I don’t know about you, but as soon as September hits, it’s spooky season. And when October hits? It’s Halloween. That means it’s time for all the fall and spooky goodies like pumpkin patches, apple cider, costumes, and most importantly: horror movies.

But what horror movies should you be watching? How do you find them? Well don’t you worry your spooky little head, because we’re going to make sure you get the best scary movie experience possible.

Horror movies have been around since 1896 when the first ever horror film, The House of the Devil, also known as The Haunted Castle in the US (streaming available through Alexander Street Press), was released. Ever since, the horror genre has become extremely popular; inspiring films such as Halloween (Blu Ray105), Friday the 13^th (VHS 9143), and Saw (DVD 1739). There is so much to explore in the genre! Below are some films that we think are perfect for your Halloween watchlist:

For lovers of the paranormal and supernatural:

• House on Haunted Hill (DVD 2034)
• The Ring (DVD 813)
• The Exorcist (DVD 631 & Laser Disc 631)
• Poltergeist (DVD 665)
• Paperhouse (Laser Disc 285)
• Carrie 1993: (Laser Disc 456) 2001: (DVD 1516 & Laser Disc 1516)

For lovers of gore and slashers:

• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 1998: (DVD 655) 2006: (DVD 3162)
• Scream (DVD 660)
• American Psycho (DVD 701)
• A Nightmare on Elm Street (DVD 661)
• Candyman 1992: (Laser Disc 256) 2018: (Blu Ray 869)
• Psycho (DVD 157 & Blu Ray 143)

For lovers of monsters and the undead:

• Day of the Dead (VHS 9094)
• 28 Days Later (DVD 1119 & Blu Ray 045)
• The Thing (DVD 670)
• Alien Anthology (Blu Ray 002)
• Dead & Buried (DVD 1704)
• The Call of Cthulhu (DVD 3614)

For lovers of classics:

• The Invisible Man (DVD 7213 & Laser Disc 318)
• Nosferatu (DVD 255 & Kanopy & Alexander Street streaming)
• Dracula: The Legacy Collection (DVD 1335)
• Lon Chaney’s Phantom of the Opera (DVD 1038 & Alexander Street streaming)
• Frankenstein (DVD 256 & Blu Ray 166)
• The Wolf Man: The Legacy Collection (DVD 1342)

And of course, can’t forget those who love Halloween, but aren’t up for super big scares:

• The Lost Boys (DVD 4290)
• The Rocky Horror Picture Show (DVD 992)
• Edward Scissorhands (DVD 2659)
• Beetlejuice (DVD 2831)
• Young Frankenstein (DVD 3125)
• Addams Family and Addams Family Values (DVD 8617)

Now you’re probably thinking; ok great, but where can I watch these movies? You can find all these films in the library! Some are even offered on streaming. Staff at the 1st Floor Service Desk can help you find any of these titles.

All movies available at the library can be checked out for three days with your campus ID.

Our collection of horror films extends further than these lists, so be sure to check out what media we have in house, and for streaming, in our library catalog. Watch the Finding Videos tutorial on the Columbia College Chicago Library Tutorials YouTube page for pointers on searching for physical and streaming videos.

Now get to your horror movie marathon! And don’t forget the popcorn!