All Hallows Eve is upon us, and my wallet is terrified. Spending wads on Halloween costumes and haunted house tickets is far more frightening than any ghost or axe-wielding maniac. Get all the thrill and none of the price by opting to cut the lights and flip on a Netflix scare. Check out this list for picks that will send a chill down your spine.
“Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street”
Allie Harbaugh, senior business administration, communications and ACT-In major, uttered a “uuurahhh” out of excitement when she discovered “Sweeney Todd” was on Netflix.
This impromptu exclamation warrants it at least a four out of five star rating. Although the film is only for those who appreciate a good break into song.
“If you don’t like musicals, don’t watch it,” said Harbaugh.
The film is a musical horror directed by Tim Burton, with a cast including Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. Sharpen your straight razors and get ready for heart-filled songs of revenge. Word of warning: be prepared to have a permanent aversion to meat pies.
“Making a Murderer”
For real-life thrill, Dr. Ruth Williams, WJC assistant professor of English, finds our justice system scary with this recommendation.
“Making a Murderer” is a ten episode documentary series that follows the exoneration and possible new conviction of Steven Avery.
“Not only is it scary to see the failures of law enforcement and the justice system on full display, it’s also unsettling that, in the end, we’re left with uncertainty where we’d love to have certainty, not knowing who are the ‘bad guys’ and who the ’good,’” said Dr. Williams.
Already seen Steven Avery’s trial? “Amanda Knox” is another take of detective intrigue that takes viewers into the mishandlings of a murder trial. The documentary and the questions it poses are sure to haunt.
For more material Dr. Williams suggests the first season of the podcast “Serial.”
“[The podcast] similarly explores the intersection of unknowability, justice and crime,” said Williams.
“The Awakening”
“The Awakening” is a ghost story told by a skeptic. The 2011 thriller stars Rebecca Hall and is set in 1920s Britain. The movie offers chilling lines that are given added terror by the cold, dark setting of a secluded boarding school.
“It’s the living we have to be afraid of, not the dead,” suggests one character.
The movie has no relation to the novel “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin, other than an obscure suicide attempt by drowning. But the parallels stop there.
Whether a believer or not, in ghosts that is, this film will have you glancing behind your shoulder for evidence of the supernatural. Or perhaps clamping your eyes shut instead.
“Salem”
In search of a film depicting the historical Salem witch trials, I came across this 2014 creepy series “Salem.” However, this series is anything but historically accurate.
“Salem” depicts the practice of devil worship and common witchery tropes in the midst of a 1700s Massachusetts Puritan society. Intertwined with eroticism, romantic relationships and revenge the series is sure to entertain.
Ditch the traditional popcorn and Red Vines for one of these creepy recipes for your scary movie night:
Wicked snack mixes
If you must have popcorn, at least dress it up in a costume with some chocolate drizzle and candy corn.
Poison apples
A deadly alternative to caramel apples—make yourself into a source of horror for the evening, as this recipe has the potential to stain your teeth black.