As temperatures begin to drop and fall rolls in, there’s no better time for seasonal hikes, pumpkin patches and apple picking. But on gloomy days and chilly nights, October is also the perfect time to curl up with a great horror movie. Here are a few great movies at your fingertips through the magic of streaming:
“It Follows”
Streaming on: Netflix
A retro horror thriller as bone-chillingly scary as it is outlandishly thrilling, “It Follows” is drenched in style and supercharged with an electric sense of fun. It’s the perfect popcorn horror flick to watch with a crowd; at once exciting and terrifying as anything, but also whip-smart and calibrated for optimal enjoyment.
David Robert Mitchell’s film is about the aftermath of a hookup when a teenage girl discovers she’s contracted a demonic STD in the form of the titular “it” that follows her wherever she goes. "It Follows" is confident and assured in its sense of style, throwing back to the likes of Wes Craven and John Carpenter’s best works without stooping to levels of overt copy-catting. Just go watch it.
“Creep” and “Creep 2”
Streaming on: Netflix
The thing about the “Creep” movies is that they’re absolutely vile, and they break just about every rule of what not to do in a horror movie. A pair of standalone found-footage movies about individuals’ run-ins with the titular psychopath, they’re gross, gory, grueling and all-around unpleasant.
But there’s often a gleefulness to the way they violate those fundamental rules that renders them enjoyable and effective even in their worst and most putrid moments. The original is the more effective of the pair, but at under 90 minutes each, they make for an easy – and uncomfortably fun – double feature.
“Deep Red”
Streaming on: Amazon Prime
A groundbreaking giallo from the master of the genre himself, Dario Argento’s “Deep Red” is an Italian horror thriller about a savage murder and the creepy case that surrounds it. That’s obviously familiar ground for anyone who’s seen a movie in their lifetime, but what’s so special about Argento’s film is that it eschews tradition and favors camp as much as it pursues genuine thrills.
Argento wouldn’t become famous until a later film, 1977’s “Suspiria,” but “Deep Red” remains one of his finest works because of its bold generic adventurousness and refined sense of aesthetics. Whether it’s your first foreign horror or your 18th, it’s well worth a watch.
“The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari”
Streaming on: YouTube
“The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” is one of the most influential and important films ever made, from the standpoint of pure craftsmanship.The 1920 German silent horror film is often celebrated for its fascinating aesthetics and bold narrative choices, but to focus purely on historical significance dismisses its importance as a simply excellent piece of entertainment. It’s a brooding, atmospheric work perfect for fall viewing, and it presents a mystery as compelling as any.
And despite its classic status, it’s not the sort of film that’s been spoiled to death by generations of feverish adoration, which gives it an added layer of delight in that it’s worth taking a dive without knowing anything about the central mystery. For the viewer who doesn’t mind the conventions of silent film, this one’s well worth a watch.
“What We Do in the Shadows”
Streaming on: Amazon Prime
Before he blasted his way into the mainstream with Marvel’s “Thor Ragnarok,” New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi was refining his singularly hysterical sense of humor with the wickedly funny horror-comedy “What We Do in the Shadows.” Presenting itself as a documentary on the antics of vampires in Wellington, the film follows a delightful cast of blood-sucking flatmates, making Waititi's film smart and hilarious.
For the casual viewer, it’s full of captivating antics and immediately quotable lines – keep your ears pealed for dialogues about virgins and sandwiches – and for the horror aficionado, it’s carefully attuned to the cinematic legacy of vampires in unexpectedly funny ways. “What We Do in the Shadows” might not be the sort of spectacularly spooky fall viewing you’re looking for, but it is one of the finest horror films and comedies in recent memory.
