So as is tradition here at Hooked On Horror, we celebrate the best month of the year with our 31 Days of Horror list. This year, we put the vote to you guys via our Facebook page as to what this year’s list would focus on (2023’s being slasher movies), and you guys voted for the ‘Paranormal’ sub-genre for 2024.
Great having the team involved in this years, and we’ve come up with some great choices- and where you can find them to stream (unless you’re superior like us and still own/collect/use physical media).
So, without further ado here is
Hooked On Horror’s
31 Days of Horror 2024
October 1st
The Conjuring 2
Poster by John Hamm
Ed and Lorraine Warren travel to North London to help a single mother raising four children alone in a house plagued by a supernatural spirit.
For me this is arguably the best Conjuring film. Doesn’t feel like a modern horror, and whilst there are jump scares, I wouldn’t say this is one that relies on them. It’s a fantastic film with that old school horror vibe. And of course, this is the film that introduces Valek to the Conjuring universe, who is terrifying in this. Unfortunately, this didn’t carry over into further appearances from the character as The Nun failed to emulate what this film did right. As great as Valek is though, I feel The Crooked Man doesn’t get enough mention when people chat about this film. Still a bit gutted they shelved his solo spin-off film.
Available via NOWTV, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube & AppleTV.
October 2nd
Host
Six friends take part in a séance via Zoom during lockdown but accidentally invite a demonic presence and things quickly go wrong.
Watching this during lockdown, in a dark room, on a laptop, alone was one of the most terrifying movie-watching experiences I’ve ever had. Packed with creepy moments and well-earned jump scares, Host will have you on the edge of your seat or hiding behind your hands, or both.
Available via BBC iPlayer, AppleTV & Amazon Prime Video.
October 3rd
Ju-On: The Grudge
An evil curse and vengeful spirits seem to linger in a house where the horrific murder of a woman and child took place and anyone who sets foot in the house doesn't step out alive.
Hailing from the culturally rich shores of Japan, Ju-On: the Grudge is the third instalment to a series of ghosty-goodness films. Originally created & directed by the formidable Takashi Shimizu, the films narrative is broken into segments, following intertwining characters and their encounter with Kayako; a murdered, vengeful spirit, or Toshio; Kayako's drowned son, after entering the home that housed her demise.
Kayako, dressed in bloodstained white and accompanied by a chilling death rattle, and Toshio, barely clothed and frequently using cat vocalisations (a cat that was also drowned), continue to pursue and kill every entrant to the house over the 92-minute runtime. From schoolgirls to family members, to social workers - ya enter the house, ya getting croaked and meowed at in the creepiest of ways.
The initial murder of Kayako and Toshio; by the father figure of the household, is said to be the catalyst to reaping a curse upon the foundations. A definite departure from other J-Horrors of the early 2000s that explored theme of existential threat of technology, the film, at its core, is a film of supernatural vengeance and rightfully regarded as one of the scariest J-Horror films of all time.
Available via YouTube, Google Play Movies & Amazon Prime Video.
October 4th
Onibaba
An impoverished mother and daughter-in-law kill soldiers and steal their belongings. After the mother learns of the son's death, she dons a mask to scare her daughter-in-law into staying with her.
Marred by censorship from the BBFC upon initial release, Onibaba is set in the 14th Century and is a tale of two women's deceptive ways bringing upon a darkness across the Susuki fields surrounding their home.
Appearing as ghostly apparitions, the two women lure war deserters that stumble across their land and murder them to sell their possessions, fuelling their ever-growing greed. Their appetites are thwart by growing affections for a neighbour and a mysterious samurai, donning the iconic Hannya mask featured heavily in the marketing for the film. A slow burner, combining perceived supernatural instances and nefarious human corruption, the period piece is a bleak and eerie instalment for the J-Horror catalogue.
Available via Amazon Prime Video or with a BFI Player Subscription.
October 5th
His House
A young couple seek asylum in an English town after escaping from war-torn South Sudan, but struggle to adjust to their new life as they are tormented by a sinister force in their new home.
