October and horror movies go together like ghosts and goblins – or do they?
It turns out that the month of Halloween isn’t always a bonanza for horror movies. Of the top 25 highest-grossing horror films released since 1995, only four came out in October, according to The Numbers, a box office tracking site. Of these four, the highest is 2002’s The Ring, which earned $129 million, and even that film only ranks seventh on the list.
As of this month, there are only two horror films from major studios in wide release: The Exorcist: The Believer, which will be released on October 1, and Five Nights at Freddy’s, which is due out on October 27. there wasn’t enough room for many more, as studios seemed too scared to line up any big films against “Taylor Swift: The Tour of the Era” on Oct. 13. As a result, Swift’s concert film was made available almost entirely this weekend.
One reliable place to find good horror movies at the moment: your favorite streaming platform. Here are a few recommendations that are a little unusual, but are easily available on major platforms like Apple TV, Prime Video, Hulu, Tubi, YouTube, and Google Play.
BEST KILLER DOLL
M3GAN (2023)
(from left), Gemma (Allison Williams) and Cady (Violet McGraw) in M3GAN, directed by Gerard Johnston. Photo: Universal Pictures/Geoffrey Short.
What could be scarier than a doll possessed by Satan? Obsessed with technology! In “M3GAN,” a realistic AI robot (Amy Donald) befriends a lonely teenager (Violet McGraw) and becomes a fierce protector—even murderous. There’s a reason this little movie was a hit with a $181 million budget (and a TikTok sensation): it’s smart, funny, and a thrilling treat.
BEST NOCAF “EXORCIST”
The Last Exorcism (2010)
“The Last Exorcism”: foreground: Ashley Bell, back left: Patrick Fabian, Louis Herthum, Caleb Landry Jones. Photo: Lions Gate/Everett Collection.
Finally, a smart version of the 1973 classic! Patrick Fabian plays Cotton Marcus, a Southern preacher who is about to expose himself as a fraud until he encounters what appears to be real demonic possession. The twisty story and great cast (including a young Caleb Landry Jones) make this lesser-known film worth checking out.
BEST HORROR HORROR
Hereditary (2018)
Toni Collette in the movie Hereditary. Photo: A24/ Everett Collection.
Doesn’t “sublime” usually just mean “artistic”? Here it can also describe heart rate. Ari Aster’s directorial debut about a young man (Alex Wolff) who causes an unspeakable tragedy combines disorienting camerawork, dreamlike storytelling and shocking gore to create one of the most upsetting films you’ll ever see. Not for the faint of heart.
BEST HORROR WESTERN
Bone Tomahawk (2015)
Not many films fit this description, even going back to 1966’s Billy the Kid vs… Dracula. So, at the top of the list is S. Craig Zahler’s horror story about a small town posse (led by Kurt Russell) attempting to rescue hostages from a clan of cannibals. Sag Harbor-based Cult Movies writer Danny Pirie counts it as one of his recent favorites. With Richard Jenkins, Patrick Wilson and David Arquette.
BEST HORROR FILM ABOUT THE BANKING CRISIS
Drag Me to Hell (2009)
From left to right: Lorna Raver and Alison Lohman from the 2009 Universal Pictures film Drag Me to Hell. Photo: Universal Pictures/Everett Collection.
When an ambitious loan officer (Alison Lohman) refuses to save an old woman’s house, she finds herself cursed for eternity—unless she can pass the curse on to another loser. Director Sam Raimi and his brother wrote this story several years before the Great Recession, but timing is everything: After the film premiered at Cannes (!), it was praised for its themes of greed and selfishness. It’s also a quirky, squeal-worthy delight.
MOST UNDERVALUED
Crimson Peak (2015)
Universal Pictures starring Jessica Chastain and Tom Hiddleston in Crimson Peak, 2015. Photo: Alamy Stock Photo/Universal Pictures/Pictorial Press Ltd.
Even with a renowned director like Guillermo del Toro and two big-name stars—Mia Wasikowska as the wealthy American woman and Tom Hiddleston as the baronet who takes her to England—the lavish-looking production was rejected by audiences. Here’s a contrast: Crimson Peak, with its atmosphere of decadent luxury and moral corruption (Jessica Chastain plays the baronet’s possessive sister), is a delightful gothic film worthy of Edgar Allan Poe.
