It’s October and while Halloween doesn’t get as much attention in South Africa as it does in the US, there’s no reason you can’t join the fun this spooky season. If your area doesn’t participate in Big Dental’s annual drive to get more kids in dentist chairs, you could always settle down to a good ‘ole horror movie. It’s not Halloween if you aren’t doing double-takes at every shadowy object or jumping at the slightest bump in the night.
But if you’ve ever tried picking something to watch on Netflix, especially from its horror catalogue, you’ll know how hard it is to dodge the duds and find something worth the effort. That’s where we come in. We’ve rounded up the movies and series on Netflix that you’ll enjoy. Well, provided murder, dismemberment, psychological trauma, supernatural horror, and zombies are your cup of tea.
Halloween (2018)
What better film to start our list than David Gordon Green’s 2018 reboot of the spooky season’s eponymous film? Set 40 years after John Carpenter’s 1978 classic, this Halloween sees Michael Myers conveniently escape from prison to hunt down Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), the teen who evaded him four decades ago, for another Halloween killing spree. As far as slasher movies go, this is one of the better outings. Curtis’ onscreen talents go a long way to help it along but let’s face it, most folks aren’t watching for the stellar filmmaking, they’re here for the murder.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)
Staying with recent reboots of classic slasher film franchises, Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022) follows on from the original 1974 movie of a similar name. Leatherface returns and this time he’s taking on gentrification and a few unlucky content creators looking to bring changes and “young blood” to his largely uninhabited Texan town. Like the previous entry, this one also features a victim who got away 50 years ago and who’s been waiting for their revenge. Buckets of fake blood? Check. Gratuitous violence? Check. Horribly disfigured spooky villain? Check. What more do you need?
Gerald’s Game (2017)
Taking a small detour from classic slasher flicks, Gerald’s Game offers horror fans something slightly different. Mike Flanagan (of The Haunting of Hill House fame) has adapted one of Stephen King’s novels for the big screen, something many thought impossible due to the story’s complexity. A fantastic performance from Carla Gugino imbues this psychological horror with enough special sauce to successfully replace the lack of gruesome dismemberment with introspective discomfort. Here, it’s just as haunting and perfect for a spooky season watch fest.
Apostle (2018)
If you enjoy a sprinkle of religious zealousness with your horror, you’ll probably like what Apostle has to offer. Set in 1905, Thomas Richardson (Dan Steven) must venture to a remote Welsh island to retrieve his kidnapped sister. Unfortunately for them both, a community (read: cult) of less-than-welcoming religious nuts has other ideas. Michael Sheen delivers an impressive performance as the cult leader to elevate this film above others in this saturated genre.
In the Tall Grass (2019)
If there is anything scarier than a ruthless killer wearing human skin as a mask, it’s uncut grass you can get lost in. Obviously. Well, maybe that isn’t obvious to everyone because it certainly wasn’t obvious to Becky and Cal, even after hearing the scream of a lost young boy. But it’s only grass, right? How bad can it be? It turns out it can get pretty bad, especially when you aren’t the only one in a grass maze that seems to go on forever. In the Tall Grass is another Stephen King adaptation that’s worth a watch if you’re looking for a fright this spooky season.
Thanksgiving (2023)
If there’s anyone you can count on for stomach-churning slasher films, it’s Eli Roth – when he isn’t destroying video game adaptations, that is. Based on the trailer Roth made for 2007’s Grindhouse, Thanksgiving is now a full-blown feature that starts with a Black Friday sale and ends with a masked man terrorising a town on the American holiday. Like many of Roth’s previous outings (Cabin Fever, Hostel), Thanksgiving reminds us that horror movies don’t always have to subvert expectations to be enjoyable.
Don’t Move (2024)
Don’t Move is the newest title on this list, so new that it’s only coming out this Friday, 25 October just in time for Halloween. That makes it the freshest entry for seasoned horror fans looking for new frights this spooky season. This one leans more into the thriller genre than horror as we follow a woman fighting against time to escape a seasoned killer who has injected her with a paralytic agent that will eventually shut down her body. Will she escape? Will he get her? You’ll have to wait until Friday to find out.
Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer (2021)
The scariest thing about Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer is that this one is based on reality. A chainsaw-wielding killer is scary, But the thought that you could be living next door to a serial killer as brutal as Richard Ramirez is even scarier. Over four episodes this limited docu-series tells the story of the numerous crimes Ramirez committed. These amounted to nineteen death sentences. The documentary explores how he was hunted down and eventually caught. Sometimes you don’t need fictional horror. Reality is scary enough.
The Haunting of Hill House (2018)
For horror fans who prefer to marinade in their fear, this ten-episode mini-series based on Shirley Jackson’s 1959 novel provides more than enough spooks. It explores the history of the Crain family, jumping between the past and present, and their experience in the titular haunted house that caused them to leave. Not only does it feature standout performances from Victoria Pedretti (You) and Kate Siegel (Midnight Mass) in front of the camera, but Mike Flanagan does some of his best work as series creator and director. If you haven’t seen it, this spooky season is as good a time as any.
Kingdom (2020)
Most folks might not consider an original Korean series while looking for something to watch this spooky season. Don’t make the mistake of thinking Kingdom falls into the same category as Crash Landing on You or It’s Okay to Not Be Okay. Set at the start of the 17th century, Kingdom takes place in a fictional, medieval-inspired Joseon (modern-day Korea) and blends political thriller, zombie horror, and samurai-adjacent swordplay with great success. We’ve seen many a zombie flick over the years but this one makes them scary again and comes highly recommended for seasoned scare connoisseurs.