Josh Falcone – General Assignment Reporter
Anytime of the year is a good time to watch a scary movie, but it’s extra special to watch one when there is a chill in the air, crisp dead leaves on the ground, and jack-o-lanterns illuminating the darkness of late October. The following are a few of my personal favorites to get the heart racing.
One of the most terrifying films to ever grace the screen is the 1973 masterpiece, “The Exorcist.” Based on the novel by William Peter Blatty, who in turn wrote the book after hearing about real life exorcisms in the early 20th century, the film follows an actress visiting the nation’s capital, the sudden possession of her teenage daughter Reagan, and the battle of two priests to send the demon back to Hell. From the demonic cackle to the telekinetic powers the possessed Regan exhibits, “The Exorcist” still scares the hell out of me to this day.
The other film that might be on par in sheer terror factor in my book is the 1980 Stanley Kubrick classic, “The Shining.” Another film that was based on a book, this time the Stephen King novel of the same name, Kubrick changed King’s story creating an even more frightening story of the Torrances, Jack, Wendy, and Danny.
Jack is a recovering alcoholic writer who takes a caretaker job at the Overlook Hotel for one long Colorado winter. Danny, Jack, and Wendy’s son meets the hotel cook Dick Halloran upon arrival and Halloran informs Danny that he has a telepathic gift called the shining, which causes Danny to see disturbing images of the hotel’s past. The film follows Jack’s downward spiral into axe-wielding craziness and the haunted hotel’s attempt to gather more spirits to inhabit its evil walls.
This year saw the release of a film that was scary from start to finish, “The Conjuring.” A film based on a real-life case of the paranormal investigators, the Warrens, a family, the Perrons, who were terrorized by evil in their Rhode Island home in the 1970s. The film was the first film I have seen in the theaters where 95% of the crowd was jumping out of their seats. The frightening paranormal events showcased in this film are chilling to say the least. From the scary possessed doll to the equally scary wardrobe that opens on its own and produces a pair of clapping hands, good luck sleeping the night after you watch “The Conjuring.”
If demonic possession and ghosts are not your thing and you long for the traditional masked maniac terrorizing people then the next two films will satisfy.
John Carpenter’s “Halloween” is a great scary movie and it began the legacy of Michael Myers. From the unforgettable theme song to the terrifying scene where the “Boogeyman,” after taking a round of bullets into the chest and falling some odd feet, gets up and disappears.
The original “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” is another amazing scary film. The film deals with a demented family that murders people traveling through a small Texas town, led by the ancient Grandpa. The main antagonist is Leatherface, a chainsaw wielding behemoth that wears his victim’s faces — sounds cute, right? For such a graphic sounding murderer, the film is great because it is not really gorey; the carnage is subtle, yet scary.
So if you are looking for something to watch to get you in the spirit, these films are a great place to start. So grab the popcorn, gather some friends and watch these classics. Just be ready to be leaving the light on for a while, because these films are made to horrify.
