Bloody Disgusting readers get an exclusive Screambox introductory offer of three months for a total of $6.66. Stream thousands of hours of slashers, thrillers, gore, and more right now.

Meat Kills

Debuting on Screambox this week is the gruesome Dutch horror film Meat Kills. “Vleesdag,” as it is called in the original Dutch, follows an animal rights activist who infiltrates a horrific slaughterhouse to film and expose their cruelty. You can imagine where it goes from there.

Watch Meat Kills HERE.

We’ve seen reports that this is the first Dutch film to ever receive the 18+ rating. True or not, it makes sense because Bloody staffers have compared the film to Green Room, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Wolf Creek, and more.

The Changeling

Peter Medak’s tragi-horror about a grieving composer is replete with fall vibes. Watch George C. Scott navigate a big spooky mansion, read some old maps in a giant library, and generally wander about in the grey mists of the Pacific Northwest.

Watch The Changeling HERE.

Uncontained

Uncontained is a compelling, frigid take on apocalyptic horror. The singular vision of Morley Nelson, who wrote, directed, produced and stars as a drifter who discovers abandoned children on a frozen tundra, beset by a mysterious violent horde of people. Watch it and wonder what awaits us in the frozen winter to come.

Watch Uncontained HERE.

The Hell House LLC Franchise

Speaking of singular and distinct horror visions, why not check out Stephen Cognetti’s Hell House LLC franchise? This five film found footage franchise, all written and directed by Cognetti, follows a documentary crew as they investigate various haunted locales. Binge it all while you wait to carve up some Thanksgiving horror.

Watch the Hell House LLC movies HERE.

The post Four Screambox Movies to Stream This Week Including Dutch Splatterfest ‘Meat Kills’ appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

This week’s streaming picks are dedicated to terrifying horror movies that bring the perfect Halloween scares and atmosphere. Many of which happen to be set on or around the best holiday of the year. These titles employ every fear tactic and technique in the arsenal to induce Halloween frights, from classic ghost stories to visceral suburban nightmares.

Here’s where you can watch them this week.

For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.

The Autopsy of Jane Doe – AMC+, Kanopy, Showtime, Shudder, Tubi

The Last Voyage of the Demeter director André Øvredal goes full throttle for the scares in this quiet little chiller that sees a father and son coroner team stumped over the bizarre mysteries contained within the body of an unidentified young woman. Well-executed scares, clever twists, and earnest performances by Brian Cox and Emile Hirsch give this supernatural haunter serious heft. While the narrative bides its time unveiling the truth behind Jane Doe’s battered body, it’s heavily steeped in witchcraft. In other words, The Autopsy of Jane Doe presents a new take on the subgenre. More importantly, it’s seriously scary.

The Changeling – Fandango at Home, Midnight Pulp, NightFlight+, Pluto TV, Roku Channel, Screambox

George C. Scott stars in this seminal haunted classic as a music professor attempting to start fresh after his wife and child’s death. He relocates to Seattle and moves into a historic Victorian mansion with plans to work on his music, but he experiences strange phenomena from the moment he arrives. The more the paranormal activity increases, the more he’s drawn into a decades-long mystery involving a child. The Changeling is a quiet chiller grounded by a fantastic lead performance and an intriguing murder mystery. Mostly, though, it’s full of dread and creepy moments – no other horror movie will make you afraid of bouncing balls quite like this one.

Ghostwatch – AMC+, Shudder

The initial airing of this made-for-TV movie stirred up controversy for network BBC, as the special Halloween event had viewers convinced that what they’d witnessed was real. It plays like a live TV special with a camera crew on-site attempting to investigate the truth behind the most haunted house in the country, one that borrows heavily from the Enfield Poltergeist. Neither they nor the viewer were prepared for the scares that would ensue—even the subtle ones. Pay close attention to every frame; Pipes hides in plain sight. Subtle chills build to a cacophony of terror. Don’t skip this one, as it’s a streaming rarity.

Sinister – Disney+, Hulu, MovieSphers+, Roku Channel, Tubi

True crime author Ellison Oswalt has uprooted his family and moved them into a home where a family was previously murdered, unbeknownst to them. He’s researching the murder for his new book, hoping the research will lead him to the whereabouts of the murdered family’s missing 10-year-old girl. When he finds a box of Super 8 home movies in the attic, he discovers the murder might be the work of a serial killer whose work dates back to the 1960s. Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill’s feature consistently ranks high among the scariest horror movies, and it’s not hard to see why. Eerie atmosphere, iconic jump scares, and a memorable boogeyman all make for a noteworthy genre movie.

Terrified – AMC+, Hoopla, Shudder

The cinematic equivalent of enjoying a haunted attraction, Demián Rugna’s feature is an onslaught of terror from beginning to end. Plot-wise, there’s not much to it, nor is there a lot of explanation for those who prefer answers. However, that doesn’t stop a cop on the cusp of retirement and a slew of paranormal experts from trying to get to the bottom of a series of bizarre activities plaguing a Buenos Aires neighborhood. With creative and innovative scares aplenty, Terrified is the type of horror film that lives up to its name; it’s freaking petrifying. Make it a Rugna double feature with visceral possession shocker When Evil Lurks, also streaming on Shudder.

The post Five Terrifying Horror Movies to Stream This Week That Bring Halloween Scares appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The phrase “based on a true story” is a controversial one and should prompt viewers to inquire about which aspects are true and which are fabricated. Perhaps the phrase “inspired by true events” is more accurate in the cases of The Conjuring films and The Changeling. Whatever the reality is, it should come as no surprise to most viewers that a fair amount of dramatic license is taken in all cases when making films of this nature. The four Conjuring films are based on the Warren’s (played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) involvement with four cases: The Haunting of the Perron Farm, The Enfield Poltergeist, The Trial of Arne Johnson (the “devil made me do it” case), and The Smurl Family Haunting. The Conjuring 2 (2016) also includes a portion of the famous Amityville Haunting Case of 1976. The Warrens wrote several books documenting their experiences and perspectives on these cases and many more. As to the extent of the validity and truth of their version of events, that is up for debate, and there are many articles, podcasts, and documentaries that examine these controversial figures.

The Changeling was inspired by a case that took place in the late 1960s involving the Henry Treat Rogers Mansion on the edge of Cheesman Park in Denver, Colorado. Cheesman Park had been a cemetery since the mid-19th century, but the area underwent a large exhumation process in the early 20th century in an attempt to beautify the area. The difficult and costly project ultimately resulted in a majority of the bodies being relocated, but historians estimate that 2,000-5,000 bodies still remain in Cheesman Park. Several hauntings have been reported over the years in the area, but the most famous involves Russell Ellis (who went by the pseudonym Russell Hunter), a talented pianist and composer turned playwright, who moved into the mansion in 1968. As he settled into his new home and began working on his musical compositions, Hunter was interrupted by a mysterious and incessant bouncing sound that persisted day after day. Unable to locate the source of the sound, Hunter hired an architect to help him solve the mystery. The two found a hidden door that opened to a stairway and a small attic apartment. Upon opening the door to this secret room, an old-fashioned striped rubber ball rolled down the stairs and vanished.

Hunter also claimed to find the diary of an eight-year-old boy named Eric Evans in the attic room. Evans was a sickly boy who stood to inherit $70 million when he came of age. His parents, however, realizing that their son would not live to inherit the money, adopted an orphan that they passed off as their son and locked the real Eric away in the attic apartment with a rubber ball to play with. Soon, the real Eric died, though if it was from his illness or murder is unknown, and his replacement eventually inherited the money and became a wealthy businessman and politician. According to Denver historian Dr. Phil Goodstein, Hunter did not divulge the information he learned, and the spirit of Eric apparently became agitated. The bouncing sound continued and was augmented by banging on pipes, books thrown across rooms, Hunter’s piano playing on its own, and other various disturbances.

Hunter consulted local psychics and a pair of spiritualist Episcopal ministers to bless the house. At one point, an investigator caught the ball as it rolled down the stairs and gave it to Hunter who disposed of it in the Colorado woods only to come home and find it rolling down the stairs. Eventually Hunter moved out and the Rogers mansion was set for demolition, but the house erupted into flames, killing one of the demolition crew. Over the years, children playing in Cheesman Park claim to have encountered a sickly-looking boy around the age of eight playing with an old-fashioned striped rubber ball who suddenly disapparates before their eyes. Some also say that the piano in the building where the Rogers Mansion once stood will suddenly begin playing on its own while others claim to hear the mysterious bouncing of a rubber ball.

All of this should sound familiar to fans of The Changeling. The film gets its title from a situation in which a disabled child, Joseph, is killed and replaced by another person who grows up to become a well-known businessman and politician. For those who have not seen The Changeling I will not spoil its mysteries here, but I will say that many of the film’s most compelling details are drawn directly from the actual events, or at least Russell Hunter’s version of them. Hunter has a “story by” credit on The Changeling, likely meaning that he wrote a first draft of the script which underwent a great deal of revision from credited writers William Gray and Diana Maddox.

The Conjuring films also often involve children as the central focus of the hauntings. Not only the Warren’s own children, but the cases depicted in the four films are family hauntings. In these films, the spirits will often use toys and games to entice the children before twisting them into something frightening, disturbing, and even dangerous. The famous “hide a clap” game from the first film is a great example as well as the direct torment of children in The Conjuring 2 and The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025). In The Changeling, the involvement of children has multiple meanings. In the opening sequences, we see John Russell’s wife and daughter killed in a horrible accident, which prompts him to move from his home and position at Columbia University in New York all the way across the country to Seattle, the home which is called Chessman (rather than Cheesman) Park in the film, and a position at the University of Washington. But even 3,000 miles away from the tragedy, he cannot escape his grief or reminders of his daughter. The ghost, Joseph, uses this knowledge to speak to John, seeming to know that his grief and connection to his lost child will make him more receptive to Joseph’s story, finally giving this restless spirit closure. Joseph uses a number of objects to reveal himself.

Haunted objects are central to The Conjuring Universe and to the legend of the Warrens. The “Crooked Man” zoetrope, the nun painting, the big top music box, and of course the Annabelle doll are just a few examples of the items that play key roles in the movies. The Changeling features three key objects as central features of the haunting: the afore mentioned rubber ball, a music box, and a christening medal. The medal is ultimately the most important clue in the mystery of Joseph’s death and the identity of the changeling. The object itself is not haunted but does appear under apparently paranormal circumstances. The music box is much more mysterious. While composing one day, John begins playing a lullaby-like melody on his piano which he then harmonizes and records on his reel-to-reel tape recorder. The piece seems to come to him fully formed. Later, he discovers a music box in the cobwebbed attic room and plays it against his recording, and they match in every way: melody, tempo, harmony, even the key, but John is certain that he had never heard the piece before. In the closing moments of the film, the music box pops open and begins playing on its own, implying that Joseph is no longer confined to the house in Chessman Park.

Most significant of all is the red and white striped rubber ball. In the film’s most famous and chilling sequence, John, trying to let go of his grief over the death of his wife and daughter, drives the rubber ball that his daughter used to play with to a bridge and throws it into the dark water below where it apparently sinks into oblivion. When he arrives back at the house, the ball comes bouncing down the main staircase. In the “real” story, the ball belonged to the ghost that haunted the Rogers Mansion, in the film it takes on a very different significance. It is a concrete reminder of John’s wife and daughter, the symbol of his grief. No matter how hard he tries to let it go, it will not leave him. This large, powerful, stoic man, embodied by “man’s man” type George C. Scott, the guy who won (and refused) an Oscar for playing General George S. Patton, is defeated. And this object, this child’s toy, the symbol of all that despair, reduces this powerful man to a shell of himself weeping alone in his bed. It is this kind of vulnerability and delicacy that make The Changeling a particularly moving and outstanding ghost story.

And then there’s the fact that The Changeling features the Warrens—sort of. Around the mid-point of the movie, after the incident with the ball rolling down the stairs, John consults a parapsychologist at the University who recommends a medium. A couple named Albert and Leah Harmon (Eric Christmas and Helen Burns) arrive at the house to investigate. Leah sees that Russell has suffered a great loss and using automatic writing is able to communicate with the presence of the child in the house. She learns that his name is Joseph, that he died in the house, that he wishes to communicate with John, and has chosen him because of his grief. The sequence with these characters is only about ten minutes long but bears remarkable resemblance to the Warrens, especially as they were depicted in the media at the time and in The Conjuring movies, though in The Changeling these characters are a bit older, and Albert plays more of a supporting role to his wife.

It cannot be confirmed that Albert and Leah Harmon are based on Ed and Lorraine Warren, but it is certainly plausible. Though they had been known in paranormal circles beginning in the 1960s, the Warrens came into the national spotlight following the 1976 Amityville Horror case. Though they appear neither in the book by Jay Anson nor the 1979 movie version, their involvement became well known through the media coverage of the case. According to Russell Hunter, the séance aspect of the film actually happened, but was led by a psychic local to the Denver area. It is entirely possible, and even likely, that writers William Gray and Diana Maddox were aware of the Warrens, and created the Harmons in reference to their work and reputation.

The Changeling stands more in the tradition of subtle, quiet, and ambiguous films like The Innocents (1961), The Haunting (1963) and more modern offerings like The Devil’s Backbone (2001), The Orphanage (2007), and The Innkeepers (2011) than the more sensational scares like The Shining (1980), Poltergeist (1982) and, yes, The Conjuring movies. But part of the greatness of the horror genre is there is room for many different types of films. The Changeling came along at a time when tastes were shifting to the more overt and graphic horrors of the 1980s, so it got a bit lost for a time, but has slowly gained the reputation it has always deserved as one of the most stirring, moving, and chilling ghost stories ever made. So, as you settle in for your Conjuring marathons, it may well be worth taking a step back in time to discover or rediscover the quiet masterpiece that is The Changeling. You may find a new favorite.

The post Cursed Objects and Haunted Houses: How ‘The Changeling’ Is a Prototype ‘Conjuring’ Movie appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!

An American Werewolf in London Pop! from Funko

Earlier this year, Funko revealed an American Werewolf in London Pop! of David Kessler in human form. That was cool and all, but what horror fans really want is the iconic werewolf.

It’s finally coming in June in the form a Super Pop! that measures 3.5″ tall and 6″ long, priced at $24.99.

Final Destination Shirts from Pentagram Peter Pan

It’s fun to have Final Destination back in the zeitgeist thanks to Bloodlines, and Pentagram Peter Pan has new shirts dedicated to two of franchise’s films.

It’s hard to top Final Destination 2‘s opening premonition that changed the way we look at log trucks, but I love the faux-promo style of the Final Destination 3 tee.

Priced at $29.99, pre-orders are open until Monday, May 26, at 11am ET and will ship 5-8 weeks later.

Near Dark & The Changeling Prints by Dismay Design

Dismay Design created artwork for two underappreciated ’80s horror films: Near Dark and The Changeling.

18×24 matte prints, signed and numbered by the artist, are available for $29 each.

Ride with Pride Shirt from Elvira

Ride with Pride with Elvira’s Wicked-inspired design, available as part of the Mistress of the Dark’s Pride collection.

The design comes on T-shirts($26.95), tote bags ($24.95), and can coolers ($8.95).

Bride of the Living Chad by Damien Casey

Described as “Return of the Living Dead meets Barbie,” Bride of the Living Chad by Damien Casey is out now in paperback ($12.99) and e-book ($4.99) from Encyclopocalypse.

The 92-page horror-comedy novella answers the age-old question: What if Scrooge was a gym bro and the Ghost of Christmas Past was a reanimated porn star?

For more merch madness, peruse the Killer Collectibles archives.

The post 5 of This Week’s Coolest Horror Collectibles Including an ‘American Werewolf’ Funko Pop! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Dealing with a paranormal presence isn’t quite as easy to deal with as masked maniacs or a more tangible threat. It’s often a fear of the unknown that induces the most nerve-fraying anxiety, and a haunted house is full of unknowns. This week’s streaming picks are dedicated to one of horror’s most foundational subgenres: the haunted house movie.

These five titles range from classic haunted house fare to modern frights that reinterpret what a haunted house can be. All aim to induce maximum frights, perfect for this Halloween season.

Here’s where you can stream them this week.

For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.

The Changeling – AMC+, Fandango at Home, Midnight Pulp, Peacock, SCREAMBOX, Shudder, Tubi

George C. Scott stars in this seminal haunted classic as a music professor attempting to start fresh after his wife and child’s death. He relocates to Seattle and moves into a historic Victorian mansion with plans to work on his music, but he experiences strange phenomena right away. The more the paranormal activity increases, the more he’s drawn into a decades-long mystery involving a child. The Changeling is a quiet chiller grounded by a fantastic lead performance and an intriguing murder mystery. Mostly, though, it’s full of dread and creepy moments – no other horror movie will make you afraid of bouncing balls quite like this one.

The Dark and the Wicked – AMC+, Hoopla, Shudder

Bryan Bertino, a filmmaker with a reputation for bleak horror, creates unrelenting dread and evil in the vacuum of loss here. His latest is rife with suffocating dread, disturbing visuals, and a haunting atmosphere. Siblings Louise (Marin Ireland) and Michael (Michael Abbott Jr.) return to their childhood home to say their final goodbyes to their dying father, much to their mother’s disappointment. She’d warned them not to come, and it doesn’t take long to figure out why; an evil presence has taken root on the family’s rural land, and it wants them all. Whether the house is haunted or the family itself isn’t important when it comes to this volatile, frightening viewing experience steeped in nihilism. Bertino takes no prisoners with his vision of haunted house horror.

The Deep House – Prime Video, MGM+

Urban explorer Ben (James Jagger) drags his girlfriend Tina (Camille Rowe) along on his latest adventure seeking a legendary house preserved at the bottom of a lake. They find it with assistance from a local but also find themselves racing against the clock when they become trapped inside. Oxygen levels aren’t the only problem; the underwater house is haunted. Inside directors Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury’s latest may not get that deep in terms of narrative, but their commitment to going practical makes for one eerie, atmospheric, and exhilarating new twist to the haunted house. It’s spooky and otherworldly in equal measure.

The Orphanage – Paramount+

What a debut by director J.A. Bayona (A Monster Calls, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom). As an adult, Laura moves back into the closed orphanage where she grew up with plans to reopen it as a center for disabled children. But when her HIV-positive son learns he’s adopted and goes missing soon after, strange things begin happening within the expansive orphanage. Laura’s former friends from childhood may never have left at all. The Orphanage is haunting, it’s moving, and it takes a few unexpected turns in terms of plot. Kids in horror are creepy, but kid ghosts? Even creepier. But be sure to have tissues on standby for this one.

The Sentinel – Netflix

In horror, sometimes the perfect home chooses you. For Allison Parker, a desire to strike out on her own finds her in a gorgeous Brooklyn brownstone that’s been converted into apartments. It’s a fantastic piece of real estate, but the place is packed with bizarre neighbors and strange activity. Allison soon finds herself haunted by both memories and unwanted visitors, followed soon after by the realization that the house chose her. Religious horror collides with haunted house fare in an unusual way. The haunted house tropes are there, but it’s Catholicism, sin, and a gateway to Hell that unleashes an oppressive sense of doom and sets this haunted house tale apart. The star-studded cast includes Ava Gardner and Burgess Meredith.

The post Five Scary Haunted House Horror Movies to Stream This Week appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Perhaps the greatest? That’s what the Halloweenies debate in their exhaustive breakdown of Peter Medak‘s 1980 masterpiece. Starring George C. Scott, Trish Van Devere, and Melvyn Douglas, the “true story” follows a renown composer, who moves to Seattle from New York City following the deaths of his wife and daughter. The historic society gives him the keys to a dusty mansion, and he soon discovers there’s more than his music floating within its halls.

Grab a flashlight and join co-hosts Michael Roffman and Dan Caffrey, in addition to special guests Jenn Adams of The Losers’ Club Podcast and world renown artist Ghoulish Gary, aka Gary Pullin as they examine every room to this haunted house classic. Together, they discuss the eerie history that inspired the screenplay, Scott’s outstanding performance, John Coquillon’s mesmerizing score, and why the scares here will always work.

It should be noted that this episode was recorded in March of 2022 and is being released today ahead of the Halloweenies and Bloody Disgusting‘s special screening of The Changeling. The show takes place tonight — Monday, October 2nd at 8:00 p.m. — at Chicago’s historic Music Box Theatre. In addition to this rare screening, the night will also include an exclusive live show recording of the Halloweenies, who will list out the top 10 greatest haunted house movies of all time. Tickets are available here.

Stream the episode below or subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, RadioPublic, Acast, Google Podcasts, and RSS. New to the Halloweenies? Catch up with the gang by revisiting their essential episodes on past franchises such as Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Scream, and The Evil Dead. This year? It’s Chucky!

You can also become a member of their Patreon, The Rewind, for hilariously irreverent commentaries (e.g. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Gremlins, Darkman), one-off deep dives on your favorite rentals (e.g. Killer Klowns from Outer Space, Manhunter), and even spinoffs like their recent run Fortune & Glory: An Indiana Jones Podcast.

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The post ‘The Changeling’ Is Possibly the Greatest Haunted House Movie of All Time [Halloweenies Podcast] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The one-night only event takes place on Monday, October 2nd at 8:00 p.m. at Chicago’s historic Music Box Theatre. In addition to this rare screening, the night will also include an exclusive live show recording of the Halloweenies, who will list out the top 10 greatest haunted house movies of all time. They’ll also be selling their new Fall merchandise!

Tickets are available here. This event is part of The Bride of Music Box of Horrors, an electrifying month of unholy horror programming at the theatre that’ll make your hair stand on end. No tricks, only treats all through October, specifically fan favorites, rare screenings, special guests, interactive events, and their annual 24-hour horror marathon!

Peruse the full schedule below, and we’ll see you next Monday. Outside the Chicagoland area? Have no fear. The Changeling is currently streaming on Screambox.

Bride of Music Box of Horrors

Sunday, October 1 at 7pm— Phantom of the Monastery
Dir. Fernando De Fuentes, 1934, 85 mins, DCP, In Spanish with English Subtitles

Alfonso, Eduardo, and his wife Cristina are lost, and a strange monk takes them to an ancient convent where their personalities change. Inexplicable situations occur, and Cristina tries to seduce Alfonso. Restored by UCLA Film & Television Archive in conjunction with The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project and in collaboration with the Permanencia Voluntaria Film Archive and Filmoteca de la UNAM. The film will be presented by Chicago film programmer Raul Benitez and Viviana García Besne of the Permanencia Voluntaria Film Archive.

Monday, October 2 at 9:15pm — The Changeling
Dir. Peter Medak, 1980, 106 mins, DCP)
Co-Presented by Bloody Disgusting and Halloweenies

An old-fashioned chiller that’s both elegant and really f’in scary, The Changeling is the epitome of a classy ghost story. Ten years before The Exorcist III, George C. Scott stars as John Russell, a composer who retreats into a dusty, run-down Victorian mansion in Seattle (really Vancouver) in order to mourn the sudden deaths of his wife and daughter. Of course the place turns out to be haunted, forcing John to confront death in the past as well as the present. Director Peter Medak’s chilly, slow burn style amps the tension up to almost unbearable levels, building to an ending that’s both terrifying and overwhelmingly sad. This one will follow you all the way home.

