There’s no better time to pretend you’re a horror aficionado than in the week leading up to Halloween. Streaming services are loaded with some of the very best horror flicks imaginable, and Disney+ is no exception, even if it doesn’t quite fit the brand. The House of Mouse is, in fact, home to some scarier titles that’ll have you swearing you just heard someone moving about in your garden – even beating out similar horror lists involving the likes of Netflix, Showmax, and Amazon Prime.
You can thank Disney’s inclusion of some of the most prolific titles for that, ranging from Ridley Scott’s sci-fi horror epic Alien, all the way to the Voldemort-starring The Menu, where the scariest aspect is that you might be forced to watch it again. Whatever the case, there’s only a week until 31 October. Time to get watching. Uh, now.
Alien (1979)
Don’t let the attachment of Napoleon’s Ridley Scott put you off this exemplary showing of good ol’ 70s horror. Believe us when we say that this was when Scott was at the very top of his game, bringing the world and eventual franchise that is Alien to life, dragging a stellar performance from Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley in what we’d consider one of the very best horror flicks of all time and no doubt in the Disney+ catalogue. The plot pits the crew of the Nostromo against the now-iconic Xenomorph as it stalks every dark corner and vent around the place, picking off crewmembers one at a time. Throw in the production team’s brilliant work on the set – setting the tone matched perfectly by the entire ensemble – and you’ve got your entire weekend sorted. Trust us.
Ready or Not (2019)
When we initially wandered into the theatre to see Ready or Not on a whim back in 2019, it was without any sort of expectation, other than to forget it ever existed. We were instead greeted by one of the more thrilling “horror” adventures we’ve yet seen starring the exquisite Samara Weaving. We were certainly not disappointed. The film sees Grace (Weaving) tying the knot with everyone’s favourite pastor – Adam Brody – and her attempts to please an age-old family wedding tradition on their wedding night. When she discovers that the tradition involves murdering the newest member of the family, murderous shenanigans ensue. Ready or Not oozes style, comedy, and tension in what’s easily one of our favourites on Disney+.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
We’re not quite sure why we’re explaining The Rocky Horror Picture Show – as if anyone alive hasn’t experienced the musical escapades of Tim Curry’s ostentatious slice of drag that’s since become the definition of a cult classic despite its box office flop in the 1970s. We’ll be the first to admit it doesn’t exactly fit the realms of real horror but it’s brimming with a creepiness you’ll never quite put your finger on. Perhaps it’s Curry’s illustrious (and camp) showing of Dr Frank-N-Furter or because Meatloaf turns up in there, but make no mistake – The Rocky Horror Picture is a must for anyone looking to get in the Halloween mood. If you’ve already checked out the original on Disney+, why not find a live showing nearby?
Signs (2002)
Back in the days before Mel Gibson was shunned from Hollywood, he led Signs – an M. Night Shyamalan written and directed production from the early 2000s – alongside Joaquin Phoenix. After the death of his wife in a motor accident, Graham Hess (Gibson) betrays his old life of being a priest and turns to farming to care for his two kids and younger brother (Phoenix) out in the sticks. Surrounded by acres of corn, life takes a twist when that corn starts showing ‘signs’ – believed come from aliens up above. It’s a weird culmination of all the best Shyamalan tropes, plus a proclivity for decent acting now and then. You can thank Joaquin for that.
Predator (1987)
A mishmash of actors like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Carl Weathers in a film that sees a group of special forces agents wandering around a jungle while being hunted by an alien – an alien wielding a plasma cannon, mind you – was never not going to be equally hilarious and terrifying. That’s what Predator puts on the table, however, in one of Arnie’s better roles that’s a must-see before you can dive into the even more necessary Alien vs. Predator crossover. Predator is just shy of being a two-hour-long bundle of mayhem that we’d advise anybody looking to add a bit of film culture to their lives to watch.
The Hills Have Eyes (2006)
This isn’t Wes Craven’s The Hills Have Eyes. This is Alexandre Aja’s The Hills Have Eyes (of Crawl fame) remake and trust us, you’ll be wishing you’d seen the original by the end. We’re honestly surprised Disney+ is the home to this film that overfloweth with practical violence that might genuinely have you covering your eyes, no matter the age. If you aren’t familiar, The Hills Have Eyes follows a family that shortcut through some grotty hills that, yes, have eyes. But that’s more due to the pack of ravenous cannibals lying in wait rather than anything to do with magical hills. Fun for the whole family!
The Menu (2022)
If you’re anything like us, the ending of The Menu will leave you mightily disappointed. Still, for the 95% of the film we did enjoy, it’s a masterclass in acting, writing, and cinematography that leaves the grunt work to Anya-Taylor Joy and Ralph Fiennes. And who knows? Mark Mylod’s… odd climax to a story involving a young couple journeying to eat at the hottest restaurants out at sea before they discover what the culinary genius of Chef Slowik (Fiennes) has cooked up for the entire restaurant might scratch that itch for lunacy building at the back of your mind. Or not. Either way, it’ll put you in the mood to get off the couch and go trick-or-treating. One way or another.
Scary Movie 4 (2006)
Disney+ may not have the rights to Saw, but it does still offer the best Saw movie ever made – Scary Movie 4. Where else are you going to see Shaq and Dr. Electrician Phil take on Jigsaw’s array of puzzles for their lives? If that wasn’t enough, it features the writing of one Craig Mazin, who you might remember seeing in the credits of both Chernobyl and HBO’s The Last of Us. Scary Movie 4 won’t have you questioning your existence by the time the credits roll, but it will have you cracking up for most of the 1h23m runtime.
The Village (2004)
Sure, The Village isn’t M. Night Shyamalan’s best work, but it is an important stepping stone in the director’s storied past. For one thing, it’s got the talents of Bryce Dallas Howard and Joaquin Phoenix doing the heavy lifting. For another, it was written, directed, and produced six years before the Avatar The Last Airbender adaptation disgraced the big screen. That’s important. Shyamalan is still in control of all his faculties here, leading to The Village being a smorgasbord of creepy and most importantly, spooky. Residents of The Village live by one rule – don’t leave. Or else you’ll be beset by… something or other. We’ll leave that bit to you.
The Omen (1976)
Richard Donner’s trilogy comprising Superman, The Goonies, and The Omen might be the strangest we’ve ever experienced. It’s also one of the scariest, due in part to The Omen (and whatever the hell John Matuszak was in The Goonies). The Omen follows Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck) and his overly creepy son (well…) who puts the psychology in this psychological thriller. A score from the wonderful Jerry Goldsmith isn’t enough to convince you to drop the scared act, but, well, you may as well be serenaded as you descend into the depths of The Omen.