By Chloe Colmenares
Staff Writer and Social Media Coordinator
What better way to ring in the spooky season than with a few good scares?
Streaming services — Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime — give us a host of scarily good movies to send a chill up our spine.
Here are a few of the best horror films available:
- “Silence of the Lambs” (1991) — Netflix
This movie is a must watch for any fan of horror.
When a deranged serial killer named Buffalo Bill is on the loose, FBI agent Clarice Starling seeks the help from another serial killer, the infamous cannibal Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a former forensic psychiatrist, to try and understand the killer’s motives and end his reign of terror.
Adapted from Thomas Harris’s novel of the same name, “Silence of the Lambs” is a masterpiece of horror-thrillers. Combining award-winning acting with brilliantly directed scenes that will keep you in suspense.
Elianny Rodriguez, a sophomore English major, described the film over Instagram direct message as “Horrifically beautiful. There’s beauty even in the grotesque scenes.”
- “The Evil Dead” (1981) — Netflix
The debut of director Sam Raimi’s gruesome “Evil Dead” series, “The Evil Dead” shows five friends as they travel to a cabin in Tennessee for vacation.
When snooping around the basement of the cabin, they unleash ancient demonic spirits, then fight to survive.
This splatter horror film is not for the faint of heart. Even with it’s low budget, campiness and dark humor, this ’80s classic does not hold back when it comes to blood and gore.
- “Poltergeist” (1982) — Netflix
Another classic from the 1980s, this supernatural horror movie has one of the greatest American haunted house stories.
The Freeling family’s idyllic suburban life comes to a grinding halt when paranormal beings start to communicate with them through the TV, even snatching the young daughter. The family calls in parapsychologists to see if they can put an end to this curse and rescue the child.
Even with special effects that might feel dated and a premise that’s been repeated over the years, “Poltergeist” still manages to spook audiences decades later.
- “Creep” (2014) — Netflix
A slow-burn found-footage film, this movie will keep you at the edge of your seat.
“Creep” follows Aaron, a struggling amateur videographer who follows up on a Craigslist ad made by Josef, an oddball with terminal brain cancer. Josef hires Aaron to make a series of video diaries for Josef’s unborn son in the event of his own death. The awkward interactions of the two leads and the tense atmosphere surrounding the entire run time create an experience unlike any other.
This film is a fresh take on the found-footage horror genre, a category full of bland “The Blair Witch Project” rip-offs. “Creep” manages to use the strengths of the genre to the fullest, creating a film that embodies the message “people aren’t always who they say they are.”
5. “It Comes at Night” (2017) — Netflix
After the world has been laid to waste by a mysterious and deadly disease, leaving everyone to fend for themselves, Paul, his wife Sarah and their son Travis, try to survive in the woods. When a new family seeks refuge with them, they discover that sometimes danger can come from within.
This psychological horror film by indie film production company A24 will make you “paranoid even after it has ended,” said Brandon Padilla, a sophomore English major. “The movie is full of well realized and relatable characters that will make you doubt who is telling the truth. I totally recommend it.”
6. “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (1975) — Hulu
Get ready to do the Time Warp! When the newly engaged couple Brad and Janet get a flat tire in the middle of a thunderstorm, they become stranded at the castle of the deranged scientist and transvestite Dr. Frank-N-Furter.
As the innocent couple become inducted into the offbeat world of the Transylvanians, they become witnesses to the mad scientist’s greatest creation, the titular Rocky.
This stage musical turned ’70s cult classic is perfect if you want a few laughs instead of screams this Halloween.
7. “Let the Right One In” (2008) — Hulu
This movie combines genres that you might expect would make a horrible movie but ends up creating one of the best romantic vampire-horror-coming-of-age films ever.
“Let The Right One In” centers around Oskar, a young boy growing up in Stockholm, Sweden, who is continually bullied by his peers and unloved by his parents. When he meets Eli, a girl who recently moved in next door, he experiences desires for love and revenge.
The atmosphere of this film, set during the cold and dreary Swedish winter, mixed with the intense loneliness of its main characters, creates a mood that sucks you in and does not let go until the very end.
8. “The Cabin in the Woods” (2012) — Hulu, Amazon Prime
What’s scarier than a situation that’s completely out of your control? When five college students arrive for a weekend getaway at a remote cabin in the woods, they discover that the last thing they’ll get is time to relax.
This movie takes the “haunted cabin in the middle of the forest” trope and flips it on its head, creating one of the best horror comedies of the last 10 years involving government scientists in control of the paranormal and gruesome events.
9. “Hereditary” (2018) — Amazon Prime
The debut film by Ari Aster and one of the most talked about horror films of 2018, “Hereditary” follows Annie and her family, who are tormented by her deceased mother’s past and curse she left behind for them.
“After watching the movie, it made me feel like it can happen to anyone. Like, maybe some of your family is actually part of a cult and you don’t even know. There’s a bit of mystery to the plot,” said Jasper Macatulad, a sophomore finance major and The Equinox business team member.
10. “Nosferatu” (1922) — Amazon Prime
This classic German movie adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel “Dracula” was almost lost forever after a court ordered all copies be burned. Luckily that didn’t happen — one print survived.
Real estate agent Hutter is sent to the castle of Count Orlok, who wants to purchase a house in town. Orlok becomes infatuated with Hutter’s wife, Ellen, and purchases the house next to Hutter’s in order to take her as his own.
This silent film is a must-see for anyone interested in the origins of horror films and modern cinema as a whole.
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Art by Amaya Morales
