Scary Films for Halloween

Posted on Oct 14, 2020 by Missy Chapman  | Comments (0)

While the horror genre has often been pushed aside in cinema for its campy and formulaic tendencies, there’s a reason real horror movies haven’t met their demise. The films below are intended to give you a scare.

 “Ready or Not” is about a bride named Grace (Samara Weaving) who marries into a wealthy, eccentric family, where tradition dictates that all new family members have to take part in a bizarre ritual. What should be a playful game of hide and seek is actually a deadly one of cat and mouse.

“Ma” is a film about a group of kids that think they found the perfect spot when an older woman allows them to use her basement for parties, but things start to change when they notice her mysterious behavior. Octavia Spencer, who plays Ma, does an excellent friend-on-the-outside, crazy-on-the-inside Stalker.

 “Rosemary’s Baby” Is the most disturbing allegory for childbearing gone wrong. Mia Farrow's Rosemary becomes increasingly panicked about her pregnancy and her mysterious neighbors in a building with a history of Satanism. Ruth Gordon won an Oscar for her role as Rosemary's villainously eccentric neighbor, who isn't as sweet as she seems.

Nearly four decades after “The Exorcist’s” release it is still considered one of the scariest movie ever made—and features one of the most terrifying movie villains in Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair), an innocent 12-year-old girl possessed by a demonic force. William Friedkin's Oscar-nominated film was pretty much the first prestige horror movie, with incredible performances, heavy thematic material, and game-changing scares.

“The Shining” is arguably one of the scariest films of all time. Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of Stephen King's bestseller generates terror from its meticulous filmmaking. Jack Nicholson's turn as a murderous father features the most memorable horror-movie performance perhaps of all time.

“Psycho” is a cautionary tale about the perils of stealing from your boss—and, about staying at roadside motels run by mamma's boys. Alfred Hitchcock originated the surprise first-act murder of the star with the story of a woman (Janet Leigh) on the run who is way too accepting of a dark-haired stranger's (Anthony Perkins) generosity.

If you are hosting a Halloween film party that offers a wide range of scary, the Warsaw Community Public Library has got you covered.