Halloween is one of our favorite times of year, and we have an ever-growing list of horror movies to celebrate. There's no better way to spend the season than cozying up with some popcorn, a big bowl of candy, and a scary movie. Keep reading for our top three favorite classic horror films.
1) The House of the Devil (1896)
When we say this one is a classic, we mean it. The House of the Devil (also referred to as The Haunted Castle) is believed to be the first horror film ever made. Director Georges Méliès was a true pioneer of early film and endeavored to create effects on screen that were believed to be impossible. The House of the Devil is no exception. The film starts with a giant bat circling a castle and turning into the devil. In 1896, that was absolute magic. Due to this sequence, many also consider this to be the first depiction of a vampire on screen. Méliès used the three-minute film (which was a monstrously ambitious running time for early cinema) to explore movie magic in the style of horror, as opposed to diving into serious scares. So if you're looking for something really scary and suspenseful, this won't cut it. But it's an incredible piece of horror movie history, so we recommend you give it a shot regardless!
2) Alien (1979)
Stream on Hulu and Disney+
This has got to be one of our all-time favorite films, let alone horror movie. The story follows a spaceship crew that becomes hunted within their own ship by a very smart, very deadly alien creature. We love this movie because it keeps you on the edge of your seat, holding your breath, nearly the entire time. Masterful acting (especially by lead Sigourney Weaver) makes the suspense and fear palpable. One of our favorite fun facts about Alien is that all characters were specifically written unisex, as writers Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett didn't want casting to be influenced by gender. Instead, they wanted production to focus on procuring the strongest actor for each role. And, boy, did they deliver.
3) The Devil’s Backbone (2001)
Stream on Peacock
One of many of Guillermo del Toro's masterpieces, this film became an instant modern classic. The Devil's Backbone is set during the final days of the Spanish Civil War and follows a young boy left in an orphanage run by the Republican loyalists. Naturally, the orphanage is also haunted. We love this movie because it is creepy. It shows and insidious type of horror that stays with you, even after the film is over. Like many of del Toro's works, The Devil's Backbone is a chilling and masterful allegory for war and the the cycle of trauma. It's also just a really good ghost story in its own right. Del Toro spent decades developing it--the first draft was written before his debut film Cronos was released--in 1993. The tremendous amount of time, energy, and care put into this film were clearly worth it.
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