While some might find Januworry the scariest month of the year as they try to stretch exhausted budgets after weeks of indulgent festivities, we all know when the true horror arrives: October. It’s the month of Halloween, which falls on 31 October, a day seeped in the history of pagan rituals and Christian tradition which in contemporary times has come to be dominated by tricks, treats, costume parties, and horror movie binges.
To get you in the mood for the month, we’ve lined up a watch list that lets you experience all the scares. Check them out on M-Net, DStv, and Showmax.
The rebooted scares
Is it a reboot? Or a sequel? Scream (2022) is a bit of both – something the film itself will explain when you watch it. Legendary for simultaneously satirising and paying tribute to horror movies when the first instalment landed in 1996, this fifth instalment continues that tradition as characters debate, deride, and defend movie reboots while pretty much living in one themselves. It’s a must-watch for fans of the franchise and a great intro for newbies. Stream Scream (2022) on Showmax. You can also watch Scream 2 and Scream 3 with DStv Catch Up.
Nancy Drew started as a book series for young girls in the 1930s. Since then, the famous fictional detective has lived through many iterations on the screen. The latest rendition – a series already renewed for a fourth season – is a contemporary take on the character that leans into its supernatural elements, making for a fun and frightening watch. Nancy Drew season 3 airs every Friday at 22:00 on M-Net. You can also catch up on episodes with DStv here.
The binge scares
Horror movie franchises are big business. There’s a reason there are endless sequels, not to mention all the crossovers and remakes. If you really want to get stuck into a particular scary story this month, head to Showmax for three Conjuring movies: The Conjuring, The Conjuring 2, and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. These follow Ed and Lorraine Warren (who were two real-life paranormal investigators) as they try to rid houses of evil entities, with the third movie focusing on a murder trial.
The Office star John Krasinski segued into horror, directing and starring in A Quiet Place alongside wife Emily Blunt. It’s edge-of-your-seat terror made tenser by the conceit that the characters have to make as little sound as possible. You can stream it on Showmax, along with its sequel, A Quiet Place Part II.
Anthony Hopkins will always have a firm place in horror movie history for his portrayal of Hannibal Lecter – not to mention he’s one of few actors to win an Oscar for a horror movie role. He played the character three times – in The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal, and Red Dragon. All three are available on Showmax. There’s also the series Clarice which focuses on the character portrayed by Jodie Foster in The Silence of the Lambs.
The local scares
With all the load shedding at the moment, Eskom is setting just the right mood for Halloween. All that darkness is the perfect atmosphere for a horror movie, so download a few movies on the Showmax or DStv app before the lights go out. There’s even a whole slew of local horrors to choose from including Parable, Eternity, and Fried Barry.
The technological scares
With the advent and advance of social media, it was only a matter of time before it started to make its way into the movies. Faced with a constant barrage of new apps and social media platforms, horror movies have explored their dark sides with movies such as Countdown, The Cleansing Hour, Apparition, and Follow Me.
The funny scares
It doesn’t have to be all about jump scares, gore, and nightmare-inducing terror. Halloween is also meant to be fun. Lighten the mood with a comedy horror like Freaky or watch the endearing sitcom Ghosts. Season 2 airs Fridays at 23:00 on M-Net.
The arty scares
Horror can be highbrow and none more so than the work of up-and-coming horror maestro Ari Aster. Check out his much-talked-about directorial feature film debut Hereditary, as well as his sophomore feature, Midsommar. For even more mind-blowing, high-concept horror check out Darren Aronofsky’s mother!.
The animalist scares
What’s Halloween without a creature feature? Dive into the horror with the endlessly ridiculous yet still entertaining shark movies Deep Blue Sea 2 and Deep Blue Sea 3.
The fantastical scares
It wouldn’t be Halloween without witches, vampires, werewolves, zombies, and mermaids. We’ve got them all. Check out The Witch, Interview with the Vampire, Werewolves Within, World War Z, and Mermaid Down for your dose of these classic Halloween costume inspirations.
The little scares
Young ones can also join the Halloween fun. Most of the movies on this list are definitely not for the little ones, but there’s plenty to give them spooky fun with kid-friendly films like The Addams Family 2, as well as Mostly Ghostly: Who Let the Ghosts Out? and Monsterville: Cabinet of Souls, both based on books by children’s horror author RL Stine.
What will you be watching this Halloween month?