16 October 2018
Zachary Engelman
We are well into the Halloween season now, but some of us have been too busy to embrace it properly. What better way to prepare for the season than a Halloween movie marathon? Here is a list of five spooky flicks to binge before halloween.
The Blair Witch Project
A group of film students decide to film a documentary in the woods near a small town about an infamous local murder known as the Blair Witch. When the group gets lost in the woods, things take a horrific turn for the worse.
“The Blair Witch Project” was released in 1999 and completely revolutionized filmmaking by popularizing the ‘found footage’ style. Every shot in this film is taken from the perspective of a handheld video camera, placing the viewer directly inside the story, resulting in a unique species of fear. The audience becomes directly invested in the story and makes them that much more vulnerable to its twists and turns.
Find this movie on Hulu or Amazon Prime Video with a subscription, or on YouTube for $2.99.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Halloween was changed forever in 1993 with Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” It almost doesn’t feel like halloween without this film .
The unforgettable soundtrack and expert stop motion puppetry help to make this movie both creepy and charming. Danny Elfman’s stellar vocals cement this movie in American film history.
Don’t forget to pick this movie back up again in a couple months when you are looking for some christmas cheer.
Watch “The Nightmare Before Christmas” on Netflix and Hulu with a subscription, or YouTube for $2.99.
Spirited Away
“Spirited Away” might not sound like a Halloween film at first, but this Japanese animated film has a lot to offer viewers looking to get into the spooky spirit. The majority of the story takes place in a mysterious bathhouse that acts as a bridge to the spirit world.
From imaginative creatures to charismatic spirits, “Spirited Away” is full of interesting characters that fit perfectly with the season.
This movie’s strange imagery and haunting themes will be a refreshing change of pace during any Halloween binge.
This one can be a little more difficult to get a hold of online, but the Blu-ray, available on Amazon, is full of bonus content.
Brain Damage
Sometimes, B-rated horror movies have a very particular appeal that perfectly fit the Halloween season, and “Brain Damage” is one of these B-rated movie that stands out from the rest.
The obscene practical effects support an amazingly clever plot. A teenager finds himself entangled in a lethal relationship with a brian-gobbling parasite, and things get bloody.
This movie is hard to find, but the Blu-ray is available on Amazon.
REC
Despite being a foreign film from a director that was almost unknown in america, “REC” has had a massive effect on mainstream horror movies.
When a late-night TV star and her cinematographers follow a fire crew to an apartment, they find themselves sealed-in after an old woman infected with a rare virus displays some strange symptoms. The story that follows is full of terrifying mystery that will haunt you for days.
The film stands out for it’s apartment realism. The actors dont look like a group of groomed hollywood hotshots, but a random smattering of locals. It also utilizes the ‘found footage’ style, giving the audience a sense that these events actually happened.
Get “REC” on YouTube for $2.99, but be prepared to read subtitles as this movie is only available in Spanish and Japanese.