Guillermo del Toro Recommends 5 Chilling Horror Classics For October: “Beautiful, classy, deep, poetic, and powerful”
The fine folks over at IndieWire have an exclusive video with genre auteur Guillermo del Toro where he shares five of his picks from October’s Turner Classic Movies lineup for your Halloween viewing. The director himself is no stranger to film recommendations, using his Twitter with some regularity to spotlight both new releases and classics with grace and appreciation. There are few filmmakers working today as in love with the craft as he is, and it’s always a pleasure to hear his recommendations. So, if you’re in desperate need to fill out your seasonal watchlist, check out del Toro’s five recommendations below.
Suspicion
Per TCM: A wealthy wallflower suspects her penniless playboy husband of murder.
Guillermo del Toro says, “Suspicion is one of my favorite Hitchcock films. Along with Shadow of a Doubt and Strangers on a Train forms a trilogy of shadow — which informs the darker aspects of the human mind.” While I’m partial to Shadow of a Doubt, I can’t disagree with his assessment of a Hitchcock classic. The 1988 remake isn’t half-bad, either.
Freaks
Per TCM: A lady trapeze artist violates the code of the side show when she plots to murder her midget husband.
Guillermo del Toro calls Freaks “a singularity in the history of film.” It’s a touchstone horror moment, no doubt, basically mandatory viewing for any genre fan.
Jane Eyre
Per TCM: A governess at a remote estate falls in love with her brooding employer.
Next, Guillermo del Toro chose to highlight Robert Stevenson’s 1943 adaptation of Jane Eyre. This gothic masterclass may not be straight horror, but del Toro calls it “the perfect adaptation of a classic.”
I Walked with a Zombie
Per TCM: A nurse in the Caribbean resorts to voodoo to cure her patient, even though she’s in love with the woman’s husband.
My singular blindspot on this list, Guillermo del Toro notes how I Walked with a Zombie is a “beautiful, classy, deep, poetic, and powerful a movie can be made even under the restraints of a tight budget.” Adding this to my watchlist ASAP.
Black Sabbath
Per TCM: A trio of atmospheric horror tales presented by Boris Karloff.
Black Sabbath is metal. Speaking of director Mario Bava, Guillermo del Toro notes “He was a technician of the highest order but also a stylist of supreme intelligence.” I couldn’t agree more.
What do you think of GDT’s rundown at IndieWire? Which of these classics have you seen? Which do you plan to check out? Let me know over on Twitter @Chadiscollins.
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