Pumpkin-Spiced Pictures: A Curated Halloween Movie Collection
By Nino Lujpen
This year's October has been obscure, to say the least. Just several weeks ago, many of us were still basking in the revitalising European sun, drowning ourselves in summery cocktails and scorching scrumptious, succulent munchies on the barbecue. We were truly treated to an Indian summer, and it was utterly amazing while it lasted. Nature decided to flip the script halfway into the month, as we have now reunited with our precious blankets and fired up our central heating to a thousand degrees. The spooky season has finally taken hold of us all and with it comes, of course, an endless barrage of cozy movie nights – gezellig!
With Halloween rapidly creeping up on us, I am ecstatic to share a selection of rather disturbing, mind-boggling, and gore-laden horror movies. Whether you prefer a slow-burning tale of hysteria, an exhilarating slasher, or a classic jump scare galore – this handpicked selection has something for everyone. Trigger warnings will be present, so let go of your worries, grab yourself a hot drink, and enjoy the thrills!
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Green Room (2015)
Directed by: Jeremy Saulnier
TRIGGER WARNING: EXTREME VIOLENCE AND DEPICTIONS OF NEO-NAZISM
We start this list with the adrenaline-fueled and wholly repulsive slasher Green Room. Who would have ever expected our beloved Professor X or Captain Picard to portray the leader of a loathsome neo-Nazi group? Indeed, Sir Patrick Stewart reveals an unprecedented, particularly disturbing branch of his remarkable acting wheelhouse. While the rest of the cast is undoubtedly convincing in bringing their characters to life on screen, Darcy Banker thoroughly steals the show.
“Band plays at a neo-Nazi bar, witnesses something they are not supposed to witness and find themselves in deep, dark shit.”
This rather straightforward plot allows the slasher format to thrive, as viewers are not required to keep up with an intricate web of plot points, instead being allowed to exclusively direct their attention towards the visceral audiovisual experience that Green Room is. Keep an eye on your heart rate, because you will be on the edge of your seat with this one!
Interesting fact: all the actors in this movie performed their songs (despite the audio being replaced by pre-recorded performances). Two of the actors specifically learned to play their respective instruments for this movie.
Summer of 84 (2018)
Directed by: François Simard, Anouk Whissell and Yoann-Karl Whissell
Following such a grim and horrifying entry, we have a much more light-hearted movie. This is by far the least graphic and confronting movie on this list, as it is teen-centric and builds its mysterious plot in a nostalgic 80's setting. While the horror elements do not come to light until the latter half of the movie, your patience will be rewarded, and you will not be disappointed.
The likes of Stranger Things (2016) or The Goonies (1985) might come to mind when watching this film, yet the makers still manage to set themselves apart by creating unpretentious, entertaining characters and putting great emphasis on the production value. Cinematography, audio, lighting, set design – it's all there and it resembles a well-oiled machine that delivers a plot of youthful, yet mysterious horror.
Interesting fact: A picture shown in the movie displays one of the victims of John Wayne Gacy, A.K.A. the “Killer Clown”.
Haunt (2019)
Directed by: Scott Beck and Bryan Woods
TRIGGER WARNING: EXTREME VIOLENCE
Haunted houses: we are not unfamiliar with them here in Europe, as they can be found in amusement parks and at fun fairs, but the Americans really know how to push the boundaries. Physical, emotional and mental abuse are not uncommon in the more extreme haunted houses of the US, as the phenomenon has remained highly popular throughout the decades – a premise that Haunt builds on to its fullest potential.
The plot – lacking depth and innovation – is not the strong suit of this movie and needs to be taken with a grain (or a spoonful) of salt. Rational human decision-making is – as is the case for many horror movies – not an appreciable element in Haunt. This might infuriate some viewers (though, to be completely frank, characters constantly making the right choices would likely make for a very dull horror movie). Instead, this movie takes great pride in its practical effects and – at times – its CGI. As there will be no need for viewers to put on their thinking cap, they can simply enjoy this entertaining flick with a bite and a sip, whilst arguing with their friends over what they would do in that situation.
Interesting fact: production was halted when a stabbing took place at a campus very close to the set. The perpetrator was shot after stabbing a safety officer.
The Exorcist (1973)
Directed by: William Friedkin
With the recent release of the new iteration, it would be downright blasphemous to exclude the original Exorcist. In its heyday, this movie was considered the most terrifying to ever be produced. The overall narrative, the use of special effects, the soundtrack and the acting performances – it was all highly revered by the critics and the public alike. As the standards of high-value horror film production rose throughout the decades – specifically concerning special effects – the younger generations began to refrain from this universal praise. Some aspects of this film might no longer hold up in the current climate of SFX and CGI, but they remain iconic for a reason and have paved the way for numerous directors to realize their visions. I could proceed to glamorize this movie for another fifty pages, but let us instead shed light on the unnerving production of this film, as it is still believed that the film set was truly haunted...
