13 Scary Movies To Match Your Halloween Mood

We’re at the time of year again when the weather is cool and the season is spooky.

What better way is there to celebrate Samhain than turning down the lights and putting on a good scary movie? Everyone has a different something that gives them the heebie jeebies and has them racing to turn the lights on. Similarly, every horror fan has a specific type of chilling tale that connects with them and unleashes their inner monster. But where do you turn if you’ve seen the classics, and want to dip your toes further into the nightmarish waters? We here at Wicked Obscura have come up with some alternatives to your Halloween favorites, no matter what your preferred method of fright may be. So strap in, grab some treats, and remind yourself...it’s only a movie.

If You’re Thirsty for Vampires…

From Dracula to Lestat to Angel & Spike, vampires have been one of the icons of horror for over a century. They are the symbol of seduction and forbidden love, so naturally, a lot of famous vampire stories focus on relationships and attraction. One of the best twists on this convention of the genre is the Swedish gem, Let the Right One In. It follows Oskar, a lonely, troubled boy in the 1980s, who is drawn to his new next door neighbor, a girl named Eli, who seems to have a secret. Telling a vampire story through the eyes of children feels like a breath of fresh air, capturing the sweet innocence of young love, while the horror elements linger to remind us of the darkness & pain that lies within.

If Haunted Houses Are Where You Like To Spend Your Free Time…

It’s easy to understand the dreadful appeal of a haunted house. Who hasn’t walked around their own residence late at night, and jumped at the slightest creak? A lot of the fun of a haunted house story is coming to understand the reason behind said haunting. Classically, the source is a spirit with unfinished business, out for justice or revenge, and the only thing that can bring peace is some sort of seance or ritual. However, as technology became more of a presence in our lives, haunted house tales had to get a little more creative. One of the best early examples of this is The Legend of Hell House. Written by horror legend, Richard Matheson (The Twilight Zone, I Am Legend), based on his own novel, the story follows a quartet of scientists and spiritualists who enter the “Mount Everest of haunted houses” in order to prove the existence of the afterlife. The leader of this expedition brings along a machine he developed to clear out any entities, but as anyone familiar with a haunting knows, it may be a little more complicated than that. Matheson’s story stands out in the way it tackles the battles between science and the supernatural, between logic and faith. All of these people have different beliefs that guide them in life, but can it stand up against the unknown?

If the Occult Calls To You…

While we’re far removed from the Satanic Panic of the 1980s, there’s still an eerie idea behind it. What if those nice, but slightly odd people down the street are secretly worshipping the Devil in their downtime? That’s the root of the terror in The House of the Devil, a slow burn thriller set in the time period when this fear went through the minds of many suburbanites. It’s a simple set up: college student, Samantha, desperate to get money for a new apartment, takes on what seems like a normal babysitting job with the eccentric, elderly Ullmans. When she arrives at their residence, however, everything is not as it seems, and Samantha is in for a long, terrifying night. The movie requires some patience, as it takes time to reveal the true terror lurking in the house, but everything is soaked in such spot-on period details and atmosphere, with down-to-earth performances, it’s hard not to feel right at home while anticipating the chaos. A bonus for indie film nerds: look out for future Lady Bird writer/director, Greta Gerwig, in a fun supporting role.

If You Believe Aliens Are Among Us…

The Body Snatchers are such an unsettling idea; it’s understandable why the story has been adapted so many times. The idea that we can’t trust those around us, that someone we thought we knew isn’t who we really thought is one that is always relevant, and the 1978 version of the story may be the best, and most frightening. Featuring fun supporting performances by Star Trek’s Leonard Nimoy and a young Jeff Goldblum, this Invasion of the Body Snatchers uses the post Vietnam atmosphere and the ambiguity of ‘70s cinema to create something that leaves you constantly on the edge of your seat, uncertain of who to trust. The filmmakers are constantly shifting point of view, following different characters for periods of time, adding to the suspense of who, if anyone, will make it out unscathed.

If Home Invasions Have You Locking Your Doors…

Home invasion movies resonate with us for a reason. Our home is where we’re supposed to feel safe; the place we can protect ourselves from the outside world. When someone intrudes upon that safety, it feels like all bets are off. Wait Until Dark builds on that fear with an added sinister element: what if someone broke into your home, and you couldn’t see them? Audrey Hepburn plays a young blind woman who becomes the target of a group of criminals tracking down a doll containing something very valuable. The film uses the concept of blindness to expert effect, leading to a heart-pounding climax set in total darkness, while Hepburn provides a captivating moral center, which led to her receiving the rare Best Actress nomination for a horror film.

If You’re Feeling Witchy...

