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Stop stressing over what to watch this Halloween and instead turn to this varied mix of horror titles, both old and new, from Shudder’s library
Every streaming service turns Halloween into an opportunity to showcase what horror genre heavy hitters they have in their library. But there’s extra pressure for a service like Shudder (also available on AMC+), which specifically zeroes in on horror programming, to go all-out when it comes to the Halloween season.
Shudder has more than 600 horror films in its growing library with dozens more having been added to the mix this October as part of their intensive “Home for Halloween” celebration. As such, it can sometimes be even more difficult to figure out the perfect viewing schedule when there are so many options at one’s disposal.
For those who want to sit in the passenger’s seat and trust what Shudder has to offer, then here’s a broad range of worthy horror hits, both old and new, that cater to genre fans of all shapes and sizes. Consider this a movie marathon, if you will, one that spans 24 hours — from dusk ’til dawn, as they say.
Resurrection (2022) – Coming to Shudder October 28th
“Margaret’s life is in order. She is capable, disciplined and successful. Everything is under control until David returns – that is – carrying with him the horrors of Margaret’s past.”
Resurrection is a heartbreaking meditation on manipulation, abuse, and belief, all of which is expressed through the most toxic of relationships between Rebecca Hall’s Margaret and Tim Roth’s David. Hall’s raw performance depicts the shattering of someone’s psyche and every “kindness” that she performs for her abuser becomes harder to endure. Resurrection is the most recent Shudder title to make the list, but the 2022 movie is such an unsettling experience that it’s likely to leave its viewers disturbed well into next year’s Halloween season.
“The co-eds of a Boston college campus are targeted by a mysterious killer who is creating a human jigsaw puzzle from their body parts.”
“It’s exactly what you think it is!” is one of the many gratuitous taglines for 1982’s ultra-bloody slasher film, Pieces, and it’s hard to argue with the directness of that claim. Those gore hounds who are looking for an over the top massacre will be incredibly pleased with Pieces. The movie’s repugnant prelude which crosses the wires between sexuality and violence lays the framework for a messy murder mystery where dismemberment is just the first course in this bloody buffet.
“A lonely teen discovers her family’s ties to witchcraft.”
Written and directed by the collective Adams family– John Adams, Zelda Adams, and Toby Poser–who also star in their films, there’s something incredibly earnest and genuine about all of their productions. Hellbender, their most recent feature, is a haunting coming of age story that brings films like The Craft and Ginger Snaps to mind. Hellbender explores universal themes and fears about family and adulthood, but through uniquely hypnotic visuals and brutal acts of horror that eat away at the viewer’s sanity.
“A group of stage actors lock themselves in the theater for a rehearsal of their upcoming musical production, unaware that an escaped psychopath has sneaked into the theater with them.”
Lucio Fulci and Dario Argento are household names to come out of Italian horror. Michele Soavi cut his teeth working alongside these acclaimed directors and he’s also responsible for some groundbreaking horror films like The Church, Dellamorte Dellamore, and StageFright. Many horror movies find strength in setting their murder mysteries against the production of a film or piece of theater, but StageFright goes above and beyond in this regard. The behind the scenes setting is immaculately used with inventive setpieces that are creatively shot and instigated by an intimidating antagonist who wears a furry owl mask and wields an axe. There’s not a weak link in StageFright and it’s the best ’80s slasher you’ve never heard of.
“A psychotic redneck, who owns a dilapidated hotel in rural East Texas, kills various people who upset him or his business, and he feeds their bodies to a large crocodile that he keeps as a pet in the swamp beside his hotel.”
Tobe Hooper’s surreal successor to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Eaten Alive, is an even more unbelievable piece of horror cinema that feels like Tim Burton directing indie theater on a haunted bayou. A hungry alligator is the greatest obstacle in Eaten Alive, but the movie becomes a visual feast for the senses that leaves audiences as satiated as the gator. Part unhinged rural horror story, part Brechtian marital drama, Eaten Alive is in a class of its own and one of the strangest movies to come from one of horror’s most transgressive and experimental filmmakers.
“A young girl who has an amazing ability to communicate with insects is transferred to an exclusive Swiss boarding school, where her unusual capability might help solve a string of murders.”
Shudder has its giallo fans covered when it comes to their wide selection of Dario Argento titles, but Phenomena is one of the director’s finest efforts that often goes overlooked. Argento’s flair for mysterious, extravagant serial killers blends together with supernatural intrigue in this unpredictable horror film that’s simultaneously gorgeous and gross. Forget about Freddy Vs. Jason, it’s Phenomena’s Inga Vs. Nope’s Gordy that the horror fans deserve!
“A pop singer gives up her career to become an actress, but she slowly goes insane when she starts being stalked by an obsessed fan and what seems to be a ghost of her past.”
