If you want some serious scares other than our campus classic, look no further than these frightening titles.
‘28 Days Later’ (2002)
This movie is single-handedly responsible for reviving the stagnant zombie apocalypse genre in the early 2000s. Bike messenger Jim (Cillian Murphy) wakes up from a 28-day coma to discover that Great Britain has been overrun by fast-moving, cannibalistic “zombies” infected with an experimental virus called Rage, which is transferred through the bloodstream. This movie is full of the genuine zombie scares we have come to know and love but brought a new dimension to the genre with its revolutionary fast-paced zombies.
‘The Thing’ (1982)
This sci-fi horror classic was remade in 2011, but if psychological tension and terror is more your cup of tea, the original ’80s thriller is definitely the pick for you. Researchers in Antarctica fall prey one by one to a mysterious extraterrestrial life form that can become a perfect mimic of its victims. The movie doesn’t just rely on the paranoia of the researchers; while the special effects are very ’80s, the image of an alien creature growing out of the detached head of a scientist isn’t easily forgotten.
‘Trick ’r Treat’ (2007)
This cult horror-comedy anthology film has grown in popularity since its lukewarm release. The collection of four Halloween-related scary stories are all tied together by the presence of Sam (Quinn Lord), a trick-or-treating tyke dressed in shabby orange pajamas and a mysteriously round burlap sack over his head. The four stories all revolve around one Halloween night in a small town, where Sam’s appearances throughout serve as a warning to those who break Halloween traditions. It is full of a variety of genuine scares, and when the plots all come together, it is a truly freaky picture of the scariest night of the year.
‘Hocus Pocus’ (1993)
Okay, so this may not be very scary, but no list of Halloween movies would be complete without this ’90s classic. When Halloween humbug Max (Omri Katz) accidentally wakes the Sanderson Sisters, three witches hell-bent on obtaining eternal youth, he has to put a stop to their evil schemes before they take the lives of every child in town. Aided by his sister Dani (Thora Birch), his crush Alison (Vinessa Shaw) and an immortal black cat named Binx (voiced by Sean Murray), Max’s quest is a fun and entertaining adventure that harkens back to a simpler time. The movie is filled with iconic scenes such as the witches’ performance of “I’ll Put a Spell on You” and uniquely hilarious performances by Bette Midler and a young Sarah Jessica Parker. Hocus Pocus is a great addition to any Halloween movie marathon.
Halloween is one of the best times of the year for scares, so take a seat on the couch, pop some popcorn and hold on for your life with these great movies.