Tuesday, October 3 at 9:15pm— The Mothman Prophecies
Dir. Mark Pellington, 2002, 119 mins, 35mm

John Keel’s chilling tale of high strangeness in West Virginia made it to the big screen in 2002, reborn as a millennial sci-fi thriller in the X-Files mold. Richard Gere stars as an inexplicably handsome reporter plagued by visions of a moth-like creature with glowing red eyes, alongside Laura Linney as the sheriff who’s here to make sure Mr. Big City doesn’t smear her town as a bunch of backwards hicks. This underrated gem takes some liberties with Keel’s original report, but still delves deep into the world of the bizarre, inexplicable, and just plain weird. And with the recent wave of Mothman sightings over O’Hare airport, maybe the big winged guy himself will make an appearance…

Wednesday, October 4 at 9:15pm — Horrors of Malformed Men
Dir. Teruo Ishii, 1969, 99 mins, DCP, In Japanese with English Subtitles

To crib a line from the Suspiria poster, the only thing weirder than the first 60 minutes of Horrors of Malformed Men are the last 39! This horrific Japanese take on The Island of Dr. Moreau opens in an insane asylum, shifts into a bizarre body-swap sex comedy, and then transforms again into a monstrous psychedelic freakout that would make Coffin Joe and Jodorowsky proud. To create this unholy creature, director Teruo Ishii (Blind Woman’s Curse, Orgies of Edo) combines several short stories from famed Japanese horror writer Edogawa Ranpo, whose “ero-guro” (erotic grotesque) style is on full, freaky display in the film. See it with a crowd, if only to confirm that you didn’t hallucinate it.

Thursday, October 5 at 9:15pm — Near Dark
Dir. Kathryn Bigelow, 1987, 95 mins, 35mm

An ‘80s cult classic with a vicious bite, Near Dark gets the carnal appeal of vampires better than almost any other movie. Lance Henricksen stars as vampire ringleader Jesse, alongside Jenny Wright as bloodsucking sweetheart Mae and Adrian Pasar as Caleb Colton, the clueless cowboy who’s initiated into the vampire lifestyle after picking up what he thinks is an attractive girl at a bar. But Bill Paxton steals the show as Severen, a sadistic rockabilly vamp who oozes dangerous sex appeal. This movie bleeds motor oil as well as the usual red stuff, embarking on a deranged homicidal road trip across the American West that parties ‘til the sun comes up.

Friday October 6 at 10pm— The Crow
Dir. Alex Proyas, 1994, 102 mins, DCP
Co-Presented by The Horror House
Actress Bai Ling in person for post film Q&A

Released in 1994, this atmospheric urban fantasy cult classic is based on James O’Barr’s independent comic and directed by Alex Proyas, the mind behind the masterful Dark City. Brandon Lee’s commanding — and, tragically, final — star turn is backed by a grunge/industrial/shoegaze soundtrack that includes the Chicago-based My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, plus The Cure, STP, The Jesus and Mary Chain, and so many more. A deceptively simple tale of a man who loses it all on Devil’s Night and is reborn as the fabulously ghoulish Crow, The Crow uniquely captures the angst-ridden grimy glamor of ‘90s post-industrial rot.

Saturday, October 7 at 11:30pm – Unfriended: Dark Web
Dir. Stephen Susco, 2018, 93mins, DCP
Stephen Susco in attendance for post film Q&A!

In the sequel to Unfriended, Matias finds an abandoned laptop and heads home for a night of online gaming, only to discover a mysterious folder on the computer filled with what appear to be snuff films. Shortly after, a message pops up, directed towards the owner of the laptop. But before Matias can return it, he and his friends realize it’s much too late —the world of the dark web has begun to pull them into its immeasurable depths.

Sunday, October 8 at 2:30pm and 7:00pm— The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Dir. Robert Wiene, 1920, 75 mins, DCP
Featuring live score by The Invincible Czars

This Halloween season, The Invincible Czars bring their nightmarishly fun soundtrack to the world’s first feature-length horror film, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920). The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari has inspired filmmakers like Tim Burton and musicians like David Bowie with its strikingly modern visuals. Its craggy edges, disjointed backgrounds, and heavy makeup have earned this dark fairy tale a reputation as the quintessential German Expressionist film.
The Czars’ immersive live soundtrack experience transports audiences back 100+ years with a chilling, tastefully modern score featuring an impressive blend of traditional acoustic and present-day electric instruments. The Invincible Czars return for two shows to the Music Box Theatre after their sold out 2022 screening and performance of Nosferatu.

Monday, October 9 at 9:15pm — Angel Heart
Dir. Alan Parker, 1987, 113 mins, 35mm
Co-Presented by The Satanic Temple Illinois; 35mm print courtesy of Chicago Cinema Society

In Alan Parker’s steamy neo-noir Angel Heart, Mickey Rourke embodies private detective Harry Angel, who’s hired by the intriguing and sinister Louis Cyphre (Robert De Niro, absolutely living for every moment) to track down a missing musician who owes him a debt. Soon, Angel begins to realize things are far darker and more horrifying than he could’ve imagined. But by that point, it’s too late.

Tuesday, October 10 at 9:15pm —Ganja and Hess
Dir. Bill Gunn, 1973, 113 mins, DCP

Dramatically chopped up and released under a handful of exploitation titles that sold a very different film — Blood Couple, Black Vampire, Vampires of Harlem — Bill Gunn’s 1973 masterpiece Ganja and Hess was long misunderstood. Now, this arthouse vampire film has been restored to its original run time to beguile a new generation. One of only two starring roles from lead actor Duane Jones (the other, of course, was Night of the Living Dead), the film revolves around an ancient African ceremonial dagger that curses an anthropologist (Jones) with eternal life.

Wednesday, October 11 at 10pm—Departing Seniors
Dir. Clare Cooney, 2023, 85 min, DCP
Cast and Crew in attendance for post film Q&A
Co-Presentation with Chicago International Film Festival After Dark

Mexican-American and queer, high school student Javier doesn’t exactly fit in with the popular kids. But he might be the only one who can save them. After an act of bullying sends Javier to the hospital, he begins experiencing visions that foresee glimpses of shocking murders at his school right before they happen. Now, in between navigating the social hierarchies and prejudices of clique culture, Javier (Primo’s Ignacio Diaz-Silverio) and his best friend Bianca (Candyman’s Ireon Roach) must try to unmask a serial killer before he strikes again.

Thursday, October 12 at 9:45pm — Bride of Chucky
Dir. Ronny Yu, 1998, 89 mins, 35mm
Co-Presented and Hosted by Rated Q and Ramona Slick
Pre-show Drinks with DJ in Music Box Lounge starting at 9pm
Drag show performances by XO Carrington, Baby Toothless, and Ramona Slick

Seven years after Child’s Play 3, Chucky returned to the big screen horny, self-aware, and itching to kill! After Chucky’s dismemberment and seeming death in the last outing, Tiffany Valentine, played with gleefully sexy sleaze by Jennifer Tilly, is determined to stitch him back together and bring her lover back to life one more time, kicking off a maniacal road trip from hell for all who cross their path! Fueled by a soundtrack bursting with nü metal stalwarts like Powerman 5000, Static-X, and Coal Chamber, Bride of Chucky was mischievously penned by series creator Don Mancini and slickly directed by Ronny Yu (The Bride With White Hair, Freddy Vs. Jason). It’s a treasure trove of horror-comedy fuckery at its finest.

Friday, October 13 at 10pm — Srigala
Dir. Sisworo Gautama Putra, 1981, 88 mins, DCP

Sisworo Gautama Putra was just starting what would become a prolific career when Friday the 13th inspired the Indonesian filmmaker to helm Srigala (“Wolf”) a year later. The nods to Cunningham’s slasher whodunit are obvious, but Putra’s love for the color-drenched storytelling of Dario Argento and Lucio Fulci’s rotting ghouls are also present in a movie that would go on to become a benchmark in Southeast Asian horror cinema. Terror Vision is proud to present a new 2K scan of Putra’s original camera negative for Srigala, with two minutes of previously unseen additional footage! More blood! More guts! More scuba diving!

Saturday, October 14 at 10pm — Aliens
Dir. James Cameron, 1986, 137 mins, 35mm

Before tackling giant ocean liners and the future of 3-D, James Cameron blasted out genre film highlights like Aliens, his masterpiece of technical virtuosity, high tension, and peace through superior firepower. Sidestepping the horror focus of Ridley Scott’s franchise-starter, Aliens ratchets up the action, full-blooded machismo, and fascination with all things mechanical while cementing Sigourney Weaver as the female action hero of the ‘80s. (The role would earn her an Oscar nomination, and a Time magazine cover to boot.) And it’s a critique of American involvement in Vietnam!

Sunday, October 15 at 9:15pm— Late Night with the Devil
Dir. Cameron and Colin Cairnes, 2023, 93 mins, DCP
Actor David Dastmalchian in attendance for post film Q&A
Co-Presentation with Chicago International Film Festival After Dark

Jack Delroy, a fictional ’70s talk show host played by rising horror star David Dastmalchian (The Suicide Squad, Last Voyage of the Demeter), is in trouble. Jack and his show Night Owls were once the biggest names in late night. But now, with his personal life marred by tragedy and his ratings in free fall, he’s struggling to keep up. So Jack and his producers cook up a controversial plan for their 1977 Halloween special: A live possession, as performed by parapsychologist Dr. June Ross-Mitchell (Laura Gordon) and 13-year-old Lilly (Ingrid Torelli), the sole survivor of a Satanic mass suicide. What could possibly go wrong?

Monday, October 16 at 9:30pm— Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Dir. Philip Kaufman, 1978, 115 minutes, DCP

To celebrate its 45th anniversary, the pulse-pounding sci-fi shocker Invasion of the Body Snatchers is newly restored from a 4K scan of the original camera negative, approved and color graded by director Philip Kaufman!
A whip-smart statement on urban paranoia and loss of individuality, this 1978 chiller combines a dazzling screenplay, masterful cinematography from Raging Bull‘s Michael Chapman, and awe-inspiring special effects to create the perfect big screen classic for this Halloween season. Remember: If you notice an eerie change in someone very close to you, chances are you’re next! Text courtesy of Park Circus.

Tuesday, October 17 at 9:30pm — Bacchanale
Dir. John Amero & Lem Amero, 1970, 77 min., 35mm
Hosted by programmer and archivist Liz Purchell (AGFA, Ask Any Buddy)

Taking equal inspiration from Maya Deren’s Meshes of the Afternoon and the camp-laden works of Jack Smith, this dreamy voyage into absurdism centers on a young woman who leaves her body as she sleeps, embarking on an increasingly strange journey to find her brother, a possibly dead soldier in Vietnam. A rare example of surrealist filmmaking in sexploitation and a unique and unjustly forgotten piece of American underground cinema.

Wednesday, October 18 at 9:45pm— Thirst
Dir. Park Chan-wook, 2009, 134 mins, 35mm

No longer mired in the ultraviolence of his Vengeance Trilogy, but not yet the mature master filmmaker of Decision to Leave, Thirst (2009) was made during a transitional period for Korean New Wave legend Park Chan-wook (Oldboy, The Handmaiden). Heightened emotion, devious schemes, Song Kang-ho as a vampiric Catholic priest who drinks from the blood bags of coma patients like a Capri Sun — this movie has it all, and then some! Co-starring Kim Ok-bin (The Villainess) as the downtrodden wife of one of Song’s childhood friends, Thirst is a bizarre, bloody, and ravishingly sensual vampire film that takes the horny cinema revival to literal new heights.

Thursday, October 19 — Raging Grace
Dir. Paris Zarcilla, 2023, 100 mins, DCP
Co-Presentation with Chicago International Film Festival After Dark

In a posh London neighborhood, undocumented Filipina worker Joy arrives at her latest job with her young daughter Grace smuggled in her suitcase. As Grace hides in an upstairs bedroom, Joy takes care of the estate’s patriarch, Mr. Garrett, who’s bedridden and slowly dying of cancer. Then an ominous revelation emerges, threatening to destroy everything that Joy has strived for in her new life.

Friday, October 20 at 10pm — You’re Next
Dir. Adam Wingard, 2013, 95 mins, 35mm
Talent in Attendance!

Set to a catchy New Wave beat, You’re Next brought the indie-horror revival of the late ‘00s and early ‘10s to its bloody, thrilling climax. A legendary festival title that built major buzz in the two years between its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and its eventual theatrical release, the film stars a murderer’s row (no pun intended) of independent filmmakers like Joe Swanberg, Amy Seimetz, and Ti West, alongside ‘80s horror legend Barbara Crampton in the role that revived her career. But it was Australian newcomer Sharni Vinson who stole the show, playing a rugged survivalist who turns the tables on a gang of wealthy weirdos when they try to set her up at a family reunion. You’ll never look at a blender the same way again.

Saturday, October 21 — Music Box of Horrors 24-Hour Marathon 

This October, THE MUSIC BOX OF HORRORS rises from the grave with a 24 hour movie marathon guaranteed to drive you MAD! Featuring frightening flicks on the big screen, plus special guests, giveaways, vendors, and much more! Keep your eyes peeled for more announcements on this page. The terror begins at Noon on Saturday October 21st. Festival passes are sold out, but half-marathon passes will go on sale here in the near future.

Sunday, October 22 at 9pm — The Vampire Lovers
Dir. Roy Ward Baker, 1970, 91 mins, 35mm

A pleasantly old-fashioned vampire tale from the legendary Hammer House of Horror, The Vampire Lovers has everything you could want from a British horror movie of a certain vintage: Heaving bosoms. Misty Gothic castles. Peter Cushing as a clueless patriarch. Ingrid Pitt seducing innocent young maidens under the light of the full moon. It’s about as campy as adaptations of the iconic lesbian-vampire novel Carmilla get — and that’s exactly what makes it so deliciously satisfying.

Monday, October 23 at 9:30pm — Ravenous
Dir. Antonia Bird, 1999, 101mins, 35mm

There’s nothing quite like the offbeat cannibal Western Ravenous. Set in a snowbound frontier outpost in 1840s California, the film stars Guy Pearce as a cowardly U.S. Army officer who hides out in the mountains trying to avoid the Mexican-American War. Instead, he comes face-to-face with the legend of the Wendingo, a creature from Native American folklore that warns humans against consuming the flesh of their own kind, lest they become consumed with insatiable bloodlust.

Tuesday, October 24 — Doctor X and Mystery at the Wax Museum
Co-Presented by Chicago Film Society
Directed by Michael Curtiz • 1932 & 1933

From the illustrious career of Michael Curtiz, the Hungarian-American film director renowned for titles such as Mildred Pierce, White Christmas, and Casablanca, comes a gripping pre-Code horror mystery. The first horror film shot in color and starring the first-ever scream queen, Fay Wray, Doctor X follows reporter Lee Taylor (Lee Tracy) on the beat with the Daily World News as he attempts to unmask the face behind the gruesome Moon Killer murders plaguing New York City with every full moon. For many years, the Technicolor version was thought to be lost, but it was found in Jack Warner’s personal collection after his death in 1978. Obligatory viewing for any horror aficionado and especially for anyone with an affinity for the moon. Restoration funding provided by the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation.

Like its sister film, Doctor X, The Mystery of the Wax Museum was thought to be lost, but it too was found in ex-studio head Jack Warner’s collection. Complete with bodies hanging from windows, monsters creeping in the morgue, wax figurines engulfed in flames, grotesque imagery, and salacious humor, this movie was among Warner Bros.’ top 5 grossing films of 1933 and is considered a unique pre-Code classic today. The Mystery of the Wax Museum was one of the last films to be shot with the two-color Technicolor process, but its unique visual influence made a lingering impact that spawned multiple remakes, including the polarized 3D remake House of Wax starring Vincent Price. Restored by the UCLA Film & Television Archive and The Film Foundation in association with Warner Bros. Entertainment.

Wednesday, October 25 at 7pm— Anaconda and Killer Crocodile 
Dir. Luis Llosa, 1997, 89 mins, 35mm; Dir. Fabrizio De Angelis, 1989, DCP
Co-Presented by Severin Films

Two titans of the reptilian kingdom enter the ring for a creature-feature showdown that can only have one winner! Are you Team Snake, or Team Crocodile? Either way, you’re in for a super-sized smackdown between two creatures whose oversized anatomy not only represents humanity’s arrogant disrespect for the natural world — a lack of fear these films seek to solve — it also makes for a dang fun night at the movies!

Thursday, October 26 at 7pm and 9:30pm— The Tingler
Dir. William Castle, 1959, 82 mins, DCP

The lunatics that raised Emergo from the dead for House on Haunted Hill are back with another William Castle classic! Vincent Price returns as Dr. Warren Chapin, a scientist (the mad kind, of course) who discovers the secret to that spine-tingling sensation we call fear. As it turns out, it’s caused by a parasite Dr. Chapin dubs The Tingler … a parasite that’s loose in this very theater right now! Brace yourselves, horror fans, as the Music Box Theatre unleashes the vibrating menace of The Tingler on unsuspecting audience members for a night of classic ballyhoo and unabashed fun!

Friday, October 27 at 11:45pm (in T2) — The Jar aka Charon
Dir. Bruce Toscano, 1984, 85 min., DCP
Co-Presented by Terror Vision

Though foolishly in the past tossed aside as a “poor man’s Eraserhead” or other such silliness, The Jar is an astonishingly singular work of harrowing personal expression that will in equal parts confound, enrage, enrapture, endear, and eventually swallow you whole if you let yourself plug into its otherworldly wavelength. Previously only available in abysmal VHS rips, Terror Vision is proud to present this undersung stunner fully restored from a partial camera negative & the director’s personal 35mm print to finally present it in the correct aspect ratio and all its delirium-inducing glory!

Saturday, October 28 at 11:30am — Diabolique
Dir. Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1955, 117mins, 35mm, In French with English subtitles

Before Psycho, Peeping Tom, and Repulsion, there was Diabolique. This thriller from Henri‑Georges Clouzot, which shocked audiences in Europe and the U.S., is the story of two women—the fragile wife and the willful mistress of the sadistic headmaster of a boys’ boarding school—who hatch a daring revenge plot. With its unprecedented narrative twists and terrifying images, Diabolique is a heart-grabbing benchmark in horror filmmaking, featuring outstanding performances by Simone Signoret, Véra Clouzot, and Paul Meurisse. (Text courtesy of Janus Films)

Sunday, October 29 at 11:30am — Young Frankenstein
Dir. Mel Brooks, 1974, 106 mins, DCP
Co-Hosted by The Mercury Theatre, with the cast of their stage adaptation in attendance

A parody that’s become as much of a classic as the movie that inspired it, Young Frankenstein isn’t just one of the best horror-comedies of all time. It’s one of the best comedies, period. Gene Wilder gives a full-tilt performance as the mad doctor’s even madder grandson, alongside Marty Feldman as the doctor’s wacky assistant Igor (pronounced Eye-gor) and Peter Boyle as their tap-dancing creation. Add in Cloris Leachman and Teri Garr in delightfully silly supporting roles, and you’ve got a highly quotable screwball classic. Come see this beloved film on the big screen!

Monday, October 30 at 6pm (in T2) — Psycho Paul’s Film Festival
Dir. Paul Van Dan Elzen, 1990, 99 min., DCP
Co-Presented by VHShitfest

A bloody, sadistically funny satire of cheap horror exploitation films, Psycho Paul’s Film Festival revolves around Psycho Paul, a sinister, egotistical filmmaker who believes that his films are both the greatest and worst films ever made. In the film, he introduces previews and scenes from his films as a tribute to himself. VHSHITFEST is so proud to present this mesmerizing outsider art epic for the first time ever on the big screen!

Tuesday, October 31 at 7pm — Ginger Snaps
Dir. John Fawcett, 2000, 108 mins, 35mm

An entire generation of horror filmmakers owes a debt to Ginger Snaps. Released at the turn of the millennium, John Fawcett’s Canadian feminist werewolf movie was an early entry into the menstrual-horror subgenre, taking the coming-of-age of a suburban outcast and turning it into a sharp and subversive werewolf story. Katharine Isabelle stars as Ginger, the elder of two death-obsessed sisters who’s attacked by a werewolf on the same night she starts her first period. Emily Perkins plays Ginger’s younger sibling Brigitte, who has to save Ginger from herself when the full moon rises on Halloween night.

The post Hey Chicago, Come See ‘The Changeling’ with our Halloweenies at the Bride of Music Box of Horrors appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

“The Changeling” will make its global debut with the first three episodes on Friday, September 8, 2023 on Apple TV+, followed by one new episode every Friday through October 13.

Watch the official trailer for “The Changeling” below and read on for more.  

Based on the acclaimed best-selling book of the same name by Victor LaValle, “The Changeling” is a fairytale for grown-ups. The series is described as “A horror story, a parenthood fable and a perilous odyssey through a New York City you didn’t know existed.”

In addition to Stanfield, the series stars Clark Backo, Adina Porter, Samuel T. Herring, Alexis Louder, Jared Abrahamson, and special guest star Malcolm Barrett.

“The Changeling” is written and adapted by showrunner and executive producer Kelly Marcel, and the pilot episode was directed by Melina Matsoukas.

The series is produced by Apple Studios and Annapurna. Megan Ellison, Patrick Chu and Ali Krug are executive producers on behalf of Annapurna.

Showrunner Kelly Marcel, the book’s author Victor LaValle, David Knoller, and director Jonathan van Tulleken executive produce alongside star LaKeith Stanfield. Director Matsoukas serves as executive producer through her De La Revolución Films. Sue Naegle and David Wolkis also serve as executive producer, Khaliah Neal as co-executive producer.

The post “The Changeling” Trailer – LaKeith Stanfield Stars in Adult Horror Fairy Tale from Apple TV+ appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

“The Changeling” will make its global debut with the first three episodes on Friday, September 8, 2023 on Apple TV+, followed by one episode weekly through October 13.  Just in time for the Halloween season to reach full swing.

The series is described as “A horror story, a parenthood fable and a perilous odyssey through a New York City you didn’t know existed.”

In addition to Stanfield, the series stars Clark Backo, Adina Porter, Samuel T. Herring, Alexis Louder, Jared Abrahamson, and special guest star Malcolm Barrett.

“The Changeling” is written and adapted by showrunner and executive producer Kelly Marcel (Cruella, Venom, Venom: Let There Be Carnage). The pilot episode was directed by Melina Matsoukas (Queen & Slim, “Insecure”).