His house goes beyond your typical haunted house story, exploring the true horror of grief, pain, guilt, and the immigrant experience. It features genuinely terrifying sequences and some really haunting imagery, with terrific performances from Sope Dirisu and Wunmi Mosaku.
Available via Netflix.
October 6th
The Wailing
A mysterious illness spreads throughout a remote Korean village following the arrival of a stranger. A policeman is forced to solve the mystery to save his infected daughter.
The Wailing is a haunting, dread-inducing movie that packs a punch. It takes viewers on a wild ride and has them guessing until the very end.
Available via Netflix, AppleTV, Amazon Prime Video & Google Play Movies.
October 7th
Stir of Echoes
Blue-collared Tom disbelieves paranormal phenomena. A set of circumstances makes him allow his wife's sister Lisa to put him into a hypnotic trance. He then begins to see visions of a female ghost.
This is one I had to include for this year’s 31 Days of Horror, as this is probably one of the earliest films I remember scaring me. Can’t remember my exact age when I watched this for the first time, but I remember not sleeping for weeks after (thanks Mum & Dad). I re-watched it recently, and whilst I will admit it’s pretty tame by today’s standards, it still freaked me out.
Just something about the hypnosis scene where Kevin Bacon realises he's not alone in that cinema screen. This one’s a slow burn that goes follows the story format of a classic ghost story- restless spirit due to horrific back story/events that happened causing her death. Love the true crime and thriller aspects of the story as well- and that safety pin going through Bacon’s hand still makes me nauseous. Even worse that a stunt day was paid to actually let the film makers stick a safety pin through his hand.
Available via Amazon Prime Video.
October 8th
Pet Sematary
Miko Hughes behind the scenes of Pet Sematary.
Louis Creed and his family move into a new home and try to settle in. However, strange things happen after Louis buries his daughter's cat in an ancient burial ground in the forest behind their house.
The original of course, not that really shitty remake they did recently. This one’s just a classic 80s horror. Some great performances from a solid cast, particularly Fred Gwynne’s Jud Crandall. And of course, the special effects in this are fantastic! Brad Greenquist’s Victor Pascow was one thing, but I can’t talk about this without mentioning the pure nightmare fuel that is Zelda. To this day still gives me chills. And just to make the film that little bit sweeter, The Ramones did a kick-ass soundtrack. Funnily enough this film was the reason me and my siblings weren’t allowed a kite growing up; genuinely no idea why though…
Available via Paramount Plus, YouTube, Google Play Movies, Amazon Prime Video & AppleTV.
October 9th
Shutter
Photographer Thun and his girlfriend Jane discover strange shadows in their photographs after fleeing the scene of a car accident.
A solid, atmospheric scarefest with plenty of great jump scares. And of course, if you’re not a fan of international cinema, the film was remade into an English language version in 2008 under the same title- although it’s nowhere near as good!
Available via AppleTV.
October 10th
The Woman in Black
Daniel Radcliffe behind the scenes of Hammer Horror's The Woman in Black.
A lawyer is assigned to travel to a village to examine a house that belonged to a recently deceased woman. He discovers the spirit of the same woman and learns that she's killing the village children.
A widower on the brink, is tasked with setting an old estate in order. An estate shrouded in sorrow and darkness, personified only by a haunting, veiled, woman in black. Taking British Horror back to its routes, Hammer Films re-affirmed its status as being the house of Horror with its 2012 venture into the ghosty realm.
The film encapsulates much of the Hammer identity: period piece, supernatural elements, limited number cast of characters and the constant feeling of mortal dread. The film holds suspense throughout, alleviate pressures momentarily with the odd stinger, but otherwise keeps the tension thick and unrelenting.
Daniel Radcliffe's first leading role venture, outside of the Harry Potter series. I (Mike) recall seeing this film with my partner and the auditorium being full of HP fangirls - the screams of regret were glorious.
Available via NOW TV, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & Apple TV.
