We all have our annual favorites come Spooky Season – Hocus Pocus, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Scream, the instant classic Hubie Halloween…I could go on and on. But, if you’re anything like me, you enjoy the fun of trying to find a few hidden gems every Halloween that you haven’t seen before. With so many classics available through the myriad of streaming services we’ve signed up for over the last few years, that is increasingly hard to do. Every time I fire up the tube this time of year, I’m drowning in a sea of Halloween, Friday the 13th, etc.. It’s not a complaint, just an observation. Everything is available somewhere. So, I posed this question to the other SoBros and the larger Twitterverse: what are some good “Halloween vibes” kind of movies that get lost in the shuffle each Spooky Season? Let’s get outside that box.
Outside-the-Box Movie Recommendations for Spooky Season
The Crazies – “It’s actually terrifying because it could happen to at least a certain degree.” –(F)RighteousJesse
Disturbia – “Your classic “that guy is a killer but nobody believes me” type with Mr. Turner (David Morse) every bit as creepy and always one step ahead much like an 80’s slasher or horror. Though often supernatural, the villains were always one step ahead of the protagonist however fast they ran. Mr Turner is always one step ahead of Kale, who is on house arrest, confined to his house and yard also giving the vibe of a monster in a haunted house.” Grayson Maxwell of For the Love of Cinema.
Donnie Darko – “I feel like this one gets left out since it doesn’t have the traditional “spookiness”, but there’s definitely an unsettling vibe with the whole film, especially for a first time viewer. The entire film is set during the month of October, with the final bit specifically revolving around Halloween. Plus, spoiler alert, Frank is a Halloween costume.” –Cad
Monster House – This is one that’s in my regular rotation every October, but I don’t see it mentioned nearly enough on threads and viewing plans this time of year. It’s an animated Spooky Season classic – it’s a spooky tale of friendship, coming of age, and somewhere in there, there’s a pretty solid story about a deeply rooted love. It’s such a charming little movie, and it’s family friendly, so I have a hard time comprehending how y’all stay sleeping on this one.
Secret Window – I quoted Jon Turturro’s “you stole my story” line for a solid five years after seeing this one back in 2004. It came out in March, so it definitely dodged the entire Halloween season with a spring release. But, it’s a pretty nerve-racking tale of isolation and suspense that fits the bill for a chilly October night.
Signs – “I’m throwing Signs out there as a suggestion. I think it gets overlooked as one of M.Night’s strange projects, but it’ has a perfectly chilling tone for spooky season. It also touches on several different themes like religion, family, trauma. But, if you want to take it straight up as an alien invasion movie you can. Eerie at times with a little bit of peculiar humor mixed in makes for a fun ride.” –Brittany Fernandez
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) – “Texas chainsaw Massacre. The original. What I love about these movies though is they have been remade quite a few times and they are all pretty good, despite some bad acting. This comes in as a horror movie, but when your main villain is a flesh mask wearing maniac, it just screams Halloween. It’s a cult classic, but doesn’t get as much respect as it should.” –Brent Remadna
Van Helsing – Okay, okay – I get it. It’s a campy and corny version of the fabled monster hunter’s story. But, it’s Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale running the gamut of Halloween all-stars. From Dracula to the wolf man, to Frankenstein’s monster, Van Helsing covers the bases. There’s an atmospheric Halloween feel to the whole thing too – lots of dark nights and bright moons. Ain’t no shame in giving this one a shot.
Spooky Season 2021
- Drinking With…Scary Movie
- The Giant Skeletons Just Keep Getting Bigger And Bigger
- Patreon Exclusive: SoBros Short Fiction: A Hard Day and a Cheeseburger
- Phone It In, Ep. 24: The Warrens
- Phone It In, Ep. 25: Creepy Reddit Stories, Pt. 2
- Real King Shit: Housing An Entire Sweet Potato Pie In A Theater
- SoBros Scary Stories: Reflection
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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