As dentists free up their post-October schedules and children dressed in overpriced, poorly designed outfits prepare to aggressively scavenge their typical suburban neighborhoods for diabetes in a bowl, I propose some pre-festivities entertainment to get you in the spirit. Horror films have captivated audiences, driving them to the theater for years. Their focus on the supernatural, mass murderers, and monsters among us has appealed to our deepest curiosities for ages. In particular, slasher films that rely on antagonists who kill with knives, chainsaws ... basically anything besides guns, have flourished over the years. We love to be scared. We love to question our sanity. We love the complexities of the unknown. So before you carve distorted faces into an (now) inedible fruit, I implore you to step into the heart of darkness and fear.
10. The Exorcist- Demonic possession may seem like a common theme in modern horror films, but most are merely attempting to recapture the magic that was The Exorcist. Combining childhood innocence with religious overtones, the film satisfyingly portrays this disturbing practice that truly occurred throughout history. Linda Blair’s unsettling performance as the possessed 12 year old will remain indelible for years to come.
9. Scream- It’s not easy to satirize the horror genre and still make a truly bloodcurdling film, but Scream makes it look easy. The slasher parody examines our infatuation with mass murderers in the media, while addressing the cliché of high schoolers in horror movies. It was the first film to deconstruct the horror rulebook by creating guidelines to survive in a horror movie. We would not get as intelligent or creative a satire until The Cabin in the Woods in 2012.
8. Night of the Living Dead- This list would not be complete without a zombie apocalypse movie. Luckily, we’ve picked the perfect one. Night of the Living Dead would go on to define the zombie genre with its relentless, gory gimmicks and chilling buildup. It would garner so much acclaim that many modern classics would become pure parodies of the film (think: Shaun of the Dead and Zombieland).
7. The Blair Witch Project- A $25,000 budget. A found footage film. Unknown actors cast. Against all odds The Blair Witch Project would redefine, for ages, how seriously studios would take their marketing campaigns. The basic plotline of ambitious students gone missing when looking for a local legend managed to make $250 million at the box office. As a result we continue to have found footage horror films today, like the Paranormal Activity series.
6. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre- Another testament to gifted marketing tactics, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre claimed it was based on true events to bring in viewers. I sure hope it isn’t. A story of twisted cannibals terrorizing teenagers, the film brought forth one of the most spine-chilling antagonists the horror genre had ever seen: Leatherface. It became infamous for originating horror elements like the use of power tools in murders and faceless antagonists. A must-see horror classic.
5. The Shining- Here’s Johnny! Find me someone who hasn’t screamed that line before (especially those named John). The haunting story of the Overlook Hotel and its ability to descend recovering alcoholic, Jack Torrence, into madness was sheer brilliance. With societal allegories aplenty, like the American killings of Native Americans and the concept of masculinity in Corporate America, the film succeeded in a subtle yet significant manner. Vacations with the family will never be the same.
4. Friday the 13th- Who would have thought that a hockey mask could be so terrifying? With an unforgettable slasher antagonist, Friday the 13th would only further the success of the slasher genre. The two-punch twist ending only illuminated what audiences were beginning to realize: Jason Voorhees is here to stay.
3. Psycho- You can’t kill the main protagonist halfway through the film! Oh, but you can. Alfred Hitchcock burned down the horror rulebook with his gruesome tale of a psychotic motel owner with an Oedipus complex. No viewer will ever be able to forget the screeching violins playing in the notorious “shower scene.” Though it’s up for debate, I’d argue Psycho was the first true slasher film, and, damn, am I grateful for it.
2. A Nightmare on Elm Street- You are not even safe in your dreams. That is the message Freddy Krueger, the daunting antagonist of Nightmare, reminds everyone. A supernatural horror thriller with social implications for adolescence in American society, Nightmare unapologetically frightened audiences with two distinctive terrors: the fear of dying and the fear of living.
1. Halloween- If you have one film that you must see before Halloween … well I suggest Halloween. Substance abusers, sexually promiscuous individuals and overall immoral beings: beware, for you are the targets of this film's killer. The unyielding, vindictive force that is Michael Myers is out for blood and will stop at nothing to tear down the false security of modern suburbia. Halloween is more than the foundation of the slasher genre; it is the pinnacle of horror film livelihood.
Honorable Mentions: Carrie, The Omen, The Evil Dead, Let the Right One In, Rosemary’s Baby, The Thing, and Saw
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.