This recent hit from indie studio sensation, A24, laid the groundwork for a recent wave of small, quiet, independent horror films that provide scares with a sense of atmosphere rather than with a jump. While there is an actual witch present in The Witch, what really keeps you up at night is the sense of dread present throughout. The film follows the family of Thomasin, a young woman living in Puritan-era New England, recently relocated to a small farm near the woods after being banished for their patriarch’s overly devout beliefs. Ominous events soon begin happening, and the family becomes convinced a witch is to blame. We watch as the mix of devoutness and fear begins to tear the family apart, with poor Thomasin stuck in the middle. While witches seem to present a threat to the ill-informed, religious extremism and distrust soon show that there are more wicked things to look out for, and maybe it’s not the worst thing to live deliciously.

If You Ain’t Afraid of No Ghosts…

Over the past few years, Mike Flanagan has announced himself as one of the most exciting horror directors working today. With Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House and The Shining sequel, Doctor Sleep, he has shown an immense talent for showing that horror can do more than just scare us; it can make us feel a whole range of emotions. This can be seen as early as his breakout film, Oculus. It takes the potentially cheesy premise of a haunted mirror, and crafts a painful story about family, and how the grief of the past can inform the trauma of the present, themes that Flanagan has continued to expand upon.

If You’re Feeling Cursed...

Death is constantly lurking. Whether sudden or drawn out, death is waiting for us, and there’s nothing we can do to stop it. That existential terror is at the heart of It Follows, one of the scariest films of the past decade. It presents a curse that is passed on through sex; once you have it, you are stalked by ominous figures. The only way to stop the curse is to pass it on to someone else. Once that person dies, the curse comes back for you. It Follows deals in a lot of complicated metaphors and allegories that can leave you analyzing for hours, but the threat at the heart of things is simple. The most frightening danger is one that never stops coming for you, and this movie will have you constantly looking over your shoulder long after the credits roll.

If You Want To Howl at the Moon…

From The Wolf Man to An American Werewolf in London, werewolf movies had consistently been a representation of man’s stifled rage and emotions being unleashed. Decades later, Ginger Snaps finally let women run wild. The story follows Brigitte and Ginger, two outcast sisters who have a fascination with the macabre. When Ginger is attacked by a furry beast, she soon begins showing some changes; she’s dressing differently and being a lot more aggressive in getting what she wants. The exploration of changes is a classic set-up for a werewolf movie, but the female focus adds a whole new dimension, exploring the transition from girl to woman and the unshakable bond of sisterhood.

If You’re A Monster Hunter…

Bong Joon-ho received widespread acclaim earlier this year when his brilliant film, Parasite, became the first international film to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. One can only hope that this will lead film fans to discover that Bong has been making entertaining films with a lot to say for 20 years now. One shining example is The Host, a monster movie dealing with environmental issues while also working as a touching father-daughter story. While the film explores problems facing South Korea, the overall message feels universal, and still finds time to let you enjoy the thrills of a big, bad creature.

If You Want To Educate Yourself…

With the 2017 release of Jordan Peele’s Get Out, audiences were gripped by a horror movie that not only delivered cultural substance, but gave a spotlight to a community that has been grossly underserved for decades. However, black culture and horror has a rich history, which this Shudder documentary explores in fascinating depth. With a wonderful collection of actors, filmmakers & writers, Horror Noire spotlights horror films that dealt with the black experience and how the people it portrayed felt they were represented. While covering both classics like Candyman and underseen movies like Eve’s Bayou, this film is sure to enlighten and give you a list of new movies to add to your watchlist.

If You Want Some Family Fun…

If you were a kid who loved everything spooky, or even have your own little horror-fan-in-training, it’s nice to have some options that the family can enjoy together. The best recent example of this is Laika’s ParaNorman. The film follows a young boy named Norman, who can speak with the dead, and must face off against the dark secrets of his town’s past on Halloween. The movie is genuinely funny, while still dealing in some genuinely creepy, dark moments. ParaNorman has plenty of laughs and creepy fun, but excels for it’s message of acceptance and understanding.

If You Just Want To Get Lost In All Things Halloween…

It’s really hard to capture the feeling of Halloween on film. You can set a film on the holiday, but it takes skill to capture the fun, eerie energy of it; the glow of jack-o-lanterns, the crunch of leaves, the costumes, the candy, that special feeling you get walking around at night with a sense of something strange in the air. Michael Dougherty’s Trick ‘r Treat is perhaps the movie that best captures the spirit of Halloween. Presented as something of an All Hallow’s Eve Pulp Fiction, the film presents four stories that interlock with each other, presenting a fully fleshed out world. There’s a school principal who wants to teach a Halloween vandal a lesson, a group of trick-or-treaters who investigate an urban legend, a young woman encouraged by her friends to find a date for the big night, and an old man who gets a special visitor in the form of new horror movie icon, Sam. The movie reminds you of being a kid again, when once a year, you looked forward to seeking out a few tricks, and even more treats. If you’re someone who loves the mood of Halloween and what it represents, Trick ‘r Treat is sure to be a movie you’ll want to come back to every year.