While the first look images and poster give nothing away, the official synopsis for LaValle’s best-selling novel reads: “When Apollo Kagwa’s father disappeared, all he left his son were strange recurring dreams and a box of books stamped with the word IMPROBABILIA. Now Apollo is a father himself—and as he and his wife, Emma, are settling into their new lives as parents, exhaustion and anxiety start to take their toll. Apollo’s old dreams return and Emma begins acting odd. Irritable and disconnected from their new baby boy, at first Emma seems to be exhibiting signs of postpartum depression, but it quickly becomes clear that her troubles go even deeper. Before Apollo can do anything to help, Emma commits a horrific act—beyond any parent’s comprehension—and vanishes, seemingly into thin air. Thus begins Apollo’s odyssey through a world he only thought he understood, to find a wife and child who are nothing like he’d imagined. His quest, which begins when he meets a mysterious stranger who claims to have information about Emma’s whereabouts, takes him to a forgotten island, a graveyard full of secrets, a forest where immigrant legends still live, and finally back to a place he thought he had lost forever.”

The series is produced by Apple Studios and Annapurna. Megan Ellison, Patrick Chu and Ali Krug are executive producers on behalf of Annapurna. Showrunner Kelly Marcel, the book’s author Victor LaValle, David Knoller, and director Jonathan van Tulleken executive produce alongside star LaKeith Stanfield. Director Matsoukas serves as executive producer through her De La Revolución Films. Sue Naegle and David Wolkis also serve as executive producer, Khaliah Neal as co-executive producer.

The post “The Changeling” – Apple TV Unveils First Look at Horror Fairy Tale Series Based on Victor LaValle’s Best Selling Book appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

This Halloween, we look back at ten of the scariest moments in non-Halloween horror movies that take place around the best holiday of the year. Halloween, of course! 

The Child – Sentient Jack-o-Lantern

Alicianne has just been hired as housekeeper and caretaker to young Rosalie Nordon, who recently lost her mother. Alicianne soon realizes that Rosalie has a supernatural gift, including zombies at her disposal, and uses it to seek revenge on those who piss her off. Atmospheric dread erupts into Fulci-like chaos on Halloween. Alicianne comes downstairs into the den to find one creepy jack-o-lantern staring her down. It spins around to keep its glowing eyes on her. It’s a small, understated moment of pure spine-tingling creepiness that sets up a wild final act.

You Are Not My Mother – Let’s Dance

Writer/Director Kate Dolan’s Irish folkloric horror takes place around Halloween. It follows a teen whose mother, Angela, goes missing, returning home later without explanation and with an altered personality. What came home might not be her mother but a Changeling. Dolan’s folk horror movie favors psychological chills with a fraught mother/daughter relationship and atmospheric dread over jump scares. Carolyn Bracken delivers an unsettling performance as the Changeling version of Angela, particularly in the scene where Angela beckons her daughter to dance with her in the living room. It begins benign but grows more intense and menacing the more daughter Char gets weirded out by the peculiar behavior. 

Something Wicked This Way Comes – Spider Nightmare

Based on Ray Bradbury’s novel of the same name, this kid-friendly horror/dark fantasy film didn’t shy away from getting pretty dark. It certainly had zero qualms about introducing young audiences to arachnophobia, either. Poor Will and Jim learn that not even their bedroom is safe from the terror of Mr. Dark when a crack in the ceiling bulges and splits open, releasing hundreds of tarantulas into the room. They’re everywhere. The floors, crawling up pajama pant legs and squirming beneath bed sheets- the normal respite for nighttime terrors. It’s an absolute nightmare.

Slugs – Restaurant Meltdown

In this 1988 horror film by Juan Piquer Simon (Pieces), a small town gets inundated by toxic waste slugs that go on a homicidal rampage. Because this is a Simon flick, those deaths get pretty gnarly. The most unsettling occurs at a restaurant, over a business dinner. One of the dinner guests isn’t feeling so well. Unbeknownst to him, he’d eaten slug-contaminated lettuce, and it’s done a number on his insides. A painful meltdown, profuse bleeding, and slug larvae explosions ensue. All appetites at this restaurant are effectively destroyed.

House of 1000 Corpses – Deputy Steve

It doesn’t end well for deputies and a father searching for his missing daughter when they arrive at the Firefly home. After Mother Firefly (Karen Black) dispatches the Sheriff, Otis (Bill Moseley) begins to gun down the deputies. Writer/Director Rob Zombie films this in slow motion while Slim Whitman’s “I Remember You” plays over the violence. Zombie then builds the tension to a palpable degree as Deputy Steve (Walton Goggins) falls on his knees in surrender. The music ends, and Zombie lets the scene linger in silence as Otis presses his gun to the Deputy’s forehead. This excruciatingly uncomfortable moment lasts for almost 40 seconds until Otis finally pulls the trigger, piercing the suspense and leaving us shaken.

The Blair Witch Project – Mike’s Corner

In October 1994, a trio of film students set off into the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland, to film a documentary about the local urban legend of the Blair Witch. Only their found footage is left to tell their tale of horror. Slow-burn chills and thrills escalate when Josh goes missing, sending Mike and Heather into a full-blown panic. They follow Josh’s cries for help to an abandoned house, where Heather and Mike get separated. An unseen force attacks Mike in the basement, and when Heather ventures down after, she too is attacked. Her camera catches Mike standing silently in a corner as she gets attacked offscreen. The terrifying imagery of this moment and its implications sticks with you.

The Changeling – Red Bouncing Ball

Only a great movie like The Changeling could make something as benign as a small red ball so creepy. For lead character John Russell, he finds himself plagued by strange occurrences shortly after moving into a historic mansion. One of which is a little red ball that moves on its own accord. So, he gets rid of it by driving to a nearby bridge and tossing it over. He gets home, takes off his jacket, and is about to walk into his study when the same ball bounces eerily down the stairs toward him.

Hell House LLC – Night Visitor

A Halloween haunt crew picks the empty Abaddon Hotel for their latest seasonal attraction and moves in to get it ready in time. Naturally, they don’t realize it’s been uninhabited for a reason, and the hotel’s spooky denizens waste no time welcoming their new tenants. One of the scariest moments of this creepfest sees one of the members awakened in the middle of the night by a strange sound. He turns on the light, unaware that a ghost has been sitting in the dark, watching him. When he notices her, he turns the light off and buries himself under the covers. The ghoulish night visitor finds him anyway.

Sinister – Lawnmower Scare

True crime author Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke) upends his family and relocates them to a new town so he can research his next book. Only Ellison knows that the new home harbors a history of murder, and soon he discovers a box of Super 8 snuff films in the attic. Halfway into Scott Derrickson’s unsettling horror movie, Ellison watches another Super 8 reel, this one feeling different from the rest. The camera voyeuristically gazes upon unsuspecting prey before retreating to the garage to retrieve a lawnmower. The camera then goes out into the quiet, dark night. The quiet becomes almost deafening as the mower rolls along, until it’s jarringly punctuated by piercing screams as the mower rolls over one of the family members. It makes for one startling, potent jump scare.

Ghostwatch – The Cellar Door

Originally airing on Halloween night in 1992, this horror mockumentary was presented as a televised live event. Involving BBC reporters investigating a house in Northolt, Greater London, where paranormal activity caused trouble for a family, it caused viewers at home to believe the events were real. What made Ghostwatch so scary was its attention to detail; the ghost of Pipes could often be spotted lurking in the frame’s background, making viewers panic. Those subtle scares and the ever-lurking presence of Pipes heightened the terrifying conclusion that unleashes a paranormal onslaught. The final image of Greene getting dragged into a cellar door that slams shut is pure nightmare fuel, effectively sending viewers into a tizzy over what happens next.

The post 10 of the Scariest Moments in Horror Movies Set Around Halloween appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

This week’s streaming picks are dedicated to 1980s horror movies set on or around Halloween, excluding the Halloween franchise.

Here’s where you can stream these five 1980s Halloween titles this week, from kitchen sink cult gems to made-for-TV chillers!

Cemetery of Terror – AMC+, Shudder, Tubi

Rubén Galindo Jr.’s most prominent horror feature is the American-influenced Don’t Panic (available on Shudder), but the Halloween-centric Cemetery of Terror offers the most fun. A trio of college kids decides to impress their ladies by stealing a body from a morgue for a Halloween prank and party in an abandoned house. It happens to be the body of a serial killer, and reading an incantation from a book revives it. This supernatural slasher brings bloody mayhem in the vein of Lucio Fulci and features legendary character actor Hugo Stiglitz as the occult expert.

The Changeling – AMC+, Arrow, Plex, Shudder, Tubi, Vudu

George C. Scott stars in this seminal haunted classic as a music professor attempting to start fresh after his wife and child’s death. He relocates to Seattle and moves into a historic Victorian mansion with plans to work on his music, but he experiences strange phenomena immediately. The more the paranormal activity increases, the more he’s drawn into a decades-long mystery involving a child. The Changeling is a quiet chiller grounded by a fantastic lead performance and an intriguing murder mystery. Mostly, though, it’s full of dread and creepy moments – no other horror movie will make you afraid of bouncing balls quite like this one.

Dark Night of the Scarecrow – Roku, Screambox, Tubi, Vudu

Don’t let the simplicity of this made-for-TV movie fool you; Dark Night of the Scarecrow is compelling storytelling. Set in a small Southern town over the Halloween season, a mentally challenged man is wrongfully murdered for a crime he didn’t commit. When his murderers evade justice, a mysterious scarecrow systematically takes them out. Halloween décor, scarecrows, farmland, and a fantastic performance by horror stalwart Larry Drake make for one perfect Halloween season movie. It’s streaming on Bloody Disgusting’s SCREAMBOX now!

Lady in White – AMC+, Shudder, Tubi

Based on the legend of “The Lady in White,” in which a ghost searches for her daughter in Rochester, New York, the film begins on Halloween in 1962, where 9-year-old Frankie (Lukas Haas) gets locked in the schoolroom closet by bullies and witnesses the ghost of a young girl getting murdered. This event sets off a murder mystery full of spirits that are spooky and entertaining enough for kids yet layered with complex social themes for grown-ups. Paralleling Frankie’s journey, it’s the type of film that will teach budding horror fans that perhaps ghosts aren’t so scary after all.

Night of the Demons – AMC+, Freevee, Pluto TV, Shudder

Angela Franklin (Amelia Kinkade) and her best bud Suzanne (Linnea Quigley) decide to throw their Halloween party at Hull House, an abandoned mortuary with a dark past. Sure enough, an evil presence awakens after a séance, and their group is trapped inside Hull House while demonic spirits prey on them one by one. Night of the Demons offers a spooky, fun title sequence, cool demon FX, a memorable villainess, and a wide embrace of horror iconography- right down to a bookended trick-or-treating tale. It’s a holiday cult classic.

The post Five 1980s Halloween Horror Movies to Stream This Week appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Severin Films will be haunting disc players across the continent with a new 4K edition of Peter Medak’s beloved ghost story The Changeling, along with landmark Spanish television series Tales to Keep You Awake, My Grandpa Is a Vampire via the Severin Kids imprint, and the entire Plaga Zombie Trilogy through sublabel Intervision Picture Corp.

As if that isn’t enough, Severin will also be putting out a Blu-ray double feature of Al Adamson’s Dracula vs. Frankenstein and Brain of Blood as a standalone release.

Read on for everything you need to know about Severin’s September slate…

THE CHANGELING: It has been called “remarkable” (Paste Magazine), “utterly terrifying” (Mondo Digital) and “a ghost story guaranteed to freeze the blood” (Gannett). Now this “masterpiece of terror” (Reel Reviews) from director Peter Medak (THE RULING CLASS) comes to UHD like you’ve never seen, heard or experienced it before: Academy Award® winner George C. Scott gives “one of his greatest performances ever” (Bloody Good Horror) as a grieving music professor tormented by a paranormal horror that includes “the best séance in horror movie history” (Newsweek). Trish Van Devere (THE HEARSE), two-time Oscar® winner Melvyn Douglas (THE TENANT) and Jean Marsh (FRENZY) co-star in “one of the most terrifying horror films of all time” (DVD Beaver), now scanned in 4K from the internegative with 4½ hours of Special Features – including revealing new interviews with Medak – plus a soundtrack CD and more.

TALES TO KEEP YOU AWAKE: Though he made two feature films – the legendary WHO CAN KILL A CHILD? and THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED – the ultimate legacy of writer/director Narciso ‘Chicho’ Ibáñez Serrador remains his groundbreaking 1966-1968 Televisión Española series HISTORIAS PARA NO DORMIR. Serrador wrote, directed and introduced every episode, adapting stories by Ray Bradbury, Edgar Allan Poe, Robert Bloch and his own material under the pseudonym Luis Peñafiel, shocking Franco-era audiences with black humor, macabre themes and sharp social commentary while inspiring generations of Spain’s greatest genre filmmakers as well as a 2021 reboot. This definitive 2-disc collection includes Serrador’s complete classic series, 1974 special, 1982 mini-series and more that celebrates the Lifetime Achievement Goya Award winner Nerdist calls “one of the great Euro-Horror directors of all time.”

PLAGA ZOMBIE TRILOGY: In 1997, 17-year-old suburban Buenos Aires filmmakers Pablo Parés and Hernan Sáez pooled $450 to co-write/produce/direct and star in a shot-on-VHS zombie epic of such flesh-ripping, gore-spewing greatness that it instantly drew global cult acclaim and redefined the possibilities of extreme DIY horror. Over the next 20 years, Parés, Sáez and their friends would create two increasingly ambitious – and equally brilliant – viscera-soaked sequels (and several short films) that made them “Argentinian George Romeros who’ve built a small empire of gore flicks” (Fangoria). The complete PLAGA ZOMBIE TRILOGY is now presented together for the first time ever, remastered and upscaled to HD by the directors with an all-new documentary and more that celebrates  “the pioneers in contemporary Argentinian horror whose passion continues to influence others in Latin America and around the world” (Dread Central).

MY GRANDPA IS A VAMPIRE: Al Lewis – beloved for his role as Grandpa in THE MUNSTERS television series – delivers “a particularly demented performance” (Scary Minds) as Vernon Cooger, frail old man by day and fanged flyer of the undead at night. But when his visiting grandson discovers Vernon’s dark secret, can they team up to take down a stake-making slimeball? Justin Gocke (GODZILLA 1985) and Noel Appleby (‘Everard Proudfoot’ in THE LORD OF THE RINGS) co-star in this “engagingly silly and anti-authority kids’ movie” (The Hollywood Reporter) – also known as MOONRISE and GRAMPIRE – directed by New Zealand horror pioneer David Blyth (DEATH WARMED UP) and written by Michael Heath (NEXT OF KIN), now scanned in 2K from the original negative under the director’s supervision and loaded with new & vintage Special Features.

DRACULA VS. FRANKENSTEIN/BRAIN OF BLOOD: For their ultimate schlock-horror epic, director Al Adamson and producer Sam Sherman brought together hippies, bikers, carnies, mad doctors, ax murders, acid trips, Oscar® nominees J. Carrol Naish and Russ Tamblyn, FREAKS star Angelo Rossitto, ‘Freak-Out Girl’ Regina Carrol, Famous Monsters editor Forrest J Ackerman, Lon Chaney Jr. in his final film appearance, Zandor Vorkov (aka Roger Engel) as Dracula, lab gizmos from the original FRANKENSTEIN, and a climactic battle between the titular icons that remains unlike anything the screen has ever seen. As a Bonus, Grant Williams (THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN), Kent Taylor (BRIDES OF BLOOD) and much of the DvF cast star in Adamson & Sherman’s 1971 mega-lurid brain-transplant masterpiece BRAIN OF BLOOD.

Find full release info and pre-order your copies over on Severin’s website now.

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These ten Halloween-themed horror movies run the gamut from requisite holiday favs to deep cuts, each using Halloween in some way to bring the chills, thrills, and, occasionally, laughs.

As always, here’s where you can stream them this week….

Oh and Happy Halloween! 

The Changeling – AMC+, Arrow, Midnight Pulp, Plex, Shudder, Tubi

George C. Scott stars in this seminal haunted classic as a music professor attempting to start fresh after his wife and child’s death. He relocates to Seattle and moves into a historic Victorian mansion with plans to work on his music, but he experiences strange phenomena right away. The more the paranormal activity increases, the more he’s drawn into a decades-long mystery involving a child. The Changeling is a quiet chiller grounded by a fantastic lead performance and an intriguing murder mystery. Mostly, though, it’s full of dread and creepy moments – no other horror movie will make you afraid of bouncing balls quite like this one.

The Child – Arrow, Tubi

If you’re in the mood for obscure Halloween fare, Tubi has you covered. The Child follows a recently hired nanny who arrives at her employer’s rural home to find that their eleven-year-old daughter harbors a few very nasty secrets. It’s another entry in the creepy, killer child category of horror but stands out for its bizarre leaps and eerie atmosphere. One memorable jack-o-lantern scare stands out, setting the perfect mood for the Halloween season.

Dark Night of the Scarecrow – Roku Channel

Don’t let the simplicity of this made-for-TV movie fool you; Dark Night of the Scarecrow is compelling storytelling. Set in a small Southern town over the Halloween season, a mentally challenged man is wrongfully murdered for a crime he didn’t commit. When his murderers evade justice, a mysterious scarecrow systematically takes them out one by one. Halloween décor, scarecrows, farmland, and a fantastic performance by horror stalwart Larry Drake makes for one perfect Halloween season movie.

Flatliners – Hulu

Five medical students experiment with near-death experiences; each taking turns flatling for the possibility of knowledge and medical insight into death. The more they dabble, the more their past sins catch up to them, threatening grave physical harm. This star-studded supernatural thriller sees its ambitious characters too preoccupied with their work to embrace Halloween, but Death won’t let them forget. Ghosts of the past get so much stronger on Halloween night.

Hell Fest – Netflix

Gregory Plotkin’s Halloween slasher unleashes a masked killer that uses a Halloween theme park as his slaying grounds, blending in with the scare actors while committing murder. The terrorized group of friends cannot seek help, either; the patrons think the terror is all part of the event. Hell Fest uses a requisite holiday pastime- the haunt- as the center stage for this slasher that seeks to retool the definition of “Final Girl.” The inventive set pieces add to the fun. But if it’s not scary enough for you, Haunt takes itself far more seriously and is available on Shudder.

I Am Not a Serial Killer – AMC+

John Wayne Cleaver (Max Records) adheres to a strict therapy regimen and rules to ward off his sociopathic, homicidal impulses. His darker nature makes him deeply curious when a string of murders ensues in his small midwestern town, each leaving behind traces of black goo. This adaptation of Dan Wells’ novel offers a unique blend of supernatural mystery and a sweet yet strange coming-of-age tale. While it doesn’t wholly embrace Halloween, the holiday does factor into the film’s events. Christopher Lloyd also stars.

Idle Hands – Pluto TV

If you’re in the mood for something that doesn’t take itself seriously at all and goes full-throttle on the Halloween fun, this is it. Devon Sawa stars as Anton Tobias, a high school slacker whose hand becomes possessed and homicidal. That proves problematic when it comes to wooing the girl of his dreams, though his undead friends have his back. Idle Hands offers plenty of splatstick, irreverent charm set around Halloween. Including one prominent third act set at the Halloween high school dance. It even includes several music-based cameos.

Night of the Demons – AMC+, Pluto TV, Shudder

Angela Franklin (Amelia Kinkade) and her best bud Suzanne (Linnea Quigley) decide to throw their Halloween party at Hull House, an abandoned mortuary with a dark past. Sure enough, an evil presence awakens after a séance, and their group is trapped inside Hull House while demonic spirits prey on them one by one. Night of the Demons offers a spooky, fun title sequence, cool demon FX, a memorable villainess, and a wide embrace of horror iconography- right down to a bookended trick-or-treating tale. It’s a holiday cult classic.

Trick’ r Treat – HBO Max

It’s near impossible to exclude Trick’ r Treat from any Halloween horror watchlist; it’s the perfect genre interpretation of the holiday in every way. Writer/Director Michael Dougherty seamlessly interweaves five tales of terror, all set on Halloween night, each representing a different rule or facet of the holiday. And then there’s Sam, the physical embodiment of Samhain, who’s crossed over from celluloid into reality to become a proper Halloween mascot, merch and all.

WNUF Halloween Special – Shudder

This clever retro-styled horror-comedy presents itself as an off-air recording of WNUF’s Halloween special that aired on October 31, 1987. Television reporter Frank Stewart (Paul Fahrenkopf) investigates the haunted Webber House on-air throughout the news broadcast. It begins benign enough, but the further Frank gets into his broadcast, the creepier the house becomes. Keeping with the recorded-off-TV format, WNUF Halloween Special is loaded with faux commercial breaks and infomercials that evoke Halloween nostalgia.

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Melina Matsoukas (Queen & Slim) will direct, with LaKeith Stanfield (Get Out, Knives Out, Judas and The Black Messiah) starring. The series from Annapurna and Apple Studios is described as “a fairytale for grown-ups. A horror story, a parenthood fable and a perilous odyssey through a New York City you didn’t know existed.”

Deadline recaps the book…

“When Apollo — the role that Stanfield will be playing — and Emma have their baby, Brian, it feels like both a reward and a challenge for the new dad. Apollo, the son of a single mother, had been scraping by as a bookseller who hunts estate and garage sales for rare first editions, so even the unusual circumstance of Brian’s birth (on a stalled subway train) seems like a blessing, as does the way Apollo stumbles across a first edition of To Kill a Mockingbird (inscribed by Harper Lee to Truman Capote, no less) shortly thereafter. But after some young-parent squabbles and inexplicable images on their smartphones foreshadow trouble, the story turns nightmarish: Apollo finds himself tied up and beaten by Emma, then forced to listen to the sounds of Brian’s murder.”

Stanfield and Marcel are also on board to executive produce.

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Worse, Beth realizes he may have harbored some disturbing secrets.

Much of Bruckner’s latest rests on Hall’s shoulders, with most of the movie spent solely with her character. And the filmmaker puts her through the emotional and physical wringer, especially when it comes to the scares. Bloody Disgusting learned how she prepared for the particular type of horror Bruckner had in mind in a press conference with the actress.

It turns out it involved watching a lot of horror classics. Hall revealed her favorites in drawing inspiration, “I don’t know that I had any specific influences for the character per se, but I’m certainly influenced and inspired by certain movies and the genre that I love. There’s a film called The Changeling. A man is the central character, he’s haunted, but I rewatched that. I also revisited some general favorites, like the 40s version of Cat People, which has nothing to do with anything, but it was fun to watch. Also, The Haunting, a 60s film by Robert Wise, I think is great. And then there’s The Shining and Rosemary’s Baby and all those classics. The theme of a central character spiraling and losing their mind is quite a prevalent theme in the horror genre, and I suppose I revisited the ones that I liked in that kind of arena.”

