Harri's Creature Comforts

It’s that time of the year again. Costumes are on sale at Tesco, families are getting ready for their trick-or-treat rounds and your mates are more than likely planning a beastly night on the town.

Yes, ladies and lads - it’s Hallowe’en!

But wait, you can’t afford to dress up? Scared your wallet will buckle at another round? Fear not, because there are ways to have a hellishly good night without breaking the bank. Gathering the faithful for a film night’s one of them. Today our creature film fanatic Harri offers his selection of beasts to curl up with this Hallowe’en.

 

An American Werewolf in London (1981)

Directed by John Landis, this wee beastie’s more comedy than horror - yet packs more bite than many werewolf films today. Scares are few, but when David Naughton does “sprout hair and fangs and eat people” (as he puts it in the film), the results are messy. Throw in Oscar-winning effects by Rick Baker and a comically upbeat soundtrack and what do you get? A cult classic guaranteed to leave you howling.

 

Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)

Try as you might, you can’t have Hallowe’en without Dracula. The trouble is Bram Stoker’s vampire noble has been seen so many times it’s hard to find a version that’s both different and scary. Enter Francis Ford Coppola. With exquisite costumes and a stellar cast (incl. Gary Oldman as the Count himself), this film offers a unique take on Dracula that’s dark, erotic and - surprisingly - sympathetic. And unlike last year’s Dracula Untold, it works. Just beware Keanu Reeves’ awful British accent.

 

Alien (1979)

If sci-fi’s more your cup of tea, it doesn’t come much scarier than this. Ridley Scott’s classic may be thirty-six now, but it remains unbeaten to this day (except by Cameron's action sequel Aliens). An eerie atmosphere, organic creature design and Sigourney Weaver are just three of many reasons to watch Alien - whether the original version or the 2003 director’s cut. Forget about the later sequels and god-awful Predator crossovers and enjoy.

 

Rogue (2007)

Directed by Greg McLean (Wolf Creek), this underrated gem was critically acclaimed in its native Australia, but only saw release direct-to-video in the UK… how and why, I’ll never know. A killer croc may seem the stuff of B-movies, but Rogue is anything but. It stars Sam Worthington (before Avatar), boasts Spielbergian production values and roams its territory in a way that’s both realistic and incredibly tense. And it’s based on true events.

 

Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)

The darkest fairy tale you’ll ever know. Guillermo del Toro’s masterpiece isn’t a horror per se, but it is home to monsters both imaginary and human. It doesn’t help that even the good creatures - the Faun and his fairies - look creepy. Special mention goes to the Pale Man; a blind, emaciated horror with a taste for children. Its perpetually dark atmosphere, unsettling imagery and gritty post-war drama make the film as shocking as any you’d expect to see on Hallowe’en. Don’t be put off just because it’s Spanish.