By: Jackson Cooperman
It’s officially that spooky season again. With our current global state and everyone stuck at home, we’re in greater need of digital entertainment this Halloween. Let’s take a look at two lists of horror movies to watch this October. If you are strapped for cash, have no fear: these films are all available for free on Tubi. First, we’ll take a look at some B-list horror films, and then we’ll look at the A-list ones, depending on whatever you’re in the mood for.
B-List Horror Movies on Tubi
“Are You Scared?” (2006)
If you’re a fan of the Saw movies, you’ll love this one. This is as close to a rip-off movie as you’ll ever get. Six teens are kidnapped and awake in an abandoned factory. They discover they’re on a game show called “Are You Scared?” that they auditioned for one year earlier. But the game is real, and they are each forced to face their biggest fears or die in the process. This movie is horribly acted, written, directed, and looks like it was shot on home video cameras. One thing it delivers well, is the shock value. The death scenes are quite gruesome, and at times a bit hard to watch, and should definitely please any Saw fans. Its filmmakers are totally inept, but it is indeed occasionally terrifying, so I guess I can give it a little credit…?
My Rating: 0.5/4
“Chained” (2012)
Here’s a brutal little film. On their way home, a boy and his mom are kidnapped by a deranged taxi driver. He kills the mom and imprisons the boy in his house for the next ten years of his life. The details are very realistic in examining the horror of child abuse and parent-child relationships. It’s powerfully acted and directed, but also relentlessly depressing. It has no redeeming qualities at all. It just sticks you in this situation with the boy and you experience all the horror right along with him. If you like raw movies that are harsh and brutal, you’ll love this one.
My Rating: 2/4
“Don’t Go in the Woods” (2010)
Vincent D’Onofrio made his directorial debut with this bizarre, one-of-a-kind, slasher musical. Five young campers go out in the woods to write some new songs for their indie rock band. Shortly after their girlfriends arrive, a mysterious killer seems to be picking them off one at a time. This is not so much a slasher movie though as a hangout movie. The film wouldn’t be nearly as enjoyable without the music (which is better than the film itself). Many scenes consist of sitting around the campfire and listening to these guys playing their guitars and singing. It’s weird and offbeat, but relaxing and strangely attractive.
My Rating: 3/4
“Parents” (1989)
A bizarre flick from Bob Balaban: set in 1950s suburbia. Mom and dad (Randy Quaid and Mary Beth Hurt) and their son (Bryan Madorsky) move into a new neighborhood. Everything seems relaxing and pleasant, but the boy starts becoming suspicious of where his parents are getting these never-ending cuts of meat for dinner. Madorsky’s performance is strange and the film has an unsettling tone under the 1950s normality that exercises a certain charm. If you like period pieces and horror flicks mashed together, this is for you.
My Rating: 3/4
A-List Horror Movies on Tubi
“Audition” (1999)
One of the best foreign horror films I’ve ever seen. “Audition” combines the drama of a mystery plus the depravity of a grisly shocker to masterful effect. After the passing of his wife, a man seeks help from his film producer-friend to hold phony auditions so the man can meet women. He thinks he finds the perfect one, but she has a suspicious past, and the man slowly becomes entangled in a frightening maze he cannot escape. Featuring a Tarantino type vibe and one of the most brutal climaxes in horror history, “Audition” is a must-see masterpiece.
My Rating: 4/4
“The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” (1974)
This one redefined the horror genre. Shot on a shoestring budget with an unknown cast, no sequels or reboots have ever come close to the magic of this original. Five kids on a road trip in Texas are targeted by a family of murderous grave robbers who run the town barbeque stand. This movie is all about style and suspense and the sheer love of filmmaking. It is one of the best horror movies of all time.
My Rating: 4/4
“The Hills Have Eyes” (1977)
One of the earlier pieces from Wes Craven, the Hills Have Eyes is an effective exercise in horror. A family traveling through a California desert becomes stranded and is gradually terrorized by bizarre, cannibalistic mountain folk. Featuring a star making performance from Michael Berryman, the Hills Have Eyes is cheap exploitation cinema at its best.
My Rating: 3/4
“Suspiria” (1977)
Another piece of off-the-wall cinema: Suspiria follows a girl who attends a ballet school in Germany. Strange events begin to take place and other students slowly begin to die in horrifying ways. She embarks on a strange, indescribable journey to understand the truth about her school. Suspiria is an original, unforgettable, and above all, terrifying plunge into abstract horror.
My Rating: 3.5/4
Keep living horror as we make our way toward October 31st! Happy Halloween!