Bruckner crafts several intense, memorable moments of terror that get under your skin, and the actress revealed that it started with the script. “My thoughts when I first read this script were, this is scary. This is scary, and also, this is fun. I think there were some aspects of this script that I thought were very intelligent and sensitive in regards, a depiction of a woman dealing with grief and trying to rationalize, come to terms with a catastrophic event that’s happened four days before the movie starts.”

Filming the jump scares wasn’t as daunting as it sounds, with Hall peeling the curtain back a bit to explain. “The scary sort of stuff is fairly gut’s response. I would often ask David [Bruckner] to make a loud noise or slam something, so I could naturally react to something. The other stuff takes a little bit more thinking, but it’s emotionally intuitive.”

One of the most challenging scenes for Hall to film turned out to be a key physical encounter with the paranormal. “When it came to doing that scene, it wasn’t like there was someone choreographing it. As we got into it further, there were stunts and all these sorts of very practical, detailed work. But the initial idea of me having this interaction or romantic encounter with an invisible presence was essentially me improvising it, which was fairly embarrassing.

“I wasn’t embarrassed because I realized pretty quickly that I was going to look silly, and I just accepted that and knew that everyone would laugh at me and just got on with it. After a while, it became strangely liberating. It felt like doing some kind of intuitive dance or something, which was nothing like anything I’ve ever done before as an actor. And it was nice to use your physicality in that respect.”

You can see Hall’s riveting performance when The Night House (read my review) releases in theaters on August 20, 2021.

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It’s a chilling new take on classic haunted house horror, with an emphasis on chilling. So, this week is haunted house set horror that brings the scares to help cool off the blazing August heat. More fittingly, these titles feature protagonists experiencing grief and loss in varying ways. Sad characters trapped inside with things that go bump in the night? Yes, please.

As always, here’s where you can stream them this week.

The Changeling – AMC+, Plex, Shudder, Tubi

George C. Scott stars in this seminal haunted classic as a music professor attempting to start fresh after his wife and child’s death. He relocates to Seattle and moves into a historic Victorian mansion with plans to work on his music, but he experiences strange phenomena right away. The more the paranormal activity increases, the more he’s drawn into a decades-long mystery involving a child. The Changeling is a quiet chiller grounded by a fantastic lead performance and an intriguing murder mystery. Mostly, though, it’s full of dread and creepy moments – no other horror movie will make you afraid of bouncing balls quite like this one.

His House – Netflix

Husband-and-wife Sudanese refugees Bol (Sope Dirisu) and Rial (Wunmi Mosaku) have been through more than most endure in a lifetime. They’ve fled their war-torn village, crossed the ocean, survived a degrading stint in a U.K. detention facility, and have been finally granted an opportunity for housing in their new country. The home may be roomy, but they face hostility in and outside its moldy walls. Remi Weekes’s feature debut transforms the refugee experience into a petrifying horror film with expertly crafted scares. For all the existential terror that Bol and Rial face in their new lives, the director keeps a firm grip on the supernatural, too.

Ju-On: The Grudge – Prime Video

The third entry in Takashi Shimizu’s terrifying franchise introduced Kayako and her equally terrifying son Toshio to international audiences. While most haunted houses bear the imprint of past traumas through their ghostly residences, Ju-On takes it further by ensuring that the house is irrevocably cursed. Kayako and Toshio suffered horrible deaths, and their pain manifested in the form of vengeful spirits that doom anyone who steps foot into their former home to suffer the same fate. You’ll never be able to un-hear Kayako’s death croak.

The Dark and the Wicked – AMC+, Shudder

Bryan Bertino, a filmmaker with a reputation for bleak horror, creates unrelenting dread and evil in the vacuum of loss here. His latest is rife with suffocating dread, disturbing visuals, and a haunting atmosphere. Siblings Louise (Marin Ireland) and Michael (Michael Abbott Jr.) return to their childhood home to say their final goodbyes to their dying father, much to their mother’s disappointment. She’d warned them not to come, and it doesn’t take long to figure out why; an evil presence has taken root on the family’s rural land, and it wants them all. Ireland and Abbott Jr. deliver tremendous performances. The horror is intrinsic to a family coping with grief and loss, but it’s heightened to a horrifying degree thanks to Bertino’s distinct style and twisted vision of evil. It makes for a volatile, frightening viewing experience steeped in nihilism.

The Orphanage – Starz

What a debut by director J.A. Bayona (A Monster Calls, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom). As an adult, Laura returns to the closed orphanage where she grew up with plans to reopen it as a center for disabled children. But when her HIV-positive son learns he’s adopted and goes missing soon after, strange things begin happening within the expansive orphanage. Laura’s former friends from childhood may never have left at all. It’s creepy, it’s moving, and it takes a few unexpected turns in terms of plot. Kids in horror are creepy, but kid ghosts? Even creepier. But be sure to have tissues on standby for this one.

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Gothic horror is as beautiful to look at as it is dark and macabre.

This week’s streaming picks traverse crumbling mansions to haunted New Orleans and feature death and disturbing romances. Here’s where you can watch them this week.

Crimson Peak – Netflix

Marketing may have billed this as a straightforward haunted horror movie, but Guillermo del Toro’s directorial efforts never deliver pure horror. Instead, the lover and champion of monsters provides his take on the Gothic romance. Del Toro subverts many tropes by making the lead the heroine of her own story and twisting the love triangle. Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska) accompanies her new husband to his derelict mansion and finds herself in grave danger. Look for Javier Botet and Doug Jones as some of the mansion’s ghostly residents, but here they’re the benign sort that serve as warnings.

The Whip and the Body – Kanopy, Shudder

So much of Mario Bava’s genre output could qualify here and most are highly recommended. Instead of the more well-known films, like Black Sunday, this week’s pick goes to one of his lesser discussed efforts. It’s easy to see why it’s not as prominent; its S&M take on romance can get uncomfortable as it seems to skirt the line with consent. As for the plot, a sadistic nobleman (Christopher Lee) seems to return from the grave to rekindle a love affair with his former lover. Ghosts, dark castles and chambers, and repressed sexuality check off all the boxes of Gothic romance. In Bava’s hands, it’s gorgeous, stylized, and extremely steamy.

Interview with the Vampire – Tubi

If any movie monster is synonymous with gothic horror, it’s the vampire. Universal Classic Horror and Hammer introduced a brooding, regal take on the bloodsucker, and Anne Rice carried on that tradition with her novel series The Vampire Chronicles. Directed by The Company of Wolves‘ Neil Jordan and adapted for the screen by Rice, Interview with the Vampire follows the vampire Louis (Brad Pitt) as he tells his life story to a reporter. Turned by Lestat (Tom Cruise), Lestat comes to regret his choice as he finds love, loss, and betrayal. Full of epic gothic set pieces from New Orleans to Paris, this one features plenty of bloodletting, death, emotional downward spirals, and romance.

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959) – Tubi

What’s a Gothic horror list without at least one Hammer horror film? While their output offers no shortage of great Gothic takes on classic monsters, this adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s 1902 novel makes for another slightly lesser-seen option. This gothic mystery sees Sherlock Holmes (Peter Cushing) and his pal Watson investigating the murder of his friend, believed to have died of fright from seeing a ghost hound. A moody mystery full of danger and shadowed menace, all set within and around a grand manor, makes this another great gothic Hammer gem. And Cushing makes for a fantastic Sherlock Holmes.

The Changeling – AMC+, Plex, Shudder

If period horror isn’t for you, no matter how hard you’ve tried, this non-period selection probably will be. George C. Scott stars as a composer that relocates to a historical mansion after the tragic loss of his wife and child. Of course, it turns out that he’s not alone in his new house; its ghostly tenant draws him into a decades-old mystery. A dark mansion with an equally dark history, dusty attics, deadly secrets, and a protagonist stuck in an emotionally fragile state all make for a more modern yet chilling take on gothic horror. It’s a classic.

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Even with a little light at the end of the tunnel, we’re not entirely out of it yet. Some of us have lost relatives, friends, and jobs, but we’ve also suffered a collective emotional trauma. We’re all grieving and going to do it in different ways, and eventually—hopefully—we’ll all come out of it.

It feels only fitting that we cap the year off with a dive into horror’s 10 best examples of dealing with grief, mourning and loss. 

It Follows

Trauma begets grief. Most flicks on this list, well, actually all but one, focus on dealing with the latter and offer brief glimpses of the former. It Follows deserves a spot because it dives into trauma headfirst. But with a surprisingly subtle touch not generally associated with a genre known for splattering blood, guts, and everything in-between. 

How do we process the traumatic thing that’s happened to us? How do we accept the event before we can move on to the next step in healing? And what is the real cost of that acceptance? It Follows wrestles with these questions but doesn’t forget to keep the audience entertained in the process. The things that follow in It Follows are not just metaphors for guilt, STDs, or a loss of innocence. They’re a constant reminder of suffocating trauma. 

We Are Still Here

Shocker, a ghost story on a list of movies dealing with grief and trauma. Who would’ve thought? We Are Still Here shares one major thing in common with several films on this list: parents coping with a child’s death. Death is always tragic but burying someone you brought into this world has to hit harder. The couple in We Are Still Here do their best to keep it together, which is to say Scotch tape and bubble gum would do a better job. 

The movie explores how it feels to long for a loved one who isn’t returning and how painful it is coming to grips with that fact. On top of that, it has some very dope scares, a small-town conspiracy, Barbara Crampton, and ends with emotional closure. Can’t do much better than that. 

Pet Sematary 

We Are Still Here examines acceptance when it comes to losing a loved one. Pet Sematary is a gigantic flashing sign for those who can’t accept and will do anything to bring someone back from the dead. There’s no need to single either adaptation out since both do a good job illustrating how grief can pull a family apart or push them together. Even if said push comes from a morbid and weird place. 

At the center of both the original 1983 flick and the 2019 version is a character drowning in desperation. The emotionally torn father is willing to do anything to make his family whole and keep his marriage together. Grieving over a loved one sucks, and if we could bring them back, we probably would. But there’s always a cost for playing God, and Pet Sematary believes it’s a hefty ransom. Sacrificing one’s own soul is one thing, but the soul of a loved one? That’s heavy. “Sometimes dead is better” isn’t just a catchy, joyful line of dialogue; it’s a damn good summary of the story’s big idea.  

The Exorcist 

A lot is out there about William Friedkin’s classic, but not much is said about Father Karras’ bout with grief for a massive chunk of its runtime. Karras is going through it after his mother dies and walks around ensconced in guilt because she was alone. Oh, and by the way, part of the reason she died alone in a hospital is that Karras couldn’t afford to pay the rent for her apartment anymore. That’s a lot to heap onto anyone’s shoulder. Even if they’re a priest turned psychiatrist. 

Karras believes this is something he can’t quite atone for. Survivor’s guilt is real and is probably experienced by people we know more often than we think. Blaming ourselves for what happened and wondering what more we could’ve done is natural, but that doesn’t mean it’s healthy. The Exorcist has an affirming message for anyone suffering loss: it’s okay, and it’s not your fault. 

The Babadook  

Speaking of looking for blame in all the wrong places, along comes Jennifer Kent’s 2014 film about a widow and her son. The Babadook turns grief into an actual monster that feeds off a child’s fears and the negative energy of a mom at her wit’s end. It’s hard being a single parent but blaming your kid for your spouse’s death has to make it more than a tad harder. 

Kent’s movie cranks the tension by marrying it to the mom’s frustration and anger. The worse she feels, the more threatening the Babadook gets. And the bigger the threat the Babadook poses, the more her son freaks out. It’s a neat metaphor for grief, and how, if left unchecked, it can become all-encompassing for us and those around us. 

Doctor Sleep

Danny Torrance is in the throes of grief the first second he shows up on the screen. He carries it with him into adulthood and is struggling with moving on. Doctor Sleep is about being in your own way, and the fear of confronting grief. Danny is his own worst enemy. Watching him put the pieces back together and mentor someone with the same gifts is one of the movie’s most moving aspects. 

Doctor Sleep is a rarity in horror because Danny not only processes his grief, but he gets closure with the ghosts of his past as well. But none of it is easy. We see Danny truly work to better himself and be a positive influence on those around him. We see him flirt with ignoring his responsibility to Abra only to realize he can’t. The film affirms that we can make it through the other side when bad things happen. Yes, even when those bad things involve seeing murderous twin girl ghosts, a parent threatening us with an ax, and then said parent freezing to death at the creepiest hotel ever. 

Hereditary

On the other end of the spectrum is Hereditary, a film soaked in pain, sorrow, and pure unpleasantness. And there’s not a single therapist around. Ari Aster’s debut may be the best film dealing with the grief of the last decade, horror or otherwise. Bad things pile on the shoulders of the main characters until their legs buckle under the pressure. Before they can begin to process the inciting tragedy, they get another one that is even more devastating. We’re still human, and there’s only but so much we can handle. 

Hereditary understands better than most films, just how uncomfortable the process is. Feelings are messy, and when they start to fly in this flick, it feels just as violent as a knife to the ribs. This family has a tiny circle from what we’re shown, meaning there aren’t many outlets for what they’re dealing with. We see them dance around the obvious and harbor ill feelings towards one another for days that feel more like years. When everything erupts, it’s nasty, but even then, nothing is truly settled. Even when it’s over, and we realize the truth, we’re still left with a mess on our hands. 

Don’t Look Now

Don’t Look Now is another movie about the struggle of letting go. Nicholas Roeg’s 1973 flick, like Pet Sematary, shows how far we’re willing to stretch our beliefs to fill a void. And just like that movie, the results are less than ideal. After losing their daughter in a drowning accident, a married couple goes to Venice to get away from it all. Then the weird things start, and the husband wonders whether their daughter is trying to communicate from the great beyond. 

What separates this from other movies on the list is how it taps into the obsession to make things whole. Sure, there’s some guilt too, but compulsion drives the film forward and is behind every decision Donald Sutherland’s character makes or chooses not to make. He needs to believe everything will be okay and refuses to hear an opposing point of view. He’s obsessed with righting a wrong and, through that misguided action, thinks he’ll find peace. That’s not quite what happens, but he gets an A for effort.  

The Descent

Even before the “scary” stuff starts in The Descent, the film is already a nightmare. A woman is the lone survivor of a horrific car crash that included her husband and daughter. One year later, she goes on a spelunking trip with her friends in an attempt to find some normalcy. Trekking through a dark cave isn’t my idea of fun, but hey, who am I to judge? Anyway, that’s when the fun begins. The Descent is, well, a descent into madness wrought by inconsolable grief. There’s rage, anger, hate, frustration, and any other feeling one can attribute to the dark side of the force. Neil Marshall’s movie is an exercise in catharsis, and the monsters are in no way the scariest aspects.

The Descent’s main character puts on a happy face for her friends because the truth is complicated and messy. She wants to move on and starts to believe she’s okay when in reality, she’s a mess. The deeper they get into the cave, the more honest she is with herself and those around her. Even before blood is sprayed and bones jut out of the skin; it’s a torturous movie. But the grieving process is anything but neat.  

The Changeling

The Changeling does what every movie on this list does but does it better. Tragic inciting incident? Check. Grieving widower/parent? Double-check. Ghosts? Triple Check. And it even has a main character obsessed with solving a mystery as part of his catharsis. For a 40-year-old movie, it never once feels dated, and that’s because it’s rooted in genuine emotion from the first frame till the final credit. 

A man loses his wife and daughter, moves into an old mansion, and experiences plenty of paranormal activity. He’s haunted by memories of his loved ones and by a spirit who needs his help. Both beings are looking for closure and trying to understand why bad things happen to innocent people. The main character, played by George C. Scott, has the look of a man who is just beaten down but is too tough to tell anyone. So when he does let it all out, it makes the film more potent and the emotion palpable.  

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Moreover, a ghost can be anything. Sometimes they serve as disembodied punishment for breaking the rules or trespassing. Sometimes a spirit is an echo of a past misdeed, a haunting imprint of guilt. Sometimes, they serve as a guide on a mysterious journey. Whatever their purpose in horror might be, they give you goosebumps.

These five spooky ghost movies bring the scares, and they’re all available to stream this week.

The Changeling – Shudder

George C. Scott stars in this seminal haunted classic as a music professor attempting to start fresh after his wife and child’s death. He relocates to Seattle and moves into a historic Victorian mansion with plans to work on his music, but he experiences strange phenomena right away. The more the paranormal activity increases, the more he’s drawn into a decades long mystery involving a child. The Changeling is a quiet chiller grounded by a fantastic lead performance and an intriguing murder mystery. Mostly, though, it’s full of dread and creepy moments – no other horror movie will make you afraid of bouncing balls quite like this one.

The Gravedancers – Prime Video

A group of former college friends goes out for a night of drinking after attending a funeral. Once drunk, they decide to return to the graveyard to say their final goodbyes and find a note with rules of dancing over graves. They follow instructions and don’t realize until far too late that they’ve invited the ghostly inhabitants of the graves to follow them home. Director Mike Mendez brings a retro vibe to this ghost story and delivers a few memorable moments of terror. These ghosts are of the worst, most menacing variety, and the ghastly ghost designs pack a visceral punch. 

Satan’s Slaves – Shudder

A loose remake/prequel of the 1980 Indonesian horror film, writer/director Joko Anwar brings the unrelenting scares. Set in a remote home, a family struggles to survive after mom Mawarni Suwono’s long battle with illness dried up all the royalties from her once-lucrative music career. Her death triggers a series of supernatural occurrences suggesting that perhaps mom made a deal with the devil, and he’s come to collect. The isolated setting, the atmosphere, and the endless barrage of frights make this ghost story a perfect Halloween watch.

Hell House LLC – Prime Video, Roku, Tubi, Shudder

It doesn’t get much more Halloween specific than this pick. A group of friends works to transform an old hotel into a Halloween haunt attraction in time for the season. An unexplained accident on their first night in business results in 15 attendees and staff members’ tragic deaths. Over a decade later, a documentary crew ventures there to answer what happened on that fateful night. Written and directed by Stephen Cognetti, this faux-documentary style horror movie brings tons of thrills and chills. The maze-like setup of the home and the subtle details enhance the spooky tone of this movie. This place is haunted, and it’ll instill a deep fear of clowns.

The Devil’s Backbone – Criterion Channel

Directed and co-written by Guillermo del Toro, this period haunter is set during the Spanish Civil War. Recently orphaned, young Carlos is taken to an orphanage in the middle of nowhere and finds that it’s full of dark secrets. The key to unlocking them, of course, is through its ghosts. As is the case with all of del Toro’s films, The Devil’s Backbone isn’t a straightforward horror film, but rather it uses horror to bolster a more poignant tale that’ll give you all the feels. This orphanage is steeped in betrayal and tragedy. Its ghost delivers a few scares, but mostly it’ll break your heart.

Bonus: The Frighteners – HBO Max

Because you might need some comic relief to chase the chills away, and it’s available to stream only on a premium service, consider this a fun bonus. In Peter Jackson’s horror-comedy, Michael J. Fox stars as a man who discovers he can communicate with ghosts after surviving a brush with death. He uses that new gift to con people but finds himself drawn into a demonic plot that puts many lives at risk. It’s up to him to save the day. Inventive, thrilling, and full of laughs, The Frighteners is a ’90s horror highlight.

The post Stay Home, Watch Horror: 5 Spooky Ghost Movies to Stream This Week appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Deadline reports this morning that Finnish filmmaker Anders Engström (“Taboo,” “Hanna,” “See”) will be directing the upcoming remake for producer Joel B. Michaels.

“The film follows a musician who, after the death of his young daughter, returns to his childhood home. After a series of terrifying events, he begins to unlock the mystery of the dead child that haunts his home along with a terrible family secret.”

Tab Murphy wrote the script, and Deadline teases that the new take on the George C. Scott-starring supernatural horror film will feature “several new twists and turns.”

Cornerstone Films is shopping the remake project at the virtual Cannes market.

The post Supernatural Horror Classic ‘The Changeling’ Being Remade by Director Anders Engström appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

But in the hands of the right movie makers, these boxes of brick and wood can be terrifying.

In researching my meta-haunted house novel Twelve Nights at Rotter House, I dug deep into the haunted house movie subgenre and discovered five rules for them—the HHOA bylaws—but also learned that some of the best haunted house movies flipped that haunted house model faster than the Property Brothers inadvertently picking up the Amityville Horror house.

1. Haunted House Movies Take Place in Houses…right?

It’s right there in the name: Haunted house movie. Otherwise it’s a ghost story, right? However, haunted house stories can take place in all kinds of edifices and structures. Even vehicles. The Shining, The Innkeepers, and 1408 are all in hotels. Ghost Ship is on a ship. Below is on a submarine. The currently in production Horrorstör is in a furniture store. Poltergeist III and The Sentinel take place in apartment buildings. There’s more to haunted house stories than suburban sprawl.

Haunted house movies, while they can say a lot about where we hang our toothbrushes, are more about enclosed spaces. Defined borders. Walls and floors and roofs. Inside-ness. You’re safe on the sidewalk in front of the We Are Still Here house, but once you cross the threshold, you’re Larry Fessenden with a fire poker in your eye. You could take a beached whale carcass, stick candelabra-wielding guests inside it, and it could feel like a haunted house.

2. Haunted House Movies Star Ghosts…right?

Again, it’s there in the name. If you don’t need a literal house, surely you at least need it to be haunted? This section is going to be a spoiler-fest, so—like entering a haunted house—continue at your caution. 

Many great haunted house movies end up without a single ghost in their entire run-time. These houses just appear to be haunted until the Scooby Gang unmasks the human villains at the end. Think Housebound, The Pact (sorta), the original House on Haunted Hill (Vincent Price with a puppetry rig strapped to his torso!), Session 9. We realize as the credits roll, that we were actually watching a mystery movie. But you’ll still find these films in the horror section of your local streaming service.

That’s partly because we’re looking for an ambiance from haunted house movies, that aforementioned inside-ness, but also because haunted has more than one definition – only one of which involves ghosts.

3. Haunted House Movies Feature Spooky Locations…right?

Hill House, Hell House, Bly Manor, Rose Red, Dunsmuir House, whatever the name of the estate in Crimson Peak is—these mansions all get a prominent place on the poster. They’re big and creepy and you can just tell from the opening shot that only evil lives there. I mean, who has the house from Poltergeist tattooed on their arm? 

But some movies sidestep castle-like mansions masterfully. Paranormal Activity worked because the house didn’t look special. It was bland and beige and a lot like the houses most people live in. Poltergeist, as already mentioned. The Witch in the Window. Ghostwatch. The Haunting in Connecticut. But that’s part of what made them scary. If you look up and see that your living room looks a lot like the haunted living room on the TV, you might think twice about crossing it to refill your popcorn. And the chances of sleeping with the lights on are much higher.

4. Haunted House Movies Climax with a Big Reveal…right?

Every movie is a mystery movie in some way. But haunted house movies come pre-loaded with multiple mysteries automatically: 1) Is this house haunted or not? 2) Is the force behind that haunting paranormal or human? 3) What do the ghosts or humans want? The answers to those questions are the big reveal of the movie and often the climax.

