The horror hit list
October is a mix and match of various activities: Hayrides, pumpkin patches, haunted houses, arguing over who gets what Halloween costume and truckloads of candy. But there is one annual event that everyone has to abide by around All Hallows Eve, the all night horror movie marathon.
A lot of thought has to go into a horror movie playlist. You can’t just throw any “scary” movie on the screen. Horror is a relatively nebulous genre and it’s easy to end up with a thriller instead. You wouldn’t say "Silence of Lambs" is a horror movie and yet the title still remains under the "horror" tab on Netfilx. A horror movie marathon isn’t any good without buckets of gore right?
Horror movies aren’t any fun without an audience too. So invite over a few friends and grab some pumpkin spice beer because this is the go-to playlist. It’s equal parts terrifying and funny -- but also a complete bloody good time.
"Night of the Living Dead" (1968): First, you have to start with the basics and George A. Romero’s original zombie movie is just that. Mostly, it will provide you with a great zombie contingency discussion and a look at a horror movie prototype.
"The Exorcist" (1973): Now it’s time to really scare the pants off everyone. Long contended as the scariest movie of all time, "The Exorcist" is allegedly based on a true demonic possession of a boy from St. Louis. Just keep reminding yourself it’s “just a movie” and stay away from the pea soup for a while.
"A Nightmare on Elm Street" (1984): Live some of the terror of this movie with the 1980s style hair of Wes Craven’s original Freddy Kruger flick. Not the remake, kids. The original. While the costuming and acting is, for the most part, laughable, there are more than a few genuinely terrifying scenes. Scenes that are much more terrifying than its new age, CGI counterparts. And how can you go wrong with an icon like Freddy?
"Scream" (1996): End the night with one of the best parodies ever made. Horror master Wes Craven himself lampoons the very genre that he created. While Jaime Kennedy tears apart every movie you’ve spent the night watching, this brisk film will have you laughing and cringing at dismembered teenagers. Just remember to close the garage door when your friends leave. Now you can easily call it a night here, but if you’re feeling really brave I’ve got a challenge for you. After your entire house is empty and you’re all alone, crawl in bed and watch "Paranormal Activity." I dare you.
