Adam's Obscure October Horror Film Suggestions

It's October and that means you should be watching nothing but horror films! Every year at this time, I pull out all my old favorites such as Halloween, The Thing, Exorcist, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Everyone's probably familiar with those, right?

Here's a list of some more obscure films as possible suggestions to help add some variety to your horror season. This list is by no means meant to be all-inclusive or exhaustive in any way. It is simply my short list of suggestions. Some are great. Some suck and are great because of that. Some are just off-kilter enough to be fun.

Nosferatu and Shadow of the Vampire. First up is Nosferatu, the classic 1922 silent vampire film by F.W. Murnau, and the modern, fictionalized, behind-the-scenes making of Nosferatu, Shadow of the Vampire, by E. Elias Merhige. Both films need to be watched back-to-back in whatever order you chose. They are both masterpieces, each singing across the gulf of cinema to one another. Both are on Netflix streaming now!

Begotten. You will need to track down Begotten on Amazon or Ebay. This is the first film by E. Elias Merhige, the same director who did Shadow of the Vampire. I can safely assume that not only have you never seen it, but you have also never seen anything like it. 

Berberian Sound Studio. Not to be missed, Berberian Sound Studio is a cinematic love letter to horror films in general. In addition, it also shines a light on the importance of sound in films as well as the hidden beauty related to the dying art of traditional filmmaking. Berberian Sound Studio is a like a Russian nesting doll that offers up surprises as it goes. The last time I checked, this was still on Netflix streaming. 

The Dunwich Horror. The Dunwich Horror is an old horror film from 1970, loosely based off the H. P. Lovecraft story of the same name. Until this year I had never seen the film. Despite it's age, often poor construction, and many other hits against it, I still enjoyed it a great deal. With old horror films, their age and poor construction sometimes give them unintended charm. This film is a new old favorite. On Netflix now. FYI... there are a zillion old horror films on Netflix now. I don't have the time to check them all out. Any recommendations? Please post! 

Cthulhu. Continuing with the Lovecraft films is Cthulhu. The film is a slight adaptation of the Lovecraft story, The Shadow Over Innsmouth. The film is often foolishly overlooked because the main character is gay. This film is not great, but it is still one of the better Lovecraft-styled films I've seen. I keep coming back to re-watch it every year since I've seen it, and that is reason enough to list it here. You can easily track this down on Amazon. 

The Midnight Meat Train. The Midnight Meat Train is not that obscure, but just in case I'm listing it here. I read the Clive Barker short story while riding on the NYC subway on my way home from high school in Manhattan in the 80s. The story taking place on the NYC subway stuck right in my gut as I read and rode. I'm rarely spooked, but this short story had me looking up and glancing at the real life wackos on the subway.  The film does not disappoint at all. And Leon is shooting with a Leica as he roams the NYC subway. Vinnie Jones as Mahogany is perfectly cast. A must see. 

Beyond the Black Rainbow. I'll end here with a new favorite. Beyond the Black Rainbow was made as if it was an obscure film from the 1980s that was lost or somehow overlooked. It's a beautiful film in every way I can think of. A gorgeous fever dream that keeps on giving with a great cast, soundtrack, photography, story, and more. I can never seem to get enough of this new old classic. Buy the blu-ray on Amazon. Here is my Beyond the Black Rainbow review that I posted here on WizardsNeverWearArmor.com a while back. 

Mindflesh. Here is one more to keep you busy. Dig this out and you will not be disappointed. 

Enjoy October. 

Enjoy fall. 

And enjoy Halloween. 

Feel free to list your own obscure horror favorites here in the comments section. 

As always, thanks for reading.

—Adam