A curated selection of films for every day of October
Day 1: Night of the Living Dead (1968)
The black and white classic from George A. Romero that follows seven people trapped in a rural farmhouse fending off growing hordes of the undead. This movie kicked off the modern zombie craze and is an easy pick to start off the month.
Suggested pairing: Red wine (or cranberry juice) for savoring something dark and "bloody"
Day 2: Scream (1996)
Wes Craven attempted meta-commentary on horror previously with 1994's New Nightmare. Thought well-received critically, it wasn't a hit at the box office. His next attempt stuck the landing. With its clever commentary on horror tropes and Hollywood, Scream still feels fresh even over twenty years later.
Suggested pairing: A giant batch of popcorn. Don't answer the phone while it's cooking.
Day 3: Sleepaway Camp (1983)
Sleepaway Camp is a staple amongst horror enthusiasts. It takes the trope of a summer camp slasher and ends up injecting some unexpected social commentary. Debates over whether its presentation is constructive or hateful are forever up in the air. But, it's absolutely worth a watch for the inevitable discussion after one of the most surprising and shocking endings in the horror pantheon.
Suggested pairing: Your favorite summer camp nostalgia food is all you need. Frozen crinkle-cut fries are a great option.
Day 4: C.H.U.D. (1984)
This is a classic 80s movie monster trashfest that features a variety of iconic character actors — like Daniel Stern — early in their career. C.H.U.D. is a grimy example of how to make low-budget horror fun.
Suggested pairing: Time to mix yourself a C.H.U.D.
1.25oz Del Maguey Vida Mezcal
0.5oz Green Chartreuse
1 barspoon habanero rich simple syrup
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Stir to chill and serve on a large cube of ice
Or get yourself a matcha latte for something green and frothy like what you might find under the streets of NYC.
Day 5: Street Trash (1987)
Street Trash is the intersection of low-budget, zero oversight, and practical effects mastery. It has some of the most absurd gore effects you will ever see, and not due to realism. When people start drinking a horribly toxic "liquor" called Viper, they begin melting into steaming masses of neon-colored goo. There's nothing quite like it.
Suggested pairing: Grab your favorite bottom-shelf spirit, or most despised energy drink.
Day 6: Chopping Mall (1986)
Trap a bunch of people in a shopping mall with a robot security system gone haywire and you end up with 80s slasher exploitation dialed to perfection. The original pitch could have been something like The Terminator crossed with Dawn of the Dead, but what we ended up with is wholly its own. Produced by the prolific and legendary master of schlock, Roger Corman, Chopping Mall is absolutely worth a watch.
Suggested pairing: Nothing says "the mall" quite like a comically-sized slice of mediocre pizza or a corn dog.
Day 7: A Nightmare 0n Elm Street (1984)
Another iconic Wes Craven film for the list. It's likely you're already familiar with the lore around Freddy Krueger, and this movie as a staple in pop culture. But, if you've never actually seen A Nightmare 0n Elm Street then you might be surprised at how well it holds up against modern horror. The creativity in the "execution" of the practical effects is impressive and the nightmare sequences remain genuinely tense. There's a good reason this spawned countless sequels and even a reboot.
Suggested pairing: Pretzel sticks. Why, you may ask? Because you can hold them between your fingers to look like you've got claws.
Day 8: Candyman (1992)
Based on a story by Clive Barker, Candyman mixes the classic urban "Bloody Mary" myth with themes of class, gentrification, and racism. Tony Todd famously got paid for every bee sting he received during filming so the special effects are more than real here. This contemporary horror classic is not to be missed.
Suggested pairing: A Bee's Knees cocktail
0.75oz lemon juice
0.75oz honey syrup
2oz gin
Shake with ice and serve straight up
Or make yourself a cup of tea with honey, or other preferred sweetener.
Day 8: From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
One part tense thriller, one part over-the-top horror, From Dusk Till Dawn teases one kind of film and surprises you with something entirely different. It's a crime that Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez didn't continue collaborating at this level, because this is one of the most fun films in both of their catalogues.
Suggested pairing: Your favorite Mexican beer and a shot of tequila, or a frosty Topchico with a lime.
Day 10: Gremlins (1984)
Gremlins is often remembered based on the excessive absurdity and sight gags of its sequel, but the original is truly a horror film filled with excellent bursts of black comedy. An unsettling monlogue about the trauma of discovering the truth behind Santa cements Gremlins' place in the realm of horror.
Suggested pairing: Get yourself some fried chicken (or vegan chickn') to eat before midnight.
