Every October brings us not only fall colors and rainy days, but also time for fun — and scary — Halloween spirit. With the cold weather keeping us inside and Halloween just around the corner, here are recommendations from fellow UO students and faculty of must-see Halloween movies for this year’s festivities.
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“Rocky Horror Picture Show” (released 1975)
Summary: In this musical, engaged couple Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick) and Janet Weiss’s (Susan Saradon) car gets a flat tire in the midst of a storm. They find a creepy mansion nearby where they try to find a phone to call for help. However, they find the mansion is owned by mad scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry) and home to many of his odd creations. The couple arrives to see the unveiling of Frank-N-Furter’s newest and greatest creation, “Rocky Horror (Peter Hinwood),” the ultimate ideal sex symbol for men.
Genre: musical, comedy, horror
Available on: Hulu, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, YouTube, Vudu
Recommended by: Grace Reichardt, a senior double majoring in psychology and cinema studies
“It has amazing songs and a large cultural impact on cult films where grind-house style was beginning to dominate art-house,” Reichardt said. “Additionally, the film showed a lot of queer and androgynous folks with a focus on sexual liberation which was uncommon at the time. The film is a long standing classic with cult movie fans and the LGBTQIA+ community.”
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“Coraline” (released 2009)
Summary: Frustrated with her parents, young Coraline explores her family’s new home and discovers a secret door leading to a world featuring the ideal version of her current life, only to discover the new world is much darker than she thought.
Genre: animation, drama, family
Available on: Amazon Prime, YouTube, Vudu, Apple TV
Recommended by: Isabel Fernandes, a junior double majoring in political science and ethnic studies
“I think it’s a perfect mix of being spooky, having fantastic visuals and amazing storytelling. I find the characters so fascinating and entertaining to watch, all sort of having their own little ‘quirks,’ interests and motivations,” Fernandes said. “I also just have such an appreciation for the claymation used in the movie. It’s honestly one of my favorite movies of all time.”
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“Sleepy Hollow” (released 1999)
Summary: Set in 1799 and adapted from a Washington Irving short story from 1820, the film follows Ichabod Crane, a New York City police constable who faces judgement from his peers over his use of forensic science. He is sent to a town called Sleepy Hollow to investigate three decapitations. While the town is convinced it is a supernatural occurrence, Crane is determined to prove there is a logical explanation behind it. Over the course of the film, Crane works the case while falling for the daughter of his rich host Katrina Van Tassel (Christina Ricci). By the end, Crane discovers the murderer is not who — or what — he thought it would be.
Genre: fantasy, horror, mystery
Available on: Amazon Prime, Hulu Plus, Vudu
Recommended by: Amanda Cote, assistant professor of media studies and game studies
“It’s atmospheric and spooky without being scary. I’m a big wimp. I can’t watch actual horror movies,” Cote said. “So this is about the extent of how scary I can watch and get the Halloween feeling without waking up in the middle of the night from nightmares.”
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“The Shining” (released 1980)
Summary: Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) is a writer hoping to help his writer’s block by becoming the winter caretaker at the remote Overlook Hotel in Colorado, bringing his wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and son Danny (Danny Lloyd). Yet an evil supernatural presence inflicts a dark influence on Torrance as his son has terrifying visions about the past and future. The longer the family stays at the hotel, the more they learn of its disturbing secrets and the violent goals of the presence within.
Genre: horror
Recommended by: Brady Ruth, a freshman majoring in sports journalism
Available on: HBO Max, Amazon Prime, Vudu
“I’m from Colorado, and it takes place at the Stanley Hotel. I spent the night in that hotel where they filmed it,” Ruth said. “That was fun. It’s kind of a classic. It was one of the first horror stories I read, and it’s not too scary.”
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“Carrie” (released 1976)
Summary: Adapted from a Stephen King novel, Carrie White is a shy teenage girl with an overbearing, abusive mother and cruel classmates at school. When she begins to suspect she has supernatural powers after a series of strange incidents happen around her, she goes to prom for a fun night — only to face a dark turn of events.
Genre: horror, mystery
Recommended by: Jonas Farnsworth, a freshman majoring in English
Available on: Amazon Prime, Apple TV
“It’s got really good pacing,” Farnsworth said. “They hold the suspense for a really long time, and you’re on the edge of your seat for the whole movie.”
Whether you are wanting to experience the thrill of a horror movie or prefer to cozy up with a blanket and take in the Halloween atmosphere, there is a Halloween movie waiting for you to sit down with a mug of hot apple cider and a bowl of popcorn and enjoy the spooky season from the comfort of your couch this year.
