10 under-the-radar Halloween movies

29 Oct 2024, 20:54 by John Clyde for KSL.com · KSL.com

Estimated read time: 8-9 minutes

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The following article highlights some lesser-known films perfect for Halloween.
These films offer a mix of scares, tension, and unique storytelling to enhance Halloween-time viewing.

It's officially Halloween week, meaning you may have already blown through all your favorite scary movies. But All Hallow's Eve is this week! You can't stop with the spookiness now.

We all know about the classics, and I'm sure you have your specific favorites that are a yearly tradition, but what about the ones we forget about? Or maybe those you have never even heard of?

To ensure you don't stop just before the finish line and keep up with the scary movie watching this week, here is a list of 10 under-the-radar movies that would be perfect for Halloween.

These aren't necessarily Halloween-specific movies, but movies sure to get your heart racing and should get more recognition this time of year.

Here are 10 under-the-radar movies to check out this week and put you in the Halloween mood.

'Devil'

The 2010's "Devil" had a fatal flaw. It wasn't in the execution of the movie but in the handling of the marketing. The studio went out of its way to bill it as an M. Night Shyamalan film, leading everyone to believe a big twist was coming. But while the movie was an idea from Shyamalan, it wasn't his movie. People went in expecting one thing and walked out feeling jilted because they got another.

If you haven't seen "Devil" or haven't seen it since it came out, it's time to give it another shot — or your first shot. It's far from perfect, but it includes some creepy moments, great jump scares and an entertaining 80 minutes of Halloween-esque vibes.

'10 Cloverfield Lane'

I don't know why, but "10 Cloverfield Lane" has been somewhat forgotten over the years, and it's a real shame because it is a fantastically orchestrated movie. The movie is creepy to its core, full of claustrophobic twists and turns and some great jump scares.

In addition to a wonderfully creepy vibe, the movie keeps you guessing and questioning everything until the very last frames. What else could you ask for in a Halloween movie?

'Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark'

Given the name, you'd think "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" is a staple in homes at this time of year, but it's not.

The 2019 movie is up there as one of my personal favorite jump-scare movies, and it has the perfect Halloween vibe. This movie doesn't get its due justice, and I am here to change that. I was a big fan of the books in elementary school, and it was a blast to see these monsters and apparitions come to life.

The movie is surprisingly scary, and the filmmakers did a fantastic job creating an interesting overarching story that gives us a reason to see the stories play out.

A sequel has been in the works for some time, and I hope it comes to fruition because I am ready to jump back into this world.

'World War Z'

The 2013 film "World War Z" suffered at the box office due to production issues and a mediocre marketing campaign. By the time it was released, many had written it off as a miss and didn't head to the theater to give it a shot. Some who did were expecting an action-packed thrill ride, but that was not the point of the movie. Instead, it was a more intimate look at a global disaster, and those who saw it for what it really was were impressed.

The movie is not perfect and has some missteps along the way, but there are some great moments of tension and scares, and the climax is a brilliant work of contained horror that I think earns a spot on this list as an under-the-radar Halloween movie.

'Searching'

A low-budget thriller called "Searching" quietly made its way to theaters in 2018, and it went too far under the radar, given how well it was made.

The movie follows a father looking for his missing daughter as he follows clues on his laptop. The twist? The entire movie is told from the perspective of the laptop and its camera.

The pacing is expert, and the tension is nonstop. This is not a jump-scare movie or a traditional Halloween movie, but it keeps your knuckles white and your heart pumping for an hour and a half. What more could you ask for in a Halloween movie?

'Zodiac'

David Fincher is a household name, but for my money, his best movie is not "Fight Club" or "The Social Network." It's "Zodiac," and I think it's a great movie for Halloween.

No, this is not a horror movie, and it is not something people associate with a Halloween classic, but there is a creepy vibe and horror elements to this true tale that will creep you out long after the credits roll.

The movie covers nearly 20 years of a San Francisco journalist's journey following clues and running into dead ends in search of the infamous Zodiac killer. It is a brilliant noir that is overlooked for some reason, but its creepy ambiance and tense pacing will undoubtedly get you in the Halloween mood.

I also think a specific scene, in a San Francisco basement, is one of the creepiest scenes of any movie, horror or otherwise.

'A Haunting in Venice'

In 2023, my wife and I went to a screening of "A Haunting in Venice." After leaving, she looked at me and said, "We should watch that every Halloween," and I couldn't have agreed more.

I really enjoyed "Murder on the Orient Express" and "Death on the Nile," but I was not prepared for "A Haunting in Venice." The movie is a Poirot murder mystery wrapped in a Venetian horror flick, and I am all for it. It has a wonderful scary-movie vibe, great jump scares and keeps you guessing from start to finish.

The movie is not yet synonymous with Halloween movies, but I hope it soon will be because it has earned its place.

'1408'

Stephen King is known as the master of horror, and some of his novels turned movies are Halloween classics. Most people think of King movies like "The Shining," "It Chapter 1," and "Misery" when it comes to Halloween. While these have their merits, I think you should revisit "1408."

The movie is based on a King short story about a writer who stays in haunted hotels and documents his experiences. The author is a skeptic at best, that is, until he stays in room 1408 at the Dolphin Hotel.

The movie has a high creepy vibe, and the jump scares are constant. It creates a trapped feeling you want nothing more than to escape. With an interesting story and creepiness galore, this is a great movie for Halloween week.

'What We Do in the Shadows'

If you are hoping for more laughs than scares this Halloween, I have you covered. Great horror comedies we all look forward to at Halloween include "An American Werewolf in London" and "Zombieland." If you like those, then may I suggest "What We Do in the Shadows?"

The movie is an irreverent mockumentary about the antics of several vampires living together in New Zealand. It is nothing short of absurd, and I was laughing out loud for the entire run time. My wife and I quote "What We Do in the Shadows" around the house all the time, and it makes us laugh every time.

'Identity'

If you haven't noticed, I like a good jump scare. But I also love a tight thriller that keeps my heart rate high, and I think "Identity" is one of the most successful at that.

The 2003 movie isn't as popular as it should be, but it is a classic psychological thriller that is a murder mystery at its best.

No, this is not a traditional Halloween movie, but it includes some jump scares, creepy visuals and twists and turns you never see coming. If you have never seen "Identity," you are in for a creepy good time and surprises galore. If you have seen it, it's probably time to revisit it, and what better time to do so than at Halloween?

What are your favorite under-the-radar Halloween movies? Let us know in the comments.

The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.