Spooky Scary: Movies, Books, and Games to Get You Through the Season
Obviously I’m not alone when I say autumn is my favorite time of the year and Halloween is my favorite holiday, but for once my secret hipster heart is pleased by not being the only cool kid: it makes it easier to share my interests and, of course, get new recommendations! Right now, though, I’ll be kind enough to propose some of my own ideas for how to get into the spooky mood—but, of course, please comment below if you think of anything else!
The Written Word
The Accident Season by Moïra Fowley-Doyle
I literally just finished this book today, and so I have to start my recommendations with it. A beautifully written story about a family whose lives are wrapped in secrets, the magical realism in Moïra Fowley-Doyle’s debut novel is sure to suck you in. The book tells the story of 17-year-old Cara’s family and close friends during the month of October, which her family refers to as the accident season because it seems horrible accidents wait for them each year in those 31 days. From deaths to stubbed toes, everything can and usually does go wrong.
I actually tend to not read hetero romances too much in books anymore, because if I’m going to spend my free time on something I want it to be more interesting and representative than that, but Cara’s romance peaks and falls were actually extremely endearing, because she was such a likeable character. It didn’t hurt that it turned out there was some spectacular representation in side characters, too.
If you’re looking for a spooky, thrilling read about life’s mysteries, ghosts, and second-looks that isn’t actually that scary, be sure to check out The Accident Season.
Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindquist
Now, this book I haven’t read for a few years, and my memories of it are intertwined with discovering Boston, as I read it over my first few weeks in the city. I remember chilly descriptions of dark woods, innocence turned deadly, and learning to trust your gut. I’m pretty sure most of that’s in the actual book, not Beantown.
Let the Right One In has two film adaptations, one in the original Swedish, like the book, and an English-language remake. I read the book as translated by Ebba Segerberg and so while I can’t say for sure how well it sticks to the original Swedish, I know its echoes existed in both films. The story follows 12-year-old Oskar, who lives in what seems like eternal winter and who lives by a large park where someone was just murdered. Enter his new neighbor, a weird girl who only comes out at night and seems very interested in protecting Oskar—or claiming him.
Being 12 is hard for everyone, but it’s even harder when you’re trying to sort through death, blood, and magic.
The Shining by Stephen King
As intense as Stanley Kubrick’s film of The Shining is, my heart will always lie with the original, classic book, as told by Stephen King. Now, this book I made the mistake of reading for the first time in a big, creaky castle in England, late at night, alone, as I tried to get comfortable on a sofa-bed. Pity my high school self, who could barely sleep the rest of her trip.
The Shining is a story about family and madness; it deals with what happens to a small family hired to watch over a hotel one winter. Finding themselves both in wide open empty spaces and claustrophobically tight hallways, Jack, Wendy, and Danny Torrence’s family bickering slowly grows to reveal there’s something more at the Overlook Hotel than just cabin fever. Ghosts appear, bushes come to life, and, worst of all, the spirit of the hotel itself seems to overtake Jack as times goes on, no matter what his wife and son do to fight back.
I suggest pairing the book with Kubrick’s film, then following it up with the documentary Room 237, which details possible theories about why Kubrick filmed it the way he did.
Honorable Mentions: When We Were Animals by Joshua Gaylord, Hemlock Grove by Brian McGreevey, The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson, Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix, A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore, and The Boy Who Drew Monsters by Keith Donohue
Visual Horrors
REC
For some reason, I tend to find non-American horror movies much scarier than the ones from here, maybe because the cultural tropes and ideas aren’t familiar to me and so I’m more likely to be terrified by the surprise around the corner. In that vein, REC is one of my all-time favorite horror movies, thanks to its interesting take on zombies, closed-room mysteries, and, of course, Manuela Velasco’s amazing performance as the badass reporter Ángela Vidal.
A found footage-style film, REC is more than just a zombie movie, if it even counts as one. Ángela and her camera operator, Pablo, are covering what they expect to be a quiet night at a firestation when a call comes in that a woman in an apartment building is experiencing some sort of trauma. Unfortunately and of course, the building is soon quarantined by the government and Ángela, one of the only responsible and take-charge characters in the movie, finds herself in a situation that just keeps getting worse.
REC has three sequels, of varying quality (in order, REC 2, REC 4, and then the very different and sort of weird REC 3), as well as an American remake, Quarantine. The American remake’s not supposed to be as good, but maybe it’d be a fun double-feature with the original.
Grave Encounters
If you’ve ever watched Ghost Adventures, then you need to check out Grave Encounters. Ghost Adventures is, of course, a reality TV show that regularly makes me wonder just how “real” it is. The movie Grave Encounters is as close of a parody of the show as you can imagine, while taking it the next step: what if these ghosts were real?
