Stanisland Magazine

A list of horror movies you can binge that won’t give you bad dreams, but will still make you feel spooky. Our five flicks are perfect for the 31st October.

It’s difficult to choose what to watch on any given day. So, when Halloween comes around for the year, the task becomes an all consuming nightmare—probably because you left it to the last moment! We’ve all been there.

There’s so much to pick from, yet most films verge on insidious or psychologically difficult to watch. So, grab your cobweb-covered notebooks and read our list of six scary but fun films you need to see this spooktober!

‘Dracula’ (1931)

Featuring all of the stereotypical vampire motifs, Bela Lugosi’s Dracula continues to inspire the genre to this day. Every single parody, spoof, or satire you can imagine is either directly influenced by this picture or has its claws in it somehow.

The story follows the Count who manipulates a real estate agent to carry out his bidding. He later establishes residence in London to satisfy his thirst for blood.

‘Carrie’ (1976)

Stephen King has an enormous library of stories spanning years of work. Some of his best are either turned into miserable (no pun intended) adaptations, but on occasion, they germinate some flawless movies.

‘Carrie’, directed by Brian DePalma (Mission: Impossible, Scarface), follows a teen (Sissy Spacek) who is tormented by her peers. Bullied for years, she endures everything that is thrown at her while under the iron grip of her possessive mother (Piper Laurie). She is later invited to the prom by Tommy Ross (William Katt), but her contemporaries plot against her. The film also stars John Travolta.

‘Psycho’ (1960)

Another director lauded as one of the greats of the thriller genre, Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’ shocked viewers during its original run and is now considered a cult classic.

The movie offers unique plot twists that live on today, while its character pioneered a different kind of screenplay.

It’s worth watching simply because it is well respected by both audiences and industry professionals.

‘Halloween’ (1978)

What horror list would be complete without a movie named after the day? Whether you have seen it or not, ‘Halloween’ has something for everyone and is one of the greatest horror/slasher motion pictures ever made.

The antagonist, Michael Myers, is a relentless killer who will stop at nothing to kill everyone in his hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois. After killing his sister on the night of Halloween in 1963, he is institutionalised, but escapes 15-years to the day to wreak havoc on the town’s unsuspecting residents.

The production stars Jaime Lee-Curtis and is a film by John Carpenter, who is often cited as one of the best horror directors of his era.

Friday The 13th (1980)

Another pioneer of the slasher genre, ‘Friday The 13th’, is a fan favourite for all the right reasons. In 1957, a young boy named Jason Voorhees drowns at ‘Camp Crystal Lake’, which later suspended its services.

Years later, a descendant of the former owner decides to relaunch its operations. To achieve this, he recruits young counsellors to help get things moving. But not all is as it seems, as they must face an unseen force.

The production is directed by Sean S.Cunningham, and stars Kevin Bacon, Adrienne King and Betsy Palmer.

‘The Fog’ (1980)

Another movie by John Carpenter, ‘The Fog’ is one of the most quintessential paranormal films of all time.

It is set in the Californian town of Antonio Bay, which is known for its history of a 100-year old shipwreck. As residents prepare for its centennial, a thick fog descends upon the town and coincidentally, its people begin to disappear. But not all is as it seems; the townspeople have been hiding a terrifying secret.

Following the success of Carpenter’s prior film, Jaime Lee Curtis returns alongside Janet Leigh and Hal Holbrook.