As our second horror movie countdown to Halloween, we’re breaking the color barrier — both with diverse titles and with movies in black and white. These films all come before the 1960s.
Check back every day in October for a new review!
October 1: Cat People (1942)
A woman is cursed to turn into a killer panther when aroused. As her husband grows from understanding to unable to cope, his fondness moves toward a coworker — angering this ferocious feline fatale. Cat People is a joy to watch, and not one moment of suspense and horror is lost due to lack of color, including jump scares such as the famous “Lewton Bus.” Talking scenes can sometimes be slow and whiny, but fret not, you’re always seconds away from a scare.
October 2: Der Golem (1915)
Frankenstein before Frankenstein, Der Golem is the tale of a creature created for work that seeks revenge when his basic needs are refused. A very early film based on Jewish legend and the beginnings of German expressionism, Der Golem is rich in atmosphere and story. It may be hard to watch with grainy black and white film and intertitles, but there’s an almost futuristic quality when close-ups of children or the titular Golem come onto the screen — a smoothness that evokes feelings of worry and wonder.
October 3: House on Haunted Hill (1959)
Vincent Price is a gift from the heavens. He, his unloving wife, and a myriad of money-hungry guests spend the night in a haunted mansion, endlessly terrorized by the ghosts and ghouls who inhabit it. The cast is wild and energetic, perfectly matching the dramatic Ennis House exterior and expansive interior set. A walking skeleton, a ghastly caretaker woman, and a giant vat of acid await; we could only wish to have seen this in theaters with matching “Emergo” technology!
October 4: Twilight Zone, Perchance to Dream (1959)
Though Rod Serling is known to be the face and brain behind The Twilight Zone, not all episodes were written by him. The first season’s ninth episode, written by Charles Beaumont, follows a man with a heart condition “haunted” by a mysterious carnival woman every time he falls asleep. The human imagination is powerful and can bring things to life that we never thought would be possible. The problem lies with those thoughts becoming so real that they actually take effect in reality. So, is it all in this man’s head? Beaumont doesn’t skimp on classic Twilight Zone irony and gives us an ending that rivals the others.
October 5: Son of Ingagi (1940)
The first sci-fi/horror film with an all-black cast, Son of Ingagi actually did more harm than good for the Black community by touting false ideas about Africans intermingling with apes and creating what can only be called an abomination. That said, Son of Ingagi should be praised for giving a more realistic portrayal of Blacks compared to previous decades; doctors and lawyers, weddings, and normal everyday functions surround the story of a badly-costumed half-man-half-gorilla creature wreaking havoc on a group of people. While not my favorite movie, it is still a great example to compare other creature features that would come in the next decade’s Atomic Age.
October 6: White Zombie (1932)
Most people think of two types of zombies: walkers (Night of the Living Dead) and Runners/Infected (28 Days Later). But there’s a third type that predates those both: the original Voodoo Zombie with origins in slave-era plantations on Caribbean islands and Gulf states. Bela Lugosi takes a break from drinking blood and appears as an evil Voodoo master with an army of Zombies that mindlessly do his bidding. A somewhat boring damsel in distress movie, White Zombie does deliver the danger and mystique of magic rituals that are still practiced today. Although if you’re a fan of reanimated dead, these probably aren’t the zombies for you.
October 7: The Birth of a Nation (1915)
While not necessarily considered “horror,” to the masses, this highly controversial film sparked fear in the Black population while simultaneously scaring and seeding subconscious hatred in white minds. Depicting the carnage of the Civil War, sexual aggressiveness towards women, and blatant incorrect stereotypes about Black people, The Birth of a Nation single-handedly caused a resurgence in racist ideology and acts in America. Though theming is a massive issue, it no doubt holds a place in film history as it transcends the silver screen and causes terror and unrest more than a century later. Watch with caution, and pair with more appropriate films like 2017’s Get Out.
October 8: The Penalty (1920)
Man of 1000 faces, Lon Chaney, Sr., is a criminal mastermind with no legs, hellbent on gaining back the glory (and legs) he had taken from him in a botched surgery. The horror here comes not from the story, but from the amazing costuming and effects giving Chaney the figure of an amputee. In all honesty, it is barely a horror film, except in the horror of having your legs mistakenly amputated and a loose plot to take another man’s and sew them onto yours. A watch for any Chaney fan or completist, and a delight for effects in early films.
