by Michael Lyons
Picking a horror movie this time of year is like pairing wine with the right food. As we head into another Halloween, we search for just the right horror movie to get us in the right fright mood, or even to play as a backdrop at our Halloween party.
To help narrow your search and provide alternatives to those films in your regular rotation, here are a number of horror movies celebrating anniversaries this year that are perfect for the season:
The Bride of Frankenstein (1935), 90th Anniversary
Director James Whale's follow-up to his seminal Frankenstein (1931) is as moody and offbeat. Starring Boris Karloff reprising his role as the Monster and Elsa Lanchester as The Bride, this film features scenes that border between comedy and horror, with special effects that were truly ahead of their time. If you haven't seen it in a while, or haven't seen it at all, then you haven't really seen it all.
Psycho (1960), 65th Anniversary
What more can be said about Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece other than it's a masterpiece. It's still no mystery that Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates is one of film's most iconic characters and that shower scene (with Bernard Herrmann's screeching score) is still the best argument for taking a bath.
Trilogy of Terror (1975), 50th Anniversary
This made-for-TV film stars Karen Black as three different characters in three different horror stories. All crafted by noted author Richard Matheson, each is effective, but the final story, where a small statue of an Aboriginal warrior comes to life, is the stuff of late show nightmares for many (including this author).
Fright Night (1985), 40th Anniversary
Young Charley (William Ragsdale) becomes convinced that his next-door neighbor, Jerry (Chris Sarandon), is a vampire and enlists a washed-up horror movie actor (Roddy McDowell) to drive him away. An effective remake was made in 2011, but it can't compare to how well-crafted this 80s original is.
Jacob's Ladder (1990), 35th Anniversary
Bruce Joel Rubin scripted this original, haunting tale, directed by Adrian Lyne, about the title character (played by Tim Robbins), a Vietnam Veteran who finds himself haunted by strange images after he returns from service. A twist of an ending makes it a rare film that begs for repeat viewings to pick up the missed clues along the way.
Insidious (2010), 15th Anniversary
Modern-day horror movie master James Wan brought us this film that kicked off quite the successful franchise, with the first film centering on a couple (Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne) whose comatose son has ventured into "the Further," and has become a vessel for supernatural beings to enter our world. Tensely paced with characters we become invested in, it's no wonder that audiences can't get enough of this universe. And, that red face demon - whoa!
Those are just some of the many horror movies out there perfect for spooky season, but as these celebrate anniversaries, you can celebrate them and Halloween at the same time! Boo to you and Happy Halloween to all!
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