If you’re anything like me, October 1st marks the first day of Halloween. From that day on, every day is just leading up to your favorite day of the year. The pumpkin spice candles are out, you’ve had your six different costumes planned for months, your wardrobe has gone considerably darker (despite Florida not receiving the fall memo), and every square inch of your apartment is covered in fake cobwebs.
But the best part, the part that arguably makes or break the Halloween season, is your scary movie schedule. Nothing says Halloween like a good horror marathon to get you in the seasonal spooky mood.
1. "A Nightmare on Elm St." (1984)
Freddy Krueger is the scariest member of the holy trinity of horror classic villains (don’t fight me on this). Ever died in your nightmare? You wake up in cold sweat and spend the rest of the night fine but uneasy. Well, this chilling classic takes makes sure you’ll never want to take a nap ever again. Whether you’re watching the original series or the 2010 remake, everyone can appreciate his superiority in the world of horror.
2. "Friday the 13th" (2009)
Another of the horror movie big players. Despite being inferior to Freddy (he’s just a guy with mommy issues and a machete if you really think about it), Jason Voorhees will still do a good job at keeping you up at night. As a kid, it took the magic out of wanting to be a camp councilor I’ll tell you that. Not to mention that this October we have a Friday the 13th which means it gets brownie points.
3. "Scream" (1996)
No, not the abomination that is the Netflix series. The original Scream series was one of the first movies that didn’t need some scary monster, ghost or demon to give you nightmares. Just good ole serial killers in ghost face masks.
4. "The Conjuring" (2013)
I’m a hard classic enthusiast, but even I can’t keep this one out of my lineup. Who doesn’t love a good, intricate possession story? Despite following the mildly overplayed creepy-new-house-in-the-woods-is-haunted trope, it does it in a way that still has you on the edge of your seat. A good way to break up your oldies.
5. "Halloween I, II, & III" (2007)
You can’t list the Halloween classics without this one, no pun intended. Despite Mike Meyers being the finale albeit weakest link in the Holy Horror Trinity, he’s still a founding father of the genre. You’ll probably sleep soundly after watching Halloween, but it doesn’t change the fact that it’s quintessential.
6. "The Ring" (2002)
I wouldn’t pick up my phone for a month after watching this movie the first time. The Ring is another relatively new movie, but definitely worth a watch. I mean you won’t look at VHS tapes the same way, but if you’re a fan of creepy children and slow-building thrillers this is the movie for you.
7. "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (2003)
The movie that fostered my very real, very rational fear of chainsaws. Also, a movie that sometimes makes the Holy Horror Trinity into a quartet. Another movie that doesn’t use the supernatural to do the job. Leatherface is a seriously deranged person, but at the end of the day, he’s just human. The most unsettling part of this trilogy is that it’s based off a true story. Nothing keeps you up at night like a true story.
8. "Sinister" (2012)
What’s worse than regular ghosts? Ghost children. Enough said.
9. "SAW" (2004)
Not a fave, but an honorable mention. The SAW franchise definitely gives me anxiety, frustrates me to no end and makes me cringe with every gory scene but it fails to scare me because of its predictability.
10. "IT" (2017)
IT just blew up theatres all over the world and already it’s a fan favorite. Whether you’re watching the old mini-series or the brand new chilling movie, it’s definitely in the top-ten this Halloween.