BEST SCI-FI HORROR
Thing (1982)
Kurt Russell in Universal Pictures’ The Thing, 1982. Photo: Alamy Stock Photo/Universal Pictures
At an Antarctic research station, several men discover a creature that can capture and copy any creature. Alien may be a cooler movie, but a B-movie with John Carpenter’s meticulously written script is scarier, wilder, and sooo creepier. It was too much for audiences who clearly preferred ET (released the same month), but The Thing remains an absolute irritant and an incredibly enjoyable time. With Kurt Russell, Keith David and Wilford Brimley.
BEST HORROR COMEDY
An American Werewolf in London (1981)
David Naughton in the film An American Werewolf in London. Photo: Universal/Everett Collection.
Most horror comedies are more funny than scary. Not this one. Director John Landis maintains a 50/50 balance, telling the story of a young American (David Naughton) who ventures into the foggy English moorland and is transformed—literally. The man-to-wolf effect, courtesy of latex maestro Rick Baker, won the first-ever Oscar for Best Makeup.
THE SCARIEST MOVIE OF THE WEEK on ABC
Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (1973)
A young housewife (Kim Darby, True Grit) moves into an old mansion only to find it already occupied—by miniature creatures living in the fireplace! Despite the wacky plot and cheap goblin costumes, the TV movie was scary enough to traumatize an entire generation of ’70s kids (including Guillermo del Toro, who remade it in 2011). Less widely available than others on this list, but you can rent it on YouTube and Google Play.
MOST slandered
Peeping Tom (1960)
Karl Boehm, Anna Massey in Peeping Tom (1960). Photo: Everett Collection.
After decades as one of England’s best-loved directors, Michael Powell makes this film about a serial killer who films his victims’ final moments. Shocked spectators at the premiere reportedly avoided shaking Powell’s hand, and his career never fully recovered. Banned in parts of Europe and barely shown in the US, Peeping Tom languished until Martin Scorsese helped re-release it in 1978. It is now considered a precursor to the modern slasher film and a masterpiece overall.
CHUCK E. CHEESE MEETS “SAW”
Could Five Nights at Freddy’s be the best horror movie… for kids?
In Five Nights at Freddy’s, which hits theaters and debuts at Peacock this Friday, Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games) plays a man who becomes the final security guard at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, a family-owned establishment popular in the 1980s. years. Now it is shuttered and dilapidated, but at night its animatronic figures come to life and begin searching for victims. Think Chuck E. Cheese meets Saw and you’re on the right track.
The video game Five Nights at Freddy’s, released in 2014, became a hit, spawning several sequel games, spin-off games, novels, and a line of merchandise. A significant portion of the fan base is made up of children, apparently around school age, although exact data is difficult to come by. It’s an interesting development for a game whose backstory includes a serial killer, diabolical inventions, and dead children. (Adding to the mystery: the game’s creator, Scott Cawthon, recently retired from the industry and has stayed largely out of the public eye, although he did help write the film’s script. Through representatives, Cawthon declined to be interviewed.)
“My nephew told me about it at a party one day, and it was just word for word,” says Selden-based Justin Timms, director of the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival. “I think for a lot of kids this is their first exposure to something really scary. They watch creepy stuff, but it’s more like creepy Scooby-Doo. Although this is a true horror game, and since it has childhood elements, it will be a good introduction.”
Emma Tammy, director and co-writer of the film adaptation, says the dark theme and young fans were two things she tried to balance. “We made this film with a PG-13 rating and definitely wanted to appeal to a younger audience,” she says. “But we also wanted to meet the needs of adults at the fear level.”
Tammy adds: “I really think this is a film that brings together generations. I hope adults can bring their children to this.”
One kid who was excited to see it: 7-year-old Jameson Dowd of East Meadow, who says he first learned about “Freddy” by watching a YouTuber play the game. “It inspired me,” says Jameson, who enjoys drawing various characters himself. Jameson now owns two Freddy games and several plush toys; At one recent Halloween, I dressed up as Foxy, a character that looks like a fox crossed with a pirate.
“It’s crazy, he knows all the characters by heart, he has every stuffed animal we can find,” said Jameson’s mother, Ariel Dowd, 35, a home health aide. According to her, she plans to invite him to the cinema on the day of the premiere. “I understand why other people might worry because it’s a little creepy. But as long as he’s not afraid of it, I’m fine.” – RAFER GUZMAN