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With October just around the corner and a plethora of anticipated horror movies set to hit the theaters in a matter of weeks, horror enthusiasts across America are gearing up for a fright fest.
For some, it’s truly the “season of the witch,” where jump scares, haunted houses, and ghost stories run rampant, with eager horror buffs excitedly waiting for their next scream. For others, the notion of sitting through a scary movie is outright terrifying. Though hard to believe for a horror fanatic like myself, some prefer a less frightening experience, one in which they don’t have to clutch the stranger next to them in a crowded theater.
Luckily when it comes to horror, fans can have both.
If you’re one of those who would like to indulge with your friends who claim horror is actually comforting this Halloween season but hate being scared, fear not, as we’ve listed ten highly regarded horror films that scare without the jumps, jolts, and terror.
Well…there may be a little terror.
10 Not-Too-Scary Horror Movies to Watch This Halloween Season
Halloween (1978)
How do we not begin with the movie that started it all?
In 1978, John Carpenter released Halloween, a simplistic thrill that focuses on masked killer, Michael Myers, who stalks a group of babysitters on Halloween night. The makeshift William Shatner mask is especially creepy, as is Michael’s slow-moving and silent demeanor.
But there are no “gotchas” during the 90-minute film. In truth, Carpenter didn’t need them. The three-note upper melody composition that plays throughout the movie’s entirety is far eerier than any cliché jump-scare anyway.
Catch this original before the latest installment of this long-running franchise hits theaters on Halloween night.
Watch it on: Amazon Prime
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Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
Loosely based on the life of notorious serial killer, Henry Lee Lucas, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer borders the line between disturbing and horrifying.
The movie follows Lucas’ release from prison for murdering his mother and even incorporate his bizarre real-life relationship with Ottis Toole, another sadistic killer who aided Lucas during his homicidal sprees. An interesting film for true crime enthusiasts, Michael Rooker’s portrayal of Henry Lee Lucas is captivating, raw, and downright unsettling.
Watch it on: Shudder
The Invitation
When a group of friends gathers for a dinner party, the night begins as an awkward encounter between exes, and ends with…well, you’ll see.
Riddled with suspense, tension, and lots of fun cult vibes, The Invitation does not disappoint as themes of grief, paranoia, and loss transition into a crazed, fear-fueled fest, somberly expressing the extreme tactics humans succumb to when in mourning.
Watch it on: Netflix
Let the Right One In
Some call it a horror movie, I call it one of the greatest love stories of our time. Let the Right One In is a Swedish remake of the popular novel, set in Stockholm, following the life of a 12-year-old outcast who consistently falls prey to the bullying antics of his peers.
When he befriends his new neighbor, a young girl his age who accepts his shy demeanor, the two form a bond unlike anything before, but as fate would have it, nothing is ever what it seems.
Watch it on: Hulu
The Love Witch
If you enjoy 1960’s décor and technicolor themes, as well as challenging the status quo of gender norms in society, The Love Witch is for you. The film depicts a beautiful young witch who uses magic to make men fall in love with her.
It’s campy, comical, and feminist-focused; filled with themes of sexuality, love, and of course, a little bit of violence. If that isn’t enough, the incredible vintage costumes and pristine acting, especially from Samantha Robinson, should be enough to entrance any viewer.
Watch it on: Netflix
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night is an Iranian horror film, centered around a young man who, despite finding himself locked into a life of crime, exhibits a pure heart of compassion, a trait that doesn’t fall short on “the girl,” a mysterious woman he meets walking alone one night.
The film takes place in “bad city,” a town overrun with drugs, sex, and violence; a town in which no woman should walk alone by herself in the early morning hours. But “the girl” is no ordinary woman.
Watch it on: Amazon Prime
Carrie (1976)
The film adaptation of Carrie, one of Stephen King’s most well-known novels, is still regarded as one of the most popular horror films known today. A shy, bullied 17-year-old Carrie, played by the timeless Sissy Spacek, spends her time dodging both her abusive, religiously deranged mother and the popular crowd at school who thrives on humiliating pranks.
All the while, she’s learning how to connect with her magical powers of telekinesis. When Carrie is asked to prom and finally begins to receive the recognition she’s always longed for, one last cruel prank sends her over the edge.
Watch it on: Hulu
Midsommar
Ari Aster made waves in 2018 with his critically acclaimed horror film Hereditary, disturbing audiences with the movie’s supernatural and psychological undertones, as well as *that* scene that we still can’t get out of our heads.
In 2019, Aster amazed the horror community yet again with the release of Midsommar, a “folk-horror” tale of a young woman who travels to Sweden with her emotionally distant boyfriend and his friends, to celebrate a festival that occurs every 90 years during the Midsummer.
While Midsommar is traditionally less scary than Hereditary, and most other modern-day horror films, it is disturbing, with scenes of suicide, sex rituals, and human sacrifices; a work of art perfect to enjoy as the summer days slowly come to an end.
Watch it on: Amazon Prime
Ringu (Ring)
If there is one scene from any horror film that virtually the entire global population can reference, it’s likely from Ringu, a Japanese horror story featuring a VHS tape, an eerie phone call, and a little girl in a well.
Ringu single handily coined the term “seven days” and lead to the American version The Ring, earning tremendous success and paving the way for future remakes of The Grudge and Dark Water. The original, although seemingly identical to the western remake, set the stage for 90’s horror and possibly even the slew of black comedy slasher films that would soon follow.
Watch it on: Tubi, Amazon Prime
I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House
Scary? Not quite. Deeply unsettling and unnerving? Absolutely. I am the Pretty Thing that Lives in the House follows Lily, a nurse who takes a job caring for a retired horror writer with dementia, who soon notices a few strange happenings within the house.
The movie depicts a dedicated nurse who watches in horror as paranormal experiences happen around her, wondering if what she’s seeing is real or imagined. Although it moves at a slow pace, the brilliant acting and gripping sequence of the film work brilliantly to give viewers the perfect balance of fear and suspense.
Watch it on: Netflix
