Yes, it’s that time of year again where the veil between this world and the one beyond is that bit thinner, and our screens are filled with all kinds of ghouls, goblins, witches and werewolves.
But, where to start? We all love a good thriller, but with so many spine-tingling horror movies out there, how to choose the perfect backdrop to your Halloween?
The team here at ClickPlay live for movies, and we asked them to round up the very best horror films they could think of. Below we chose the top five. Read on...if you dare!
Poltergeist
There’s a whole genre of horror movie based around watching movies. This clever narrative technique puts the viewer of the film, in the same place as the character in the film, thus ratcheting up the tension at every turn. The genre reached its apotheosis with The Ring, where the ghoul literally climbs out of the TV screen with horrifying jerky movements. The idea started way back in 1982 however with Steven Spielberg’s Poltergeist.
The movie sees a young girl be drawn into a flickering TV by a malevolent spirit that goes from simple bumps in the night to a dramatic ending that can’t be missed. The film is made even scarier by the so-called ‘curse of Poltergeist’, which refers to a series of tragedies that subsequently befell some of the movie’s cast members.
The Exorcist
Considered by many the greatest horror film ever made, the Exorcist caused huge controversy upon release and was subject to bans in many countries for years.
The movie follows a bereaved priest on the verge of losing his faith, who comes face to face with a dramatic demonic possession. With some truly shocking scenes and an atmospheric soundtrack that launched the Richard Branson’s Virgin brand, the movie is full of iconic cinematography and a confrontation with evil that feels all too real.
Truly a classic of the genre, but not for the faint hearted.
The Blair Witch Project
The Blair Witch Project, like Poltergeist, was the first of a whole genre of movies based on the idea of ‘found footage’. The film is based upon a roll of film left in the woods by some student who’ve gone missing which leaves the audience constantly wondering, could this be real?
Let’s hope it’s not because, while the film is subtle in terms of what the audience gets to see, we see enough to resurrect childhood fears of the old witch living in the woods. As the days in the forest go by, the horror slowly builds until the protagonists do indeed find the witches' lair.
An American Werewolf in London
This horror comedy classic follows two young American tourists who find themselves lost on the English moors, bedevilled by terrible weather and stalked by an even more terrible beast.
When one of the tourists later wakes up in a London hospital, to discover that he and his friend were attacked by a wolf, being a stranger in a strange city is the least of his problems. With some hilarious moments, and some horror thrills to boot, this is a classic tale of beauty and the beast, but with a modern twist.
Remember, stick to the road and stay off the moors.
Scream
The Scream franchise is one of the biggest there is in horror and the first instalment set the template for nearly two decades of screaming. Scream brought the classic slasher movie up to date for a whole new generation. With veteran horror director Wes Craven at the helm, Scream puts the audience right alongside the cast of characters are they’re stalked and terrorised by a psychotic killer. This movie will have you jumping at every sound, and wondering if you locked all the windows and doors!
There are a hundred other movies that didn’t make the cut, but maybe we’ll do a follow up post looking at some of them.
Is your favourite horror movie on the list? Drop us a comment below, and let us know!
