Spooky season is upon us! Or as we say in my house, just another Monday. I'm Jill, the Adult Services Manager at the Wilmette Public Library and fall is my absolute favorite season, especially October. Kanopy, one of the library's streaming movie services (Hoopla being the other), has a wealth of fantastic horror films and below are just a few of my favorites to get you in the Halloween mood. All of these films are available to stream on Kanopy right now. Wilmette cardholders receive ten checkouts on Kanopy per month, and you can easily create an account if you haven't already through with your library card.*
Basket Case (1982)
1982 was a wonderful year for horror films (The Thing, Poltergeist, The Slumberparty Massacre, Creepshow) and Basket Case is among the annals of the greats. The story follows Duane and his conjoined twin, Belial, a deformed creature who lives in a wicker basket as they seek out the surgeons who dared to separate them. The film is gory, heartfelt, funny and extremely charming.
Black Christmas (1974)
Black Christmas was the first ever "from the killer point of view" film, and the inspiration for John Carpenter's Halloween. Featuring early Olivia Hussey and Margot Kidder, the film takes place in a sorority house where one by one, members start to disappear. Intense, scary, funny and well-written, this is a must for any horror fan, especially ones who like a little Christmas with their horror.
The Blackcoat's Daughter (2017)
From Kanopy, "Two girls must fight a mysterious evil force at a deserted prep school in this terrifying horror film starring Emma Roberts and Lucy Boynton" and was an official selection at the Toronto International Film Festival. The premise of The Blackcoat's Daughter is unexpected and concludes with a shocking ending that left me with jaw dropped.
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)
The FIRST IRANIAN VAMPIRE WESTERN, can you beat that?! Director Ana Lily Amirpour creates a "joyful mash-up of genre, archetype and iconography, its prolific influences span spaghetti westerns, graphic novels, horror films, and the Iranian New Wave. Amped by a mix of Iranian rock, techno and Morricone-inspired riffs, its airy, anamorphic, black-and-white aesthetic and artfully drawn-out scenes combine the simmering tension of Sergio Leone with the surrealism of David Lynch." (Kanopy)
House on Haunted Hill (1959)
Starring Vincent Price and directed by William Castle, need you read on? The story follows a group of strangers who are offered $10,000 each by an eccentric millionaire (Price) to spend the night in a haunted house. The story is campy, spooky, and special effects that are surprising and impressive (and sometimes wacky) for the 1950s.
Let the Right One In (2008)
This Swedish vampire horror film follows 12 year-old Oskar, an outcast among his peers until he meets a new resident in his apartment complex, a strange girl named Eli. The setting is snowy, cold, dark and desolate-- the perfect fall into winter horror film. The director creates an eerie, bloody, yet somehow hopeful and sweet story between two lonely children.
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
The one, the only, the first--George Romero's classic Night of the Living Dead. Rex Reed called it a "B-movie classic" but I like to think of it more as an A-movie classic. It was so completely ahead of its time in every way imaginable, and more than 40 years later it stands the test of time as a highly watchable, original, and scary zombie horror film.
Teeth (2008)
From Kanopy: "Still a stranger to her own body, a high school student discovers she has a physical advantage when she becomes the object of male violence." I'd dare to call this a feminist horror film and one of the most surprising premises that I've seen to date in any horror film. It's absurd, funny, and graphic with a dose of schadenfreude.
The Transfiguration (2017)
An official selection at the Cannes Film Festival, writer and director Michael O'Shea writes an original tale of Milo, a young African American boy who hides from the world behind his fascination with vampire lore. I appreciate this premise because vampire stories, and most horror in general are often seen as reserved for white protagonists, which is certainly not true. Horror is for everyone and is loved by everyone. Much like Let the Right One In, Milo meets another social outcast, Sophie, and the bond they form blurs fantasy with reality in Milo's world.
XX (2017)
XX is a series of horror short films that left me thoroughly delighted. Each were original, fun, scary, and just so different and fresh.
*All of the films that I picked are for an adult audience-viewer discretion is advised! Also, if you need help with Kanopy, contact a librarian who will be overjoyed to help you.