It’s almost Halloween! And that means, it’s time for scary movies! So we polled some of the folks at Made By Things to see what scary movies they will be watching this Halloween season.
Halloween (1978)
Starting off with a classic, Matt (founder, creative director) chose the original “Halloween.” He thought back on his high school teacher explaining how it was a masterpiece in terms of editing and shot selection. That was one lesson that never left Matt. And under the direction of John Carpenter, Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence had never been so spooky! According to Matt, it’s “hands down, the BEST Halloween movie of all time.”
Train to Busan (2016)
Colin (animator) went a different direction. While acknowledging that zombie movies are pretty overdone now, he still views them as his favorite genre of horror. He finds that they show the humanity within people best. He also likes to fantasize that he could survive a zombie apocalypse. (We have faith in you, Colin! The moment an outbreak strikes, we’ll be huddling at your house for protection!) Of the zombie films, Colin’s favorite is “Train to Busan.” He views himself as a little bit of a “horror-wuss,” so this film is perfect for him. It features interesting characters, dread, and claustrophobia… all without being too scary.
Mandy (2018)
And if you’re looking for something trippy that features an LSD-fueled cult, Melissa’s (art director, illustrator) pick may be perfect for you! “Mandy” is a modern take on the 80s horror movie. Melissa describes it as a “heavy metal psychedelic 80s nightmare.” And while she isn’t always the biggest fan of Nicholas Cage, she really enjoys his performance in the film. It’s campy and features everything you’d want from a film like this: a cult, a demonic bike gang, and a chainsaw battle with Nicholas Cage. Melissa also loves the art direction within the film, stating that it felt like a Boris Vallejo painting come to life.
Talk to Me (2022)
Yousef (3D modeler, character rigger) doesn’t watch many scary movies, but the last one he viewed really stuck with him. “Talk to Me” is quite the ride for a non-horror watcher. For Yousef, it really beat the common trope of horror movies not having a very strong plot. He found the direction to be quite beautiful and the story kept him on the edge of his seat.
Bodies (2013)
Plagued by nightmares following any late-night-scary-movie screenings, Sam (animator) has largely avoided horror movies for most of his life. Even the corniest of films have left him disturbed. However, he has been enjoying the Netflix series “Bodies” that recently came out. But with Sam having a greater appreciation for the mystery genre, it makes sense why a group of detectives may be more appealing than a slasher.
The Exorcist (1973)
Shelby Hagerdon (producer, writer), who watches too many movies and can’t pick favorites, took some time to think and settled on “The Exorcist” from 1973. While she is a fan of horror in the sense of creepy German Expressionism (like “Nosferatu”) and she will never turn down a Tim Burton movie, she wanted to stay within the realm of a more traditional horror. She has always found the film intriguing, from the story it’s based on to the actual execution. Not to mention, the stories from set… Scary!
Trick ‘r Treat (2007)
While the poster for “Trick ‘r Treat” may look cute (a disturbing, yet very round and ‘friend-shaped’ scarecrow), it is plenty spooky. But Doug (art director, illustrator) says it’s not too heavy and is one he likes to rewatch every Halloween. It features a great cast and is directed by Michael Dougherty. Michael is even from Doug’s hometown!