Shudder has no shortage of live-action horror content, but they’ve recently made an exciting push to showcase more avant-garde anime material. Satoshi Kon is a visionary voice in the anime industry whose works have inspired the likes of Darren Aronofsky and Christopher Nolan. Each of Kon’s four feature films are compelling character studies, but Perfect Blue might be the director’s most immortal work. The paranoid thriller examines toxic fandom and parasocial relationships through surreal visuals that beautifully express the characters‘ fractured mental states.
“A young man carrying a big basket that contains his extremely deformed, formerly conjoined twin brother seeks vengeance on the doctors who separated them against their will.”
The absurdist antics of the Bradley “twins” go on to fuel a trilogy of twisted schlocky horror films, but the madness begins in Basket Case. The playful monster movie benefits from perfectly understanding what it is and there’s endless charm in both the movie’s wicker-bound villain and the constant exasperation that Kevin Van Hentenryck brings to Duane. Each Basket Case sequel gets progressively grandiose, which somehow works in the franchise’s favor. For those who find that Basket Case particularly resonates with them, Shudder offers more of writer/director Frank Henenlotter’s fearful, filthy filmography, like Frankenhooker and Brain Damage.
Prom Night II: Hello Mary Lou (1987)
“Thirty years after her accidental death at her 1957 senior prom, the tortured spirit of prom queen Mary Lou Maloney returns to seek revenge.”
Prom Night II: Hello Mary Lou is the sublime horror sequel that’s not only an improvement from its predecessor, but is so tangentially connected that it can be watched without any prior Prom Night knowledge. Hello Mary Lou tells a standard vengeful ghost story that’s set against a high school prom, but despite this generic premise, the movie contains endless style and personality. There are truly impressive visuals and fantasy sequences in Prom Night II that put some of Freddy Krueger’s most inventive kills to shame. Wendy Lyon’s performance as the possessed Vicki Carpenter is also enough to elevate this movie to another level. Prom Night II is the ideal dose of delirious horror that should just be watched, not questioned. It’s the perfect palate cleanser after any heavy horror movie.
“A bereaved Satanist couple kidnap a pregnant woman so they can use an ancient spellbook to put their dead grandson’s spirit into her unborn child but end up summoning more than they bargained for.”
2020’s Anything for Jackson flew under the radar for many audiences and while it may initially look like any other poltergeist or possession story gone wrong, the movie continually subverts expectations with its direction. Held together by phenomenal performances and a menagerie of ghosts that would already have several spin-off films if they were a part of The Conjuring universe, the film’s final act is a horrifying culmination of heavy themes and disturbing demons. Justin G. Dyck has clear talent as a horror director and hopefully Anything for Jackson is just the start of many more haunting genre pictures to come.
“A police lieutenant uncovers more than he bargained for as his investigation of a series of murders, which have all the hallmarks of the deceased Gemini serial killer, leads him to question the patients of a psychiatric ward.”
William Friedkin’s original Exorcist is still heralded as a masterpiece. However, William Peter Blatty–the author of The Exorcist novel–steps up to write and direct The Exorcist III, which a very vocal community has embraced as the franchise’s secret gem. Blatty’s sequel is a somber, nihilistic story about characters at the end of their ropes. Its dark meditations are complemented by several haunting jump scares that are among the best in the genre. With a Blumhouse legacy sequel to 1973’s The Exorcist on the way, it’s the perfect time to check out this odd chapter in the Pazuzu legacy. And hey, more Brad Dourif in one’s life is never a bad thing.
“A caving expedition goes horribly wrong, as the explorers become trapped and ultimately pursued by a strange breed of predators.”
Neil Marshall emerged as one of Game of Thrones’ most consistent directors, but his roots are in horror and The Descent remains one of the best surprises to come out of the 2000s. The Descent begins as an emotional meditation on grief with an all-female cast that naturally transforms into a terrifying, claustrophobic fight for survival where physical monsters become more of a concern than their psychological demons. The film’s sequel doesn’t pack quite the same punch, but Shudder offers both of these installments for those who want to indulge in a subterranean double creature feature.
These selections should guarantee that those who choose to stay in for Halloween and binge to their hearts’ content will have plenty of options to keep themselves scared, surprised, and satisfied for each hour on October 31st.
Daniel Kurland is a freelance writer, comedian, and critic, whose work can be read on Splitsider, Bloody Disgusting, Den of Geek, ScreenRant, and across the Internet. Daniel knows that "Psycho II" is better than the original and that the last season of "The X-Files" doesn't deserve the bile that it conjures. If you want a drink thrown in your face, talk to him about "Silent Night, Deadly Night Part II," but he'll always happily talk about the "Puppet Master" franchise. The owls are not what they seem.
