Happy Spooky Season!
Be it spooky, horror or thriller, you always need something to keep you on the edge of your seat during October.
A - Abandoned Places
A classic spooky situation, bonus points if there's a shabby cobwebbed attic. Is there a psychopath hiding in a darkened room? Or are there spirits inhabiting their old hospital rooms trying to inhabit your body so they can escape? We just don't know, and that's why abandoned places make for great movies.
Ones to watch: Mindhunters, The Shining, Zombieland: Double Tap, Ghost Ship, House on Haunted Hill, 1408, Deep Rising.
B - Big Beasties
Movie monsters come in all shapes, sizes and species. From creepy crawlies to gelatinous giants, there's really no limit to what's coming after you if you're stuck in a horror movie. Obviously, for me, it's sharks and Godzilla... but I'm generally equal opportunities when it comes to beasties.
Ones to watch: Llamageddon, Them!, Colossal, The Blob, Deep Rising, A Quiet Place, Son of Godzilla (or basically any Godzilla and Toho movie), anything made by Ray Harryhausen.
C - Car Troubles
I don't care if you've literally just had your MOT and service done, if you're in a thriller movie and drive out into the desert... you will breakdown. But quite frankly, we all know the worst car "trouble", being stuck behind a truck carrying logs is the worst situation you can be in.
Ones to watch: Final Destination, Wrong Turn, The Hills Have Eyes, Christine, The Hitcher.
D - Demonic Dolls
Not quite dolls, but as a Doctor Who fan, Weeping Angels have always traumatised me. I have one in my home somewhere, but I can never remember where I put it so that just adds to the terror. From mild(ish) mannered Slappy to Annabelle (the only time I've actually felt scared in the cinema) these possessed little buggers are here to ruin your day!
Ones to watch: Willy's Wonderland, Banana Splits, Annabelle, Chucky (the series is actually quite good if you fancy binge watching something), Goosebumps.
E - Ectoplasm
Ghosties are a staple of films at this time of year. We can all agree that Slimer is the best ectoplasm spewing spirit, and if you're looking for something a little more family friendly, then you've got Casper. But a lot of the time they end up being a little more traumatizing.
Ones to watch: 13 Ghosts, Haunted Mansion, Ghostbusters, Doctor Sleep, Odd Thomas, Beetlejuice, Sixth Sense, The Conjuring.
F - Final Girls, not the movie... but also, the movie
I genuinely don't think you can beat Laurie Strode or Sidney Prescott, Michael and several Ghost Faces have tried. From helpless teen to badass B. Fool the once shame on you, try to fool them twice... well, it won't end well for one of you.
Ones to watch: You're Next, Halloween, Scream, Ready or Not, The Final Girls.
G - Gore
For me, gore in movies really needs to be ridiculous and over the top, super red, geyser style blood flow, missing limbs that don't seem to affect the killer... amazing. There are some clear standouts for this.
Ones to watch: Tucker & Dale vs Evil, Planet Terror, Death Proof.
H - Halloween... the day and season, not the movie... but also, the movie
Halloween specials make my day, little snapshots of Halloween across our favourite shows.
TV shows to watch: CSI: NY S4E06 "Boo", CSI S8E05 "The Chick Chop Flick Shop", Buffy S2E06 "Halloween", Brooklyn Nine-Nine Halloween Heist episodes, about a bajillion Treehouse of Terror episodes of The Simpsons.
Movies to watch: Halloween franchise, Goosebumps.
I - I Can See You
Stalkers add a creep factor to any thriller. If they're not following you from a distance watching your every move, they may be inviting you into their home and being very insistent that you drink the cup of tea they put in front of you.
Ones to watch: The Strangers, Greta, Unhinged, Unsane, The Roommate.
J - Jump Scares
I hate a cheap jump scare, and the jump scare fake out is equally awful (5cream, I'm looking at you and the dozen or so fake outs with Wes). But I'm a sucker for a cat appearing out of nowhere!
Ones to watch: Sleepy Hollow (body falling from the iron maiden), Alien (chest buster and the cat), Invisible Man (the loft ladder reveal, even though it was in the trailer).
K - Killer Robots
Is there anything more frightening than a self aware robot that wants to kill you? I think not. Especially if it's a 1970's murderous shopping mall robot.
Ones to watch: Chopping Mall, Mega Shark vs. Kolossus, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, Mega Shark vs. Mecha Shark. (And more or less any episode of Doctor Who with Cybermen, Daleks or mechanoids with odd smiles.)
L - Let's Split Up
If cartoons have taught us anything, it's that splitting up never goes well.
Ones to watch: Literally any Scooby Doo movie, Clue, Mission: Impossible.
M - Masks
Hiding your identity or just aiming to scare everyone who catches a glimpse, a mask can work wonders. Top tip: Tilt your head slowly while wearing a mask to add an extra layer of lunatic to your appearance.
Ones to watch: Pet Semetary, You're Next, Scream, Friday the 13th, Halloween III: Season of the Witch, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Strangers, Happy Death Day, Black Phone. (Also, literally any Scooby Doo movie.)
I've had fun creating this list, but I've also managed to add a few dozen films to my watchlist in the process. Hopefully there are some films here to keep you amused, check back to get the second part of my spooky
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