Halloween is right around the corner and its always fun to celebrate with a horror movie binge. When it comes to horror flicks, the classics can often be the best. Here are some old school horror movies to get you in the Halloween spirit!
Psycho (1960): This movie caused a lot of controversy when it came out in 1960, and it is considered to be Hollywood’s first “slasher” movie. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, “Psycho” is as creepy as it gets; complete with a scary old woman and her weird, taxidermy-obsessed son. “Psycho” was remade in 1998 (starring Vince Vaughn) but, trust me, the classic 1960 version is better. If you like this Hitchcock classic, check out his film “The Birds.” Its almost as creepy!
The Shining (1980): This Stephen King classic stars Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance, a struggling writer who is hired to oversee The Overlook Hotel (based on the real, allegedly haunted Stanley Hotel in Colorado) for the winter. He brings his wife and son with him, but soon things start to go very wrong. Jack is tormented by the ghosts of the hotel, and they eventually drive him insane. Jack Nicholson is terrifying as the madman Jack Torrance, and this movie will keep you on the edge of your seat. Take my advice though, and read the book first!
The Evil Dead (1981): You may have seen the 2013 remake of “The Evil Dead” in theaters, but you definitely should check out the classic version. Five friends decide to stay at a cabin in the middle of nowhere, where they find “the book of the dead” and accidentally summon some creepy spirit that turns some of them into zombies. Despite the cheesy special effects (typical of ’80s horror flicks) this film is truly freaky. There is a sequel and a remake, but in my opinion, nothing beats the original.
Starring the beautiful Mia Farrow and directed by Roman Polanski, this is truly a classic. A young couple, Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse (Farrow and John Cassavetes,) move into a new apartment, and their neighbors are a strange, friendly (a little too friendly) elderly couple. The elderly couple continues to get weirder and creepier as the movie goes on, and Rosemary continues to get more and more paranoid. This movie is freaky and suspenseful, and you won’t believe the ending!
If you like these movies, here are some more classics you can check out: Suspiria (1977), Night of the Living Dead (1968), Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), and The Wicker Man (1973).