October 11th
Poltergeist
Poster by Jeremy Pailler
A family's dream home turns into their worst nightmare when evil spirits rise up to torment them and possess the soul of their innocent daughter.
A classic 80s gem of a horror movie. Just fantastic from start to finish with some terrifying moments throughout. The use of practical effects in this is just another reminder as to why the 80s was THE decade for horror. Kids nowadays will never know the true terror of waking up to see the TV playing nothing but static.
Available via AppleTV, Google Play Movies & Amazon Prime Video.
October 12th
Sinister
Ellison, a crime writer, moves his family to a house that once witnessed gruesome murders. Soon, when his research leads him to some eerie footage, things take a dark and harrowing turn.
I can honestly say there’s not a lot in regard to film that scares me nowadays, but this one really stuck with me. Bughuul is a fantastic villain and doesn’t get the credit he deserves within the horror genre. The Super8 film reel scenes are ridiculously disturbing, and at times difficult to watch- it was the pool one for me. I’d put the ending of this up there with the likes of Frank Darabont’s The Mist. There is absolutely no happiness in any way this film finishes. Whilst the second isn’t bad, it fails to capture the horror as well as this one does.
Available via Netflix or NOWTV.
October 13th
Ghost Adventures
Filmmakers Zak Bagans and Nick Groff search for supernatural phenomena in Nevada.
Now an established TV Show on travel channel, the original Documentary was the catalyst to skyrocketing the personalities of Nick Groff, Aaron Goodwin and most prominently, Zak Bagans. The documentary explores iconic locations for overnight excursions for the trio, boasting to have limited crew members to emphasise their isolation. The film received acclaim and was showcased on several US News Channels for their extraordinary evidence of the paranormal - a transparent figure walking across the screen and a brick flying at an unnatural trajectory.
If you're a fan of films like, Grave Encounters (2011, Vicious Brothers), or shows such as Most Haunted, or Ghost Hunters, or if you're a sceptic to the paranormal investigation scene, the original documentary is a great place to dive headfirst into the deep end. Disclaimer warning, addiction to their show may occur as a result.
Unfortunately, not currently available vie digital streaming services, only on region 1 DVD.
October 14th
As Above, So Below
Follows archaeologist Scarlett who ventures into the Paris Catacombs with a team of explorers to search for one of history's greatest artifacts, Flamel's Philosophers Stone.
A unique, claustrophobic horror with interesting themes. It was the first film to receive permission from the French authorities to shoot in the real Catacombs of Paris, which adds to its spooky aura.
Available via YouTube, AppleTV, Google Play Movies & Amazon Prime Video.
October 15th
Insidious
Joseph Bishara & Ty Simpkins behind the scenes of Insidious.
Josh and Renai move to a new house, seeking a fresh start. However, when their son, Dalton, mysteriously falls into a coma, paranormal events start occurring in the house.
This one goes proper old school horror, which I love. Features some genuinely creepy moments as well as some fantastic jump scares. Just further proof that when Leigh Whannell and James Wan get together, it’s a recipe for success. A great horror that kick-started one hell of a franchise.
Available via Netflix & NOWTV.
October 16th
Deadstream
A disgraced internet personality tries to win back his followers by livestreaming himself at an abandoned haunted house. When he accidentally unleashes a vengeful spirit, his comeback event becomes a fight for his life.
Disgraced YouTube star, Shawn Ruddy, decides to win the good graces of his audiences by facing his fear of the supernatural at a notorious paranormal hotspot, recorded entirely on livestream.
Comedy/Horror film, starring Joseph Winter as Shawn, the film assumes a traditional found footage/POV style, with the addition of a live chat accompanying the YouTube star on his journey. With a gradually building atmosphere, the film delivers on the laughs and jump scares - one to chuckle along with this spooky season.
Available via Shudder, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & Apple TV.
October 17th
The Orphanage
Laura and her family return to her childhood home, a former orphanage, with intentions of reopening it. Her adopted son Simon starts to communicate with invisible friends which takes a nasty turn.
