Here are some books, movies, and shows to check out if you’re searching for chilling stories that offer a good scare (and much more).
Halloween is just around the corner, which means costume parties and trick-or-treating activities galore. However, the spooky occasion doesn’t have to be an all-out event—sometimes, the best kind of Halloween celebration is one spent curled up in bed and immersed in some good old fashioned chilling stories. Whether you prefer books, movies, or shows, there’s something for everyone in this creepy Halloween media list.
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Books
If you’re a fan of chilling words and flipping pages in the dead of night, here are a few recommendations for a spooky reading session.
“The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
Starting a little smaller and more bite-sized, we have the short story by one of the queens of horror, Shirley Jackson. Funny enough, one of her most famous (and controversial at the time of publication) stories is not supernatural in nature—yet still manages to creep out entire generations of English students and readers. This is “The Lottery,” a story set in a small town with a very unconventional, yearly “good luck” tradition where townspeople conduct a special lottery.
To discuss how this ritual proceeds and what the “winner” receives would be to ruin the horrifying aspect of the tale. But let’s just say, Jackson is a master at suspense and knowing when to deliver her punches. If you want a quick read that delves into the human psyche and the dangers of mob mentality—and one that will definitely stick with you even after you’ve finished it—then this is the read for you.
Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu
Before there was Bram Stoker’s Dracula, there was Carmilla by fellow Irish writer Sheridan Le Fanu—in fact, Le Fanu’s novella precedes Stoker’s famous novel by roughly 26 years. Yet Carmilla remains a bit of a hidden gem in mainstream culture, a little-known but equally captivating vampire story with sapphic undertones.
Centering on the life of an affluent 19-year-old woman named Laura, the story takes place in Styria, Austria, and details the lonely girl’s complex and troublesome relationship with a female vampire by the name of Carmilla.
If you’re accustomed to vampire stories, this might not be much of a spooky read in this current milieu, but it certainly stands as a fine piece of Gothic horror with its atmospheric setting and tension. More than an entertaining read for cold nights, it’s also a culturally significant one that inspired many of pop culture’s famous bloodsucker tales.
Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
Carmen Maria Machado is probably one of the most interesting female voices in horror in recent years. Her collection of short stories Her Body and Other Parties made waves among fans of the genre, as many of the tales (mostly centered on the experiences of women) showcased horror’s delightful ability to both induce fright and explore significant social issues.
An exemplary story from the collection is “The Husband Stitch,” its ominous title a reference to a horrifying and outdated medical practice, alluding to how easily society can take control of a woman’s body or the most private parts of herself. Another notable story in the collection is “Real Women Have Bodies,” which follows a young lady working in a dress shop who witnesses a strange plague that causes women to fade away into silent, incorporeal forms.
Though Machado uses a lot of peculiar and creepy imagery, her ability to convey everyday horrors through the supernatural or speculative is what makes her writing so enthralling.
Uzumaki by Junji Ito
Moving into graphic novel territory, we have Uzumaki by Junji Ito—arguably one of the finest horror writers and artists out there today. Ito’s detailed black-and-white style is visceral and haunting, proving that horror is at its most powerful in a visual medium; paired with sharp and inimitable writing, his stories will definitely imprint themselves onto the brain (I won’t blame you if you choose to read them in broad daylight).
Uzumaki is split into different chapters, most of which follow an overarching narrative: a whole town is obsessed with spirals, and it transforms their lives in ways you wouldn’t be able to imagine yourself—which is why Ito is so good at what he does. It’s body horror and psychological horror at its finest.
Through The Woods by E.M. Carroll
E.M. Carroll’s art style appears whimsical and sweet, filled with eye-catching colors and a storybook-like atmosphere that lulls you into a false sense of comfort. The actual content of her stories are far from cozy, showing the darkest sides of humanity through the medium of sequential storytelling.