Interesting facts:
A fire mysteriously broke out and destroyed the McNeil house – a significant part of the set. This delayed production for several months.
It was said to be extremely, almost unnaturally cold on set, despite the use of heating systems.
A total of nine people passed away during or relatively soon after production was wrapped up. Although most of them lost their lives to explainable causes, some cases remain a mystery to this day.
Linda Blair, the actress portraying the girl, needs several bodyguards to protect her for more than six months after the release of the movie. She received several death threats and was accused of promoting Satanism.
Hell House LLC (2015)
Directed by: Stephen Cognetti
Filmed in the found-footage format, Hell House LLC tries to convince the viewers that they are watching a documentary and therefore allow them to expose themselves to the attempted realism that is displayed in the movie. This approach to horror movies rose to popularity after The Blair Witch Project (1999) and despite the growing praise, many have also voiced their dislike towards the subgenre. Many of you will thoroughly love Hell House LLC, and many of you will completely despise it.
Still there? Great - let's get into the actual movie! What appears to be a conventional pop-up haunted house enterprise, gradually shifts into a dodgy, unnerving series of occurrences. Barely a drop of blood can be seen in this film, as it moves away from the typical tropes of special effects or CGI, instead veering the plot towards the consequences of delving into the unknown. The tension builds at a steady pace, making great use of its format, whilst keeping the viewer immersed in its credible, realistic set design. As with every horror movie, do not expect the characters to be doused in wisdom – you will sigh at several moments. Instead, allow yourself to take these decisions for granted for once and enjoy the disturbing vibe that Hell House LLC manages to achieve so well.
Interesting fact: one of the actors actually throws up in the movie.
X (2022) and Pearl (2022)
Directed by: Ti West
TRIGGER WARNING: EXTREME VIOLENCE
Two movies in one entry? Why would that be? Ti West is why. Although you could easily watch one of these two movies and leave it at that, I strongly encourage you to first watch X and then proceed to watch Pearl. Though I do not wish to reveal too much, both movies demonstrate a profuse level of spine-chilling malevolence. Actress Mia Goth treats us to a stellar performance in both movies and while the unconventional nature of Ti West's directorial style might not appeal to everyone, one can hardly complain about the lack of character depth.
Summarizing the two respective plots would stain the viewing experience and thus, I will ask those curious few to simply take a gander at the IMDb pages. The sheer obscurity and ghoulish weirdness behind A24 horror movies have been praised by horror communities for several years now, but with X and Pearl, Ti West has put his heart and soul into reaching the average moviegoer with this new, sinister strand of horror.
Interesting facts: Ti West wrote Pearl directly after the release of X. Mia Goth agreed to star in it and after A24 green-lit the movie, it took just two weeks for filming to be completed. With the release of MaXXXine on the horizon, we will have a trilogy to enjoy for many years to come.
Gon-ji-am (2018)
Directed by: Jung Bum-Shik
Gon-ji-am is a true skin-crawler and demands to be viewed with your lights off and your mouths shut. For those who are new to the refined world of Korean horror, it might take some time to settle into this movie and process the acting performances. If you are, however, able to open-mindedly acknowledge the cultural gap between yourself and this movie, then you will be greatly rewarded.
This is once more a found-footage film, although it succeeds in keeping the format engaging and colorful. The diversity in perspectives, as well as the overall direction and editing of this film, adds a layer of realism that is crucial for this film to work. The plot is simple: streamer is hungry for views and compiles a team of horror aficionados to investigate a supposedly haunted asylum. An incredibly dark tone governs the vibe of this movie, as the filmmakers have made excellent use of the locations at their disposal. Prepare for some terrifying jump scares and let your eyes feast upon the numerous gloomy shots. To repeat: lights off, mouths shut, and enjoy!
Interesting fact: Gonjiam is a real Korean asylum and the disturbing stories surrounding it have inspired the makers to create this movie. Despite many attempts, they were unable to film in the actual building.
A Cure for Wellness (2016)
Directed by: Gore Verbinski
This one is for all those gothy folks out there. A Cure for Wellness is Gore Verbinski's horror child and paints an accurate picture of his visual-heavy approach. At a length of nearly 150 minutes, some viewers may not be able to sit through this movie without a yawn or sigh, and with that said, I need to be perfectly clear – this film is neither a non-stop thrill-a-minute nor a trip down the rabbit hole. Do not expect to have your socks blown off or your neurons fried; notes of pretentious storytelling are present throughout the movie and could very well turn off viewers who prefer a more conventional, straightforward approach.
