Written by Nicole Scopelliti | Photo by Lauren Bruce
1. The Shining (1980)
If you’re looking for an eerie film with a homage to Oregon’s very own Timberline Lodge in the opening credits, this movie is for you. Forego the jump scares this weekend and indulge in this psychological thriller directed by the talented Stanley Kubrick. Follow Jack, Wendy, and Danny Torrance through the Overlook Hotel as they edge towards the brink of insanity. All work and no play makes college students grumpy, so be sure to watch this flick.
2. The Exorcist (1973)
This legendary film has made a recent comeback in the form of a TV series, however nothing beats the original. Poor, young Regan seems to have some kind of sickness- just a cold perhaps? Not quite, unless a cold consists of levitating, speaking in tongues, and projectile vomiting. If you are so possessed as to watch this movie, you’re in for devilish fun.
3. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Immerse yourself into deep dark woods filled with unforeseen surprises and entities this Hallo-Weekend. Filmed in the style of found footage, this movie captures the terror of three documentary filmmakers as they set out to find the legendary Blair Witch. You might want to keep the lights on for this one, and if you find any creepy stick figures in your house the next day, you may want to find someone to sublease your apartment ASAP.
4. House of 1000 Corpses (2003)
Rob Zombie is the master of stomach-churning gore and obscenity, and this movie definitely packs a disquieting punch. Follow two couples as they end up stranded at the House of 1000 corpses and come across a raunchy group with an affinity for massacre. In the midterm slump? Captain Spaulding is sure to cheer you up.
5. Silent Hill: Revelation (2012)
This sequel embodies the industrial, surreal quality that was so admired in both the first Silent Hill film and the iconic Silent Hill video game series. Succumb to the mysterious force of the post-apocalyptic, abandoned town of Silent Hill as you follow Heather on her dark journey to self-discovery. Be prepared to encounter a few demons and decrepit zombie nurses on the way.
6. Halloween (1978)
Watch as Michael Myers, one of the horror world’s most notorious killer, embarks on a relentless hunt for unsuspecting victims in the quaint town of Haddonfield, Illinois. This silent stalker is sure to send chills down your spine. You might find yourself sleeping with the light on for a few nights.
7. 28 Days Later (2003)
If you’re a fan of the post-apocalyptic thriller, you will love this movie. After the Rage virus spreads throughout London, it infects a countless number of victims, transforming them into a hoard of the unrelenting undead. Watch as a group of survivors, Jim, Selena and Frank, try to escape the bloodthirsty, zombified hoards.
8. American Psycho (2000)
If a comedy, drama and slasher hybrid sounds intriguing to you, take a peek at American Psycho over Hallo-Weekend. It’s not your traditional horror film, which is what makes it so appeasing to a wide variety of audiences. Patrick Bateman is a personable businessman by day, and a psychopathic serial killer by night, hunting down unsuspecting women and murdering them in a quest to quench his insatiable, demented desires. Beware the man who wears raincoats indoors and has an affinity for rhythm-and-blues.
9. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
If you’re into comedy and blood and guts, take a bite out of this film. This British zombie-rom-com dishes out laughs with a heaping side of brains. Follow Shaun, Ed, and the rest of their motley crew as they embark on a battle against herds of zombies. Be sure to bring a paddle and a cold pint from the iconic Winchester pub on your epic battle against the undead.
10. House of Wax (2005)
This film is a college student’s worst nightmare. The Knight Library during finals week? Guess again. In this creepy classic, a group of college students find themselves taking refuge in a wax museum after their car breaks down in a ghost town. They soon discover that the museum is being run by a family with the darkest of intentions. How does being encapsulated in a thick coating of wax sound? Let’s hope none of us ever have to find out.