But some of the best haunted house movies don’t offer easy answers to those questions, like The Babadook. And The Innocents. I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House. In fact, the gold standard for haunted house movies, Robert Wise’s The Haunting, has no reveal whatsoever. Poor Eleanor. 

5. Haunted House Movies Use Houses as Traps…right?

Michael Myers slashes with a kitchen knife. Candyman disembowels with a hook. Haunted houses…they’re a bit more indirect with their murder and maimery. Sometimes they kill with pieces of themselves (Owen Wilson beheaded in a fireplace), but they mostly possess people to do the dirty work. But they do all that by trapping their victims inside. After all, if you can walk outside, it’s pretty easy to outrun a house. Even Terrified, which was a haunted neighborhood movie, still keeps its spooks indoors. 

Still, some of the best haunted house movies let people come and go for most of the film, like The Changeling, What Lies Beneath, and The Amityville Horror. Some haunted house movies are all about the opposite, trying to make the residents leave. Like Beetlejuice. And Sinister. 

In the end, a haunted house movie doesn’t need to have a house, have that house be haunted, or really adhere to any predefined conditions. It’s an ambiance more than anything else. A place where something goes bump in the night. And, with that flexible of a foundation, an imaginative director can make the haunted house as immediate and terrifying as any other cinematic monster.

Over the years, many have.

J.W. Ocker is the Edgar Award-winning author of horror novels Death and Douglas and the recently released meta-haunted house novel Twelve Nights at Rotter House. He has written for Rue Morgue, Paracinema, ShriekFreak, as well as mainstream publications like The Boston Globe, The Guardian, and The Atlantic. Ocker is from John Waters’ Maryland but has lived in Robert Eggers’ New Hampshire for more than a decade. Visit him at oddthingsiveseen.com.

The post The Five Rules of Haunted Houses and the Horror Movies That Broke Them Brilliantly appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

There are over 100 titles to pour over and create your own customized October viewing schedule, if you so choose, or you can watch them all!

Either way, you might want to bookmark this and save for next year too…

31 (2016)

Rob Zombie’s most polarizing yet is set during Halloween 1976. Five carnival workers are kidnapped and held in a compound where they’re then tasked with playing a violent game. The goal of that game, 31, is to survive the next 12 hours against a gang of violent, homicidal clowns. 31 stars Sheri Moon Zombie, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Meg Foster, Malcolm McDowell, and Richard Brake as scene-stealing Doom-Head.

The Addams Family (1991)

Con artists attempt to con the eccentric and macabre Addams family by using an accomplice that claims to be their long lost relative. The family’s persona exudes Halloween spirit, but the film also takes a bow on the holiday.

All Hallows’ Eve (2013)

After a night of trick or treating, a babysitter finds an unmarked VHS tape in one of her two wards’ trick or treat bags. The trio decide to watch it, and find it contains three tales of terror featuring a creepy clown named Art. As the night wears on, strange things start happening in the house. This anthology by Damien Leone marks the feature introduction to Art the Clown.

The Amityville Horror (1979)

The Lutz family thinks they’ve received the bargain of the century when they purchase their dream home, but they had no idea a mass murder had been committed on the property just a year prior. The house also happens to be extremely haunted, putting their lives at risk. Clearly, the Lutz family has bigger things to worry about than Halloween, which doesn’t factor into the story at all. But it is set pretty close to Halloween time.

The Amityville Horror (2005)

This remake of the 1979 haunted house classic adheres pretty closely to the original, at least in characters and setting, but makes modern adjustments with pacing and backstory. Meaning if you want more blood, chills, and danger then this is for you. This one stars Melissa George and Ryan Reynolds.

Among the Living (2014)

Three kids skip school to play and goof off. When they explore an abandoned film studio lot, they witness a captive woman being dragged by a masked man. A masked man who wants to eliminate any witnesses. Halloween plays a major factor in the film’s prologue, and a Halloween mask from the opening carries over in the main narrative.

Bad Reputation (2005)

A high school tale of revenge, Michelle has had enough bullying and decides to take matters into her own hands. Think slasher/revenge thriller lite. The film’s climax takes place at a Halloween party.

The Barn (2016)

It’s 1989. Seniors Sam and Josh just want to enjoy their final Halloween before graduating, and decide to spend Devil’s Night at a rock concert. But they decide to take a detour on the way there, and their group of friends ends up awakening an evil from an abandoned barn. Look for horror vets Linnea Quigley and Ari Lehman.

Beetlejuice (1988)

After an accident, the spirits of a deceased couple are annoyed by the family that has moved into their home. They seek outside help removing them from a malevolent spirit. It’s showtime!

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

In October 1994, a trio of film students set off into the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland to film a documentary about the local urban legend of the Blair Witch. Only their found footage is left to tell their tale of horror. This formative horror movie is a perfect spooky Halloween tale.

Boo (2005)

Before directing Sharknado, writer/director Anthony C. Ferrante helmed a Halloween set horror movie that saw a group of college kids sneaking into an abandoned hospital on Halloween. What could go wrong? Everything. They get trapped inside, and it’s haunted.

Boo! (2018)

A suburban family is barely keeping it together; the parents are struggling with their marriage, and the kids suffer depression. An innocent prank played on them on Halloween night unleashes a supernatural force that wreaks havoc upon the family.

Boys in the Trees (2016)

On Halloween 1997, two estranged teens embark on a surreal journey through dark fantasy, horror, dreams, and fears in this bittersweet coming of age story. Look for ‘90s nostalgia, an earworm soundtrack, and loads of Halloween atmosphere.

Candy Corn (2019)

Over Halloween weekend, a group of bullies take their hazing too far on poor Jacob Atkins. Jacob will have the last laugh, though, when he’s resurrected to enact revenge. Look for notable horror stars like P.J. Soles, Coutney Gains, and Tony Todd.

Cemetery of Terror (Cementerio del terror) (1985)

Halloween pranks in horror are always a really bad idea. Here, a group of teens think it’d be hilarious to steal a corpse from a morgue. A corpse of a serial killer, no less. When the teens read an incantation from an old book over the corpse, it returns to life. Along with all the other dead bodies in a nearby cemetery. Nice going, guys.

The Changeling (1980)

John Russell (George C. Scott) has just lost his wife and child in a tragic accident. In his grief, he moves across the country and into a historical mansion that’s still harboring the ghosts of its past. An eerie fall chiller that is set over Halloween, though that doesn’t factor into the story in any way. John Russell understandably has other things on his mind.

The Child (1977)

Alicianne has just been hired on as housekeeper and caretaker to young Rosalie Nordon, who recently lost her mother. Alicianne soon realizes that Rosalie has a supernatural gift, including zombies at her disposal, and uses it to seek revenge on those who piss her off. This one is set, of course, over Halloween and makes creepy use of a jack o’ lantern.

C.H.U.D. II: Bud the C.H.U.D. (1989)

A sequel in name only, C.H.U.D. II is a zombie comedy starring Gerrit Graham as Bud, the zombie remnant of a military experiment to create super soldiers. Leave it to teens to let Bud loose in their neighborhood, causing a horde of new zombies. Being that it’s Halloween, Bud and his new zombie friends blend right in, and make an appearance at the Halloween dance.

The Clown Murders (1976)

Four men kidnap an old girlfriend on Halloween night as a prank to ruin a real estate deal. Halloween pranks are bad news, and the group learns the hard way when a clown-masked killer stalks them. A rare horror movie to star John Candy.

The Collection (2012)

Arkin faces off against the deadly Collector once more when he’s forced to help rescue a girl from the killer’s booby-trapped lair. More gore, bloodshed, and creative deaths. Arkin doesn’t have time for Halloween if he wants to survive, but this does take place over the holiday.

The Collingswood Story (2006)

When Rebecca leaves home to attend college in Collingswood, New Jersey, her boyfriend gifts her with a webcam so they can maintain their long-distance relationship. Told through the webcam over the days leading up to Halloween, it becomes clear something is seriously wrong with the house Rebecca has moved into.

Creepshow (1982)

Directed by George A. Romero with screenplay by Stephen King, this classic anthology spins five tales of terror based on EC horror comics. It’s only the wraparound segment that’s set on Halloween, though its revenge plot means that the connection to the holiday is a bit slim.

Creepshow 2 (1987)

Just like its predecessor, the Halloween ties are minimal. Co-written by Romero with Michael Gornick in the director’s chair, this anthology contains another wraparound tale of revenge, and three spooky segments.

The Crow (1994)

On October 30, Eric Draven and his fiancée are brutally murdered. One year later, Eric is resurrected to avenge that tragedy. Based on the comic book, this dark fantasy is a horror adjacent story set on Devil’s Night.

Cry Wolf (2005)

A group of eight prep school students gather to play a game of Cry Wolf, where one of them is marked as a Wolf and the group has to figure out who it is. But their mystery game is complicated when a killer is on the loose. This mystery slasher is, of course, set over Halloween.

Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981)

In a small Southern town over the Halloween season, a mentally challenged man is wrongfully murdered for a crime he didn’t commit. Even worse, a crime that didn’t even actually happen. A creepy, mysterious scarecrow enacts vengeance. A supernatural story set in a small town full of Halloween nostalgia.

Deadly Friend (1986)

Directed by Wes Craven, the plot sees a teen attempting to save his braindead friend by implanting a microchip after her abusive father puts her in the hospital. Instead of getting his friend back, though, he gets something much worse. Spanning the fall season, past Thanksgiving, Halloween factors into the plot in a major way.

Demonic Toys (1992)

This Full Moon feature sees a pregnant cop pursuing a gun dealer into a toy warehouse…one that happens to have evil origins dating back to Halloween night of 1925. That evil is looking to be reborn, and unleashes demonic toys upon them.

Donnie Darko (2001)

A psychological thriller that follows a troubled teen plagued by visions of a man in a rabbit suit after narrowly escaping a freak accident. The visions spurn him into committing a series of crimes. Set in October of 1988, the surreal cult classic’s climax kicks off on the night of a Halloween party.

Ernest Scared Stupid (1991)

The night before Halloween, Ernest Worrell accidentally releases an ugly troll that turns children into wooden dolls. It’s up to Ernest and his middle school friends to stop the troll.

The Exorcist (1973)

In this definitive horror classic, teen Regan is possessed by an evil entity after playing with a Ouija board. Her desperate mother seeks out the help of two priests when medical assistance fails to yield any progress. The possession horror movie that defined a subgenre spans the fall season, including Halloween. But don’t look for the holiday to factor into the story much.

Flatliners (1990)

Five medical students decide to experiment with near death experiences, in the hopes of discovering if there’s life after death. That is, they each take turns flatlining while the others resuscitate them. But their actions have consequences, and their past mistakes begin to haunt them. The lone female of the group (Julia Roberts) decides to take a turn on Halloween, with nearly catastrophic results.

FleshEater (1988)

A low budget zombie flick that sees a group of teens taking a nighttime Halloween hayride, and they come across flesh eating zombies. It’s a fight for their lives as the zombie infection spreads. Written/directed by/starring Bill Hinzman, who played small roles in a number of George A. Romero movies, including Night of the Living Dead.

Flick (2008)

An oddball hybrid that mixes rockabilly, comic books, and zombies. The plot sees a Memphis cop investigating a series of strange deaths in the wake of the resurrection of a 1950s murder victim. A victim who happens to be in search of his teenage sweetheart. Faye Dunaway plays the cop. Halloween theming can be found in the dance scene and music numbers.

The Funhouse Massacre (2015)

A group of psychopaths escape their asylum and terrorize unsuspecting patrons of a Halloween funhouse. It just so happens that the funhouse mazes are a perfect complement to the psychopaths varying personalities. This one features horror stars Robert Englund, Courtney Gains, and Clint Howard.

Ghostwatch (1992)

On Halloween night, the BBC dedicates their programming to a supernatural investigation of the most haunted house in Britain. What seems like a night of irreverent laughs turns into something more harrowing for BBC, the investigators, and viewers at home. This mockumentary style TV special stirred up controversy for its realism, and scared the pants off those watching.

Ginger Snaps (2000)

A pair of sisters obsessed with the macabre, therefore social outcasts, deal with puberty and death when one of them is bitten by a werewolf. This beloved werewolf favorite stars Emily Perkins and Katharine Isabelle, and its climax falls on Halloween.

Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (2018)

Two young friends find a magic book that brings a ventriloquist dummy, Slappy, to life. On Halloween, Slappy brings costumes and decorations to life, wreaking havoc on the town in an attempt to take over.

Grave Halloween (2013)

On Halloween, Maiko travels to the Aokigahara Forest -aka Suicide Forest- to search for her birth mother, who has recently committed suicide. Three of her friends travel with her, hoping to turn the trip into a documentary. Haunted forests are bad news, especially on Halloween.

Gravy (2015)

A trio of costumed misfits take an entire Mexican cantina hostage on All Hallow’s Eve. They force their hostages to engage in games, food, and libations, but the catch is that this trio has very specific dietary needs. The hostages don’t know they’re on the menu in this horror comedy.

The Guest (2014)

David shows up one day at the Peterson residence, claiming to be a friend of their son who died in action. But David’s behavior is a little off, and people start dying around him. Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett’s action hybrid is a Halloween set favorite.

Hack-O-Lantern (1988)

A low budget slasher where a seemingly standard grandpa reveals himself to be a leader of a satanic cult that sacrifices people on Halloween. Pure ‘80s insanity.

Halloween (1978)

15 years after murdering his sister on Halloween night, Michael Myers escapes from his mental hospital and returns to Haddonfield to kill again. John Carpenter’s seminal slasher sparked an entire franchise as well as the Golden Age of slashers.

Halloween (2007)

Rob Zombie’s remake sees Michael Myers escaping from his mental institution and returning to Haddonfield to find his sister, Laurie Strode. A Halloween set massacre ensues.

Halloween (2018)

Michael Myers escapes once more to kill again on Halloween night, four decades after the events of the first film. Laurie Strode is ready to confront her boogeyman this time. This sequel ignores all sequels after the original.

Halloween II (1981)

Picking up directly after the first film, Sheriff Bracket and Dr. Loomis are searching for Michael Myers while Laurie in transported to the hospital. No one is aware that the killer is hot on her trails.

Halloween II (2009)

Laurie Strode is coping with the trauma and aftermath of the previous film’s events, while Michael Myers prepares for another fateful reunion with his sister. Rob Zombie’s follow up doubles down on the bloodshed.

Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)

Silver Shamrock masks are the hot ticket item of the Halloween season. Too bad there’s a sinister and deadly plot attached. Only Daniel Challis (Tom Atkins) can stop it. The first and only Halloween film without Michael Myers.

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)

Ten years after the events of the first film, Michael Myers returns to Haddonfield once more to slay on Halloween. This time he’s targeting his young niece Jamie. Only Dr. Loomis stands in the way.

Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)

A year later, after the events of part 4, Michael Myers returns to Haddonfield for a rematch against his niece Jamie, now mute and traumatized from her first encounter.

Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)

Six years later, Michael Myers continues his pursuit of Jamie, now grown and with a newborn. It’s the newborn that Myers, and the mysterious cult behind him, desperately wants. It’s up to Dr. Loomis and a grown Tommy Doyle to thwart their nefarious plans.

Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)

Laurie Strode has relocated and changed her name as a means to hide from her past. But Michael Myers finds her anyway. Laurie must once again battle for her life, as well as her son’s, against the boogeyman.

Halloween: Resurrection (2002)

Michael Myers confronts his sister once more, then returns home to Haddonfield. Too bad there’s a group of erstwhile reality tv stars currently filming in his house on Halloween.

Halloween Hell (2014)

From the director of The Brain comes a low budget horror comedy that sees reality show contestants trapped on set with a Devil Doll and a bizarre horror host that thinks he’s Dracula.

HalloweeNight (2009)

A bullied college student creates a Frankenstein like creature to enact revenge on those who wronged him. He plots a Halloween massacre at a college bash, and only one other student stands in his way.

Haunt (2019)

On Halloween night, a group of college kids attend an “extreme” haunted attraction that promises to use their fears against them. They soon realize that the stakes are much higher when the body count starts piling up.

Hellbent (2004)

Four friends roam the streets of West Hollywood for a Halloween festival on Halloween night, and soon find themselves stalked by a serial killer dressed as Satan.

Hell House LLC (2015)

Five years after a strange event leaves 15 staff members and attendees dead on opening night of a Halloween haunted attraction, a documentary crew travels back to the scene to find out what happened. Really bad things, that’s what.

Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel

Eight years after the Hell House tragedy, investigative journalist Jessica Fox assembles a team and enters the hotel in search of answers thanks to an anonymous tip. They find much more than they bargained for, of course.

Hell Fest (2018)

A horror themed amusement park over Halloween becomes the playground for a masked serial killer. The killer terrorizes a group of friends, picking them off one by one, but the park’s patrons think it’s all part of the show.

Hell Night (1981)

Four college kids are forced to leave the comfort of their costumed Halloween party and spend the night at a deserted old mansion, rigged with tricks to spook them. No one realized that the place is still inhabited by the monstrous survivor of a family massacre many years prior.

Hellions (2015)

A group of creepy trick or treaters with evil intent come knocking at the door of a teen dealing with a personal crisis. It turns her Halloween night into a harrowing fight for survival.

Hocus Pocus (1993)

The new teen in town struggles to fit in, and as a result he inadvertently awakens a trio of witches on Halloween. Now he has Halloween night to stop them before they drain all of the souls from the town’s children. Requisite holiday viewing.

Holidays – “Halloween” (2016)

A horror anthology that celebrates the most notable and beloved holidays. Kevin Smith takes on Halloween, which sees the tables turned on an abusive Internet sex service employer.

The Hollow (2004)

The last blood relative of Ichabod Crane is lured back to Sleepy Hollow, where he must face off against the Headless Horsemen if he wants to save his girlfriend, friends, and the town.

Hollow Gate (1988)

A young boy is nearly drowned by his alcoholic father at a Halloween party. An incident that has driven him completely insane. Cut to ten years later, the boy embarks on a killing spree. Happy Halloween!

Home Movie (2008)

A POV movie that documents the Poe family’s descent into psychological terror, relayed over their home video footage. Home videos of major holidays, including Halloween, introduce us to the idyllic lives of mom, dad, and 10-year-old twins. But it doesn’t take long to notice that something is very, very wrong with the twins. Can mom and dad save them from their inner darkness, or is it too late?

House II: The Second Story (1987)

Jesse has just inherited his family home, a sprawling mansion with a ton of hidden secrets. Secrets that include a mummy grandpa, baby dinosaurs, demons, and Aztec warriors, all of whom are looking for a powerful crystal skull. Luckily Halloween and a costume party helps Jesse cover up what’s going on.

House of 1,000 Corpses (2003)

Two young couples combing the backwoods of Texas for urban legends find themselves caught in the cross hairs of one sadistic, serial killing family on Halloween night. Rob Zombie’s feature debut was initially conceived while he was designing a haunted attraction for Universal Studios.

House of Fears (2007)

The night before a Halloween haunt opens up for the season, a group of friends sneak in for a night of fun. They find themselves trapped with no way out, and it becomes unclear what’s real and what’s not as the death toll rises.

The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018)

When Lewis Barnavelt is orphaned and sent to live with his uncle, he discovers his uncle and neighbor are wielders of magic. But the house harbors a clock with the ability to bring about the end of the world. Directed by Eli Roth, this one is based on a children’s book of the same name by John Bellairs.

The Houses October Built (2014)

In the days leading up to Halloween, five friends set out to visit America’s scariest haunted houses. Their intent is to record their experiences and interview the scare actors, which leads to disturbing discoveries. The friends find themselves stalked by strange people as a result.

The Houses October Built 2 (2017)

After surviving their ordeal from the first film, the friends decide to face their fears head on by embarking on another haunted house filled road trip. But the mysterious people who stalked them may not be through with them after all.

I Am Not a Serial Killer (2016)

John Wayne Cleaver is a diagnosed sociopath with homicidal tendencies. In addition to keeping his own dark impulses at bay, he must track down and kill a supernatural killer on the loose. Set over the fall, look for a high school Halloween dance to factor into the plot.

I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957)

A troubled teenager is used as a guinea pig by a hypnotherapist that has developed a serum. A serum that turns the teen into a werewolf, of course. The teen gets particularly vicious at a Halloween bash.

Idle Hands (1999)

A teen slacker’s parents wind up dead. When a couple of his friends are found slaughtered too, he realizes the murderer behind it is his possessed right hand. This horror comedy is the ultimate Halloween set slacker movie.

The Invasion (2007)

A fungus-like alien lifeform controls people who come into contact with it when they enter REM sleep. It quickly becomes an epidemic. A psychiatrist unearths the origin, and discovers her son might be the key to stopping it. The narrative takes place around Halloween, with a key scene at a Halloween party.

Jack-O (1995)

On Halloween, an evil pumpkin-headed demon known as Jack-O is accidentally resurrected. It seeks to destroy the descendants of the family who buried him in the first place. Linnea Quigley stars.

Lady in White (1988)

On Halloween day in the 1960s, a young boy is bullied and locked in his classroom closet overnight, where he witnesses the murder of a little girl. It kickstarts a haunting, and a murder mystery that tears his small town apart.

Livid (2011)

When Lucie and her friends learn that the former owner of a prestigious dance academy has hidden treasure somewhere inside her sprawling home, they sneak in on Halloween night to find it. But that treasure might be nothing more than a deadly trap. Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo’s follow-up to Inside still hasn’t made its way stateside.

The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane(1976)

13-year-old Rynn is celebrating her birthday alone on Halloween when a nosy landlady and her perverted son come knocking. Atmosphere and thrilling mystery unfolds when it becomes clear Rynn is hiding something in the basement; and she’s determined to keep it a secret.

May (2002)

May is a shy, lonely woman desperate to connect with people around her. When her attempts are rebuffed one time too many, May is sent into a tailspin that results in murder. Halloween plays a major role in this one.

The Midnight Hour (1985)

A lighthearted Halloween movie that sees a group of teens unwittingly raising the dead when they perform a ritual. But it’s not just zombies that have come to crash their Halloween dance; vampires, werewolves, and all things bump in the night have come to party as well.

Mischief Night (2013)

Emily suffers from psychosomatic blindness after a car accident that took her mother’s life. On Halloween, she must dig deep to protect herself and her loved ones from a creepy intruder.

Mischief Night (2014)

The night before Halloween, a babysitter is stalked by a masked killer. A tale as old as time (or 1978), right? Except this time, the babysitter and killer might be developing romantic feelings for one another.

The Monster Squad (1987)

You can bet the group of young monster fanatics at the center of this childhood favorite would be gearing up to trick-or-treat if they weren’t too busy saving town from Count Dracula and his monsters. This fall-set horror movie is the perfect Halloween treat for the young and old alike.

