The countdown to Halloween is officially on, and you know what that means — it’s time to watch scary movies with reckless abandon! Stay up all night. Jump at your own shadow. Turn on every light so you don’t have to wonder what’s peering at you from the darkness. Granted, this all may not sound like a good time to someone who doesn’t like being spooked. But if you’re a horror movie aficionado, October is your favorite month for reveling in the creepy vibes with equally creepy cinema.
These days, you can also find some killer (mwuhahaha) programming on TV during the month of October, like Travel Channel’s “Ghostober.” From special editions of Ghost Adventures to new dark and twisty series, the network has stepped up their paranormal viewing experience this year.
So, who better to ask for scary movie recommendations than the paranormal pros who host Travel Channel’s spooky programming? These experts recently told TV Insider their must-see horror movie picks, and we culled 13 to pass on to you… just in time for Halloween.
‘The Thing’ (1982)
This ’80s cult classic saw Kurt Russell’s helicopter pilot R.J. MacReady and a research team in Antarctica stalked by a shape-shifting alien. And, according to Portals to Hell host Jack Osbourne, it’s the scary movie that sticks out from his childhood. “Oh tough one, when I was a kid The Thing terrified me,” he said, ironically adding, “But now… I don’t watch scary movies. It freaks me out way too much.”
‘The Exorcist’ (1973)
If by some chance you’ve never watched this movie about a possessed teenage girl, put it on your list. And if you have watched it, watch it again. As Kindred Spirits‘ host Chip Coffey sums up, “I first saw the film when I was in college and it was terrifying. Still is!!!”
‘The Shining’ (1980)
Heeeeeeeere’s Johnny! “My favorite horror film is probably The Shining. It terrified me as a child, because my parents let me watch it, which probably explains a lot about me), but now I just find it to be a masterpiece of a film,” said Kindred Spirits‘ Amy Bruni.
‘Paranormal Activity’ (2007)
When asked the movie that keeps her up nights, Destination Fear host Chelsea Laden admitted, “Honestly, Paranormal Activity scared the heck out of me. It hit just a little too close to home for many reasons.” And we’re with her — this 2007 found-footage style film about a demonic presence in a suburban home has a way of staying with you.
‘Night of the Living Dead’ (1968)
The Holzer Files‘ Dave Schrader can’t shrug off one of horror’s most cited films. “A real classic, Night of the Living Dead is my all-time favorite,” Schrader said, although he has a few modern favorites, too. “However, in recent years I loved The Conjuring and Sinister. I believe those two movies were great suspense, scary movies that really got into my head.”
‘Pet Sematary’ (1989)
For The Holzer Files‘ Cindy Kaza, it’s hard to call. “This is a tossup, for sure! Pet Sematary is one of my favorites but The Exorcist is probably the scariest.” We’re deferring to Pet Sematary here, since (a) Chip Coffey already took The Exorcist and (b) we’ve been afraid of cats and small children under the bed ever since the original Pet Sematary hit theaters.
‘Bram Stoker’s Dracula’ (1992)
When it comes to the horror movie that never gets old, Ghost Adventures: Serial Killer Spirits‘ host Zak Bagan fired off his standard: “Bram Stoker’s Dracula.”
‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning’ (2006)
Ghost Adventures: Serial Killer Spirits host Billy Tolley zeroed in on one of the more modern picks of the bunch — this scream-inducing addition to the Leatherface canon starring Jordana Brewster and Matt Bomer.
’13 Ghosts’ (1960)
This one goes way back, so you may not have seen it. But if that’s the case — and you love a good creep-out — make sure you cue it up, stat. “13 Ghosts is my favorite and scariest. When the ghosts come at you so fast freaks me out,” said Aaron Goodwin of Ghost Adventures: Serial Killer Spirits.
‘The Return of the Living Dead’ (1985)
This is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: the dead come back to life. We won’t spoil how in case you haven’t seen it yet. But take it from Ghost Nation‘s Steve Gonsalves, who admits to being “very obsessed” with horror movies — this is a good one.
‘Black Christmas’ (1974)
There are two (soon to be three) versions of this eerie holiday horror. So, if you’ve only seen the 2006 one starring Katie Cassidy and Michelle Trachtenberg, Destination Fear‘s Dakota Laden highly recommends watching the original. “I saw Black Christmas at a very young age and I never forgot it,” Laden said of the 1974 film about a deranged stalker picking off sorority girls. “This movie is SO overlooked. It inspired many classic horror movies to come. Nothing like a horror movie centered around Christmas.”
‘The Witch’ (2015)
“Robert Eggers’ The Witch is a movie that I could not stop talking about after I saw it in theaters. I was captivated the whole way through. The score and the final scene, that’s when my mind was blown,” shared Destination Fear host Tanner Wiseman. Haven’t heard of it? Set in 1630s New England, it follows one family as they grapple with the suspicion one of their own may have a natural proclivity for black magic.
‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’ (1978)
Don’t ask Ghost Nation‘s Jason Hawes to sit through a modern horror movie marathon. For him, you’ve gotta go classic. “Movies these days seem to be more about jump scares than story lines,” he lamented. “My scariest movies would be The Exorcist, the 1982 version of The Thing, the 1978 Invasion of the Body Snatchers.”
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Prep for your next spooky movie night and pin these horror movie recommendations for later.
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