColletteDavid KoechnerA boy who has a bad Christmas accidentally summons a festive demon to his family home.A fun one that feels intended for the whole family to watch together, though it's probably too intense for younger children. It reminds me of edgy family-oriented 80s Spielberg films like "Gremlins" or "Poltergeist".