13 Alternatives to the Slasher

Gory kills, big sweaty breasts packed in white tank tops and bad acting have a place…I guess…but for more discerning videophiles looking for a good movie on Halloween, it can be hard wading through the seas of blood and guts contained in the more popular slasher flicks, torture ventures and shaky-cam fright fests. So what’s worth picking up for a good time this Halloween when one’s looking for more than a mindless, titillating splatter of action?

Zombies are in again this year with the help of Zombieland, starring Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg. It is still playing in many theaters, and is the best bet for readers looking to leave the house this Halloween. At the same time a full-throttle zombie flick and comedy, Eisenberg plays Columbus, who follows a strict set of rules to surviving the zombie apocalypse before meeting up with the loose cannon Tallahassee (Harrelson) and a pair of scam-artist sisters. Zombieland also features an incredibly awesome cameo, which is better left unspoiled (seriously, don’t go look it up on IMDB, enjoy the surprise).

And for those that find themselves looking for more zombie comedy when they leave theaters, Shaun of the Dead still holds the throne. Billed as a “romantic comedy…with zombies,” it features the incredible talent of British trio Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. There is no smarter zombie comedy around, at the same time bringing constant laughs and paying homage to the zombie greats. The record selection scene is classic. The film just received an HD update with a Blu-ray release last month from Universal Studios.

For those looking for more traditional zombie scares, George A. Romero is king. While Night of the Living Dead marked his first, newcomers might find it best to just start with the classic Dawn of the Dead. Taking place in the all-too-perfect location of a mall, Romero gets to the core of what zombies are all about, aside from their flesh-eating exterior, and though it was made in 1978 it remains haunting today.

Though his career has notably slipped into treacherous territory in the last few years, it is hard to deny the greatness of M. Night Shyamalan’s early fright fests if you like you scares without all the gore. Whether watching it the first time through for the big twist ending or again and again to review its construction, The Sixth Sense holds up as an eerie film. And while Signs’ ending may be a little too perfectly tied together for its own good, Shyamalan’s 2002 hit is a great exercise in creating scares with something unseen. Who knew crop circles could be this exciting?

Movie fans looking for something offbeat are best sticking to the tried and true classics. Anytime between now and Christmas is an acceptable time to pop in the DVD or Blu-ray of Tim Burton’s and Henry Selick’s stop-motion wonder The Nightmare Before Christmas. The two came together to create an absolutely fantastic world, highlighted by Danny Elfman’s brilliant score and an engaging story. Fans can also catch the film in its perennial theatrical 3D re-release. It doesn’t offer out-of-the-screen sight gags, but adds a depth to the film that’s worthwhile if heading out to the theater. For a truly odd Halloween experience, though, viewers should look for a midnight screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. People will dress up and throw things. It’s good, if not incredibly strange, times. But if staying home and still looking for something a bit campier, Evil Dead (I or II, as it’s basically a remake) is a great way to spend an evening and watch the twisted stuff Sam Raimi did before making Spider-Man.

Thrillers can also make for good edge-of-the-seat Halloween alternatives, and it is unlikely any horror author will ever have as many of his books converted to film that Stephen King. Misery just received an HD update on Blu-ray, and while the overall package is a bit of a disappointment, the film is still a solid psychological thriller. But fright enthusiasts looking for some real King scares should pick up The Shining. The 1980 Stanley Kubrick adaptation is unparalleled in the King-to-film genre, and Jack Nicholson is truly frightening.

There is also an interesting non-fiction option for Halloween called Zombie Girl. Unfortunately, its screening tour seems to have dried up just prior to Halloween, but if it shows in a nearby town it is worth a night out. Zombie Girl documents a 12-year-old girl who decides to make her own zombie flick. At the very least, it is entertaining to get the take of sixth graders in the “film” business and what they think zombies should be, and the dynamic between the amateur filmmaker and her mother make for some interesting drama on which to speculate.

And to wrap it up for parents trying to find some Halloween films that the whole family can enjoy without fear of content that is too risky, Monster House remains a personal favorite. A solid voice cast – including Catherine O’Hara, Steve Buscemi, Jason Lee and Fred Willard – come together to tell the story of a house on the block that truly is haunted. The house itself is a living, breathing monstrosity that only the children seem to recognize. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is a Charles Schultz classic and always worth another viewing, but in the animated realm, I’m still drawn to Nick Park’s fantastic claymation in Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. It’s an all-around great film, perfect for the holiday with a totally original style done only the way Nick Park can.

About the Writer
Bill Jones is the editor-in-chief of padsandpanels.com, a site dedicated to the coverage of comics and games.