A very moody and suspenseful film that oozes atmosphere. It combines mystery with horror well, relying on its compelling plot instead of cheap jump scares. A beautiful ghost story that will crush your soul.
Available via AppleTV.
October 18th
Paranormal Activity
Katie and Micah, a young couple, move into a suburban residence and feel the presence of evil forces. They install cameras which capture all the incidents, noises and evil occurrences in the house.
A fantastic found-footage horror that genuinely surprised me upon its initial release. You always hear about these films being terrifying, and then they barely live up to the hype they got- this is one of the few I feel lived up to the hype. The simplicity behind the production and the way it’s shot makes this one feel (at times) a bit too realistic, which of course only makes it that much scarier.
Additionally, Oren Pelli expertly navigated this film from start to finish with what I feel is fantastic pacing for a film like this. Whilst some of the sequels have been good and have had their moments, none of them failed to re-create the true terror that came with the initial release of this in 2007. That ending still gives me chills…
Available via AppleTV, Amazon Prime Video and Google Play Movies.
October 19th
Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum
A terrifying found-footage horror that follows a group of explorers who venture into an abandoned asylum to capture creepy footage for their web series. As they go deeper into the asylum, they encounter much more than expected.
A terrifying nail-biter with scenes and imagery that are pure nightmare fuel. A must see for found-footage fans!
Available via Amazon Prime Video and AppleTV.
October 20th
Dead Silence
"Beware the stare of Mary Shaw. She had no children, only dolls and if you see her in your dreams, make sure you never ever scream, or she'll rip your tongue out at seam."
After the delivery of a mysterious package, Jamie's wife is found murdered. When he digs deeper, he realises that her death might have a connection with a deceased ventriloquist and her dummy.
A tale of an old spooky ghosty hellbent on vengeance on every descendent of the people that killed her... Needless to say, they forced her to scream and cut out her tongue before mob killing her. Now, in modern day, the last Asher descendent finds himself embroiled in a murder case after his girlfriend is found dead, with her tongue torn from her mouth. Asher returns to his bleak hometown to find evidence of his innocence. For those that love old school stylistic horror and creepy old woman ghosties, this is the film for you.
A fantastic James Wan romp, inspired by 1920s US Horror films including the previously thought lost, The Cat and the Canary (1927, Leni). Fun Fact, much of the set pieces in the Cat and the Canary inspired the intro montage in the Hanna-Barbera Scooby Doo Where Are You? (1969-70).
Available via Youtube, Apple TV & Amazon Prime Video.
October 21st
Hell House LLC
Five years after fifteen people were killed during a haunted house tour, a documentary crew visits the scene to investigate what really happened.
A fun found footage horror that really messes with your head. Not to mention this is another one for clown lovers of course. Surprisingly effective and well-made indie horror flick. The sequels that followed aren’t bad either to be fair, but this is still the most terrifying of the franchise thus far.
Available on Shudder, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & Apple TV.
October 22nd
The Babadook
Sam, a young boy, is convinced of a monster's presence in his home, due to certain disturbing visions. His erratic behaviour concerns his single mother, Amelia, who spirals into a state of paranoia.
A great horror with a truly terrifying monster. If you can get past the kid being an incredibly annoying little shit (sorry not sorry), it’s a fantastic watch. The symbolism used throughout the film via the book and the titular monster is incredibly clever and well done.
Inspired by a short of the same name, this is arguably one of the best horror films of the last 10 years. The entire design and execution of the film’s monster is nothing short of pure nightmare fuel. It still cracks me up he went on to become an icon for the LGBT+ community after an error from Netflix.
Available via Netflix, Google Play Movies, Amazon Prime Video & AppleTV.
October 23rd
The Autopsy of Jane Doe
Two coroners start an autopsy of an unidentified girl to investigate the cause of her death. However, as they get closer to finding answers, bizarre events take place.
