We’re about to enter October and with it comes the opportunity to dig into the horror genre on the run up to Halloween. We’ve picked out a frightful mix of classics and hidden gems for you to enjoy this month.
Photo: Carrie (1976) | Amazon MGM Studios / United Artists
Suspiria (1977) dir. Dario Argento
Famous Italian horror director Dario Argento’s most famous film Suspiria centres on American dancer Suzy Bannion, a newcomer to a German ballet academy. She soon comes to realise that the school is a front for something more sinister amid a series of grisly murders.
Ed’s comments: This film will blow your socks off with its vivid colours, sound design and fantastic score by Italian prog-rock band Goblin.
Dawn of the Dead (1978) dir. George A. Romero
Viewed by many as the best zombie film of all time, George Romero’s seminal film centres on a group of four survivors who hold up in an abandoned shopping mall amid a zombie outbreak.
Its influence can be seen on every zombie film that followed it.
Ed’s comments: Although I prefer his next zombie film Day of the Dead, there’s no denying that Dawn of the Dead is Romero’s magnum opus. A treat for all horror fans with a fair share of gory moments. Not for the squeamish.
Carrie (1976) dir. Brian De Palma
With Mike Flanagan’s tv adaptation of Carrie arriving this October, there’s no better time to catch the original in all its bloody glory.
Carrie is a shy and sensitive teenager who faces bullying from her classmates and abuse from her mother. When she begins to suspect that she has supernatural powers, things take a violent turn.
Ed’s comments: It took a rewatch for me to fall in love with De Palma’s legendary horror film. Sissy Spacek is truly incredible as Carrie and De Palma’s use of light and colour is second to none. A must watch for any horror fan.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) dir. Philip Kaufman
Sitting amongst the very small list of remakes that are better than the original, Philip Kaufman’s take on The Body Snatchers is paranoid nightmare.
The residents of San Francisco are becoming drone-like shadows of their former selves, and as the phenomenon spreads, two Department of Health workers uncover the horrifying truth.
Ed’s comments: I have to admit that I have never seen the original film. Possibly due to the brilliance of the 1978 version. With a cast containing Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Leonard Nimoy, Jeff Goldblum and Veronica Cartwright it was always going to be a winner with me.
The Exoricst (1973) dir. William Friedkin
Considered at the time to be the scariest film ever made, William Friedkin’s The Exorcist still frightens over 50 years later.
After exhausting all medical options to help her daughter, Chris MacNeil is forced to turn to the church for help.
Ed’s comments: This is the best horror film in my opinion, or certainly in the top 3. The character Damian Karras was recast at the last minute, with Jason Miller taking over after pleading with Friedkin. An actor with no film experience, Miller delivers one of the best performances of all time.
Re-Animator (1985) dir. Stuart Gordon
Onto horror comedies now with a Stuart Gordon masterpiece.
Conducting clandestine experiments within the morgue at Miskatonic University, scientist Herbert West reveals to a fellow graduate student his groundbreaking work concerning the re-animation of fresh corpses.
Ed’s comments: If all out horror isn’t your bag, this film provides a good mix of gruesome scenes and comedic lines. Jeffrey Combs’ performance as Herbert West is simply delightful. There’s lots of laughs to be had here but keep a bucket nearby if you’re squeamish.
An American Werewolf in London (1981) dir. John Landis
Likely to get the most laughs from British viewers, John Landis’ film sees a pair of American tourists attacked by an unidentified animal while hiking on the Yorkshire Moors. After retiring to the home of a beautiful nurse to recuperate, David soon begins experiencing disturbing changes to his body and mind.
Ed’s comments: A great mix of horror and comedy that delivers genuine laugh-out-loud moments in between scares. Perhaps the most impressive thing about the film is its practical effects.
The Shining (1980) dir. Stanley Kubrick
Featuring career best performances from both Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall, Kubrick’s The Shining is truly a marvel of horror filmmaking.