Murder Party (2007)

A lonely man finds an invitation to a Halloween shindig and decides to attend, not knowing that it’s a ruse by art students looking to commit murder in the name of art. What transpires is more comedy of errors, though, resulting in a hilarious and bloody wave of mishaps and deadly mistakes.

Neon Maniacs (1986)

There’s a group of murderous monsters living beneath Golden Gate Bridge. They go on the prowl at night, looking for victims to slaughter. When one teen escapes their wrath, no one believes her that monsters are on the loose. All of that changes at her high school’s Halloween dance.

Night of the Demons (1988)

Teens decide to set up their Halloween party at an abandoned funeral parlor. An old evil is awakened in the process, locking the teens in and turning their night of fun into a demonic hell. Angela sure knows how to throw a party.

Night of the Demons 2 (1994)

Six years after the events of the first film, Angela’s body was never found. Her parents commit suicide, leaving Angela’s sister Melissa alone at a boarding school. When her bullies are banned from the school’s Halloween party, they drag a group with them back to Hull House, where the demons are awakened once more.

Night of the Demons 3 (1997)

A group of delinquents run afoul of some cops, and hide out in a nearby abandoned house to avoid arrest. What they don’t know is that they’ve entered Hull House, and it just so happens to be Halloween. Which means the demonic Angela is ready to host a new party.

Night of the Demons (2009)

In this remake of the Halloween horror favorite, a new group of Halloween party goers find themselves fighting for their lives against demons. This update gets a brand new mythology behind the demonic presence, but look for a cameo by original ballerina gal Linnea Quigley.

Once Bitten (1985)

A 400-year-old vampire Countess must drink the blood of virgin males three times before Halloween each year to retain her immortality. By mid-1980 in Los Angeles, hopes of maintaining that immortality seem impossible. Until she meets Mark Kendall (Jim Carrey).

ParaNorman (2012)

A boy with the ability to see and talk to ghosts takes on ghosts, zombies, and even adults in his quest to save his town from a 300-hundred-year-old curse. Set in a New England town around Halloween.

Pay the Ghost (2015)

Professor Mike Lawford (Nicolas Cage) takes his young son to a local carnival on Halloween night. While distracted, Mike’s son goes missing. Cut to a year later and his life is in shambles, but he feels as if his son might be communicating with him from the spirit realm.

Pet Sematary (1989)

Based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name, a father discovers a mystical burial ground behind his house with the ability to resurrect the dead. When tragedy strikes, the father makes one fateful decision out of grief. Set over the fall, Halloween doesn’t factor in as much as it does in the novel.

Pet Sematary (2019)

A new adaptation of King’s classic that sees the Creed family altered in very different, horrifying ways by the burial ground behind their new home. Halloween plays a bigger part in this take, namely in a pivotal scene involving Ellie’s cat Church.

Pet Sematary Two (1992)

A teen and his father, still grieving over the sudden loss of his mother, move to her hometown. They too encounter the burial ground that destroyed the Creed family, and the horror begins anew. Halloween permeates this sequel.

The Pit (1981)

A creepy and solitary boy makes an equally creepy discovery in the woods, and then uses it to seek revenge on those who make him angry. Seriously disturbed boy aside, this small town tale is set over the fall. Corn fields, football, and of course Halloween parties.

Poltergeist (1982)

The Freeling family has just moved into a brand new neighborhood. They soon discover that their shiny new home is haunted by multiple spirits, and they’re most interested in youngest daughter Carol Anne. Even though the movie is set over the Halloween season, you can’t tell at first glance- the sunny Southern California sun doesn’t scream “fall.”

The Predator (2018)

Young Rory, a bullied autistic boy, finds Predator armor tucked away in the basement and decides to use it as a Halloween costume. It attracts the attention of more Predators, and Rory’s father must band together with a group of misfit ex-soldiers to prevent the destruction of humankind.

Primal Rage (1988)

A scientist experimenting on baboons accidentally creates a rage virus. When a journalist breaks into the lab, he’s bitten and infected, and spreads the infection. Anyone bitten turns homicidal. Look for a Halloween dance gathering to factor into the equation.

The Pumpkin Karver (2006)

On Halloween night, a prank involving a pumpkin face mask results in death. A year later, the trauma still fresh, someone wearing a pumpkin face mask terrorizes a group at a party.

The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999)

This sequel follows Rachel, a teen dealing with a traumatic past and the treacherous social interactions of high school. Her recent discovery of telekinetic powers turns to full blown homicidal rage when the high school jocks push her too far. The film is set over fall, including Halloween, though it doesn’t have much of a presence at all.

The Return of Count Yorga (1971)

A sequel to Count Yorga, Vampire, the vampiric count continues to feed off of the local community. He’s taken up residence in the nearby orphanage and is in search of a new vampire wife. This vampire also makes appearances at the school’s Halloween shindig.

Return of the Living Dead: Rave to the Grave (2005)

Part 5 of this franchise is likely for completists only. It follows a college student in possession of a drug, “Z”, to sell at the Halloween rave. Instead, he creates a ton of zombies.

Satan’s Little Helper (2005)

Dougie is a boy obsessed with a video game that has him playing as Satan’s helper. While out trick or treating, he comes across someone in costume arranging a dead body and assumes the costumed person is actually Satan, and asks Satan to send his sister’s boyfriend to Hell. He then becomes the unwitting pawn of a serial killer.

The Scarehouse (2014)

Two years after a freak accident, six college gals are invited to a Halloween haunted attraction. They don’t realize until they’re inside and trapped that their hosts might have something much more sinister planned.

Scary Movie (1991)

A paranoid young man comes to strongly believe that a psychopath has taken up residence in the local Halloween haunted house. Look for a cameo by Eddie Munster actor Butch Patrick.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019)

A Halloween night prank in 1968 results in the discovery of a book containing spooky tales that brings your worst fears to life. Based on the popular children’s book series by author Alvin Schwartz and illustrator Stephen Gammell.

Silver Bullet (1985)

Paraplegic young boy Marty, his sister, and his uncle must deal with a werewolf terrorizing their small town, beginning in the spring of 1976. Based on Stephen King’s novella Cycle of the Werewolf, the monthly full moon appearances of the werewolf mean the narrative passes over multiple holidays. Our favorite one included.

Sinister (2012)

True crime writer Ellison Oswalt moves his family into a new home, where he discovers a box of super 8 home movies filled with horrific murders dating back to the ‘60s. The more he researches the murders, the more strange things begin to happen around him.

Sleepy Hollow (1999)

Tim Burton’s big budget take on the Legend of Sleepy Hollow has a skittish Ichabod Crane sent to Sleepy Hollow to investigate a series of murders where the victims have lost their heads. The culprit, of course, is the Headless Horseman. And witchcraft.

Slugs (1988)

Toxic waste turns a town’s garden variety slugs into carnivorous, deadly creatures on a rampage. Being that this is directed Juan Picquer Simon (Pieces), the deaths are delightfully gory. The slug rampage happens to coincide with Halloween.

Tales of Halloween (2015)

A horror anthology dedicated solely to Halloween, featuring ten segments set in one suburb that spin spooky tales of murderers, boogeymen, trick or treating revenge, ghoulish pumpkins, and more.

Terrifier (2016)

Art the clown is back. He terrorizes three women on Halloween, along with anyone else who stands in his way. This one is for gore-hounds.

Tormented (2014)

Aka Berkshire County. A bullied teen reluctantly agrees to babysit at an isolated rural home on Halloween. When a boy in a pig mask knocks on the door to trick or treat, the teen enters into a harrowing cat and mouse game that holds no promise of survival.

Trick or Treat (1986)

Teen Eddie is devastated at the news of his metal idol Sammi Curr’s passing. But Sammi had a pact with the devil, with plans to return from the grave on Halloween night at the expense of those around Eddie. Metal, horror, and Halloween. Enough said.

Trick or Treats (1982)

A poor babysitter is stuck babysitting the brat from hell on Halloween night. One that won’t stop playing mean pranks on her. As if that isn’t bad enough, his deranged father has escaped from the mental hospital and wants to visit.

Trick ‘r Treat (2007)

A unique anthology that interweaves five tales of Halloween based horror set on Halloween night. All of which take aim at the rules of the holiday. Keeping an ever watchful eye is little Sam, the most adorable and vicious holiday mascot of all time.

V/H/S – “10/31/98” (2012)

The final segment of this horror anthology is, obviously, set on Halloween. Four friends in costume head out to a Halloween bash, only they wind up at the wrong address. The house they’ve stumbled into happens to be dealing with a very real haunting.

Volumes of Blood (2015)

A horror anthology with a wraparound segment that sees a college student gathering friends at the library on Halloween night to help him create a new urban legend.

Wacko (1982)

This slasher parody is set on Halloween and sees the cops trying to track down and solve the case of the notorious Lawnmower Killer. Emphasis on the comedy. This one stars George Kennedy and Andrew Dice Clay.

We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)

In this psychological thriller, Kevin’s increasingly bizarre and dangerous behavior terrifies his mother, who tries to love him despite of it. But Kevin’s behavior is only getting worse, and no one could prepare for his horrific final act. Spanning time, Halloween plays a small part.

WNUF Halloween Special (2013)

An off-air recording of faux TV station WNUF’s 1987 Halloween special, which sees a TV personality and paranormal investigators exploring the infamous Webber house, a site of ghastly murders. They find much more than they bargained for. This stylized nostalgic treat comes with commercials, too.

Wrong Turn 5: Bloodlines (2012)

In the fifth entry of this franchise, college students set off on a trip to the Mountain Man Festival on Halloween. If you guessed they encounter a deadly clan of cannibals, well, you’d be correct.

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Both housing and ghost stories have evolved over the decades, too, keeping this subgenre fresh. From decrepit gothic mansions to newly built subdivisions in suburbia, any abode can be haunted. Even submarines or space ships. That’s a whole other article, though. Here we look back specifically at homes and living spaces whose ghosts spook audiences in spine-tingling ways.

These 20 are the all-time best haunted house horror movies.

The Sentinel

This underseen horror movie arrived at the tale end of a wave of Satanic/Catholic-centered horror that began in earnest with Rosemary’s Baby, peaked with the Exorcist, and started to wind down with The Omen. Though the eerie hauntings at the heart of the film are occult in nature, The Sentinel adheres to the rules of a haunted house story. Allison Parker moves into an apartment in an attempt to gain some independence, and it doesn’t take long before she starts hearing strange noises. And meeting her neighbors means bizarre encounters; that’s before she discovers through her real estate agent that she doesn’t actually have any neighbors. There may be hellish reasons behind it all, but this is one haunted apartment building.

The Legend of Hell House

Based on the novel Hell House by Richard Matheson, who also penned the screenplay, the haunted abode in this one is the Belasco House, a sprawling estate formerly owned by a rich serial killer. Physicist Lionel Barrett and his wife lead a team of mediums to investigate the “Mount Everest of haunted houses.” A set up that’s not unlike another classic haunted house feature also on this list, but the execution couldn’t be any more different. What it lacks in special effects it makes up for in atmosphere and one very menacing entity.

Hausu

Or simply House, this Japanese cult classic takes the haunted house concept to wacky extremes. The premise has a group of seven high school girls traveling to a remote home belonging to one of their aunts, and it happens to be haunted. That doesn’t adequately prepare the viewer for the madness within. Take the haunted house tropes, like spooky cats, bleeding walls, vengeful ghosts, and combine it with hallucinogenic visuals and funhouse sensibilities, and you have the most bizarre haunted house horror movie you’ll ever see. I mean that as a compliment.

Paranormal Activity

The 2007 found footage film that launched a franchise proved you don’t need much to create atmosphere. For Micah and Katie, moving into a new home turns into an inescapable nightmare when strange activity becomes a nightly occurrence, ramping up with every passing night. The personalities of the two lead characters and the slow build of tension and scare-crafting has proven divisive in the years since release, but it’s hard to discount a movie that delivers such chilling moments. And the original kickstarted a series with even better sequels.

The Sixth Sense

The breakout hit of M. Night Shyamalan’s career and the movie that embedded “I see dead people,” into the pop culture collective pulled at our heartstrings thanks to Cole Sear, the shy boy terrorized by ghosts in his own home. The scares are extremely effective, and the emotional arcs of the central characters grounds the supernatural aspects. It’s not the twist that makes The Sixth Sense such a doozy (though that’s memorable), but that it’s not actually Cole’s home that’s haunted- it’s him.

The Uninvited

Horror taught us from its early stages that if the price tag on a home seems too good to be true, well, it is. For a composer and his sister, they’re elated to acquire a seaside mansion for a bargain. It’s due to an unsavory history, of course. Though not scary by modern standards, this is a bonafide classic and early pioneer of some of the tropes of the subgenre. The ghostly mysteries, the atmosphere, and a chilling score makes for a fantastic, traditional ghost story.

Ju-On: The Grudge

The third entry in Takashi Shimizu’s terrifying franchise introduced Kayako and her equally terrifying son Toshio to international audiences. While most haunted houses bear the imprint of past traumas through its ghostly residences, Ju-On takes it a step further by ensuring that house is irrevocably cursed. Kayako and Toshio suffered horrible deaths, and their pain manifested in the form of vengeful spirits that doom anyone who steps foot into their former home to suffer the same fate.

Lake Mungo

A haunting portrayal of a family coping with loss after the drowning of 16-year-old Alice during a lake outing leads to some unexpected discoveries about the daughter and sister the family thought they knew. Handled mockumentary style, Lake Mungo uses interviews with the family to help piece together the puzzle of Alice’s secretive life, and with it, the potential of her spirit still lingering within their home. There are twists, chills, and a lot of heartbreak in one of the best haunted house tales you might not have seen.

Ghostwatch

This made for TV movie stirred up controversy for the BBC upon initial airing, as its mockumentary style left viewers convinced what they’d just watched had been real. It plays like a live TV special with a camera crew on-site attempting to investigate the truth behind the most haunted house in the country. Neither they nor the viewer was prepared for the scares that would ensue. That mockumentary, TV special style is precisely why this show works- you aren’t expecting the scares, so you’re caught completely off guard every single time. Even the subtle ones.

The Orphanage

What a debut by director J.A. Bayona (A Monster Calls, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom). As an adult, Laura returns to the closed down orphanage in which she grew up with plans to reopen it as a center for disabled children. But when her HIV positive son learns he’s adopted and goes missing soon after, strange things begin happening within the expansive orphanage. Laura’s former friends from childhood may never have left at all. It’s creepy, it’s moving, and it takes a few unexpected turns in terms of plot. Kids in horror are creepy, but kid ghosts? Even creepier.

House on Haunted Hill

Produced and directed by the king of the gimmick, William Castle, this Vincent Price vehicle followed a group of people who agree to be locked in a large haunted house overnight for a chance at $10,000. Their millionaire host and his wife have all sorts of spooky plans to help scare them out of their chance at cash, making for a fun twist on the haunted house tale. Despite some scares and suspense building, there aren’t any actual ghosts in this movie- just a vicious spousal spat that culminates in murder plots. The 1999 remake made sure to include them, but of course, we pay our respects to the original.

The Innocents

With Mike Flanagan’s adaptation of The Turn of the Screw heading to Netflix next year, as The Haunting of Bly Manor, now is a perfect time to revisit the earliest screen adaptation. Despite no job experience, a wealthy bachelor hires Miss Giddens to care for his orphaned niece and nephew so he can resume his travels abroad without a care. Miss Giddens soon comes to suspect that both the house and the children are haunted. The Innocents takes an ambiguous approach that works; is Miss Giddens having a mental break down or is there an actual haunting? That psychological turmoil, combined with the subtle and well-crafted chills, makes this a classic.

The Others

After a string of haunts in suburbia and modern settings, this one brought the ghost story back to its gothic roots. Set in 1945, a mother cares for her light-sensitive children while her husband is away at war. Things start going bump in the night, and soon the children claim to see other people inhabiting their home with threats that the house actually belongs to them. This traditional ghost story eventually gives way to a tragic reveal that changes the perspective of the entire film. If there’s one recurring theme of haunted houses, it’s residual grief that refuses to mend.

The Amityville Horror

Rapidly approaching its 40th anniversary, this adaptation of a novel of the same name launched an ongoing franchise that refuses to die. The plot sees newlyweds purchase a large lakeside house for a bargain price, unaware of the gruesome murders that had taken place prior. It doesn’t take long for evil to present itself in ominous ways, and this haunter is among the first to present a plausible reason the family simply can’t flee- they’ve sunk everything they have into this new home. The Amityville Horror was a huge hit at the box office thanks to the popularity of the book and the cast. The iconic scares helped too.

The Conjuring

James Wan took everything he’d learned from Insidious and Dead Silence, poured it into this franchise starter and perfected the art of the scare. Like the Lutz family from The Amityville Horror, the Perron family sink everything into their purchase of a fixer-upper farmhouse only to find they’re unwanted guests of the entities who live there. The Lutz family didn’t have the Warrens to aide them, though. The Conjuring offers up an all-you-can-scare buffet, but with characters you sympathize with. The box office never stood a chance.

Burnt Offerings

Adapted from a novel and brought to life by horror TV master Dan Curtis (Dark Shadows, The Night Stalker), a lot of the familiar tropes in haunted house horror took their cues from this one. The Rolf family get an opportunity to trade their cramped New York apartment for a mansion on the cheap for summer vacation. The only caveat to the low rental fee is that they have to consent to bringing the owners’ elderly mother three meals a day up in the attic room. But despite the familiarity with modern haunted house fare as we know it, Burnt Offerings presents the most unique haunted house of them all. I won’t spoil it, but between the refreshing concept and its talented cast, this is a must.

The Changeling

After suffering the devastating and traumatic loss of his wife and child, composer John Russell relocates across the country, renting a historic Victorian mansion. The mansion’s history means that Russell has ghostly encounters to deal with in addition to his still raw grief. Peter Medak’s seminal haunted house film is definitely slow burn, but with the deliberate unraveling of the mystery behind the unhappy entity and the bone-chilling scares, The Changeling is an all-timer. You’ll never look at a seemingly benign red ball the same way ever again.

The Haunting

Based on Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House novel, The Haunting sees Dr. John Markway enlist a team to investigate the reported paranormal activity at 90-year-old mansion Hill House, the original home to the Crain family before tragedy befell them. One of the investigators, Nell, came into the investigation already wracked with guilt over a loss, making her fragile mind susceptible to the house. The Haunting takes a two-prong approach to the terror; Nell’s psychological deterioration and the legit paranormal activity. Director Robert Wise delivers a masterful treatise on grief and horror, and proves even a G-rated movie can get under your skin.

Poltergeist

We can thank this seminal horror film for the advent of the PG-13 rating system, as this PG film isn’t for the faint of heart. The Tobe Hooper-directed, Steven Spielberg-produced haunter is a special effects bonanza that helped transition the haunted house away from the sprawling decrepit estates that were customary and into the familiar setting of suburbia. In a brand new neighborhood, no less. Of course, we soon learn it’s because the developers built it upon a cemetery. And the poor Freeling family suffered most of all for it.

The Shining

Yes, the Overlook Hotel technically isn’t a house, but the Torrance family did use it as living quarters during Jack’s tenure as hotel caretaker during the offseason. For all intents and purposes, the Overlook became their home. At least until the ghosts of its past helped usher in Jack’s mental breakdown. Stanley Kubrick focused on the psychological element of Stephen King’s haunting novel, but that didn’t make it any less supernatural or horrifying. Kubrick’s disturbing vision, the talented cast, and the memorable iconography of this adaptation forever solidified its ranking as an all-time cinematic masterpiece.

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In 2006 Carl Daft, David Gregory and John Cregan joined forces to launch Severin Films. Focusing on niche titles that for years had gone overlooked, including more than a few films that were considered to be lost, the company quickly started putting out some of the best physical media on the market. With restoration work that is second to none and special features that are produced with love and passion it’s no wonder the company has become a favorite for so many over the last 12 years. With a slew of wonderful titles to choose from it can be difficult limiting yourself, but I have done by best to hand select the 10 titles I think every horror fan should own.

In addition to their wide variety of Blu-rays, the company has some quality horror merchandise including shirts, dolls and enamel pins. They also have their DVD side of things in Intervision Picture Corp. Under that umbrella they’ve released a number of great DVDs including a personal favorite of mine, Beyond the 7th Door.

The Changeling (1980)

In this horrifying tale, George C. Scott stars as a man desperately trying to get over the loss of his wife and daughter who were killed in a terrible accident. Hoping to clear his head and work on his music — he’s an award-winning pianist — he moves into a large, old mansion. It doesn’t take long before a strange and eerie presence begins to haunt the house and unleash a horrific mystery.

This is the perfect film for Halloween. It features an old, creepy mansion and is reach with atmosphere. It’s one of those films that you watch in the dark and hearing the first note from the score — wonderfully done by Rick Wilkins — will instantly send chills down your spine. This was a first time watch for me recently and it’s been stuck with me ever since.

This recent release features a gorgeous HD transfer created from a 4K scan of the inter-positive film element. It’s an absolutely beautiful presentation and one of the best looking transfers I’ve seen in some time. In terms of special features, this bad boy is stacked:

• Audio Commentary With Director Peter Medakand Producer Joel B. Michaels Moderated By Severin Films’ David Gregory
• The House On Cheesman Park: The Haunting True Story Of The Changeling
• The Music Of The Changeling: Interview With Music Arranger Kenneth Wannberg
• Building The House Of Horror: Interview With Art Director Reuben Freed
• The Psychotronic Tourist: The Changeling
• Master of Horror Mick Garris On The Changeling
• Poster & Still Gallery
• Trailer
• TV Spot

The wide range of special features offer up a bit of something for everyone, but the story on the House on Cheesman Park is the most fascinating.

Zombie 3 (1988)

A body infected with a chemical intended for warfare is cremated by the US military, accidentally spreading the virus across a small island. The islanders quickly turn into blood-thirsty zombies and group of soldiers and tourists try to fend off the vicious creatures.

The Zombie or Zombi series is all over the place. None of the films are really connected but it’s still safe to say they share more in common beyond their similar titles. This second, or possibly third entry depending on how you view it, was maybe directed by Lucio Fulci. It also could have been directed by Claudio Fragasso and maybe even Bruno Mattei got in on the mix. It’s likely that all three played a role in creating this beautiful mess of a film. This is a meaty, nasty little Italian gut-muncher that you either love or hate, and for by God do I love it.

The Severin release of Zombie 3 is the first ever uncut release in American and is presented in a 2K scan that looks quite impressive. There are a handful of moments throughout where the clarity gets a tad rough, likely a result of the available elements used,  but odds are most people won’t notice those segments. The colors pop quite a bit and there are some lab sequences that look especially good. All the lovely Italian gore looks nice and gruesome, just as one would expect.

