Halloween is coming up, which means it is officially horror movie season. A season where movie theaters and televisions are flooded with masks, fangs and chainsaws. Horror movies can scare you, make you laugh and show you how scary the lives of others can be, and marathons are an incredible way to experience these films.
The film kicking off this marathon is “Psycho” directed by one of the legends of Hollywood, Alfred Hitchcock.
“Psycho surely would be high on the list of films that we turn to at this time to scare and delight us,” said Professor Sidney Gottlieb of the School of Communications, Media and the Arts. “‘An American Werewolf in London’ is a nice light horror film to keep the ball rolling on this journey. The mix of comedy, a short run-time and werewolves make for an absolutely incredible time.”
Next, Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining” is the story of an unhinged father (Jack Nicholson) who slowly loses his mind in a snowed-in hotel where he is all alone with his wife and son. The next film is the representative for monster movies. “Dracula” stars Bela Lugosi as the Count in one of the most iconic horror film performances.
Continuing the trend of incredible horror performances is “The Substance” the breakout body horror hit from 2024. Demi Moore won multiple awards for her performance in this film as an older actress being pushed out of Hollywood.
Next on this list is “Obsession,” the breakout box office hit of 2026 starring Inde Navarrette as Nikki. Her character is possessed by a cursed wish from her coworker Bear.
The film representing religious horror in the marathon is the original of its franchise “The Exorcist,” the revolutionary film about the demonic possession of a child.
As for the science fiction portion of the marathon, “Alien” directed by Ridley Scott kicks off the iconic horror franchise featuring Sigourney Weaver as Ripley as she and the others on her crew try to find their way back home after being sent to explore an alien planet. A similar film to that is “The Thing,” the rare film set in Antarctica, starring Kurt Russell. It features one of the most debated endings of all time.
Next up is the witty and ever relevant “Get Out” directed by Jordan Peele. This film took home the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and follows a photographer (Daniel Kaluuya) as he goes on a trip to meet his girlfriend’s family before everything goes horribly wrong.
“The scariest horror monsters are those that have their basis in real everyday threats,” said Professor Sara Ross, who specializes in women in film and film production at Sacred Heart.
Then, follow it up with “Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” a short rip-roaring time filled with blood, sweat and grime.
At this point in the marathon, you might need a few laughs. If that is the case, “Scream” is your go-to movie. To close it off, you will be tired and wanting to go to bed, and there is no movie that refuses to let you do that like “Hereditary.”
Being one of the blunter and immediately upsetting horror films of this century, it is perfect to close out this marathon.
12:00-1:49 Psycho (1960) 109 mins
1:50-3:27 An American Werewolf in London (1981)
3:28-5:52 The Shining (1980) 144 mins
5:53-7:07 Dracula (1931) 74 mins
7:08-9:29 The Substance (2024) 141 mins
9:30-11:19 Obsession (2026) 109 mins
11:20-1:22 The Exorcist (1973) 122 mins
1:23-3:20 Alien (1979) 117 mins
3:21-5:10 The Thing (1982) 109 mins
5:11-6:55 Get Out (2017) 104 mins
6:56-8:19 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) 83 mins
8:20-10:12 Scream (1996) 112 mins
10:13-12:21 Hereditary (2018) 128 mins