Jack Torrance accepts a caretaker job at the Overlook Hotel, where he, along with his wife Wendy and their son Danny, must live isolated from the rest of the world for the winter. But they aren’t prepared for the madness that lurks within.
Ed’s comments: I’m certain that almost all of those reading this will have seen The Shining already. However, for those that haven’t, this one should sit right at the very top of your October watchlist.
Frankenhooker (1990) dir. Frank Herenlotter
In a similar vein to Re-Animator, this cheesy horror comedy is more of a fun time than a scary one.
A medical school dropout loses his fiancée in a tragic lawnmower incident and decides to bring her back to life. Unfortunately, he was only able to save her head, so he goes to the red light district in the city and lures prostitutes into a hotel room so he can collect body parts to reassemble her.
Ed’s comments: I had been some time since I last watched this. However, I still remember Patty Mullen’s performance as the titular “Frankenhooker”. The film features some lovely shots of New York, too.
The Silence of the Lambs (1991) dir. Jonathan Demme
The only horror film to win the Best Picture category at The Oscars, Jonathan Demme’s film centres on FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster.)
Jack Crawford wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant psychiatrist who is also a violent psychopath, serving life behind bars for various acts of murder and cannibalism. Crawford believes that Lecter may have insight into a case and that Starling, as an attractive young woman, may be just the bait to draw him out.
Ed’s comments: This is another film that I expect most of you to have seen already but it is always worth rewatching. The chemistry between Jodie Foster & Anthony Hopkins is incredible.
It’s hard to argue for other horror films to win Best Picture if The Silence of the Lambs is the benchmark.
Pulse (2001) dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa
A film designed to get under your skin.
In the immense city of Tokyo, the darkness of the afterlife lures some of its inhabitants desperately trying to escape the sadness and isolation of the modern world.
Ed’s comments: I have become desensitised to horror films over the years, with very little scaring me these days. However, Kurosawa’s Pulse is a film that got under my skin and made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
I won’t spoil the exact moment here, you have to see it for yourself.
Shadow of the Vampire (2000) dir. E. Elias Merhige
An interesting take on “Nosferatu”, focussing on the making of the film.
Director F.W. Murnau makes a Faustian pact with a vampire to get him to star in his 1922 film “Nosferatu.”
Ed’s comments: This one is best enjoyed after seeing the original 1922 classic silent film. Shadow of the Vampire is bolstered by great performances from Willem Dafoe and John Malkovich.
The Ring (2002) dir. Gore Verbinski
This American remake does something that most don’t. It created a version of the original that is actually enjoyable.
Journalist Rachel Keller investigates a strange videotape that may be behind the untimely deaths of four teenagers. There is an urban legend about this tape: the viewer will die seven days after watching it. Rachel tracks down the video… and watches it. Now she has just seven days to unravel the mystery of the Ring in order to save herself and her son.
Ed’s comments: One of the rare American remakes that isn’t terrible in comparison to the original. Verbinski’s remake offers a genuinely interesting story with a creeping sense of paranoia as Keller’s days count down.
Train to Busan (2016) dir. Yeon Sang-ho
One of the best films to come out of Korea in recent years.
When a zombie virus pushes Korea into a state of emergency, those trapped on an express train to Busan must fight for their own survival.
Ed’s comments: Long after the rise and fall of the 2000s zombie boom, Yeon Sang-ho delivers a truly great and unique film with great performances from legendary Korean actor Gong Yoo & Don Lee.
Halloween (1978) dir. John Carpenter
Saving the best until last. John Carpenter’s Halloween should be everyone’s final film every October. It’s a great way to end the spooky season.
Fifteen 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.
Ed’s comments: Birthing new (inferior) franchises like Friday The 13th, the influence of Carpenter’s Halloween is undeniable. It’s iconic music (by Carpenter himself) and iconic villain lives on to this day. A must-watch this Halloween.
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