As the weather in Bloomington finally starts to chill and the leaves begin to crisp, I can feel myself reaching for a bowl of popcorn and a horror movie that will leave me slightly scared of the dark. October never fails to leave me craving all things spooky, but if you’re like me and have started to mindlessly scroll for something new, then try one of these underrated horror films for your next movie night.
“The Haunting” (1963)
Based on Shirley Jackson’s 1959 novel, “The Haunting of Hill House,” this horror classic is a great choice for anyone looking to dive into the horror world before CGI entered the picture.
Set at the remote mansion of Hill House, “The Haunting” follows paranormal investigator John Markway (Richard Johnson) as he assembles a team of people to help him prove whether or not the house is truly haunted. Together John, Theodora (Claire Bloom), Eleanor (Julie Harris) and heir to the estate Luke (Russ Tamblyn) become subject to the unsettling encounters within Hill House.
Though Jackson’s Gothic horror novel has received multiple adaptations since its conception, Robert Wise’s 1963 film has largely been considered one of the most faithful iterations of the book. Unlike other horror movies, “The Haunting” uses the psychological dread created by the gloomy atmosphere to get its point across rather than having an over reliance on explicit monsters and gore.
“I Know What You Did Last Summer” (1997)
Before “I Know What You Did Last Summer” was a hit song by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello, it was a slasher film starring scream queen Jennifer Love Hewitt as Julie James.
The film follows Julie and her friends Ray (Freddie Prinze Jr.), Helen (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Barry (Ryan Phillippe) as they cover up the death of a fisherman, a fatal accident they caused late one night while driving. A year later, Julie receives a letter saying someone saw what they did, and the friends must come together to figure out who’s hunting them before it’s too late.
This 1990s horror classic has had many reboots and sequels, most recently the 2025 film of the same name starring Madelyn Cline and Chase Sui Wonders with Hewitt and Prinze returning to their original roles, but take my word for it, don’t waste your time with these copycats. The beauty of the original film is in how it captures the dual horror that Julie faces throughout the movie, both with the killer hunting her down and how the grave mistake she made the summer before has haunted her ever since.
“Jennifer’s Body” (2009)
Now considered a LGBTQ+ and feminist cult classic, “Jennifer’s Body” is a must watch horror film for any fan of dark comedy or the supernatural.
Starring Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried as best friends Jennifer and Needy, “Jennifer’s Body” follows the series of traumatic events that occur after Jennifer is sacrificed in a botched satanic ritual, turning her into a flesh-eating demon that kills teenage boys. After connecting the dots around Jennifer’s murderous exploits, Needy goes on a mission to stop her.
While “Jennifer’s Body” does an excellent job at including all the gory details expected in a scary movie, what really made me love this film was its critiques on the male gaze. Jennifer uses her sexuality as a trap for teenage boys that are intent on only using her for her body. By killing them, Jennifer gets revenge on the men – like the ones that tried to sacrifice her – that only see her as a sexual object.
“Crimson Peak” (2015)
Gothic horror meets dark romance in this chilling film created and directed by Guillermo del Toro.
“Crimson Peak” tells the story of Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska), a young woman who can communicate with the dead, when she marries the seductive Sir Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston). Together, the two move into Thomas’ manor in the English Hills where his sister Lady Lucille (Jessica Chastain) resides and protects the family’s dark secret. As she explores the mansion, Edith encounters ghosts that warn her about the danger of the house and the people that live inside it.
Not only is this film a great choice for anyone looking for a new ghost story to binge, in typical del Toro fashion the movie is visually stunning. From the house that bleeds red clay through the walls as if it’s alive to the thematic wardrobe chosen for each character to depict how they change throughout the story, every choice made is beautifully intentional.