Special features for Zombie 3 include:

• The Last Zombies – Interview With Co-Director/Co-Writer Claudio Fragasso and Co-Writer Rossella Drudi
• Tough Guys – Interview with Actors/Stuntmen Massimo Vanni and Ottaviano Dell’Acqua
• The Problem Solver – Interview with Replacement Director Bruno Mattei
• Swimming with Zombies – Interview with Actress Marina Loi
• In the Zombie Factory – Interview with FX Artist Franco Di Girolamo
• Audio Commentary With Stars Deran Sarafianand Beatrice Ring
• Trailer
• Bonus Disc: CD Soundtrack

It’s hard to wrap my head around the fact that we live in a world where Zombie 3 is even on Blu-ray, but then to have all these special features too? That’s nuts. The interview with Fragasso alone is worth the purchase. If you haven’t seen an interview with that dude you’re missing out. Also, the soundtrack rules, making the CD a sweet bonus.

Wild Beasts (1984)

PCP spills into the water supply and that water is eventually consumed by animals in a German zoo. The result? The animals turn into crazed lunatics that break out of the zoo and going on a killing spree.

Next to Jaws, Wild Beasts may very well be my favorite animals gone wild film. It’s such a crazy concept for a film. Animals go on a PCP-induced rage. This is a film that could only be conceived by Italian filmmakers. This is the perfect film to invite the friends over for on a Friday night, order a bunch of pizza and then just have a blast. If you can’t have fun with Wild Beasts, you can’t have fun with anything.

Special features:

• Altered Beasts: Interview With Director Franco E. Prosperi
• Wild Tony: Interview With Actor Tony Di Leo
• Cut After Cut: Interview With Editor & Mondo Filmmaker Mario Morra
• The Circus is in Town: Interview With Animal Wrangler Roberto Tiberti’s son, Carlo Tiberti
• House Of Wild Beasts: A Visit to the Home of Franco E. Prosperi

The Amicus Collection

This wonderful boxset features three films — Asylum, And Now the Screaming Starts and The Beast Must Die! — from Amicus Productions. It also includes a fourth bonus disc called The Vault of Amicus, an original production from Severin that serves as a documentary of sorts on the history of the British horror factory know as Amicus.

Back in February, I called The Amicus Collection the first great Blu-ray of 2018, and now that we’re in October it may still stand as my favorite release of the year. All three films are wildly different. Asylum is a nutty anthology with a bizarre wrap around with a twist, And Now the Screaming Starts is a gothic thriller that borrows heavily from the more popular Hammer Horror and The Beast Must Die! is a Blaxploitation take on the werewolf subgenre. With this much variety in one box set, it’s hard to justify not buying this one. The box set was limited, however, which means you could have trouble finding it. In that case, individual copies of Asylum and And Now the Screaming Starts are available.

Asylum special features:

• Two’s Company – Archival piece originally aired on BBC in 1972
• David J. Schow on Robert Bloch
• Fiona Subotsky Remembers Milton Subotsky
• Inside the Fear Factory
• Audio Commentary with director Roy Ward Baker and camera operator Neil Binnery, moderated by Marcus Hearn
• Theatrical Trailer

And Now the Screaming Starts special features:

• The Haunted History of Oakley Court
• Audio Commentary with director Roy Ward Baker and actress Stephanie Beacham, moderated by Marcus Hearn
• Audio Commentary with actor Ian Ogilvy, moderated by Darren Gross
• Archive Audio Interview with Actor Peter Cushing by Denis Meikle
• Horror Journalist Denis Meikle Recalls And Now the Screaming Starts
• Theatrical Trailer
• Radio spot

The Beast Must Die! special features:

• And Then There Were Werewolves
• Audio Commentary with Director Paul Annett, morderated by Jonathan Sothcott
• Directing the Beast
• Trailer

The Vault of Amicus special features:

• Philip Nutman Audio Interview With Milton Subotsky
• Jonathan Sothcott Audio Interview with Max Rosenberg
• Audio Commentary with British Horror Film Writers Kim Newman and David Flint

The Devil’s Honey (1986)

A doctor is held captive by a young woman who believes he is responsible for the death of her boyfriend. In an effort to get revenge she subjects him to a number of sexual torture acts.

I prefaced this entire list by saying these are films that every horror fan should have, but I also understand that The Devil’s Honey is not forever one. This film was directed by Lucio Fulci, one of his later efforts, and when you’re dealing with Fulci people have a specific idea of what to expect. There should be gore and plenty of it. This isn’t that type of movie. This is an ultra-sleazy erotic thriller. It is not your standard Fulci, but it is so fascinating and has to be seen. And it stars Fulci regular, Brett Halsey.

The 2K restoration from the film’s original camera negative is uncut and uncensored and gives this trashy little treat a stunning presentation. The film pops when it should and contains plenty of that beautiful natural film grain that you always like to see.

Special features:

• The Devil’s Halsey: An Interview with Actor Brett Halsey
• Wild Flower: An Interview with Actress Corinne Clery
• Producing Honey: An Interview with Producer Vincenzo Salviani
• The Devil’s Sax: An Interview with Composer Claudio Natili
• Stephen Thrower on The Devil’s Honey
• Fulci’s Honey: An Audio Essay by Troy Howarth
• Alternate Opening
• Trailer

This great collection of interviews is highlighted by the Halsey. As an actor that worked with Fulci several times, the two developed a great friendship but it some rocky roads in the later part of Fulci’s career. It’s interesting to hear his take on the legendary filmmaker.

For more information and to purchase any of the mentioned titles please visit Severin-Films.com.

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Dark Night of the Scarecrow

This made for TV movie originally aired on CBS on October 24, 1981, making it a true seasonal horror movie. Directed by the author of Audrey Rose, Frank De Felitta, Dark Night of the Scarecrow tells of Bubba (Larry Drake), a sweet but mentally challenged man who is best friends with young Marylee. When Marylee is attacked by a dog, a group of townspeople already appalled by Bubba’s friendship with the girl instead blame and slaughter Bubba. It’s not until the deed is done that they learn Marylee survived her attack, and the truth behind it. The judge lets the four vigilantes off the hook for their crime. Not long after, a mysterious scarecrow begins stalking Bubba’s killers, one-by-one, enacting vicious vengeance. It’s all set during the Halloween season, with only a small scene in a school Halloween party and a finale set in a pumpkin patch indicating that this Halloween fare. Nothing says Fall like a scarecrow, right?

The Changeling

Ghost stories are always a perfect pairing with Halloween, and The Changeling is among the best. George C. Scott stars as John Russell, a man who moves into a secluded, historic mansion in Seattle following the tragic deaths of his wife and daughter. Naturally, strange phenomena begin to occur shortly after John moves in, and John soon discovers the original tenants had some major skeletons in their closet. It’s spooky, quiet, and keeps you guessing until the end. The Changeling is set over The Halloween season, but it’s such a minor detail of John’s isolated, haunted story.

Lady in White

A perfect choice for the burgeoning, young horror fan, Lady in White is a 1960s set ghost story that kicks off on Halloween. Young nine-year-old Frankie (Lukas Haas) is locked in the school’s cloakroom on Halloween by bullies, forced to spend the night alone as a result. He witnesses a young ghost reenacting her murder and pleading for help. When he too is attacked by the mystery assailant that murdered her, it kick starts a murder mystery that plummets the town in turmoil and reveals spooky ghosts that are more than they appear to be. A layered story with social weight, this story has a little bit of everything for both young and old alike.

May

Lucky McKee’s directorial debut stars Angela Bettis in the titled role. May is a lonely young woman desperate to connect with people, and that desperation builds into horrifying levels as the story progresses.  Bettis is captivating in this role; May is someone you both root for and are wary of as she loses her grip on reality. Halloween figures pretty prominently into the story, too. There are smaller details, like May’s attempt to forge friendships with candy, but the finale takes place during Halloween night and May really gets into the spirit.

Hell Night

Halloween isn’t explicitly mentioned in this slasher meets haunted house horror movie, but it doesn’t really need to. Four college pledges start their night at a huge costume party but are then forced to spend their night in a deserted spooky mansion in a hazing ritual. What could go wrong? The mansion isn’t as abandoned as they think. Hell Night stars Linda Blair as lead protagonist Marti Gaines, and it’s not exactly her best work. But the set pieces are fun, and the slasher aspect delivers something different from the norm. This is also the film where Chuck Russell (A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors) began his long-running collaboration with Frank Darabont.

House II: The Second Story

For those in the mood for festive, silly fun, this sequel should do the trick. Skipping any continuity from the first film, this sequel takes a kitchen sink approach with its spooky house. Jesse (Arye Gross) inherits his family’s old mansion and discovers that the rooms act as various portals to different places across time and space, and a certain Aztec crystal skull is the key. Dinosaurs, cavemen, wild west gunslingers, an undead grandpa, and a cute caterpillar puppy round out this wacky horror comedy. The best part? It takes place over Halloween, with a Halloween party factoring into one big chase scene.

Neon Maniacs

This ‘80s monsters fest features a group of homicidal monsters that live under the Golden Gate Bridge by day but come out at night to slaughter. When a teen escapes their clutches, they spend the rest of the film hunting her down and killing anyone in their path. Each monster has a personality and costume of his own, from samurai to mad doctor, which makes their final battle set during the high school Halloween dance a perfect cover. Creatures, silliness, and an ‘80s synth score are a perfect complement to the holiday backdrop, and a great Halloween party viewing entry.

Deadly Friend

Wes Craven’s sci-fi horror movie, about a teen and his robotic friend, really kicks into gear on Halloween. When Paul loses his robotic bud BB, he’s devastated. When he loses his would-be girlfriend Samantha (Kristy Swanson), he decides to rectify both losses by merging the two. Of course, tampering with technology leads to deadly consequences. Aside from the holiday factoring into the plot in a major way, Deadly Friend is worth a watch for the infamous basketball scene alone.

Slugs

This ooey, gooey gory creature feature about toxic waste spawned slugs is from the mind of Pieces’ Juan Piquer Simon. These killer slugs are downright gruesome in their kills, making for some really fun surprises. This small town has no clue what’s happening, and only health worker Mike Brady is on the case. The kills are much more isolated and spread apart at first, but they really ramp up their attack on Halloween, when everyone is out and about in costume. Making this a perfect seasonal watch.

Sinister

Michael Myers may be the reigning Halloween boogeyman champion, but “Mr. Boogie” Bughuul makes for a creepy runner up. When true crime writer Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke) moves into a new home with a murderous past unbeknownst to his family, he finds a box of Super 8mm footage labeled “home movies” that’s really a series of horrific murders of previous families captured on camera.  The discovery of the footage seems to coincide with his son behaving rather strangely. Sinister is spooky and atmospheric on in its own, but Ellison’s children getting excited to celebrate Halloween is a small, subtle reminder that this is a great seasonal selection for October.

V/H/S

A horror anthology is the cinematic equivalent to trick or treating- some segments are treats and others feel like a mean trick. This anthology, in particular, is especially Halloween appropriate. Connected by a wraparound that sees a group of misfits hired to break in and steal a rare VHS tape, this found footage style horror movie offers five separate segments in addition to the framing narrative. The final segment is titled “10/31/98,” and takes place on, you guessed it, Halloween. Directed by Radio Silence, this segment has a group of friends head out to a Halloween party, in costume, only to wind up at the wrong house. They think the haunted activity is all part of the Halloween festivities and realize too late the error of their ways.

Ginger Snaps

Let’s face it; Halloween needs more werewolves. Luckily this modern classic delivers. Ginger Fitzgerald has more than puberty to contend with when she’s bitten by a werewolf, and her slow transformation brings about changes both physical and in personality. It’s up to her younger sister Brigitte to stop it, if she can. This fall set horror movie kicks off its third act on Halloween, with the holiday serving as a perfect cover for Ginger’s full transformation. Everyone else thinks it’s a cool costume, but for Ginger it’s a new way of life.

Livid

Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo’s follow up to brutal horror film Inside is inexplicably still without stateside release. It is, however, easy to find on DVD as long as you have a multi-region player. Lucie is an at-home nurse, and the last stop on her roster is a remote mansion inhabited by bedridden recluse Mrs. Jessel. Mrs. Jessel is rumored to have a treasure hidden away somewhere on property, so Lucie and her friends sneak in on Halloween night to steal it. What they find instead is a night full of unexpected terror, and Maury and Bustillo deliver a fun entry in fantasy horror. Look for fun homages to Halloween III: Season of the Witch.

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We now know that Severin will be releasing the Blu-ray, as well as DVD, on August 7, and they’re also offering a limited bundle that includes the Blu-ray, a CD soundtrack, a poster, an enamel pin and even a replica of the infamous bouncing red ball from the film!

The release has also been fully detailed today…

• Audio Commentary With Director Peter Medak and Producer Joel B. Michaels Moderated By Severin Films’ David Gregory
• The House On Cheesman Park: The Haunting True Story Of The Changeling
• The Music Of The Changeling: Interview With Music Arranger Kenneth Wannberg
• Building The House Of Horror: Interview With Art Director Reuben Freed
• The Psychotronic Tourist: The Changeling
• Master of Horror Mick Garris On The Changeling
• Poster & Still Gallery
• Trailer
• TV Spot

Head over to Severin Films to pre-order your copy today.

In The Changeling, “Mad with grief over the deaths of his wife and daughter, composer George C. Scott decides to retire from the world into an ominous, remote mansion—but he’s got company, in the form of a murdered child’s restless spirit.”

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But the wait is coming to an end, as Blu-ray.com reports this week that Severin Films is currently working on a Blu-ray release of The Changeling that’ll be jam-packed with bonus content and will boast a brand new 4K restoration of the film!

The site notes, full details and date for the release are expected to be revealed soon.

In The Changeling, “Mad with grief over the deaths of his wife and daughter, composer George C. Scott decides to retire from the world into an ominous, remote mansion—but he’s got company, in the form of a murdered child’s restless spirit. Based on recorded supernatural incidents at the Henry Treat Rogers Mansion in Denver, Peter Medak’s gracefully shot, relentlessly atmospheric film is one of the most spine- tinglingly effective haunted house movies ever made, one sure to instill in new viewers a lifelong fear of self-propelling wheelchairs and rubber balls.”

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The very concept of a haunted house is vague enough that it lends well to reinvention time and time again, giving us classics like Alien, taking the haunted house blueprint and applying it to space, or The Shining, which uses a haunted house story set in a hotel to examine a break down a man’s sanity. To narrow down the scariest haunted house films in horror history, a broad sub-genre, all haunted buildings outside of traditional fare are eliminated; haunted asylums, orphanages, space stations, and the like all make for chilling locations to set a haunt, but exist beyond the scope of this list. Using that basic rule, the 10 scariest haunted house horror films are:

The Haunting (1963)

Adapted from Shirley Jackson’s classic novel The Haunting of Hill House, the plot follows a group of paranormal investigators as they study and investigate 90-year-old Hill House and its sordid history. Accompanied by Hill House heir Luke, Dr. John Markway, psychic Theo, and meek paranormal sensitive Eleanor navigate the labyrinthine mansion as subtle paranormal occurrences begin to pile up. The banging on the walls, the cold spots, and all the requisite signs of a home haunting occur. The most chilling moment comes when Eleanor tightly grips Theo’s handing in the middle of the night when an unseen stranger pounds their bedroom door. Only, it isn’t Theo’s hand at all. The Haunting is an unsettling story of creeping dread that proves horror doesn’t have to have an R-rating to get under your skin.

Burnt Offerings

Based on a novel of the same name, this haunter was co-written, produced, and directed by Dan Curtis (Dark Shadows). Starring Oliver Reed, Bette Davis, and Karen Black, this atmospheric gem favors slow burn mystery over jump scares. The Rolf family rent a bargain-priced summer home, a large mansion in Long Island, that comes with a strange caveat; the owners require that their elderly mother live upstairs and that the Rolfs care for her during their stay. Marian (Karen Black) agrees, so excited to claim the bargain price, and before long becomes obsessed with maintaining the expansive house. Unlike most haunted house fare, though, the house seems to thrive off the Rolf family’s presence. Particularly whenever they bleed. Moody, eerie, and fueled by a mysterious force the Rolf family can’t contend with, Burnt Offerings is an underseen horror film that subverts everything we knew about haunted houses.

The Others

If you have yet to watch this gothic ghost story, go in knowing as little as possible (don’t worry, no spoilers here). Alejandro Amenabar’s World War II-set haunter follows Grace Stewart (Nicole Kidman) as she cares for her two light-sensitive children and their servants in an isolated countryside house while her husband is presumably killed at war. With her kids refined to the house, weird events begin happening. The piano plays itself at night, things move on their own, and Grace’s daughter Anne claims to have seen strangers in their home. The ghostly jump scares stick their landing, and become even more unsettling with the psychological element; is Grace cracking under the pressure of upholding the home on her own, or is there an unwelcome presence?

The Pact

One of the most common themes explored in haunted house horror films is that of the past coming back to literally haunt. For Annie Barlow (Caity Lotz), she’s forced to confront her past in the wake of her mother’s death and her sister’s disappearance, who was last known to be finalizing funeral arrangements from their childhood home. Annie’s return to her childhood home to retrace her sister’s footsteps not only stirs up bad memories from growing up, but also makes her a target for attack by an unseen presence within. Written and directed by Nicholas McCarthy, The Pact manages to make even the most mundane suburban home sinister and reinvigorate old tropes. The Pact takes a huge left turn from the expected direction, with terrifying results.

Lake Mungo

This mockumentary style horror film written and directed by Joel Anderson tells a story of a family coping with the loss of their teen daughter Alice and the supernatural events that have emerged since her drowning. Alice’s brother Matthew sets up cameras around the Palmer household to record sightings of his dead sister, and the family seeks the help of parapsychologist Ray for answers. Part found footage and part faux documentary, including interviews with the family, Lake Mungo feels like a film within a film centered around the palpable grief of a daughter and sister. Anderson takes full advantage of found footage tropes, using the ghostly presence of Alice to deliver shocking twists and scares. In other words, it’s nothing like your average found footage film, and the ideas and imagery presented will linger with you long after the end credits roll.

Ju-On: The Grudge

Kayako and her son Toshio may be iconic, but it’s their house in which they are tethered and where the curse resides that gives them power. Takashi Shimizu’s Ju-On series has rivaled Ringu in terms of Japan’s most terrifying ghost stories, and it’s no surprise that this long-lasting franchise is getting an American reboot next year. The unnatural way Kayako and Toshio contort their bodies as they haunt their victims is enough to send chills down your spine, and Shimizu is a master of the jump scare. The Ju-On series brings a whole new layer to the haunted house concept; those who are brave (or dumb) enough to step foot inside the Saeki home are doomed to bring the curse back with them. In haunted house horror, the body count is typically quite low. That’s not the case here.

The Sentinel

When one thinks of haunted houses, usually the image of a gothic mansion or a dated home come to mind, not a Brooklyn brownstone. Yet it makes for one of the most unique and creepy haunted house flicks of all, when fashion model Alison Parker moves into one that’s been sectioned off into apartments. It doesn’t take long after move-in day for Alison to begin hearing strange noises, suffer insomnia and nightmares, and endure bizarre encounters with her equally bizarre neighbors. When she complains to her real estate agent, the agent is confused; the brownstone only has two tenants, Alison and the blind reclusive priest on the top floor. Also fitting in line with the Catholic horror of the decade, The Sentinel is an oft-overlooked gem with hellish roots.

The Conjuring

James Wan’s ode to ‘70s supernatural horror employed every tool in his horror arsenal crafted from previous work on supernatural films Dead Silence and Insidious, proving himself to be a modern master of horror with his uncanny ability to draw out excruciating tension and scares juxtaposed with an emotional story filled with characters the audience actually cares about.  It even takes the controversial real-life figures of Ed and Lorraine Warren and turns them into horror’s most endearing couple as they investigate the haunting of the Perron family at their newly purchased farmhouse. Atmospheric, tense, and expertly paced, it’s no surprise this film launched a horror universe of its own.

Poltergeist

A well-regarded classic for a reason, this Tobe Hooper directed seminal haunted house story centered around the Freeling family proved that not even a newly built suburban home could be free from paranormal activity. Few horror protagonists are as amiable as the Freelings, led by patriarch Steve (Craig T. Nelson) and Diane (JoBeth Williams), and their plight of searching for missing daughter Carol Anne lends an emotional through line. More than that, Poltergeist brings one of the showiest haunted house films in cinematic history. From face peeling nightmares, corpse-filled swimming pools, and even attacking trees, Poltergeist is one epic spectacle that offers chills, laughs, and heart.

The Changeling

This definitive haunted house tale follows George C. Scott as John Russell, a music composer that moves into a large Victorian mansion in Seattle after the deaths of this wife and daughter. The usual phenomena begin shortly after moving in; banging on walls, spooky apparitions, and various other signs of hauntings. John begins to investigate the history of the house, finding a tragic secret and one very pissed off ghost at the center of the sprawling home. Scott’s compelling performance as a mourning man fueled by the mansion’s tragic mystery, the now iconic sounds and imagery (that wheelchair), and the way director Peter Medak frames his shots makes for one of horror’s scariest haunted house films ever. It’s so good that I’m surprised that it took them this long to attempt a remake.

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Cornerstone has partnered with Tom Tykwer’s Berlin-based X Filme (Run Lola Run, Cloud Atlas) on the project, which is based on the 1980 feature from director Peter Medak that starred George C. Scott.

“The new film shifts the action from the U.S. to Venice, Italy. After the death of his young daughter, musician Joe Carmichael returns to his childhood home in Italy. But he finds the house is haunted by the spirit of a dead child and begins to uncover a terrifying family secret.”

Daredevil and Ghost Rider director Mark Steven Johnson will write and get behind the camera for the remake, says THR. Casting is underway, and production is set to begin in Venice in early 2019.

The decision to remake The Changeling is a no-brainer, especially with the resurgence of supernatural horror, thanks to the Conjuring universe. While remakes can be tiring, Changeling carries several unique set pieces that make it ripe for reinterpretation. 

Joel Michaels, who produced the original Changeling and whose credits include Terminator: Salvation and Lolita, will produce the remake with Uwe Schott and Stefan Arndt of X Filme. Cornerstone toppers Thompson and Mark Gooder will executive produce. Michaels is now producing Bart Freundlich’s U.S. remake of Susanne Bier’s After the Wedding, starring Julianne Moore and Michelle Williams, which Cornerstone is selling in Cannes.

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Black Christmas – Bob Clark (1974)

Director Bob Clark has a peculiar body of work (A Christmas Story, Baby Geniuses, Porky) but his horror hits like Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things and Black Christmas are where he shines. A sorority house is plagued by sick phone calls: moaning and breathing into the phone, crude promises of rape and murder and general deranged laughter and babbling. When one girl goes missing, the threats become more serious. There’s a reason Black Christmas is well-loved. It’s surprisingly funny thanks to a bratty performance by Margot Kidder, and Olivia Hussey is at her prime in a fairly progressive story arc. An added touch of a drunk Sorority Mother, Mrs. Mac (Marian Waldman) is the cherry on top for horror comedy connoisseurs. Though sometimes goofy, there is real fear to be found in Black Christmas. The calls received are truly disturbing, and the kills themselves are just juicy enough to entertain you through those long, cold, December nights.

