By Spencer Stevens, Head of Technical Services
It’s my favorite time of year! Leaves are falling. The temperature is dropping. Pumpkins are spicing. And, bathed in the dim light of my TV, I am screaming. October brings Halloween and spooky, scary movies. I’m watching my way through the genre (sometimes through my fingers). Here are some of my favorites so far! These are all recommended for mature audiences. All my recommendations are all available in the library catalog on DVD, on our free streaming service Kanopy, or both.
Top Picks
I classify a Top Pick as a movie that’s just plain good. Critics and audiences agree on that. You’ve probably heard of it, you might have seen it, and you’ll hopefully enjoy it.
- Nosferatu (1922) – My first film recommendation celebrates its 101st birthday this year! Nosferatu is a German silent film and an early unauthorized (that is, illegal) adaptation of Dracula by Bram Stoker. It follows the same plot as the book despite adjusted place and character names: an estate agent named Hutter travels to Transylvania to meet with a new client, the mysterious Count Orlok, who wants to buy a house in Germany. We discover that Count Orlok is–gasp–a vampire! Terror ensues. Despite having a familiar plot and scares we would now consider cheesy, I recommend this movie for its clever direction, use of practical special effects, and place in the history of horror movies.
- Alien (1979) – I can’t create a list of my favorite horror movies without including one of my favorite all-time movies! When a spaceship’s crew awakens from cryostasis and investigates a mysterious crashed ship on a nearby planet, they unwittingly bring something horrifying back with them. Ridley Scott builds suspense throughout, and he only lets us see the creature in its entirety little by little. Recommended for monster movie fanatics–actually, recommended for everyone.
- DVD
- Kanopy – Memory: The Origins of Alien, a documentary about the creation of the film
- Midsommar (2019) – Midsommar is an excellent film that is extremely disturbing, unsettling, and gory. Dani, portrayed by Florence Pugh, grieves the loss of her family and decides to accompany her boyfriend and his friends to a friend’s rural, isolated village in Sweden for a once-in-a-lifetime midsummer celebration. When strange, disturbing events unfold, Dani and her friends realize that the midsummer celebration is more disturbing than initially thought. Content warning: I can’t recommend this movie without also offering a warning regarding its graphic violence and gore and its disturbing themes, including those revolving around suicide and mental illness. I love horror movies and was unsettled for days after seeing it. Recommended for mature audiences.
- Nope (2022) – In his third masterful horror thriller, Jordan Peele pays homage to westerns and science fiction classics like Close Encounters of the Third Kind. OJ Haywood and his sister, Em, mourn the death of their father in a freak accident six months prior. The siblings now operate their family’s horse farm where they train horses to appear in movies, TV shows, and commercials. However, OJ continues to see a UFO in the area, one that is drawn to a nearby theme park run by a former sitcom child star. This creepy alien thriller will give you goosebumps.
Hidden Gems
A Hidden Gem is a movie that is overall good and enjoyable. However, it might have been a box office flop, made by an independent film studio, or received middling critical or audience reviews. These might not be totally polished or in the same caliber as a Top Pick, but they’re worth your time.
- Suspiria (1977) – Suspiria is a cult classic and usually cited as Italian filmmaker Dario Argento’s best film. This spooky slasher follows a girl named Suzy who attends a prestigious ballet academy in Germany. She learns that one of her fellow students has gone missing, and she and a friend begin to investigate the strange events unfolding at the school. Though some rigid acting and its English-language dubbing can make this movie initially hard to get into, Suspiria shines in its aesthetics: its vivid color palette is enhanced by Argento’s use of technicolor, its sets are masterfully crafted, the cinematography reflects an artistic and honed vision, and its soundtrack is uniquely strange yet catchy. I highly recommend it.
- Triangle (2009) – I hadn’t heard of this movie until a few months ago, when I happened to see a clip of it on YouTube. I gave it a shot and found it to be creepy and compelling. Jess drops her son off at school and then heads for the harbor, where she joins her friend Greg and his friends on a yacht trip. A storm arrives and capsizes their boat, leaving them stranded, until a mysterious ocean liner appears. They find the liner completely empty–or is it?! This thriller offers some unexpected twists, compelling performances, and head-scratching revelations.
Guilty Pleasures
A Guilty Pleasure is bad but enjoyable, or “so bad it’s good.” It might have a terrible screenplay, acting, effects, plotline, or all of the above, but we watch the whole thing because laughing at and enjoying bad art is just as important to our wellbeing as appreciating good art.
- Troll 2 (1990) – Often cited as one of the worst movies ever made, Troll 2 manages to deliver laughs, thrills, and memorable quotes. You will be laughing at the mediocre special effects, thrilled by the bizarre line readings, and quoting the strange dialogue. Troll 2 follows a basic horror movie “fish out of water” plotline. A family vacations in a small town where strange events unfold. Do these strange events involve trolls? If you said, “Yes, of course,” then you’re wrong. There are no trolls in this film. They are goblins. Also, this movie isn’t actually a sequel to anything despite the name, so no need to see Troll 1! This is best viewed with a group.
Enjoy!