Welcome to the 2019 edition of Story Scream! Story Screen’s own Kolodziejski brothers are here again to provide a watch list of films to make your October horrorful! Each list features a wide variety of spooky movies that you can stream from the comfort of your own home. And don’t forget, if you’re looking for something scary on the big screen, the Beacon HorrorShow Part V is running all month long at Story Screen Beacon Theater in Beacon, NY!
Jack’s list:
2019 New and Noteworthy
This has been a fantastic year for horror so far, with original movies like Us, Midsommar and Ready or Not, finding mainstream success at the box office (and if you haven’t seen those flicks, here’s your recommendation to do so). But there’s also been a ton of great new horror flicks that flew under the radar. I haven’t seen any of these yet, but their trailers and surrounding buzz are very promising.
Braid
Director: Mitzi Peirone
Available: Amazon Prime
I Trapped the Devil
Director: Josh Lobo
Available: Hulu
The Wind
Director: Emma Tammi
Available: VOD Rental ($3.99)
Hagazussa: A Heathen’s Curse
Director: Lukas Feigelfeld
Available: VOD Rental ($3.99)
2019 Netflix Horror Originals
Netflix has been consistently releasing solid horror originals every October for the last several years, and 2019 is shaping up to be no different. This year’s “Netflix and Chills,” features tons of original horror movies and shows dropping all September and October long. Here are the two I’m most excited about.
In the Tall Grass
Director: Vincenzo Natali
Available: Netflix
In the Shadow of the Moon
Director: Jim Mickle
Available: Netflix
Classics
These are a few of the more obscure horror classics that I’ve been meaning to watch for forever, but have never gotten around to. Killer Klowns will fill my yearly quota for schlocky 80’s horror, Bubba Ho-Tep is a silly horror adventure in the vein of Army of Darkness, and Shivers is one of Wes Craven’s earliest films.
Killer Klowns from Outer Space
Director: Stephen Chiodo
Available: Free on Youtube
Bubba Ho-Tep
Director: Don Coscarelli
Available: Amazon Prime
Shivers
Director: David Cronenberg
Available: Hulu
Horror from Around the World
Some of my favorite original horror movies in recent years have come from foreign markets, (shout outs to The Night Eats the World, which made both my Story Scream and Top Ten lists last year). Hailing from England, Poland, and Turkey respectively, each of these films bring a unique eye to the genre.
A Field in England
Director: Ben Wheatley
Available: Amazon Prime
Demon
Director: Marcin Wrona
Available: Amazon Prime
Baskin
Director: Can Evernol
Available: Hulu
A bit of S(laugh)ter
If you’re looking to mix things up with something a little less serious, this next category is for you. Each movie brings a twisted sense of humor to the typical violence and gore, which may lighten the mood a bit after a binge of terror.
Murder Party
Director: Jeremy Saulnier
Available: Netflix
The Greasy Strangler
Director: Jim Hosking
Available: Amazon Prime
Life After Beth
Director: Jeff Baena
Available: Netflix
Jeremy’s List:
GIALLO
The Giallo is a specific genre of Italian filmmaking in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Italian directors like Dario Argento, Mario Bava, and Lucio Fulci adapted pulpy paperback Crime Novels (nicknamed Giallo due to typically having yellow colored cover art) into heavily stylized horror thrillers, the most famous being Dario Argento’s Suspiria, but that’s already been on Story Scream. Many Giallo films feature mysterious black gloved killers hunting down hapless victims, as well as escalating twists that keep audiences guessing. The three I have picked are two of the most revered in the genre, as well as a modern reinterpretation.
Blood and Black Lace (Mario Bava, 1963)
Deep Red (Dario Argento, 1976)
Knife + Heart (Yann Gonzalez, 2019)
DOCUMENTARY
If you want to take a break from being scared this Halloween, why don’t you instead sit back and be informed about both the history of horror and its socio-cultural effects, as well as learn about the (both literal and fake) blood, sweat, and tears that went into creating iconic horror franchises.
Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy
and
Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th (Daniel Farrands 2010, 2013)
Haunters: The Art of the Scare (Jon Schnitzer, 2017)
Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror (Xavier Burgin, 2019)
SHUDDER EXCLUSIVES
If you want all of your horror fixes this Halloween in one singular digital location, you can’t go wrong with a subscription to Shudder. While hosting an impressive library of classics, Shudder also produces and distributes its own original work and the three listed below are what I believe are the most essential viewing.
Tigers are Not Afraid (Issa Lopez, 2019)
One Cut of the Dead (Shin'ichirô Ueda, 2019)
Incident in a Ghostland (Pascal Laugier, 2018)
LESSER KNOWN CLASSICS OF GREAT HORROR DIRECTORS
When I think of horror staples to view during the Halloween season, I think of Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead Trilogy, the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre by Tobe Hooper, and of course, John Carpenter’s Halloween. But for this year, why don’t we all venture further into their catalogs, and find the lesser talked about gems in their filmography and bring them into the limelight?
Prince of Darkness (John Carpenter, 1987)
Drag Me to Hell (Sam Raimi, 2009)
Lifeforce (Tobe Hooper 1985)
OLDER B&W CLASSICS
These are truly bone-chilling in atmosphere and groundbreaking displays of artistry. These films from many years past still display a terrific understanding of what can get under audiences skin while having limited resources for their time period. These three still hold up terrifically to this day and are must sees for any die hard fans of horror and filmmaking.
Vampyr (Carl Theodor Dreyer, 1932)
Eyes Without a Face (George Franju, 1960)
Carnival of Souls (Herk Harvey, 1962)
Jack Kolodziejski
Co-Head of Podcasting
Jack makes drugs for a living, but not necessarily the fun kind. He enjoys international travel and discussing music, movies, and games in excruciating detail.
Jeremy Kolodziejski
Jeremy is younger than he looks, and has passionately studied the art and craft of filmmaking for as long as he can remember. He is currently a freelance wedding videographer, and is also heavily involved in Competitive Fighting Games. IG: jeremyko95