Antiviral – Brandon Cronenberg (2012)

David Cronenberg’s baby boy Brandon entered the scene with a stoic and sterile feature-length debut with Antiviral. Syd (Caleb Landry Jones) works as a salesperson for company that sells and injects celebrity viruses. He also smuggles those viruses out in his body for sale on the black market. This is only one of a number of services requested in a civilization that has evolved to full-on celebrity worship. Antiviral asks a lot of its viewer, and its pace is slow but steady. If you’ve got a dystopian bone in your body, you’ll enjoy the ideas about celebrity obsession that are presented, since the idea alone is what makes Antiviral most compelling.

The Changeling – Peter Medak (1980)

One of the more recognizable entries to this list, The Changeling opens on a tragic accident as a composer (George C. Scott) loses his wife and child. Hoping to recover from the ordeal and start over, he moves to a grand house in “Seattle” and soon experiences signs of the paranormal. It seems there’s a message from a soul left behind. Genuinely frightening scenes, fantastic story and a wonderful performance by Scott and his costar Trish Van Devere make this a top-quality ghost story. Filmed in rainy Vancouver, those familiar with the city will enjoy a trip to the past at some local highlights and the natural eeriness the weather brings.

7 Days/Les 7 jours du talion – Daniel Grou (2010)

Quebecois filmmakers don’t get the spotlight they deserve most of the time, and that’s at least partly because their movies can be difficult to find. Thankfully, my local video store had this one tucked away for my viewing pleasure. Sort of. Bruno (Claude Legault) and his wife Sylvie (Fanny Mallette) have a happy life with their 8-year-old daughter Jasmine, until she goes missing and is found hours later raped and murdered. Once the perpetrator has been identified, Bruno intercepts him on the way to trial and tortures him for a period of seven days. This sounds a little similar to a film by another famous Canadian filmmaker, Denis Villeneuve’s Prisoners, which is just as tense if a little tighter.7 Days isn’t just torture porn, but the scenes of brutal violence can be difficult to watch as Bruno descends towards his ultimate goal. The movie also examines guilt, revenge, and grief, punctuating moments of human struggle with excruciating pain. The film is deftly shot and lives in the greys and browns of others of its kind, but if you give it a watch you’ll find there’s more there than meets the eye.

American Mary – Jen & Sylvia Soska (2010)

American Mary is the Soska Sisters’ most well-known film (well, until their remake of Rabid comes out) and it’s also currently their best. A stunning Katharine Isabelle (Ginger Snaps, Hannibal) stars as Mary, medical student gone rogue after dipping her toe in the body modification trade. When she’s assaulted, she takes bloody revenge into her own hands. American Mary is tale of feminine revenge that boasts atmosphere and a ton of onscreen talent. The Soskas – and everyone they work with – are solid horror fans and you can always sense joy and earnestness in their work.

My Bloody Valentine – George Mihalka (1981)

My Bloody Valentine is a Canadian cult classic that plays on the local folklore of Harry Warden, a man who went mad after surviving a devastating mine collapse. Legend has it he returns on St. Valentine’s day to murder anyone who celebrates. This year, the sleepy town of Valentine’s Bluffs is throwing a Valentine’s Day dance: the first in 20 years! This, of course, brings Harry back from his slashing slumber and the townspeople start to receive some gory warnings. Chock full of melodrama and teenage love triangles, slasher fans won’t want to miss this one’s seriously awesome kills.

Pin – Sandor Stern (1988)  

Mannequins are base-level creepy. Instructive medical mannequins take things to a whole other level as is the case with Pin, a musculatory-system exposed dummy that serves as both model and teacher in Dr. Linden’s office. Linden (Terry O’Quinn) is a cold, scientific man who uses ventriloquism to make Pin speak to his two strange children, Ursula (Cynthia Preston) and Leon (David Hewlett). It’s Pin who diagnoses their illnesses and gives them the ol’ sex talk, and his presence in their lives has a profound effect on Leon’s psychology. When he and his sister are grown and tragically orphaned, Pin becomes a member of the family who disturbs and destroys the relationships around them. Pin feels really special because of its strangeness; from the plot to the dialogue found within. Relational boundaries are often crossed, and it’s sinister in more of a Psycho way than the popular slashers of the decade.

Pontypool – Bruce McDonald (2008)  

“These long winters make me feel like I’m living in the basement of the world. It’s so cold, and so dark.” Welcome to Canada. Grant Mazzy (Stephen McHattie) is the local radio mouthpiece in Pontypool. The idea is compelling: residents of a small Ontario town develop an illness that’s spread by language. Grant and his coworkers Sydney (Lisa Houle) and Laurel-Ann (Georgina Reilly) broadcast the happenings as best they can with the information that’s coming in. Most of the carnage is never seen, only described in detail over the phone by hysterical eyewitnesses. The strength here lies in your own imagination and what kind of macabre scenarios you can produce. The weakness is that the idea runs out of steam, eventually. Still, Pontypool has a rabid and loyal fanbase and stands as a unique take on what some would call the zombie genre.

Deadly Eyes – Robert Clouse (1982)

This one made the list purely for its use of dachshunds in rat costumes running around the sewers of Toronto. Deadly Eyes attempts horror from GMO crops, in this case, a steroid-infused grain causes giant rats to feast on the local residents. We all know that when you see one rat, there’s 10 you don’t see, and before you know it the streets are awash with the filthy creatures. If you’re looking for a fun flick to watch with a case of beers and a couch full of friends, try this one out. If you feel strangely connected to the idea, good news: There’s a book to fill in all the glaring gaps.

Cube –  Vincenzo Natali (1997)

This ‘90s Canadian horror leans sci-fi in all the best ways. A group of strangers finds themselves connected inside of a labyrinthian death-trap, and must work together with their individual strengths to escape and find out where they are, and more importantly, why they’re there. Thankfully the premise is strong enough to carry the film’s weaker points, and it’s easy to appreciate the thought that went into the Cube’s design. Even if it doesn’t become a personal favourite, fans of Saw might find it particularly interesting. Good news? A remake is in the works.

The Mask/Eyes of Hell – Julian Roffman (1961)

Wow. Known for being Canada’s first feature-length horror movie, The Mask is something extra special for its use of early 3D. In this story, Psychiatrist Dr. Barnes (Paul Stevens) receives an ancient ritual mask from one of his patients who claims that wearing the mask gives psychedelic hallucinations that drive to madness and even murder. During these scenes when Dr. Barnes wears the mask, original audiences donned their mask-shaped glasses to experience the visions of cults and torture in colourific 3D. The visions are strange and eerie, and quite effective in their artistic appearances. I’d give just about anything to get my hands on a pair of those original Magic Mystic Mask Glasses! For genre fans, this one is a must-see. You can check it out in restored 3D on Blu.

Deranged: Confessions of a Necrophile –  Jeff Gillen, Alan Ormsby (1974)

Deranged begins with a somber narrator warning viewers of what they are about to see, calling the story one with “profound reverberations” that’s “not for the squeamish or faint of heart” and he’ll reappear several times to clue us in on what’s going on. Not that it’s necessary, but it is a little charming. This is a horror movie that tries to balance empathy with the real-life horrors of Ed Gein and even in its success proves just how difficult that can be. Ezra Cobb (Roberts Blossom) is close to his mother – a little too close. After she passes, his loneliness causes him to dig up and nurse his mother’s corpse. But bodies decay and require “maintenance” and Ezra needs somewhere to get parts. True crime fans, rejoice.

Happy Birthday To Me – J. Lee Thompson (1981)

This is another school slasher entering the magnificent eighties. This time it follows Virginia Wainwright (Melissa Sue Anderson) and her crew of the “Top Ten” at Crawford Academy. As members of the illustrious group begin to go missing, Virginia experiences flashbacks of trauma that occurred to her years before on her birthday. As we join Virginia in putting the pieces back together, the two events begin to connect. Happy Birthday to Me is full of signature cheeky ‘80s humour, inappropriate and always over the top. And while this movie dissolves into a bit of a ridiculous melodrama in the reveal of the final act, the kills along the way are a ton of fun.

Death Weekend/The House By The Lake – William Fruet (1976)

Perhaps channeling Pekinpah’s Straw Dogs, Death Weekend is a rape and revenge horror story filmed in rural Ontario. Unfortunately, this one has never had a DVD release so it can be difficult to get your hands on. Harry (Chuck Shamata) is a dentist and also a womanizer, and he’s managed to convince his new friend Diane (Brenda Vaccaro) to accompany him to his lake house for a “party”. Once they arrive, it becomes clear that there is no party planned at all. While the two are fighting over the bald-faced lie, a group of thugs from a road rage altercation on the way take the two hostage and torture them over a period of 24 hours. For fans of final girls, Diane is one who holds her own.

Backcountry –  Adam MacDonald (2014)

I’m not sure if everyone grows up being legitimately afraid of bears, but growing up near the Rocky Mountains came with many warnings and scary stories about bear encounters. Even in school, we learned what to do in case we were being chased by one, and I’ve personally experienced – more than once – an exploded can of bear spray in a public bathroom. Anyway, bear attacks are scary, and Backcountry has one of the best you can find. Not much else needs to be said about this romantic camping getaway that turns into a terrifying ordeal. Good to watch before your next big camping trip.

Afflicted –  Derek Lee, Clif Prowse (2013)

Found Footage fans, rejoice! Afflicted is a solid entry into the subgenre that takes an eons-old tale and serves it with a twist. Clif Prowse and Derek Lee wrote, directed, and starred in this tale about two friends who go on a trip around the world to film a web series as one of Derek’s last wishes, as he suffers from an abnormal connection in his brain that could lead to his death. After a sympathetic one night stand, Derek starts to display some symptoms that aren’t exactly related to his brain condition (or any known STI). Afflicted explores how far we’re willing to go for our friends, and how much of ourselves we’re willing to lose.

The Shrine – Jon Knautz (2010)

The Shrine, even in its modest form, is a movie that I can’t seem to stop thinking about. Carmen (Cindy Sampson) is an ambitious journalist whose commitment to investigation is affecting her relationship and her job. When she hears about several disappearances in a small Polish village, she endeavors to uncover the sinister truth behind them. The Shrine delves into cult territory, and having a weakness for dangerous religious zealots wreaking havoc on their followers makes this one to check out.

Rituals –  Peter Carter (1976)  

Rituals is commonly called the Canadian version of Deliverance, and it matches it both in pacing and survival scares. Four doctors continue their yearly tradition of taking a group trip. This year, they’re taking a bushwacking fishing trip in an extremely remote location. Their friendship has a long, rich history with ample baggage to root around in along the way, and as expected it seems like just a bunch of guys arguing about the ethics of medical procedures for the first bit. Before long, it becomes obvious that the group is being stalked by a menacing figure who contributes to their misfortune, and as time goes they being to think he may have more of a personal connection with them than they realize. Do yourself a big favour: watch the uncut version, and bring an extra pair of shoes.

Prom Night – Paul Lynch (1980)

Starring more familiar faces such as Jamie Lee Curtis and Leslie Nielsen, Prom Night is a classic story about owning up for your mistakes. When bullying causes an accidental death, a group of kids make a pact to keep it a secret. Six years later, as they’re preparing for and celebrating prom, a masked killer begins his slow revenge. Some snazzy disco numbers and an iconic rolling head stand out on this financially successful Canadian horror, making it one that features prominently on the slasher circuit even with its surprisingly tender ending.

Comforting Skin – Derek Franson (2011)

Koffie feels empty and alone. She combats this by dressing up and hanging out at the bar hoping to bring home someone who will love her. She has no luck in the romance department, and it’s evident from her scars and self-doubt that she has struggled mightily in the past. After yet another night of dejection, she impulsively gets a tattoo that wants to take up more real estate on her body and her mind. The tattoo whispers to Koffie and changes her behaviour, leading to obsession that drives her further and further into darkness. A hearty, earnest performance by Victoria Bidewell makes Comforting Skin soar surprisingly high as a story about destructive desire. This body horror fan wishes it leaned a little more into the grotesque, but the discomfort it brings satiates the appetite just enough.

There you have it, a scant serving of what Canada can offer on the horror front! Keep watching, we’re not done yet.

The post Terror from the Tundra: 20 Awesome Canadian Horror Movies! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

CREEPY wraps up his 31 Days of Horror and we’ve picked 5 of his best episodes to check out.

Please note that listener discretion is advised.

Day 14 – The Tall Man | Day 17 – Why Babies Are Born Screaming | Day 22 – Room Zero 

Day 24 – Parchment | Day 26 – The Smiling Man

The Horror Show takes a look at Boo! A Madea Halloween to find out if it’s scary good or frightfully bad.

Forever Midnight does a Linnea Quigley Double Feature on two great halloween Movies. Night of the Demons and The Barn.

Women in Caskets sit down and talk to director Jon Schnitzer and legendary Haunt actor Shar Mayer to discuss their movie Haunters: The Art of the Scare.

Test Pattern look at two ghost movies that terrified them as children, The Changeling and Lady in White.

The post [Podcasts] Celebrate Halloween With The Bloody Disgusting Podcast Network appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

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“Test Pattern” is made in the spirit of the old hosted monster movie shows of our youth – a little bit spooky, a little bit silly, but always informative! Jacob and Tab have a new topic each week, with a focus on old school macabre films, favorite creature features, and B-movies.

You can interact with Tab and Jacob on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Test Pattern can also be heard on 103.5 FM in Wisconsin

The Bloody Disgusting Podcast Network consists of The Horror Show, Women in Caskets, Forever Midnight, Test Pattern, and Virtual Pros. All of these shows can be found on our iTunes Provider Page as well as the Bloody Disgusting App on all iOS and Android devices.

The post [Podcasts] Test Pattern – Episode 49: Childhood Ghosts – The Changeling & Lady in White appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The British Film Institute today announced Stephen King On Screen, a season of film and television dedicated to one of the most frequently adapted and versatile writers in history.

Taking place at BFI Southbank from September 1st through October 3rd, the season will include screenings of classic adaptations such as Stand by Me, The Shining, Carrie and The Shawshank Redemption, talks and discussions, and a special Birthday Weekender (September 21st-23rd) including a Stephen King Film Quiz and a Stephen King Summit.

King himself also hand selected five of his favorite horror films to screen exclusively at BFI Southbank. The side-bar of films will run alongside Stephen King on Screen. Along with the announcement, King even commented on each of the five films, explaining why he chose them.

NIGHT OF THE DEMON (1957)

“Although it’s old school, I love Jacques Tourneur’s Night of the Demon, a pretty wonderful adaptation of M. R. James’ story, Casting the Runes. Tourneur was a disciple of Val Lewton, which means the horror here is pretty understated, until the very end.”

VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED (1960)

“On the subject of British horror (wrapped in an sci-fi bow), you can’t do much better than Village of the Damned, directed by Wolf Rilla and – like Night of the Demon – shot  in beautiful black and white. It’s an adaptation of The Midwich Cuckoos, by John Wyndham, and George Sanders does a stellar job as the schoolmaster tasked with teaching some very strange pupils.”

THE CHANGELING (1980)

“For supernatural horror, I like Peter Medak’s film The Changeling, starring George C. Scott in perhaps his last great screen role. There are no monsters bursting from chests; just a child’s ball bouncing down a flight of stairs was enough to scare the daylights out of me.”

THE HITCHER (1986)

“The Hitcher is a terrifying road movie stripped back to basics. What sets this apart, other than some spectacular stunts, is the amazing performance of Rutger Hauer as the mysterious and homicidal John Ryder. “Where did you come from?” asks the terrified kid Ryder is chasing. “Disneyland,” Ryder whispers back.”

THE STEPFATHER (1987)

“While we’re talking about terrifying men who come from nowhere, there’s The Stepfather, with Terry O’Quinn as the murderous (but charming) psycho looking for a family to love him. There’s that classic moment when he goes blank and says, “Saaay, who am I this time?” before bludgeoning his wife with a telephone.”

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While it may have been released in March of 1980, director Peter Medak’s The Changeling has way more in common with the decade it was made in: the 1970s. Spurred on by Friday the 13th and gory slashers of that ilk, the ’80s were a time for fun excess in the genre; but if you’re looking for elegant and classy horror films that tell great stories and have the power to genuinely terrify, you need look no further than the horror output of the ’70s. And The Changeling, driven by an incredible performance by Oscar-winner George C. Scott, is very much cut from that cloth.

In the film, Scott’s character, a renowned composer, moves into an old house to get some work done in the wake of his wife and young daughter being killed in a tragic accident, and he soon discovers that he’s not alone in the house. With strange activity plaguing his days and nights, the man eventually holds a seance, discovering that a young boy was killed in the house by his own father many decades prior. It’s the boy’s spirit who haunts the building, and he doesn’t intend on resting until the bizarre circumstances of his death are known… and even that’s not enough.

A genuinely chilling haunted house movie that’s equal parts horror and detective mystery, The Changeling is nothing if not riveting, taking its time to invest you in the story and the unnerving atmosphere of the house. Loaded with twists and turns, it’s a great horror film that kicked off the ’80s on an incredibly high note, in many ways feeling like one of the last vestiges of the ’70s.

And The Changeling, well, it sure seems to have inspired The Ring.

Hideo Nakata’s original 1998 Ring (aka Ringu) was of course based on a story written nearly a decade prior by Koji Suzuki, which itself was inspired by the real-life legend of Okiku’s Ghost. But several key elements of the story also seem to have been plucked directly out of The Changeling, which came along a decade before Suzuki wrote the story that spawned a massive franchise.

In The Changeling, main character John Russell’s investigation leads him to a property that once had a well on it… but the well seems to have vanished. He eventually deduces that the well still stands on the property, but that a house was literally build directly on top of it. Inside that well, which Russell digs up, is the skeleton of the young boy killed by his father in the early 1900s.

Of course, this is exactly the same thing that happens in Ring. A woman and her ex-husband eventually find their way to a cabin, discovering that it was built atop… a well. They rip up the floorboards to find the well underneath, and it contains the bones of Sadako Yamamura: a young girl who was killed by her father and then dumped into the well, before it was sealed shut.

But the similarities don’t stop there.

In both films, the main characters are sure that discovering the remains of the dead child will finally put their vengeful spirits to rest… but that doesn’t turn out to be the case. In The Changeling, young Joseph Carmichael seems to be made even angrier after Russell unearths his makeshift grave, and in Ring, Sadako’s curse is similarly not lifted even upon her exhumation.

Sadako and Joseph are also similar in that they’re not exactly “normal” children. Sadako’s murder is attributed to the supernatural abilities she possesses, while Joseph Carmichael is killed by his father due to his physical condition. Joseph is very sick and frail, and without giving the whole movie away for those who haven’t seen it, his murder is a result of his physical weakness.

Mind you, nearly every story can be traced back to another from the past, but revisiting The Changeling ahead of Rings being released this weekend, I couldn’t help but notice the strong similarities between the 1980 film and the origin story of Sadako Yamamura. If nothing more, Peter Medak’s film seems to have at least partly inspired Suzuki’s story of the girl in the well.

If you’ve never seen it, now is the perfect time to experience The Changeling.

The post The Striking Similarities Between 1980’s ‘The Changeling’ and ‘The Ring’ appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

For me, a good supernatural movie can be absolutely terrifying. When physical rules go out the window, it allows for all sorts of possibilities that we can’t expect nor anticipate. It’s because many Earthly cardinal rules lose their significance and basis that these films feel so dangerous and uncertain. It’s absolutely delightful!

But throwing The Changeling at a newcomer isn’t the best way to handle things. Rather, as always mentioned throughout this series, they need to be eased into the genre to see why it’s so much fun, why it’s so exhilarating.

That’s why I recommend beginning with fun films like Ghostbusters and House on Haunted Hill (the original, of course). The former combines quirky, lovable characters with some actually unsettling moments. As a small boy, the opening of the old woman in the library absolutely terrified me. To be honest, it still unsettles me to this day. But it’s how much fun this movie is that we can form the foundation of “supernatural films can be a good time”.

The latter showcases that delightful cheesiness that was present in the films of the 50’s and 60’s. Firstly, you have Vincent Price, who is an essential part of any horror fan’s education. Secondly, there’s a great deal of atmosphere in the “haunted mansion”. Thirdly, there are some genuinely creepy moments throughout. This movie has charm and spooks, which makes for a great entry. Also, it begins the road down the films of William Castle, which is an exciting path in and of itself!

With those two films watched, how about we keep the charm, quirkiness, and wonder going by popping in Beetlejuice? In my opinion, this may very well be the best film Tim Burton has ever directed. Non-horror fans love this movie, even though it’s completely rooted in the genre, overflowing with ghosts, scares, atmosphere, and surreal visions. Plus, that score by Danny Elfman! Astonishing!!!

Once you create that foundation that ghosts can be fun and exciting, that’s when it’s time to start diving into the truly terrifying films. That’s when you pop on The Conjuring, Insidious, The Changeling, The Ring, The Others, The Sixth Sense, etc…

There’s something to be said about feeling like something is lurking right over your shoulder, even though you can’t see it. Now it’s time to share that sensation.

The post How To Start Getting Into Horror Part 4: Supernatural appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

I miss those days and I’ve been feeling a little nostalgic as of late, so I want to make this week’s discussion post about those great works of art that are movie posters.

I’ve got several examples of what I believe to be fantastic horror posters ahead. Check them out and then make sure to leave a comment with your favorite!

The post What Are Your Favorite Horror Posters? appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

In speaking with Fango, Lovering rightfully expresses concern about doing something fresh and new, which is extraordinarily difficult when many of modern filmmakers use the classic as a focal point for their own supernatural horror. In fact, the classic Ringu franchise is a direct rip-off of Changeling, utilizing VHS tapes as a modern device to tell the story.

While a script is now completed, he shares his hesitation:

“I’m really nervous about it, for obvious reasons. The original is an extraordinarily good film, and I’ve tried to take a kind of alternative point of view—doing the scenes you don’t see, the ones in between those that are in the film. The Changeling has such iconic, much-copied sequences, and obviously loads of directors, from James Wan to [The Woman in Black’s] James Watkins and a whole bunch of others, happily acknowledge The Changeling as a massively influential film. It’s the same producers [as the original] who want to make it, and it has been a very interesting process, but I’m still trying to decide whether it’s the right thing to do or not.”

George C. Scott starred in the original as a man whose family is killed in a road accident and retires to a lonely mansion only to experience supernatural occurrences linked to the house’s mysterious past and its previous owners.

The post ‘In Fear’ Director Could Helm ‘The Changeling’ Remake appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Got any thoughts/questions/concerns for Jonathan Barkan? Shoot him a message on Twitter or on Bloody-Disgusting!

The post Drop Goblin Releases Official Video For “Joseph Carmichael”: Uses Footage From ‘The Changeling’ appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.