With Halloween only one week away, immerse yourself in spooky festivities through classic horror flicks. From jump scares to psychological trips, these thrillers are guaranteed to terrify your Halloween party guests.

 

Scream (1996)

“Scream,” directed by Wes Craven, is a classic ’90s thriller. The film possesses all the great aspects of slasher films necessary to craft a consistently scary movie-watching experience.

The film is about a fictional town called Woodsboro, where a masked murderer known as Ghostface roams the town on a rampage murdering loads of innocent teens with no seemingly obvious motives.

With the film’s illusive storytelling and general ambiguity, “Scream” leaves viewers clueless of the killer’s identity until the final reveal, building suspense as the plot develops.

This flick may appeal to the typical horror-movie fanatic as well as a more lighthearted viewer.

“Scream” brought mid-’90s slasher films back to the mainstream. Being recognizable by many, Craven’s iconic Ghostface mask remains relevant and iconic even in today’s pop culture.

 

The Shining (1980)

“The Shining,” directed by Stanley Kubrick, is a surreal thriller. The film follows Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance, a writer and recovering alcoholic, and his family as they spend the offseason in the summer-only “Overlook Hotel.” His son, Danny, possesses a power called “the shining,” which gives him psychic abilities to see the hotel’s grim past. While the family spends the winter in the empty hotel, viewers witness the toll of isolation from the outside world.

This movie appeals to viewers who love suspense. Kubrick’s genius cinematography effectively communicates to viewers the status of Jack’s perception, as he struggles with distinguishing reality from fantasy.

 

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

“A Nightmare on Elm Street,” directed by Wes Craven, is a change of pace in the horror movie genre. The film is a supernatural take on the slasher genre as Freddy Krueger, played by Robert Englund, haunts the

dreams of a group of young friends.

This film appeals to both jumpscare and slasher enthusiasts. Since the movie’s terror is rooted in people’s dreams, possibilities are limitless to what will happen next. Craven succeeds at shocking viewers with unexpected frights.

“A Nightmare on Elm Street’s” pace keeps viewers in the dark, always delivering shocking scares that will undeniably frighten your Halloween party guests.

 

Silence of the Lambs (1991)

“The Silence of the Lambs,” directed by Jonathan Demme, is an ominous psychological trip. Jodie Foster stars as FBI t

rainee Clarice Starling, who’s assigned to interview brilliant psychopath, Hannibal Lecter, on a research case of an active serial killer nicknamed “Buffalo Bill.”

Hannibal provides hints to Clarice throughout the interviews they have, twisting and turning as the story develops.

“The Silence of the Lambs” appeals to the intelligent and discerning viewer.

Throughout the movie, Deeme succeeds at mentally tormenting viewers with disturbing depictions of torture, instead of merely relying on blood and gore for a cheap scare.