Day 11: Alien (1979)
Not much more can be said about Alien beyond that it's a sci-fi horror classic, and one of the most influential movies in cinematic history. It plays off the horror of the unknown and the horrors of human greed equally well while being both terrifying and beautiful. If you've never seen Alien, what's wrong with you?
Suggested pairing: Freeze-dried anything! Ice cream, fruit, or whatever you feel you might need for a trip to deep space.
Day 12: An American Werewolf in London (1981)
An American Werewolf in London has arguably the most iconic werewolf transformation scene in movie history. It also still holds up to this day due to the impressive practical effects and attention to detail. While gruesome, this film is also full of surprisingly hilarious moments.
Suggested pairing: What better way to warm up on a cold, rainy London night than with a pint of lager? Either that or tea, Earl Grey, hot.
Day 13: Friday the 13th (1980)
It's not Friday, but it is the 13th. Close enough. It's highly unlikely that you haven't heard of this movie and don't already have some image of the story in your mind, but it really wasn't until its sequels that the pop culture vision of Jason was cemented. Camp counselors being murdered is a bit of a tired trope, but Friday the 13th set the standard.
Suggested pairing: Since we're back at camp again, s'mores make for a great option to survive the night.
Day 14: The Thing (1982)
The Thing famously bombed at the box office when it released along with being panned critically, but its genius eventually became recognized. This can potentially be attributed to how shockingly explicit the creature effects and on-screen deaths were for the era, especially with having been released only two weeks after the gentler vision of alien life depicted in E.T. It's terrifically tense with wonderful performances from the likes Kurt Russel and Keith David, and the creature effects look as scary as ever. The Thing is mandatory viewing.
Suggested pairing: The only thing that will keep you warm in the long Antarctic night is a flask of whiskey. That or apple cider.
Day 15: Hellraiser (1987)
Clive Barker seemingly had free reign to adapt his source novel, "The Hellbound Heart", and the result is a gruesome film that explores various themes of obsession and sex. The movie absolutely struck a nerve with audiences and Pinhead has been a popular horror villain ever since.
Suggested pairing: Your favorite extra-spicy food. Embrace the pleasure from pain.
Day 16: Nosferatu (1922)
Now just over 100 years old, Nosferatu remains an influential milestone in cinema. It was an unofficial and unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker's "Dracula" and was ordered to be destroyed. Thankfully, a handful of prints remained and we still get to enjoy this piece of silent film history.
Suggested pairing: Nothing. Enjoy the silence.
Day 17: Fright Night (1985)
Fright Night is another vampire flick, but with a fun mix of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" and a love letter to monster movie fandom. It's a celebration of horror without being scary.
Suggested pairing: Apples, however you want to prepare and eat them. You'll see.
Day 18: It Follows (2014)
It Follows wears its John Carpenter inspirations on its sleeve while feeling wholly original on its own. It's a movie that purposefully is set outside of any discernable point in time and combines an unstoppable, malevolent force with anxieties and fear around sex. It truly inspires dread without relying on shock.
Suggested pairing: Coffee. It's not safe to sleep.
Day 19: Evil Dead 2 (1987)
Sam Raimi set an incredible bar for indie horror with the original Evil Dead, but it's clear that Evil Dead 2 — with its mini-reboot format — is truly a distillation of his vision for horror. It takes all of the terror from the first film and amps up the slapstick to create a distinctly unique style present in all of Raimi's films.
Suggested pairing: Boba tea. Specifically for the boba. See if you can spot why.
Day 20: Drag Me to Hell (2009)
That's right, it's back-to-back Raimi. It's fun to see the progression of talent from Evil Dead 2 to Drag Me to Hell, along with the larger budget. Sam Raimi's personal style oozes all over the screen here and it'll gross you out while making you laugh. It's a rollercoaster where everyone on-board pukes.
Suggested pairing: This isn't The Exorcist, but pea soup feels fairly appropriate.
Day 21: The Hitcher (1986)
Rutger Hauer's best-known villainous role is Roy Batty from Blade Runner, but his most menacing is probably in The Hitcher. Even the protagonist, played by C. Thomas Howell, was actually afraid of Rutger Hauer on the set due to his intensity. Imagine The Terminator but as a human serial killer and you've got a good sense of the tone of The Hitcher.
Suggested pairing: Fix yourself up a plate of french fries, and wait for the appropriate scene.