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Shudder’s comprehensive “Home for Halloween” line-up this October features the premiere of Dario Argento’s giallo return, ‘Dark Glasses,’ and much more.
Every Halloween, horror fans are presented with a murderer’s row of options when it comes to the perfect place to binge on bloody buffets of seasonal content. Horror programming is unavoidable during this time of year, but some channels and streaming services go above and beyond in terms of what they offer their audience. At this point, acclaimed horror movies and episodes of television shows are the bare minimum and the most promising streaming services find ways to truly celebrate this haunting holiday. Shudder never disappoints when it comes to horror’s biggest holiday, but 2022’s “Home for Halloween” celebration puts past years to shame.
Shudder (also available on AMC+) loves to celebrate the spookiest season of the year in special ways and “Home for Halloween” features a number of exclusive premieres as well as original series and specials. This includes a “House of Psychotic Women Collection,” which is in commemoration of Kier-La Janisse’s deep dive into onscreen female paranoia and neuroses in the horror genre. Shudder adds nearly ten more films into an already robust examination of gender and genre that includes titles like May, Footprints, and Resurrection.
Joe Bob’s Haunted Halloween Hangout also returns for the fourth edition of Shudder’s ongoing Halloween tradition. October 21st welcomes the latest celebration and commentary of horror cinema with a mystery line-up of films and a surprise guest who will help Joe Bob and Darcy usher in everyone’s favorite holiday. Shudder’s other in-house horror expert, Samuel Zimmerman, the streaming service’s head of programming, will once again offer personalized recommendations from Shudder’s library via Shudder’s Halloween Hotline (914-481-2239), each Friday in October from 3:00-4:00pm (ET). And fans of Joe Bob can also enjoy him as one of many experts featured in Shudder’s popular new countdown show, The 101 Scariest Horror Movie Moments of All Time.
Even Shudder’s “Ghoul Log,” the streaming service’s annual take on Christmas’ Yule Log, will undergo an extra-special makeover this season. The previous versions of the 24/7 streaming jack-o’-lantern ambience setter, The Ghoul Log, Return of the Ghoul Log , and Night of the Ghoul Log return to Shudder, but 2022’s contribution is created by the renowned special effects team at Academy Award-winning Phil Tippett’s Tippett Studios to celebrate Shudder’s release of stop-motion epic, Mad God.
One of the most exciting “Home for Halloween” premieres on Shudder this October includes a new release from genre legend, Dario Argento. Dario Argento is a prolific filmmaker whose name is practically synonymous with the heightened theatrics of horror’s giallo subgenre. Argento helped revolutionize bloody murder mysteries and while the director has flirted with different genres of film, Dark Glasses returns Argento back to his gory giallo roots. Dario Argento’s Dark Glasses marks the filmmaker’s first movie in a decade and Shudder is proud to host the horror movie’s streaming debut this October 13th. Dark Glasses presents an unconventional story of obsession, vanity, and murder that showcases a rejuvenated Argento in what feels like a compilation of the director’s greatest hits.
Dark Glasses is Argento’s first film since 2012’s Dracula 3D, but it’s very much a return to form for the director and proof that he’s still full of terrifying tricks. The movie stars Ilenia Pastorelli as Diana, an escort who becomes the target of a crazed serial killer. Diana survives the bloody altercation, but finds that her old way of life is forever shattered after she emerges from the incident without her sight. Now vulnerable in ways that she never thought possible, Diana scrambles to prevent the ominous obsessive from finishing off what he started. Diana’s only friend in this freshly dark world, a young boy named Chin ( Xinyu Zhang), becomes an unlikely ally in their fight for survival. Full of tense setpieces, bloody battles, and a uniquely encumbered woman in crisis who simultaneously finds empowerment, Dark Glasses is what Dario Argento fans have been waiting for.
Dario Argento’s Dark Glasses is one of the most exciting additions to Shudder’s staggering “Home for Halloween” lineup, but the streaming service offers an abundance of Argento’s creepiest cinematic contributions for consumption. Argento’s films first started to receive major acclaim during the 1970s, but he’s a director who consistently provokes fresh ideas in the versatile genre. Argento’s profound use of color, gender dynamics, and mysterious gloved assailants who wield big blades have gone on to define giallo storytelling.
Shudder includes an eclectic mix of Argento’s most successful endeavors–like Demons 2, Deep Red, and Inferno–while also catering towards some of the director’s more obscure gems like Phenomena, Trauma, and Tenebrae. While only a fraction of Argento’s impressive 20-movie filmography, Shudder’s curated selection is still one of the best places to indulge in the director’s oeuvre. October’s “All Hail Argento” celebration also adds Opera and The Stendhal Syndrome to the library. These titles are sure to satisfy the seasoned Argento aficionados as well as the newcomers who are eager to experience more of the director’s special brand of horror after dipping their toe into Dark Glasses.