It’s nice to see a spin on the popular ghost hunting shows, since you always hope something real will happen—and here it finally does. Another found footage-style movie, filmed as if an episode went horribly wrong, the movie follows a group of ghost investigators ready to study ghosts at an abandoned mental hospital. Odd noises start up, doors slam, and a wheelchair moves on its own: all activities that you might see in an exceptionally good episode of an actual ghost hunting show. But the hospital seems to have plans of its own and when the team gets ready to leave the next morning, they realize they literally can’t: the door is nowhere to be found.
The Innkeepers
The Innkeepers is one of those movies that I wish I could completely forget, just so I can watch it again and enjoy it as much as I did originally. Another movie taking place in an allegedly haunted hotel, this slow-building film is a mystery wrapped in horror, making you question along with the characters just how real reality is.
Sara Paxton shines as the main character, Claire, as she tries to figure out what’s happening at her place of work during its last open weekend, alongside her coworker and fellow ghost-hunting enthusiast Luke. A startlingly funny film with extremely likeable characters, this film knows how to build suspense, thanks to the patient plot and clever dialogue. Even if no ghosts ever showed up, it would still be a great film thanks to the imagination and craft built into it.
Honorable Mentions: A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, The Orphanage, Rosemary’s Baby, Cabin in the Woods, The Banshee Project, The Unborn, and The Last Exorcism
Somewhere In Between
Dread
Now, a spooky tabletop game requires more work on your end, since you not only need a group of like-minded friends but also a good storyteller to really pull it off. But if you’re lucky enough to have such resources at your disposal, I definitely recommend checking out this ingenious tabletop game.
While lots of tabletop games are based around dice-rolling, Dread has a completely unique motif: Jenga. Anytime a character has to do something that would in Dungeons and Dragons call for a skill check, in Dread the player has to move a piece in the Jenga tower. The tower falls during your turn? Your character dies.
You’ve never played a Jenga game more intense.
The Dread handbook comes with a few pre-written scenarios, but the guide also helps you write up your own individual horror story, so the opportunities are endless. Add in a carefully selected soundtrack, turn down the lights, and Halloween is set.
The Silent Hill series
Spanning 11 games (as well as numerous print pieces, two movies, and spin-off games), the Silent Hill series has changed the world of horror-themed games since the first installment was released in 1999. The games all center on the town of Silent Hill, which is twisted with psychological horror waiting down every foggy street and in every damp, dark building. No matter what nightmares you remember from your childhood or which ones still haunt you, there’s sure to be some remnant living in this haunted town where physics often doesn’t really matter.
While the various games have all received equally varying ratings, on a whole this series is absolutely worth playing, preferably with the lights on (or off, if you’re braver than me). Recurring monsters such as the Nurses, Pyramid Head, and Robbie the Rabbit help the games connect to each other, especially since the main character in each game is different. Unfortunately, only one primary game has a female lead character, Silent Hill 3; the arcade game spin-off, aptly named Silent Hill: The Arcade, also has a female playable character, but the plot seems to focus more on the male protagonist than her.
Plus: Allison Road
One of the worst disappointments of 2015 in terms of video games was the announcement that Silent Hills, a Silent Hills game being developed as a collaboration between Hideo Kojima and Guillermo del Toro, was canceled in May of this year. The interactive teaser, P.T., had been downloaded over a million times and viewed over 30 million times over various platforms, but the project was nevertheless officially canceled.
Luckily, a spiritual successor to Silent Hills has appeared: Allison Road. Now, I haven’t watched the 13-minute pre-alpha video yet, as I’m waiting for a suitably spooky night to shriek my pants off. That said, everything I’ve heard from friends is pretty exciting—even the fact that the project’s Kickstarter was recently cancelled, for the best reason possible: the studio Team17 has picked it up and is going to be fully funding the project.
Five Nights at Freddy’s
At first glance, this game just seems weird. You play as the night guard for a Chuck E. Cheese-type place, the gameplay is limited, and the graphics aren’t perfect. Getting attacked by animatronic bears, bunnies, and birds? That’s just silly.
Until it isn’t.
The gameplay is simple, true, but the jump scares and quick moving action of Five Nights at Freddy’s and its sequels (up to four games total right now) hype up the scare factor. Wandering animatronics who have been known to attack and even kill previous guards are scarier than they first appear. There’s a strategy to the games, as well, thanks to the fact that using the cameras and locking doors to save yourself uses up the battery you also need to save yourself. Each night in each game gets progressively harder and scarier, so congratulations if you can manage to actually get through five nights at Freddy’s.
Honorable mentions: The Resident Hill series, the Fatal Frame series, System Shock, Amnesia: The Dark Descent, and Soma
So, how’s this list look? Hopefully you’ve got the rest of your Halloween month planned now, at least. If I missed anything exceptional, please tell me in the comments!
