Turn Out the Lights: Top 13 Horror Films to Watch with the Lights Off
Joshua Macmillan
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Each and every one of us enjoys a good night relaxing with some snacks and a drink while watching a good scary flick. We settle in and get comfortable, popping in that coveted DVD or Blu-ray, maybe even pulling up the digital download – however you choose to consume your entertainment is up to you.
Before we press the “play” button, though, we always turn out the lights, and compiled below is a list of 13 films that are perfect for this scenario!
13) Sinister (2012)
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance, Fred Thompson, James Ransone, Clare Foley, Michael Hall D’Addario; Directed By: Scott Derrickson
This film follows the story of Ellison Oswalt, a true-crime author who is looking for his next book. When he knowingly moves his family into a new home where a grisly crime had been committed, things begin to go wrong. The local sheriff isn’t making things any better for Ellison as he is researching the crime that took place. Ellison finds some old home videos and shortly after learns that he is getting more than he originally bargained for. The film is shot incredibly, and the script is decent for “Hollywood Horror.” The director did an incredible job, and it was an honest surprise to me that it took as long as it did to get a sequel. The acting in the film is pretty good… not perfect, but it is good. I would recommend this as an introduction for someone who is on the fence as to whether or not they would have any interest in the horror genre.
https://youtu.be/pgYxydrVlDk
12) Insidious (2010)
Starring: Lin Shaye, Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins, Angus Sampson, Barbara Hershey, Joseph Bishara; Directed By: James Wan
James Wan has carved quite a name for himself within the horror genre. A couple of his films are on this list, and it is due to him having his finger on the pulse of horror. From jump scares to overbearing tension, Wan delivers it in all of his genre films, and Insidious is no exception. It follows a small family who become victims of a haunting when their son drops into a coma and becomes a vessel for spirits in another dimension who want to inhabit his body to live once more. This is a creepy piece of horror cinema that I personally love. Highly recommended if you are looking for something spooky on a stormy night!
11) REC (2007)
Starring: Manuela Velasco, Ferran Terraza, Jorge-Yamam Serrano, Pablo Rosso, David Vert, Vicente Gil, Martha Carbonell, Carlos Vicente; Directed By: Jaume Balaguero and Paco Plaza.
This is a Spanish film that takes place in Barcelona, following a reporter and her cameraman as they are shooting a documentary. As they are filming some firemen, a call comes in about a trapped woman in a nearby apartment building, which sends them into a downward spiral of a nightmare that is only just the beginning. The film is incredibly terrifying, filled with tension from start to finish. The acting is really good, and the story is tremendous. REC has been given the American remake treatment and has spawned sequels. I highly recommend you watch this version, though, and not Quarantine.
10) Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Starring: Duane Jones, Judith O’Dea, Karl Hardman, Marilyn Eastman, Keith Wayne, Judith Ridley, Kyra Schon, Charles Craig; Directed By: George A. Romero
This film is a classic in every sense of the word. It is just as effective now as it was back in 1968. As pretty much everyone knows, NOTLD follows a group of people who are hiding from bloodthirsty zombies in a farmhouse. Romero paved the path to the modern zombie flick when he unleashed this masterpiece onto the world. Go check it out, and if you have already seen it, watch it again… you know you want to!
