By Jackson Cooperman
Pumpkin carving, costumes and trick-or-treating mean that it is officially spooky season. The perfect time to cuddle up on the couch with some good scary movies, here are ten classic horror films for you to watch this month to celebrate Halloween.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Rating: 4/4
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is my personal favorite horror movie of all time. Every frame of this movie conveys what Halloween is about. Five friends on a road trip in Texas, stop at an old mansion owned by one of their deceased fathers. One thing leads to another and before long, they find themselves in bizarre and frightening circumstances. Every scene contains artistic camerawork, completely realistic performances, and nonstop suspense. If you’re not into gory images, have no fear, because this film is surprisingly tame in the violence department. Plus, barely any foul language, and no explicit sexual references of any kind; that’s rare in the horror genre.
Audition (1999)
Rating: 4/4
This one is not for the faint of heart. Audition is a Japanese horror film by acclaimed Asian filmmaker, Takashi Miike. If you were to call him the Japanese Hitchcock, you would be accurate. The story follows two guys who hold a phony audition to meet women in the hopes of gaining the widower a new wife. He meets a young girl who seems perfect, too perfect, that leads into a complicated nightmare with a gut-wrenching climax. Miike is an expert when it comes to handling gore in horror films and is one of the best I’ve ever seen. The film is one of Tarantino’s favorites and an utter masterpiece for horror lovers.
Sisters (1972)
Rating: 3.5/4
No, not the Tina Fey rom-com that ripped off another movie’s title, but I digress. Sisters is a very early work of Brian De Palma (“Carrie”), starring Margot Kidder and Jenifer Salt. Salt plays a journalist who witnesses a horrible murder committed in Kidder’s apartment, which leads to a bewildering investigation where she uncovers dark and disturbing secrets about her past. The film is a proud homage to Hitchcock, with stylistic references to Rear Window, Vertigo, and Psycho. If you’re a fan of good, classic suspense, this is for you.
Paranormal Activity (2007)
Rating: 3.5/4
It’s been ruined by its ignorant sequels to the point where people have forgotten the genius of the original. Made on a budget of $11,000, Paranormal Activity follows a couple who record their bedroom at night, attempting to capture a supernatural entity on camera. The genius in this movie is not what we see, but what we don’t see. That’s what’s missing from most supernatural movies; they show the ghost or witch or whatever. When you’re facing the unknown however, that’s horror.
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)
Rating: 4/4
There’s something about black and white horror movies of the ’60s that are at times more disturbing than those released today. Maybe it’s because we think of that era as perfect and ideal, never stopping to think about the possibility of terror. Bette Davis plays Baby Jane Hudson, a former child star, who is taking care of her invalid sister Blanche (Joan Crawford), a much more successful movie-star. Jane is filled with jealousy and deep hate for her sister. Since Blanche depends on her sister’s aid, Jane has the upper hand and freedom to torture her at will. The acting is superb for a horror film and director Robert Aldrich shows such skill here, he even outdoes Hitchcock’s better known, “Psycho”. This is essential for horror fans.
Don’t Breathe (2016)
Rating: 3.5/4
It was big three years ago, but it seems to have been forgotten and lost somewhere underneath this “Conjuring” universe craze. Don’t Breathe is a home-invasion thriller in which three thieves break into a blind war veteran’s home, but they do not realize they’ve jumped into more than they can handle. The film is very audacious and has no fear of being dark. There is undeniable energy in the directing and the whole thing is an exciting celebration of tension. Long, continuous takes, quick editing and superb sound design, make this film an art form in the horror genre.
Carrie (1976)
Rating: 4/4
It’s one of the best Stephen King adaptions and one of the most stylized horror films of all time. Sissy Spacek, in one of her most prime roles, plays Carrie, a bullied high school girl who discovers she has telekinetic powers. This film seems to be remembered as a straight-up horror film, but it’s not. The first half plays as more of a romantic drama with a twist, and the real horror doesn’t roll around until the final 40 or so minutes. If you’re debating watching the original, or the remake, go with the classic 1976 version. The 2013 version is dreadfully bland and doesn’t contain the style and wit of the original. De Palma’s direction here was also a big inspiration for Tarantino; fans of his will love this.
Frozen (2010)
Rating: 3.5/4
Not the Disney one. Frozen is a vastly underrated sleeper from 2010, written and directed by Adam Green (Hatchet). Frozen Green’s best film and the plot follows three snowboarders who become trapped on a ski-lift when it’s shut down for the night. Worst of all, the resort is closing for almost a whole week, and the three friends are in a desperate situation of survival. This flick has been panned by critics and audiences alike because they claim it loses its tension halfway through the 2nd act. Frozen is actually a touching character drama disguised as a gory horror/thriller and most people don’t realize this, and that’s what makes the movie so good. If you’re looking for a film that deftly blends horror and drama, you’ll enjoy this one.
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
Rating: 4/4
A relatively unknown film, Roman Polanski’s horror classic set the standard for subsequent decades of the horror genre. Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow) and her husband, Guy (John Cassavetes), move into a New York apartment next door to a set of peculiar, elderly neighbors. Guy becomes friendly with them, but soon, Rosemary becomes increasingly suspicious that there’s a plot against the baby she’s pregnant with. Rosemary’s Baby is a very Hitchcockian and genuinely haunting thriller. If you want to see where the inspiration for a lot of today’s horror, check out this tense masterpiece.
Halloween (1978)
Rating: 4/4
Lastly, of course, it wouldn’t be Halloween without watching John Carpenter’s classic seasonal masterpiece. This is the slasher film that started a countless number of remakes, sequels, and copycats. Michael Myers comes to Haddonfield to stalk and kill and…I’m sure you all know the plot. If you’re thinking of watching the recent version from last year, I don’t recommend it. I was disappointed with the 2018 Halloween, as it didn’t match the subtlety or atmosphere that made the 1978 one the classic that it is.