What is it about, then? A young chap visits an obscure, not-what-it-seems wellness centre in Switzerland... and that is just about as far as I can take you. A Cure for Wellness is by and large a visual experience – a premise that Verbinski clearly had his scope set on. Filming locations, set design, cinematography, lighting, and editing come together in grotesque harmony to create an enchanting feast for the eyes. Add a formidable cast to this formula and those select viewers will have an extremely hard time turning their eyes away from the screen. The cinematic underworld is abundant with digestible popcorn-and-soda movies. A Cure for Wellness is very much a wine-and-cheese movie and a true gem to the artsy-fartsy cinephiles among us.
Interesting fact: the sanatorium buildings used to be part of a hospital complex. Many World War I soldiers would stay there, among them Adolf Hitler.
As Above, So Below (2014)
Directed by John Erick Dowdle
Another found-footage flick makes the list, and while this format seems to be a hit-or-miss for most, As Above, So Below was commercially successful as well as critically acclaimed. The true virtues of this movie, as you will quickly discover, lie in the filming location – the catacombs of Paris. Thousands upon thousands of skulls and bones reside in these catacombs, many of them being visible in this film. Very rarely are viewers treated to such disturbing realism, thereby adding to the already suffocating nature of As Above, So Below. Despite the otherworldly themes that constitute the overarching narrative of this movie, the humble cast and found-footage format drive immersion to unique levels and manage to creep the flying shit out of many viewers. Best enjoyed with the sole company of a single-burning candle and a susceptible state of mind!
Interesting fact: the movie is brimming with references to Dante's Inferno, a poem that illustrates the journey through hell.
Saw X (2023)
Directed by: Kevin Greutert
TRIGGER WARNING: EXTREME VIOLENCE
“I wanna play a game”
Who would have ever expected a new Saw movie to claim the crowning glory of a horror movie list? Not me – and it would be false to assume that Saw X ropes in viewers with unyielding success. It has, however, been a very long time since fans have been treated to a Saw movie that has substance. Indeed, the last decade or so has been a profuse disgrace to the franchise and while some entries did manage to maintain the high standards of gore-infested special effects, the quite recent Spiral failed disastrously in redeeming the hallmark quality of the earlier Saw movies.
We are thus extremely fortunate to be blessed with the release of Saw X. Although the squirm-inducing scenes of this movie are still dwarfed by those of the original Saw (2004), Kevin Greutert effectively returns to the original tropes of the franchise. I do not wish to spoil anything and therefore recommend any Saw fan to go and see the movie for themselves. Tobin Bell is somehow still kicking; Twisted Pictures is yet to go bankrupt and Jigsaw riding around on his tricycle retains its equally comedic and unsettling character – how could this not be promising?
Interesting fact: emergency services were called several times during the editing phase of production, as the persistent toe-curling screams would drive neighbors to madness.
BONUS ENTRY: Irréversible (2002)
Directed by: Gaspar Noé
TRIGGER WARNING: EXTREME VIOLENCE AND DEPICTIONS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT
EXTRA TRIGGER WARNING: I AM NOT KIDDING – THIS MOVIE HAS SERIOUSLY TRAUMATIZED VIEWERS.
We end the list with an unconventional horror movie; a movie some might not even consider horror – that is for you to decide. “Pushing the boundaries”, as many directors refer to it – the idea of exploring what can and cannot be displayed on the silver screen. It is a phenomenon central to a particular niche in horror movies, praised by many and contested by many more, which is why it felt wrong to include Irréversible as an entry in this list. This movie is graphic, and by graphic, I mean truly heinous, abominable and gut-wrenching degrees of graphic. If you are not one to let morbid curiosity get the better of themselves, then scroll back up and spare yourself the trauma.
Did you consider American Psycho (2000) disturbing? Did you find Fight Club (1999) too confusing? Was Antichrist (2009) too much for you? Gaspar Noé would easily dub these films as no more than innocent little Pixar flicks, to be enjoyed with a fruit box and some raisins. Irréversible, as you may have guessed from the title, has an antichronological narrative. To use common tongue, the sequence of events is displayed in reverse order and as you might imagine, this makes for an incredibly surreal and mind-bending viewing experience. Far more confronting than this approach to storytelling, though, is the extremely raw and visceral depiction of violence and sexual assault crammed in this movie. Not a hint of dramatization can be traced, and it is with unprecedented caution that viewers should approach this movie.
Interesting fact: During the 2002 Cannes Film Festival, 20 people who attended the film screening required oxygen administration from fire wardens due to fainting episodes.
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The idea of what constitutes a horror movie has been contested, to say the least. Watching films will always be a personal experience – what terrifies one, might amuse the other. Nonetheless, with this diverse selection of horror movies, I hope to provide a pick-and-choose paradise of horrifying quality. As the credits roll on this collection of horror masterpieces, one thing is certain: the fear will linger long after the screen goes dark.