A Guide to a Perfect Halloween Marathon

Matt St. Clair October 22, 2020

Halloween is all about the tradition of trick-or-treating and costume parties. However, as we practice social distancing, there won’t be as much gathering for apple-bobbing or doorbell ringing for chocolates. That being said, it’s still a perfect time to take part in another holiday tradition: Watching scary movies.

In case you’re looking to put together the perfect horror movie marathon solely on the sacred day and/or on the days leading up to it, we’ve got a how-to guide on creating one. For this list of recommendations, I’ve picked one film from a particular category (Ghost story, Slasher pic, Foreign language, etc.) to ensure your scary movie-watching experience is as eclectic as possible. Without further ado, here’s a guide to a perfect Halloween marathon:

Slasher Movie:

Halloween, Friday the 13th, and Scream may be potential go-to options for those looking for a good slasher pic. Even Psycho is a viable option. But my pick is one that came out the same year as Psycho without the initial fanfare. That film is Peeping Tom, a 1960 British chiller that follows a voyeuristic photographer (Carl Boehm) who murders unsuspecting women and films their petrified reactions as they die. Critically reviled during its initial release, Peeping Tom became heralded as a masterpiece as time went on and was even named the 78th best British film ever by the BFI. (Currently streaming on Prime Video)

Ghost Story:

Going back to celebrating classic British cinema, The Haunting is an unnerving spookfest. Based on the novel The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, The Haunting follows Dr. John Markway (Richard Johnson) as he and three strangers investigate paranormal activity inside a decades-old mansion with a history of violent, eerie occurrences. As their stay progresses, things go bump in the night like shaking staircases and loud knocking on doors. Yet, its minimalism proves to be more effective than an overabundance of CGI monsters. (Available to rent on Amazon Prime)

Foreign Language Title:

As director Guillermo del Toro said when discussing The Devil’s Backbone on the Bravo special 100 Scariest Movie Moments, “History is ultimately an inventory of ghosts.” A line that serves as the basis for the Spanish-language picture which takes place in the final days of the Spanish Civil War and follows an orphan named Carlos (Fernando Tielve) who crosses paths with Santi (Junio Valverde), a ghost who wanders the halls of the orphanage he resides in. Rather than act as a poltergeist, Santi becomes a walking reminder of the grave cost that war comes with. Also, an indication that even when a war concludes, it never really ends. (Currently streaming on the Criterion Channel)

Science Fiction:

Ridley Scott’s Alien is a gloriously frightening amalgam, acting as a piece of body horror, a sci-fi pic with its space setting, and a haunted house movie since the central protagonists are trapped in a spaceship with an entity that initially hides in the shadows. In addition, it boasts an iconic heroine in the form of Lt. Ellen Ripley played with a steely reserve by Sigourney Weaver. Whether you watch Alien at home or in space where, as the tagline suggests, “no one can hear you scream,” you still might be doing a lot of it. (Currently streaming on HBO Max)

Horror-Comedy:

Going back to films critically reviled during their theatrical run, Jennifer’s Body is another masterpiece better than its initial reception suggests. A darkly funny yet unsettling allegory for the horrors of female adolescence, Jennifer’s Body follows the titular character, played by Megan Fox, as she preys on her male classmates after being possessed by a demon with her best friend Needy (Amanda Seyfried) plotting to end her murdering spree. Besides its peculiar dialogue from Oscar-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody, the film also shines thanks to the comic stylings of Megan Fox and of course, its killer soundtrack. (Available to rent on Amazon Prime)

Witches:

The conjurers in The Wicker Man from the remote island of Summerisle aren’t exactly the black-cat-and-cauldron type. Instead, their non-magic belief that human sacrifice can cause their crops to grow proves to be the film’s gravest threat. Fearing that missing child Rowan may be that very sacrifice, Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) goes on a race against time to find her. His clash with the islandfolk then becomes a fascinating collision of religious ideologies between Christianity and Paganism. (Currently streaming on the Criterion Channel)

Vampires:

While The Devil’s Backbone may already be a part of this marathon, it’d still be a good opportunity to continue heeding the advice of Bong Joon-ho and overcome the “one-inch barrier of subtitles.” That’s why for my vampire movie selection, I’m going with the 2008 Swedish film Let the Right One In. A story that offers conventions within the vampire mythos, such as having aversions to sunlight and needing invites to step in a person’s house, while acting as a desolate telling of being an outsider. (Currently streaming on Hulu)

Werewolves:

An American Werewolf in London is quite the hair-raiser. One reason is because it’s got one of the most infamous werewolf transformations on screen brought to life by the Oscar-winning wizardry of makeup artist Rick Baker. It also possesses a mix of grotesque humor and enough scares to make you leap from your seat. The rather tongue-in-cheek soundtrack, which includes songs ranging from “Blue Moon” by The Marcels to “Bad Moon Rising” by Creedence Clearwater Revival, is an added touch to a picture that successfully subverts traditional werewolf lore. (Currently streaming on HBO Max)

Horror from the 2010s:

Lastly, we have not just a current entry, but one that’s even more eerie in this current climate: The Lighthouse. Residing on a deserted island for days with hardly any direct human contact is enough to make a person go mad. A person like Ephraim Winslow (Robert Pattinson) who does his supervisor Thomas Wake (Willem Dafoe) as company, yet still suffers cabin fever as they drive each other mad in this Bergmanesque psychodrama laced with tenuous homoeroticism. (Currently streaming on Amazon Prime)

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Matt St. Clair

Matt is a New England-based freelance journalist who lives and breathes the world of cinema and has been an Oscar watcher since the age of eight. His writing can be found on outlets such as The Film Experience, Roger Ebert, Digital Spy, and Slashfilm. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic and a Gay & Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association member. You can follow him on Twitter @filmguy619. (He/They)

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