Halloween is only a few short weeks away and that means the time is right to snuggle up and watch all the spooky TV shows and movies you can get your hands on. October is, of course, always full of the scariest new releases, and this year is no exception. Horror has evolved a lot over the years with trends like the slasher flick to psychological horror to supernatural jump scares dominating the box office. This year, there’s something for everyone no matter what kind of scare you’re looking for. Here are just a few of the best things in horror to add to your must-watch list this month.
The Haunting of Hill House
Netflix’s highly anticipated horror series based on Shirley Jackson’s 1959 novel The Haunting of Hill House is set to be released on October 12th just in time for the ramp up to Halloween. The trailer is full of creepy visuals that stay true to Jackson’s reliance on building dread and anticipation. The 10 episode series follows the five Crain siblings as they deal with the trauma of growing up in Hill House, including the memory of their mother’s death. After their youngest sibling takes her own life, ghosts (literal and figurative) from their past start resurfacing. The series already has great reviews, which some critics saying that it “reinvents horror”.
Halloween
The eleventh instalment in the Halloween franchise is finally here. Set 40 years after the original film, heroine Laurie Strode (played by Jamie Lee Curtis), has been working hard preparing for the possible return of masked murderer Michael Myers. The film serves as a direct sequel to the original, disregarding some of the (questionable) twists and turns the plot took throughout the last ten instalments of the franchise. That means what made the original so scary in its time will have the opportunity to carry over to freak out a new generation of horror lovers.
Hell Fest
If slasher movies are your thing, Hell Fest will be right up your alley. Set in a travelling Halloween carnival called, you guessed it, Hell Fest, a group of teenagers realize they’re being stalked by a masked serial killer. Like the Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer franchises before it, Hell Fest is all about the jump scares and slasher movie tropes. While it might not be the most original plot, it’s the kind of movie you feel like watching in the weeks leading up to Halloween.
Suspiria
The original Suspiria from 1977 isn’t for the faint of heart and the remake is sure to be just as disturbing. Directed by Luca Gaudagnino, the film is more of a homage to the original than a direct remake, but the basic plot is the same. A young dancer enrols at a prestigious dance academy that turns out to be plagued by supernatural phenomenon. Starring Dakota Johnson and Tilda Swinton and with a score by Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, Suspiria is sure to be more about the tension and uneasiness than jump scares. It doesn’t actually come out until November 2nd, so you have plenty of time to watch the original before then.
Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween
Okay, so Goosebumps is obviously for kids, but if you’re a horror fan now, chances are you were into shows like Goosebumps, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, and Tales from the Crypt when you were a kid. So don’t pretend like you aren’t going to watch Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween. Jack Black will reprise his role as R.L. Stine and help three kids fight against monsters he created himself, including probably his most recognizable villain—Slappy the Dummy. Goosebumps is clearly setting out to create the next generation of horror lovers.
American Horror Story: Apocalypse
Granted, anthology series American Horror Story has had its ups and downs over the last eight seasons—but the great thing about the anthology style is that every new season has the potential to recapture the nightmares of the first season. Season eight is set in America’s west coast after a has nuclear blast has wiped out most of the population. A group of survivors with “strong genetic makeup” are living in an underground bunker, but as usual, not everything is as it seems. Series regulars like Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters return, as well as a bunch of other actors reprising their roles from other seasons.
