Five film-related recommendations you’ll love, coming at you every weekend.
This week: 80s horror, scary books, Hellraiser, and more.
October programming on the Criterion Channel
As they do every October, the Criterion Channel has some amazing content of the frightening variety this month. With series that tackle classic monsters, vampires, and the 1980s, there’s something for every kind of horror fan. They also have some top-notch short films, including gems from Jonathan Glazer, Chloe Sevigny, and Mariama Diallo. You can also watch Carnival of Sinners (La Main du Diable) from this week’s severed hand triple feature on the site.
Watch the Criterion Channel here.
Shock Value by Jason Zinoman
This book has been around for a few years but it’s perfect for the month of October. In it, critic Jason Zinoman looks at several unique directors like George Romero, John Carpenter, Tobe Hooper, and others who changed the landscape of horror with their unique works. It’s a very cool and informative read.
Get Shock Value here.
Hellraiser Reboot
It’s a pretty exciting Halloween treat to get a reimagining of Clive Barker’s classic horror film, Hellraiser. With a respectable 72% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the consensus is that this take on the original, from director David Bruckner, could be a great new beginning for the once-beloved franchise.
Watch Hellraiser on Hulu here.
Hellraiser on the Unspooled Podcast
Before you watch the new Hellraiser installment on Hulu, do a deep dive back into the original with Paul and Amy on the Unspooled podcast. They break down the film according to its gender roles, its fairy tale-like story, and much more. Every episode of this podcast is fantastic, and this one is no exception.
Listen to Unspooled here.
Anything by William Castle
If you read this site regularly you know that we around here are huge William Castle fans. His brand of schlocky horror and master showmanship made him one of the most memorable b-movie filmmakers of the ’50s and ’60s. Almost all of his filmography from that era is perfect for October, so dig in and prepare to be frightfully entertained.
Suggestions of where to start: Macabre, The House on Haunted Hill, The Tingler, and 13 Ghosts. There’s also this great documentary about Castle and his career.