The waiting is over, everyone, October is finally here. That means we can finally start counting down to the best holiday of the year--Halloween! If you're anything like me, it's not just the costume parties and pumpkin carvings that we have to look forward to. No, horror fanatics like me are more excited for late night scary movie marathons. Unfortunately, we live in an era in which the modern horror movie does not garner much respect. Sure, there are some great horror films made in today's world, such as The Babadook and Hush, but the general public tends to take more notice of movies such as the torture porn Sawfranchise and the endless barrage of unnecessary remakes of beloved classic films. This October, I advise you to skip the low-quality menagerie of horror the movie industry is putting out this season and instead check out some classic films that you might not have seen before.
1. If You're Fascinated By Religious-Themed Horror
There's no doubt that scary movies based off of religious themes are popular right now. The Conjuring franchise tells the alleged true stories of Christian paranormal investigators, Ed and Lorraine Warren (whether any of what they claim to have done is true or not is iffy at best). Before this series started, however, there were many other films that capitalized on this sort of theme, most notably The Exorcist. Personally, I think the film adaptation of Stephen King's first novel, Carrie, blows all of the Warrens' stories out of the water. If there is a more iconic horror scene than Carrie walking through the crowded gym at prom covered in pig's blood, I haven't seen it.
2. If You Prefer The Classic Ghost Story
The horror genre would be nothing without the fear of ghosts. Sure, we all know they're not real, in theory--but that doesn't stop us from holding our breath while walking past a cemetery. Most modern horror films have some element of the supernatural in them, but I would argue that some of the best ghost stories came out pre-1990. The first movie I ever saw that gave me nightmares was the original Poltergeist film, featuring an adorable young actress and her family being terrorized by ghosts in their own house. My favorite horror film, however, and perhaps one of my favorite films of all time in general is the adaptation of Stephen King's The Shining. Although King famously did not like Stanley Kubrick's vision of his book himself, most movie goers would disagree. From Jack Nicholson's terrifying descent into madness to the breathtaking set design of the creepy Stanley Hotel, this film is just short of perfection.
3. If All You Want Is To Be Scared
Many people aren't exactly looking for quality in a horror film. These folks would prefer to just be freaked out by a guy in a mask for an hour and a half. If you fall into this camp, I'd recommend any of the classic slasher films. Whether you go with Freddy Krueger from A Nightmare On Elm Street, Michael Myers from Halloween, or Jason from Friday The 13th, nothing gets your heart racing like being chased by a crazed serial killer.
Even though these films are nowhere near as bloody and violent as the horror films of today, I still think they portray horror in a more interesting and high-quality way, and therefore leave a greater lasting impact on the viewer.
