It's after 9 o'clock. Most of the trick 'r' treaters have headed home. The sun has passed beyond the horizon. It's pitch black out. It's quiet. It's time to indulge in a horror movie marathon until the sun comes up the next day. So, you get the popcorn, candy, and soda ready to go. By this time it's around 9:30-10:00. That gives you till 5:00-5:30 in the morning with a couple of bathroom breaks sprinkled in. That's enough time for 5 movies comfortably.
So what 5 do you watch? Do you go for old classics? Something fresh? Something campy and fun or something dramatic and brooding? What about a bit of both to satisfy all your horror inklings? Below are 5 horror films on Netflix, one for each type of horror fan in you. We recommend the order as well, as it will help keep you up!
The Classic: Hellraiser - No horror movie marathon is right without an ode to the oldies. Hellraiser is a fantastic classic horror film that plays out like most 80's cult movies. It has a questionable plot, horrible acting, and creatively vile effects. This film has some of the most grotesque creatures ever created and some of the most gruesome deaths ever perceived. Sure, some of the scenes are perfect MST3K material, but this is a great way to ceremoniously kick off the marathon.
The Slowburner: At the Devil's Door - After persistently talking up The Pact, we'll give the nod to the same director's newer installment. This guy does a great job of developing atmosphere and tension over the course of a film. His plots and acting are generally better than most you will find in this genre. He has a slightly more heavy hand on the scares in this film and some of his directing fingerprints are perhaps too apparent, but it is still a really well-made film that has one of the more interesting takes on the Devil over the past few years. Netflix is jam-packed full of great slowburners right now, so here are a handful more that you could check out if you've already seen this one: Honeymoon, Starry Eyes, Banshee Chapter, The Babadook.
The Anthology: V/H/S 2 - The horror anthology is a classic practice in the fear film medium. Its benefit in a late-night marathon is two-fold. It gives you a fresh, quick-paced story every 15 minutes or so and it is usually jam-packed with scares. The V/H/S series is great on two fronts. It comes up with creative and effective ways to tackle the found footage genre and it is packed to the rafters with scares and the occasional laugh. We picked this particular installment because it is less disturbingly incoherent than some of the stories in the ABC's of Death series and it was the best compilation of stories from the V/H/S series. Be aware, this is the most graphic film on this list for the squeamish guests!
The Comedy: Tucker and Dale vs. Evil - We, and everyone else, have probably talked this film up so much that it's hard to believe that - a. you haven't already jumped on the bandwagon, or b. you haven't already misunderstood what all the talk is about. If you're in category A, you probably don't mind watching this film another 20 times, so it's the perfect fit for a marathon to keep you awake during the home stretch. The combination of well-timed humor and gory slapstick moments make this film an orgasm of entertainment for those with a morbidly dark funny bone. If any film is going to keep you awake for the final installment, it's this one. If you happen to be in group B, try Housebound.
The Scary: Dead Silence - No climax is complete without a good scare, so you have to save the truly terrifying for last. This way, even if you do fall asleep, your nightmares from the moments of this film will kick you right back into the realm of the conscious. Sadly, there is no greater spectrum than the array of reasons that someone is truly scared. For some it's as simple as clowns. For others it's as ambiguous as the unknown. But for others, it's creepy dolls controlled by a Joker-esque smiling undead homicidal old woman. Though the story and acting have bigger holes than an asteroid, the scares are quite ferocious on the psyche. And while the twist isn't firm against the plot, it has a disturbing image to burn into your memory.
Happy Halloween, everyone! We'll be sure to post another fun comic on Friday! See you then!
And, just in case, here are some other fun horror films if you are looking to get a head start on your viewings: Oculus, Mimic, The Relic, Blood Glacier, Darkness Falls, Troll Hunter.