A chilling tale of exploration and unfortunate circumstance, father/son duo of Tilden Coroners receive a late addition to their examination table, known only as Jane Doe. The further they progress with their autopsy; the duo find themselves encountering strange occurrences that prove to be deadly. From lights turning on/off, sounds from other rooms and shadowy apparitions, these events are nothing compared to their discovery on the body itself. From tattoos under her skin, to impossibly rotten organs, the body holds more secrets than the two are prepared to seek.
From the director of Trollhunter (2010), Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019) and The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023), André Øvredal delivers a wonderfully chilling, slow-burn of a film that is guaranteed to have you rethink your profession… if you’re a coroner.
Available via Shudder, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, & Google Play Movies.
October 24th
Double Feature- The House of Ghosts / Satan Has Fun
One of the earliest recorded haunted house films, directed by Segundo de Chomon, France, 1906. The film follows a travelling trio that stop at a house in the woods (sound familiar?) and what ensues, is a testament to the early cinema pioneers in editing and manipulation of footage. I always find something eerie about watching films from the silent era; the film grain, the speed changes, those dark and soulless eyes of actors long since passed… like a doll’s eyes… what have those eyes seen… Moving on swiftly.
This is a film to catch for any supernatural fan, to see the origins of paranormal cinema and has a staggering runtime of only 6 minutes. If 6 minutes isn’t enough, we’d recommend a double bill with Satan Has Fun (1907) to bring the runtime up to; around, 16 minutes!
You can watch both on YouTube-
October 25th
Talk To Me
A group of teenagers discover they are able to contact spirits using an embalmed hand, it quickly becomes a regular party game but one night it goes too far.
A fresh, fun and mean twist on a familiar genre, with gnarly special effects and a great score! Thrilling and disturbing from start to finish.
Available via Netflix, Google Play Movies, AppleTV & Amazon Prime Video.
October 26th
Pulse
A number of adults living in Tokyo witness terrifying visions transferred across the internet following the death of college student, Taguchi. They attempt to solve the mystery behind these visions.
A cold and eerie horror that explores isolation, loneliness and technological escapism. It does a great job of freaking viewers out in simple but effective ways, using creepy sound design and terrifying visuals that stick.
Available via Google Play Movies, AppleTV & Amazon Prime Video.
October 27th
The Devil’s Backbone
When Carlos, a 12-year-old boy, is admitted to an orphanage after his father's execution, he makes a horrid discovery by lifting the veil on the tragic secrets of the school.
Guillermo Del Toro has a majestic way of creating adult fairy tales (not the softcore film by Harry Hurwitz), creating sympathy with monsters and disassociation with mankind. Set in an orphanage during the Spanish Civil War, El Espinazo del Diablo follows Carlos as he begins to encounter a ghostly child roaming the corridors of the dark building.
The film uses the paranormal as a vehicle to present the dissonance created by the civil war and present a darker side of humanity when opportunity arises. Using the innocence; and loss thereof, of the children within the orphanage, the film creates a dark sense of wonder of the unknown, imagination and the supernatural also prevalent in Guillermo’s later films. It’s highly recommended to watch this film with the lights off and without any distraction. Oh, and subbed. Not dubbed.
Currently not available on any digital streaming services.
October 28th
The Possession of Hannah Grace
A demon seeks refuge in a young girl's body when she dies due to an unruly exorcism. Later, her corpse is moved to a morgue guarded by a former officer who experiences unnatural events.
This is a fun flick with some decent jump scares. It leans into and plays with the classic horror tropes whilst offering some disturbing and genuinely creepy moments throughout. I will admit some of the deaths in this are over the top and very graphic…but they're great to see! Ending lets it down a bit, but to be fair I feel this is where quite a few horror films can waiver. Overall, a fun watch.
Available via Netflix, AppleTV, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube & Google Play Movies.
October 29th
House
A young girl plans to visit her ailing aunt at her remote country home and asks six of her classmates to tag along. Upon reaching there, the girls come face-to-face with their worst nightmares.