Day 22: Overlord (2018)
Nazi zombies is a bit of a tired trope, but Overlord still has a hell of a great time with it. This film also doesn't get as much attention as it deserves for using almost entirely practical effects and puppetry instead of the CGI you may expect from a more modern horror flick. Strap in for one hell of a ride.
Suggested pairing: A charcuterie board covered in the appropriate viscera and accompanied by a French baguette.
Day 23: Arachnophobia (1990)
Spiders are a common fear so it makes sense to have a horror movie centered around them. However, Arachnophobia is more of a creature-feature tribute and includes a lot of comedy expertly delivered by Jeff Daniels and John Goodman. That said, if you have a fear of spiders you're still going to be terrified.
Suggested pairing: The Spider Queen
1.5oz bottled in bond bourbon
0.25oz creme de cacao
1 bar spoon Maraschino
Stir to chill and serve straight up
Add a float of red wine
Day 24: Apostle (2018)
You may be familiar with the cult martial arts hit, The Raid, directed by Gareth Evans. Evans took all of the blistering intensity of The Raid and injected it into Apostle, creating a surprisingly thrilling horror flick. This is a rare standout film from Netflix and it's unfortunate that there is no other way to watch it; you can't even purchase a physical copy. That said, it is absolutely worth your time and money to see Apostle at least once.
Suggested pairing: Absinthe. It's not quite laudanum, but it evokes a similar taboo of the era.
Day 25: Phantasm (1979)
Phantasm is a supernatural horror classic full of iconic and original ideas. It also looks about as 70s as you can get. This film may not be as recognizable to casual filmgoers, but it's influenced pop culture from Motörhead to Star Wars. Sit back and relax, you'll find a lot of campy fun here.
Suggested pairing: Dos Equis; bottles of it show up regularly throughout the movie.
Day 26: The Invitation (2015)
Dinner parties can be intimidating. The Invitation presents the most intimidating sort. Anything more said would spoil the surprise, but prepare to spend your time eagerly attempting to untangle all of the character motivations and their truths.
Suggested pairing: It's back to wine again (or other dinner beverage of choice) to calm the nerves.
Day 27: Near Dark (1987)
Kathryn Bigelow took a cast hot off the heels of Aliens and threw them into an intensely cool neo-noir horror western. This was Begelow's first film and it's a joy to see how effective she was at executing a kinetic and original vision right away. Her later Oscar wins were no fluke. Sadly as of this writing, Near Dark is currently difficult to watch. Used, physical copies can be found at a premium and it's only available to stream via the Criterion Channel. They do have a free trial, and it's absolutely worth it.
Suggested pairing: If you find yourself a member of the undead and outside at the wrong time in Texas, you might find yourself to be Texas Toast.
Day 28: The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)
On the surface, The Autopsy of Jane Doe appears to be another one of many generic horror films intended manufacture cheap scares from unoriginal ideas in exchange for a moderate box office pull. But much like the content of the movie, there's definitely a lot more going on under the surface. The legendary Brian Cox anchors the film and the titular autopsy proves to be creatively creepy.
Suggested pairing: A Naked and Famous cocktail (or perhaps a Naked brand juice?)
0.25oz mezcal
0.25oz Yellow Chartreuse
0.25oz Aperol
0.25oz lime juice
Shake with ice to chill and serve straight up
Day 29: Videodrome (1983)
If you know David Cronenberg, you know there's likely going to be some kind of body horror involved. Videodrome is no exception, but it also is a portrayal of the damaging effects of constant media consumption and the blurring of the lines between truth and sensationalism. It's disgusting but also clever commentary.
Suggested pairing: The only thing to consume now is more media.
Day 30: The Crow (1994)
The Crow is most well-known as Brandon Lee's final performance, as he tragically died due to poor safety practices around a prop gun during filming. Part of what makes this so tragic is it's one hell of a performance. Brandon Lee was clearly on the path to gifting the world some great cinema in his future. The movie itself is anchored around its own tragic events on Devil's Night, the night prior to Halloween. This gothic tale of love and vengeance remains timeless.
Suggested pairing: Your favorite hot dog from your favorite hot dog purveyor.
Day 31: Halloween (1978)
An inaugural list couldn't finish with anything other than Halloween itself. In addition to directing, Carpenter also wrote all of the music and the main theme is nearly as iconic as the film itself. Halloween is also Jamie Lee Curtis' first film role, further extending how incredible this movie is in retrospect. Whether you've seen it a thousand times or never at all, enjoy Halloween on Halloween.
Suggested pairing: The only appropriate pairing is your favorite treat.
