Lucian Woolley
For many, myself included, October is an excuse to persuade relatives and friends to indulge in the frightfully iconic genre that dominates the segment of the calendar. Horror is perhaps stereotyped for its intimidatingly high entry level, with people not used to its oddly sinister charm supposing that if they dared to open the ghoulish catalogue, then they would not be able to get a wink of sleep. This is a more plausible possibility when going in blind. As for me, knowing which subgenre of horror gets your heart pounding is akin to knowing which alcoholic spirit is a no-go. Personally, a well-crafted ‘psychological horror’ is my equivalent of tequila. Whilst both have delivered ill-advised nights fuelled only by adrenaline, I designate them as best situated at the top of a very high shelf, far away from me so that I may sleep peacefully. With that (slightly concerning) comparison out of the way, this is a somewhat tiered guide on the jumpscares, eerie still shots and boogeymen of the October mainstay genre, concluding with my advice for beginners and recommendations.
‘Slashers’
These films are responsible for catapulting horror into the limelight of popular culture, debuting iconic villains that are central figures in the narratives from which they emerge. Film franchises such as Friday the 13th (1980-), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984-) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974-) terrified cinemagoers in the 1970s and 80s, with their formulaic plots of menacing boogeymen creatively murdering gangs of hyper-sexualised (most times abrasive) teenagers. You would certainly be hard-pressed to miss the masks of Leatherface, Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger on the ‘Mount Rushmore’ of horror icons. This sub-genre specialises in blending gory kills with comedic timing, atmospheric settings dripping with eerie potential and fantastically detestable villains that sometimes you can’t help but love (and sometimes laugh at) the frightful absurdity of. Whilst this has now become a sub-genre known for over-congestion and sequels deteriorating in quality, it is one that remains integral to horror.
Top Picks:
Halloween (1978) and Scream (1996). Michael Myers is an awesome presence in the former, with his signature head tilt whilst stalking ‘final girl’ Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and an uncanny mask making for an instant classic when paired with John Carpenter’s delightfully chilling score. Scream is a more accommodating film for horror novices, characterised mostly by its teenage drama, multiple killers and starring Monica from Friends. However, it really is so much fun on a first watch.
When watching these films, it is important to remember that producers want you to be scared, so it can be fun to play into that aspect
‘Supernatural – silver screen forays into the unknown’
Whilst not gore-averse, this is a sub-genre that focuses on eerie settings and atmospheres that spiral into terrifying crescendos. The reliance on off-putting settings, slow panoramic camera shots to drip-feed suspense, and, of course, jumpscares, is one of the reasons why supernatural movies have dominated the box office. But it is also why oversaturation and declining product quality have occurred. One of the most iconic horror films to date came out in 1973, that being The Exorcist, a film which could be seen as having kickstarted the trend of horror movies obsessing over demonology and possessions, pitting religion against the occult in a fascinating battle.
More recent standout franchises include Insidious (2010-), featuring a haunted astral plain which a child must navigate, It (2017) and IT’S sequel (2019), adapting timeless author Stephen King’s most popular horror story (not one for those with coulrophobia), and of course, The Conjuring (2013-) and it’s connected universe, with legendarily infamous icons such as Annabelle the doll and The Nun. The term ‘supernatural’ in this context may also be an umbrella term to encompass popular ‘found footage’ (The Blair Witch Project, 1999; Paranormal Activity, 2007- etc.) and ‘folk-horror’ movies (Midsommar, 2019; The VVitch, 2015). These are not strictly bound to the supernatural genre but often adhere to its conventions, grounding a portrayal of the supernatural in modern day or historical realities. And reality is scary…
Top Pick:
In 1980, Jack Nicholson violently screamed, “Here’s Johnny!” in his world-renowned performance in Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of The Shining and this instantly became a feature close to my adrenaline abused heart. It is such an iconic movie that should be on one of those ‘Films to watch before you die’ lists, and in lieu of this, my endorsement should suffice.
‘Visual Horror – gore galore’
It is hard to stand out in a genre that prides itself on its plethora of onscreen misfortunes, yet these entries do it in style. This is a sub-genre of horror that specialises in shock, with squirting blood and organs promptly segregating the squeamish out of the cinema. Sibilance aside, the world-renowned Saw (2004-) franchise is perhaps the best-known example of gory horror, wedding practical and computer-generated effects to produce memorably gruesome fates for its characters, such as the iconic ‘reverse-bear trap’ (if you know, you know). Whilst I believe the original Saw (2004) to be the highest quality of plot in the sub-genre, entries such as the Evil Dead remake (2013) and Terrifier (2016) and their sequels ramp up the levels of grossness, sickening gore and blood to a seemingly insurmountable level.
Top Pick:
My standout choice for this category of horror film must be Hostel (2006), as its realism blends masterfully with appalling gore and suspense to make it a film worthy of its grim reputation. Not one for the faint of heart.
When watching these films, it is important to remember that producers want you to be scared, so it can be fun to play into that aspect. Watching behind the scenes footage is a sure-fire way to blow off steam and demystify what you have just seen. My greatest advice is to watch the Scary Movie (2000-2026) franchise, as these comedy horror flicks play on and satirise the absurdity and stereotypes of horror in a tongue-in-cheek manner that is immensely satisfying and reassuring to consume. YouTube can also be a great place to go, with channels such as Dead Meat breaking down and analysing titans of the genre in a film-centric manner that ultimately makes them less threatening.
If you consider yourself well versed in horror movies, these are my top recommendations for a frightful Halloween:
- Hereditary (2018), a folk-psychological horror of spine-chilling insanity featuring an Oscar snubbed performance from Toni Collette.
- Sinister (2012), a supernatural flick with a non-stop sense of unease and isolation, great to watch on your own (or not!).
- And finally, Barbarian (2022), a tour de force in atmosphere and gut-wrenching twists from director Zach Cregger that rounds off my picks for the freakiest Friday.
Happy Halloween!
Lucian Woolley
Featured image courtesy of Hu?nh ??t via Pexels. Image use license found here. The size of the image is cropped.
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