5 Things you May not Have Thought to Watch this Spooky Season
- Adelemarie Palermo
- Oct 9, 2023
- 3 min read
We all know the Halloween movies, Nightmare before Christmas, Beeteljuice, Practical Magic, Hocus Pocus. And they’re classics for a reason. They scratch the itch for something macabre, funny, and all around make us excited for Halloween. If you are looking for something to shake it up while you’re making pumpkin spice cookies, or decorating, or making popcorn and spooky cocktails with your besties, here are some suggestions that keep the vibe going:
If you’re in the mood for a comedy: Death Becomes Her
Starring Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn, this dark comedy never gets old. If you haven’t seen it before (I’m hardcore judging you) it follows the story of two frenemies, named Madeline and Helen, who experience a rift in their relationship after Madeline steals Helen’s man for yet another time. Madeline decides to take an immortality potion to restore her youth, and Helen enters her villain era. The two of them are forced to mend their differences in the most ironic and hilarious of ways, up until the very end.
If you’re nostalgic: Pretty Little Liars
This tv show is all about mystery, death, and has lots of creepy storylines to choose from, as it has 7 seasons. Conveniently, the show also has designated Halloween episodes that always bring the shocking revelations. If you didn’t grow up watching PLL, you might not get it, but the back-to-school fall energy, especially in season 1 will make you think back simpler days. This is a good one to have on in the background while you’re doing something, or have a throwback night in with your girls while you enjoy spooky treats.
If you’re a sucker for the arts: The Phantom of the Opera
Set in a late 19th century Paris opera house, this film has theatrical gothic energy, and while the film is more style than substance, it more than serves its purpose. Christine, an innocent girl with a stunning voice, is between two boys: her childhood love Raoul, and Erik, the talented yet warped musician who fled to the sewers below the opera house as refuge from his harrowing life as an outcast due to his facial deformity. Watch as each step of their messy love triangle has an absolute masterpiece of a song to go with it, and pretend Gerard Butler is ugly enough for the role.
Alternatively for musicals: The Legend of Sweeney Todd. Way more explicit horror, but I figured Victorian London gets a bit stale in this genre so I’d give something else.
If you’re into Gothic horror: The Picture of Dorian Gray
Follow the story of a handsome, enigmatic young man who lets his pride get the best of him in this true gothic horror. Dorian, the main character, commissions a painter to trap his soul in a portrait of himself to protect his vanity and give him immortal youth. This power corrupts him, and he goes down a bad road. This take on the “don’t mess with nature” trope will have you going on a dark, downward spiral with Dorian, but unlike him, you are still mortal when the film ends.
If you want a dark academia fall: Jane Eyre
Set in the moors of Victorian England, Jane Eyre is a coming of age tale. Follow Jane through her difficult childhood that shapes her into a smart, strong young woman who eventually finds her way, but not without some obstacles. Themes of the supernatural and mystery are at the turning point of the story, so that is where some of the creepiness comes in, aside from the general gloomy vibe throughout the film.
If you want all the Victorian creepiness and all the Mia Wasikowska with a more literal creep factor, I would suggest Crimson Peak instead, as this is very explicitly a horror film. I put it as a footnotes because it’s not exactly off the beaten path, but wanted to remind you if you hadn’t already thought of it.
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