365 Movies Later: A Recap of Our First YEAR OF DREAD
Josh Millican
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It’s been 12 months since we launched our first 31-day horror challenge. 365 movies later, our #MonthOfDread events mark their first anniversary. It’s been a full #YearOfDread!
We didn’t know why monthly movie challenges were, for the most part, confined to October—especially since horror fans live every day like it’s Halloween!
The idea was to create unique and inspiring curriculums for the truly devoted, horror fans who live every day like it’s Halloween, those with the gumption (and stamina) to consume a new horror movie every day of every month. We asked our followers to join the festivities by using our #MonthOfDread hashtag on social accounts when watching these films.
Looking back, our #MonthOfDread challenges remain excellent resources for those looking to transition from horror fans to true aficionados! Time marches on, but our curriculums remain relevant. Below, find links and brief recaps to our first 12 #MonthOfDread challenges; feel free to revisit them frequently whenever you’re looking for a deep dive into horror history!
Will we be attempting another #YearOfDread? You bet we will! Check back tomorrow for our July 2019 challenge: “Camps and Cabins”!
Our first #MonthOfDread had a Horror Heatwave theme for July 2018. Many selections featured in our inaugural monthly horror challenge had summer, desert, and vacation themes.
August 2018 was dedicated to Aquatic Terrors, featuring films set at beaches, floating atop rivers, lakes, or oceans, and/or deep beneath the surface. These flicks will have even the most ardent beach bums clinging to dry land!
September 2018 was a Back to School #MonthOfDread, featuring films that take place in High Schools as well as creepers set in universities, academies, and even one that takes place in elementary school!
Every Day is Halloween was our theme for October 2018. Each film either takes place on horror fans’ favorite holiday, or in the days leading up to it.
For November of the Living Dead, we watched the majority of George A. Romero’s Living Dead franchise, as well as many of the best films that take inspiration from the film; we also celebrated unique spins on established zombie tropes.
As we marched towards the new year (2019) our theme for December 2018 was The End is Nigh! From alien invasions to pandemics, nuclear bombs to zombies, and even visions of the world post-Apocalypse, we highlighted films that forced us to face the end of life as we know it
As January 2019’s chill descended across the Northern Hemisphere, we created a Winter HorrorLand for our readers. We celebrated films that bring the chill, literally and figuratively, set against bleak and snowy backdrops. It’s a reminder that, quite often, Mother Nature is scarier than any masked madman or morphing alien; and when these tropes collide, copious shivers are certain to ensue.
February 2019 had a Valentines Day theme: Horror is for Lovers! We highlighted films that feature dynamic couples, films where love conquers evil, but mostly films where love goes horribly wrong! Many of these films are perfect date-night flicks; others—not so much!
March 2019 was all about Monster Madness! It featured monsters large and small, terrestrial and alien, fiends who roam the earth as well as those who inhabit the skies and seas. There were sub-themes: detect sub-themes: A week of classic Universal monster movies, a week dedicated to Godzilla vs King Kong, and a week of giant creatures. From there, it pretty much descends into actual madness!
Asian Cinema April, featured many films from Eastern Asia, but also films from Russia and all the way West to the Arabinan Peninsula. You can consider April’s #MonthOfDread as something of a geography lesson in addition to a celebration of the scariest movies produced in the entirety of Asia.
May 2019 was absolute MAYhem featured films with high body counts that build to sates of extreme pandemonium!
We’re nearing the end of Summer of Blood, our #MonthOfDread challenge for June 2019. Not only is it all about slashers, but it’s arranged chronologically, making it something of an evolutionary experience, illustrating how these archetypal horror villains have changed over the decades. It’s also worth noting that each day introduced a new slasher (sometimes multiple slashers) with Freddy Krueger being the only one repeated.
Did you participate in any of our #MonthOfDread horror challenges over the past year? Which challenge was your favorite? What kind of themes would you like to see explored as we begin another #YearOfDread? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! You can also carry on the convo with me personally on Twitter @josh_millican.
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