8 Netflix Horror Films That Just Scream Fall
I realized something the other day as I slipped on my sweater before heading out for a decaffeinated pumpkin coffee with other basic witches: Netflix has a ton of children’s horror like The Curse Of Bridge Hollow and Monster House that scream fall. However, the pickings are slimmer for those who want a little blood and murder alongside our autumnal festivities. Sure, some movies feel like they belong in the only season that matters. His House gives me big late September vibes, and Before I Wake seems made to watch as you carve pumpkins. But are they really about the October hustle? Are they serving pie-scented candles that start fires, corn maze mayhem, or carving up exes?
So, I took this thought experiment too far, as usual, and am back with a streaming guide for all of us basic bitches. Here are eight horror movies on Netflix that scream fall.
1922 (dir. Zak Hilditch)
A Nebraska farmer murders his wife for financial gain in 1922 but soon suspects that might not have been the best idea. Nothing gives autumn vibes quite like plotting to kill your spouse on a farm during harvest season. This Stephen King adaptation stars Thomas Jane as the patriarch who wants something harder than pumpkin spice. Between this and Children of Corn, I wonder if Uncle Stephen is trying to tell us vegetables are evil. Or maybe he just digs the enchanting fall vibes as a backdrop to some pretty heinous crimes. Either way, 1922 is a strangely chilling time.
The Babadook (dir. Jennifer Kent)
A single mom and her child feel even more isolated when a disturbing children’s book appears in their home, and the creature leaps from the pages. I know we have all been Babashook for ten years now. However, this movie always gave me fall vibes, and I was unsure why. Is it because of Amelia’s (Essie Davis) strong cardigan game? Or because the basic bitch in me sees the basic bitch in the Babadook as they tap dance across ceilings? I was going to chalk it up to the color palette and vibes when my research uncovered that the movie began filming in September 2012. So, I think my autumn antenna was twitching because my favorite season would not be ignored during the exterior shots.
The Conjuring (dir. James Wan)
Ed and Lorraine Warren try to save a family from demonic entities terrorizing their new home. Many of us were too distracted by James Wan’s aesthetic and how hot Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are to notice it the first couple of times. However, there are so many crunchy fall leaves on the ground during this hellish nightmare. While I always thought many of the outfits belonged in a Haunted Girl’s Guide to Fall Fashion, it was nice to go back and confirm this evil presence works during the Halloween season. So, even though this franchise and the people it is based on are a bit divisive, we don’t have to argue over what season it was set in.
Fear Street Part One: 1994 (dir. Leigh Janiak)
A group of friends must battle an ancient evil that has plagued their town for 300 years. As someone who grew up with Fear Street, I know a Shadyside autumn when I see one. So, I knew what this was before we found out that the opening mall massacre happened on September 30, 1994. It also explains why all the fashion is giving 90s Fall Edition of Teen Vogue. This means they are starting the school year in the most bloody, chaotic, and cursed manner imaginable. I hope those teachers are gracious with the extensions because the students might need a few more days after watching their friends get sliced up. This Netflix original is a must-watch as the leaves turn orange and the sweaters start coming out of the closet.
It Follows (dir. David Robert Mitchell)
A young woman contracts a supernatural force after having sex with her new crush. We all get caught up on the big demon energy and the sexually transmitted evil. So, many of us miss that while It Follows does not want to commit to a decade, it does give autumnal vibes. Outside always looks chilly, and you can even see some of the leaves have changed. While we may never know what decade this movie takes place in, we can assume the cozy clothes are because it’s fall time. This is another reason this movie deserves to be watched the next time you sit down with your spiced apple cider.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (dir. André Øvredal)
A group of friends find a notebook full of terrifying events on Halloween night. Maybe it is the corn fields or Halloween night 1968 being central to the plot, but something about this movie makes me think of fall. We all ran at this title because we grew up with Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz as part of our annual October traditions. However, I’m also here because Øvredal is the king of sweater weather horror. I cannot recommend his other movie, The Autopsy Of Jane Doe, enough and it happens to also be streaming on Netflix this month. I cannot prove what time of year the other movie is set, but it has the soul of an autumn girl and will chill you to the bone.
There’s Someone Inside Your House (dir. Patrick Brice)
A slasher is targeting high school seniors and exposing their secrets. So rude! Either kill someone or tell all of their business, but pick a lane. Anyway, this tale screams autumn in many ways, including the setting. I will never be found at a small town cornfield, but I appreciate seeing them on screen. It is the perfect place for killers to meet their victims as I eat a slice of pumpkin pie and see who gets it next. I’m also just realizing how many horror characters run for their lives in cornfields and corn mazes. Maybe it is time we start investigating the corn industry because I think the horror writers are trying to tell us something. Think about that as you vibe with this seasonal treat.
The Woman In The Window (dir. Joe Wright)
An agoraphobic woman sees a murder while spying on her neighbors. This Netflix original isn’t a great movie, but I respect that it screams fall in many ways. The wardrobe, the messy but predictable mystery, and even kids throwing eggs at the windows on Halloween night all fight to put this on your cozy horror watch list. While I love Amy Adams, Gary Oldman, Wyatt Russell, Brian Tyree Henry, and Julianne Moore, I don’t think this movie is much more than fall vibes in a fashionable pea coat with matching Uggs. I recommend putting it on towards the end of your spiked pumpkin latte so you’ll be less inclined to try to make sense of it all.
Do you have a list of Netflix horror movies that you plan to ring in autumn with? Then let me know if any of these fall treats are on it at @misssharai.
Categorized:Editorials Streaming Guides