Here are all the Dario Argento movies streaming on Shudder for Halloween 2022…
The Cat o’ Nine Tails (1971)
“A newspaper reporter and a retired, blind journalist try to solve a series of killings connected to a pharmaceutical company’s top-secret experimental research projects, and in doing so, they become targets of the killer.”
Argento’s second feature film and the middle chapter in his “Animal Trilogy,” The Cat o’ Nine Tails is a hard-boiled whodunnit that lacks the supernatural touches that would go on to dominate many of the director’s subsequent films. The movie prioritizes tension over Argento’s typical bloody crime scenes and it’s an exciting exercises in minimalism for a director who’s still putting together his toolbox of skills.
“A jazz pianist and a wisecracking journalist are pulled into a complex web of mystery after the former witnesses the brutal murder of a psychic.”
Deep Red is Dario Argento at the top of his game in every department as the director mixes magnetic camerawork with heightened gore and extreme characters who are brought together through supernatural trauma. Deep Red also marks the first of Argento’s collaborations with actress, Daria Nicolodi, as well as the band Goblin, who go on to compose the score for many of the director’s most memorable films.
“An American college student in Rome and his sister in New York investigate a series of killings in both locations where their resident addresses are the domain of two covens of witches.”
Argento’s Suspiria is considered to be mandatory giallo viewing, but its thematic successor and the second installment in the “Three Mothers Trilogy,” Inferno, brings just as much to the table. The film slowly turns into a game of cat and mouse with the demonic Mater Tenebrarum, all of which concludes on a haunting note that will linger with the viewer long after the movie’s over.
“An American writer in Rome is stalked and harassed by a serial killer who is murdering everyone associated with his work on his latest book.”
Tenebrae marks Argento’s much-celebrated return to pure giallo horror after experiments with the supernatural through films like Suspiria and Inferno. Tenebrae succeeds as a straight murder mystery, but Argento engages in a fascinating self-aware commentary on the nature of giallo and the type of audiences that are drawn to it. There’s plenty of metatextual analysis of the genre and its common themes of voyeurism, the celebration of violence, and the dark duality that makes up humanity. This all turns Tenebrae into a gory affair, albeit one that has something to say.
“A young girl who has an amazing ability to communicate with insects is transferred to an exclusive Swiss boarding school, where her unusual capability might help solve a string of murders.”
Phenomena stars a young Jennifer Connelly in one of her very first roles and the film turns into an unconventional friendship between Connelly’s Corvino and Inga, a chimpanzee, who are united through trauma and abandonment. Slick POV segments, brilliant misdirection, and a truly disturbing use of insects all make Phenomena soar. Thankfully, Shudder offers Phenomena’s proper full release as opposed to the edited-down version, known as Creepers, that was first available in the United States.
“A young opera singer is stalked by a deranged fan bent on killing the people associated with her to claim her for himself.”
Opera is a means of storytelling that’s frequently filled with tragedy, but Argento is the perfect filmmaker to combine the elegance of this artform with the brutality of murder. The framework of a troubled Macbeth production lends itself to many inventive murders, not to mention the movie’s infamous “eye needles,” which hurts just to think about. Opera makes sure that Argento left the 1980s on a note so high that only a soprano could hit it.
“A young man tries to help a teenage girl find the serial killer who murdered her parents before the killer comes after them.”
A rare Argento offering that’s both directed and set within the United States, 1993’s Trauma still carries all of Argento’s trademark trappings and doesn’t feel like an Americanized production. Trauma also stands out among Argento’s other films due to special effects guru Tom Savini’s work on the movie, including the construction of the film’s signature murder weapon, an electric-powered wire garrote. Oddly enough, while still vintage Argento, Trauma also bears a heavy resemblance to Brian De Palma’s psychosexual thrillers, right down to the score being composed by Pino Donaggio.
The Stendhal Syndrome (1996) – Premiering October 10th
“A young policewoman slowly goes insane while tracking down an elusive serial rapist/killer through Italy when she herself becomes a victim of the brutal man’s obsession.”
Inspired by his own experience as a child of entering a fugue state while in the presence of art in the Parthenon, Argento’s The Stendhal Syndrome is a powerful offering from the ’90s that often goes overlooked. In one of Asia Argento’s first performances where she’s directed by her father, she brings a painful realism to her psychologically tortured character. The Stendhal Syndrome resorts to Argento’s standard bloody tricks, but the movie’s fascination with art elevates it to more than just a meditation on trauma. It’s also the first Italian film to make use of CGI, which culminates in some stunning visual illusions as Argento embraces a new filmmaking tactic.
Regardless of one’s viewing strategy and giallo judgments, Shudder’s “Home for Halloween” guarantees that audiences won’t have to worry about what to watch this October.
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