5 Horror Movies to Watch This October

The arrival of October means a few things; midterms are next week, decorative gourd season is fast approaching, and watching horror films becomes a priority. Since I don’t have any more mental energy to expend on the subject of midterms, and I’ll probably end up writing about decorative gourds come November, I’ve picked out five horror films I recommend you watch this month. If you get started this week, you’ll have about 5 days in between each movie to regain composure and get comfortable sleeping with the lights on. So, let’s start with number five.

5. “The Descent” (2005)

What starts off as six women out to do some serious spelunking becomes something even more terrifying than the mere idea of descending deep into the Appalachian Mountains. What made this movie memorable (read as: terrifying) is how many of the scenes looked in terms of the only light source coming from the characters’ head lamps and flashlights. It’s during these scenes that the rapid camera movement creates such a sense of disorientation and suspense, that you feel like you’re right there in the caves, faced with the possibility that you may not be alone down there…

4. “High Tension” (2003)

It’s been several years since my last viewing of “High Tension”, yet there are a handful of disconcerting scenes that I vividly remember. “High Tension” successfully blends two common practices in horror movies, the first is the fast-paced, machine gun-style sequences of terror that have you trying to get your hands over your eyes, yet they’re pinned to your side by fear. The second is the use of long scenes of cat and mouse between characters, effectively delivered with only the sounding of characters breathing and their footsteps. “High Tension” throws the viewer for a twist at the end, but provides some quality horror throughout.

3. “Paranormal Activity” (2007)

I can’t recall a film I remember watching for the first time quite like I remember watching “Paranormal Activity”. This is an abridged version of how that night went down… Some friends and I first had to make a 45 minute drive out to see it because it was such a limited release. We didn’t know what we were in for. We waited another 45 minutes outside the theater before the movie. There’s nothing like waiting in line with dozens of other people who are equally excited and anxious about the movie to build suspense. And… I remember we came out of the theater, got in the car, and didn’t say a word on the way home. It was like, “let’s leave everything that just happened back at the theater. We don’t need to relive it.” Filled with some top-notch “Oh my god, that’s messed up, man…” and “Holy S***!!” moments, “Paranormal Activity” is definitely a must for Halloween-time.

2. “The Exorcist” (1973)

Few horror films receive such critical acclaim as the wildly graphic and disturbing spectacle that is “The Exorcist”. A staple of horror film lists from critics across the globe, “The Exorcist” leaves you drained of emotion after watching. “The Exorcist” isn’t a film that has some scenes that simply force you to turn the light on at night… No, “The Exorcist” is the kind of film that stays with you, the day after you watch, then the day after that, and on and on until decorative gourd season is in full swing and “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” airs on TV to calm your nerves.

1. “The Blair With Project” (1999)

I was late to the party when it came to “The Blair Witch Project”… And for the sake of the happy childhood that I had, I am so glad I was late to the party. Perhaps the “Paranormal Activity” before “Paranormal Activity”, “The Blair Witch Project” sets the bar near the upper stratosphere when it comes to independent horror filmmaking. Shot and produced for like, $13.47 ($60,000 Estimated), “The Blair Witch Project” remains one of the scariest movies ever made (in my book), considering its financial limitations. Now I’ll admit, I had to leave the room for a brief 15 minutes during the movie because it was too much. Literally, stepped out of the room, walked down the hall, got a drink of water, and tried to control the urge to jump every time I turned a corner. “The Blair Witch Project” instills this paralyzing fear in you as you’re watching, not because of what you’re seeing, but what you don’t ever see, and how the film’s characters experience that same fear. “The Blair Witch Project” is one you watch with someone else, and maybe with a light on in another room. And a flashlight within arm’s reach.

Honorable Mentions (That I thought of while writing the first 5):

“Misery” (1990)

“Don’t Look Now” (1973)

“Let The Right One In” (2008)

“Se7en” (1995)

The Marble Hornets “Slenderman” YouTube series – The second most terrifying thing I’ve ever watched after “Blair Witch”.