To say House is a trip is an understatement. It's bizarre, absurd and full of unforgettable visuals.
Only available via BFI Player subscription.
October 30th
A Tale of Two Sisters
On returning home from a mental health facility, two sisters find that along with their stepmother, they have to find a way to deal with their late mother's ghost who begins to haunt them.
A great addition to the South Korean Horror pantheon, A Tale of Two Sisters follows Su-mi returning home after being institutionalised. Her climatization back to ’normality’ is everything but normal, as Su-mi and her younger sister, Su-yeon are estranged from their stepmother and stalked by a mysterious figure in the darkened corners of the home. We shan’t say anymore, to avoid the beautiful psychological torment this film induces upon first viewing.
From the director of A Bittersweet Life (2005) and I Saw the Devil (2010), Kim Jee-woon and later remade in the US as The Uninvited (2009, The Guard Brothers), A Tale of Two Sisters is not a film to sleep on… not that you’ll sleep after it!
Available via Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV & Google Play Movies.
Whilst we each contributed 10 film choices to this list, we figured you needed one off each of us for All Hallows Eve So here’s our final film choices for this years 31 Days of Horror.
October 31st
Mike – Grave Encounters
In a bid to increase the ratings of their reality show, a production team locks itself in a psychiatric hospital that is allegedly haunted to find proof of paranormal activity.
The show that ended less than one season in, when the entire cast & crew went missing. Grave Encounters is a traditional found footage film (the footage being found by the show’s Producers and subsequently went into the editing room thereafter), where the cast & crew of the fictitious show investigate Collingwood Psychiatric Hospital.
Shot like typical reality paranormal TV Shows e.g., Ghost Adventures, Ghost Hunters etc. Grave Encounters begins with a sceptical edge, gradually transitioning to a more open-minded perspective as more and more supernatural events occur. One by one, the cast & crew begin disappearing, or receiving bruising/scratches on their body as the hospital becomes a labyrinthian tomb for each and every one of them.
Filled with chilling moments, as well as the occasion face-palm, this film is guaranteed to make any sceptic of found footage horror, a believer in the format. If you enjoyed this film, we’d highly recommend seeking out Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (2018, Bum-shik) and The Tunnel (2011, Ledesma), but give Grave Encounters 2 a miss!
Available via Amazon Prime Video.
Kourtney – The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Poster of Jason Edmiston.
Sally, Franklin and their three friends run out of gas while driving to their grandfather's house. One by one they are tormented and killed by a chainsaw-wielding killer and his psychopathic family.
My favourite horror movie of all time so it's only right that I watch it every Halloween. A timeless horror classic directed by Tobe Hooper, that will forever terrorise people. It's bold, gritty and horrifying, the ultimate horror film.
Available via Shudder, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & AppleTV.
Adam – The Changeling
While on a family vacation, John Russell loses his wife and daughter to a car mishap. To compose music, he rents a section of an old house, where he is haunted by the presence of a spectre.
There's not really much I can say about this film...it's a classic horror. If you haven't seen The Changeling yet you need to actually question if you're a real horror fan or not. This is a chilling film from start to finish with a lot of great, well thought out and executed scares that really stick with you once the film has finished. Its influences on later horror films can easily be seen throughout, prime example of course is the infamous seance scene which goes on to birth to a similar scene in The Insidious films.
The story is a slow burn but I feel that's why the film is as chilling and effective as it is. All that tension continues to build uncomfortably throughout ultimately putting the viewer on edge until that final sequence and reveal that makes for an incredible pay off. The film's subtle imagery, story pacing and fantastic cinematography are perfect example of how atmospheric, eerie, frightening and effective a horror can be without cheap scares or blood, guts and gore. I mean that ball scene...that bloody ball scene; Jesus Christ, it still gives me chills to this day.
This is undoubtedly a benchmark in the timeline of horror that is a must see for any horror fan. And if that's not enough to sell you, this has not only been cited as a huge influence on film makers such as Martin Scorsese but is one of the few films to truly scare Stephen King.
Commenti