Carroll’s print collection of short stories, Through The Woods, should be on the shelves of every horror reader—not one tale failed to give me goosebumps in some way, be it through story or visuals alone. “His Face All Red,” a tale of betrayal and two brothers, has some of the best twists I’ve encountered in the genre; “The Nesting Place,” about a young girl and her brother’s strange fiancé, takes body horror to disgusting new heights; and “Our Neighbor’s House,” a story about three sisters stranded in a bleak winter, is chilling in every sense of the word. If you’re looking for a set of creepy bedtime stories for Halloween, Carroll’s collection won’t disappoint.
Movies and Shows
Not in the mood for books? No problem, because horror movies and TV shows are also great ways to enjoy the genre; here are a few to add to your watch list.
The Haunting of Hill House (directed by Mike Flanagan)
Loosely based on Shirley Jackson’s novel of the same name, Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House is what put director Mike Flanagan on the map when it came to bringing quality horror into streaming services and long series formats. Flanagan doesn’t just focus on gore, ghosts, and jumpscares: he uses these elements as tools to explore a compelling narrative that simply can’t function without horror as its primary vehicle.
The Haunting of Hill House is both a ghost story and family saga, expertly weaving through the lives of five siblings as they grapple with memories of their past—specifically their terrifying experiences in their childhood home, Hill House, and how these drastically changed the trajectory of their lives and relationships.
Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities (multiple directors)
The TV series equivalent of a short story collection would be Netflix’s Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities—something to watch if you’re not in the mood to go through a two-hour movie in one sitting. Del Toro being a masterful filmmaker, especially in the genre of horror, one can expect a beautifully-curated list of short films that aim to scare and keep you on your toes.
One of the more notable pieces in the collection is definitely “Pickman’s Model,” based on H.P. Lovecraft’s short story of the same name. The visuals are nothing short of stunning as the film centers on a young art student who is haunted—psychologically and physically—by a mysterious classmate’s works throughout his life. “The Murmuring” is also a beautiful episode in the series, more melancholic than frightening as an ornithologist couple explore their grief through a haunted house.
Suspiria (2018, directed by Luca Guadagnino)
Now onto movies, we have 2018’s Suspiria from director Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name and Challengers). It’s a more recent adaptation of Dario Argento’s 1977 cult classic by the same name (also a must-watch), with a star-studded cast including Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton, Chloë Grace Moretz, and Mia Goth.
Dance: it’s gentle, powerful, elegant, but not often associated with the word “horrifying,” unless we’re talking about Suspiria. American dancer Susie Bannion travels to Germany in the 1970s to become a part of the prestigious Helena Markos Dance Co. But she has a lot more to worry about than the cutthroat competition—though that in itself is part of the film’s terrors—as strange things start happening within the company’s studio and murmurs of witchcraft abound. Because it’s dancing, expect a lot of insane stunts and body horror, and because it’s supernatural, there’s definitely going to be a lot of inhuman secrets: in other words, all the necessary ingredients for a great horror flick.
The Menu (directed by Mark Mylod)
Mark Mylod’s The Menu caters to an interesting intersection of viewers: foodies, horror enthusiasts, and those who classify themselves as both are likely to enjoy this 2022 horror-comedy. I say “comedy” because the movie’s premise and some of its key moments have genuinely elicited a laugh from me. A fairly diverse group of people travel to an isolated island to dine at the restaurant of renowned celebrity chef Julian Slowik (played to perfection by Ralph Fiennes).
Everything starts out like your average fine dining experience, complete with beautifully-styled food and a believable atmosphere—until the day starts turning upside down, and the chef begins serving some very scary items on the menu. Still, a number of guests play along, thinking it’s all part of the experience until it’s very clear that it’s not.
The movie pokes fun at the stereotypes and pitfalls of fine dining (as well as its common patrons) in a way that balances satirical humor and darker themes surrounding what means to be an artist or chef, as well as issues of the food industry as a whole. So if you’re looking for a tense thriller that keeps things rolling and gets you hungry, The Menu is the way to go.
Banner photo: Uzumaki by Junji Ito; Through The Woods by E.M. Carroll; The Haunting Of Hill House (Netflix); Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu; and Suspiria (2018).