October 9: The Ape (1940)
What a convoluted story The Ape is! Boris Karloff is a scientist who, in trying to save a polio-stricken girl, decides to dawn the skin of a crazed escaped ape to kill townsfolk for their needed body fluids. To be honest, the premise isn’t that scary and neither is the movie. Unless you don’t like doctors or apes, there really isn’t much to fear besides a man willing to kill while dressed up as a gorilla. This is a prime example of the story getting in the way of the scares — it could have gone in a completely different, and more realistic, direction. Do watch for the circus destruction scenes though, it’s really the only set of on-screen action we get.
October 10: The Man Who Laughs (1928)
If you don’t know this movie, you’ll surely recognize it’s main character, Gwynplaine, as the character Batman’s Joker was inspired by. The film really is more of a love story than one of horror, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t without its merit in the genre. Gwynplaine’s horrific grin is hard to forget, and the thought of torture, bodily disfigurement, planned assassinations, and a freakshow is just as exciting as the camp killer we watch today.
October 11: Black Friday (1940)
If Frankenstein and Get Out had a baby, it would be Black Friday. Karloff and Lugosi team up once again to bring the fears in a story about a brain implant gone wrong. This new brain just happens to be that of a gangster with a penchant for revenge and a large amount of money hidden somewhere in the city. Though Lugosi has a relatively minor role, he still got top billing — probably to up the marketing value. A little misleading if you ask me, because noire-like gangsters and money heists overshadow the actual horror elements.
October 12: The Neanderthal Man (1953)
The Neanderthal Man is pretty much a Jekyll and Hyde story, with a mad scientist (trying to prove a point) using a serum on himself to revert back to a caveman. While trying to show that Neanderthals are in fact smarter than humans, the opposite happens and carnage ensues. The cool thing is that we not only get a caveman, but a cavewoman and sabretooth tiger! The transformation scenes aren’t the best (but still not terrible) and the Neanderthal woman looked very campy, but I give credit to this film for giving us Flintstones instead of Jetsons in the age of atomic movies. Humans may be advanced now, but at times we’re no better than the cavemen before us.
October 13: The Devil-Doll (1936)
With a title like “The Devil-Doll,” I was expecting more of a supernatural element than a scientific one. That said, this film sure could have used a bit more class and less sass; yet another revenge plot, an on-the-run bank owner teams up with a scientist’s widow to turn people into lifelike dolls and pursue the men who framed him. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the shrunken people and fantasy of science, but dressing up as an old woman (as the bank owner did) and killing yourself because you can’t continue to do so (like the scientist’s widow) are a bit over the top. Unfortunately not enough to hold my attention.
October 14: Godzilla (1954)
The ultimate monster movie, kaiju Godzilla graces film for the first time as a menacing embodiment of the awful power of nuclear weapons. Beautifully pairing the negatives of atomic power, imperialism, and unknown creatures of the deep, Godzilla gives a realistic (for the 50s) portrayal of destruction that was sure to ignite some level of PTSD in its post-war audience. If you don’t watch for the quintessential Godzilla roar, watch for the awesome use of miniature sets and special effects.
October 15: Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
Abbott and Costello are comedy gold, and put against our favorite Universal Monsters, we’ve got the perfect movie. This time, our two friends try to save each other from Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolf Man, and the Invisible Man. But of course, we have misunderstandings and slapstick galore. It’s more fun than fear, but still a nice relief from more serious stories. I’ll always recommend Abbott and Costello to those not fond of horror or older films.
October 16: Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959)
Leeches, though misunderstood, are a bit scary. They live in murky water, are slimy black creatures, and suck blood. It’s even worse when they’re turned into giants by atomic power. For some reason, the production isn’t that great and it feels more like a 30s movie than one approaching 1960. The leeches are hardly seen, but for good reason — they’re also lower quality. Even if you’re into creature features, Attack of the Giant Leeches isn’t as good of a movie as you’d think; you’re not missing out on much.
October 17: I Bury the Living (1958)
I was not expecting to like this movie as much as I did. A recently-hired cemetery caretaker discovers (or believes) that his placement of black and white pins on the cemetery map have the power to kill those who bought the plots. At first, it’s a curious case where everything could be pure coincidence. But later, we see that his predictions are actually coming true; he has the power to kill and is being driven mad by it. While I won’t spoil the ending, I will say that the story is highly engaging and I wanted to see more of it unfold. Critic Ian Berriman says this is basically an extended Twilight Zone episode, and I completely agree. It has the same vibe and same existential feeling of helplessness.
October 18: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
My first introduction to Invasion was seeing the 2007 remake, so I knew I had to go back and watch the original. Besides an alien invasion story, this film is said to play on societal fears like the Red Scare and McCarthyism of the time period. A doctor recounts his story of escaping a group of emotionless “pod people” taking over and replicating the lives of the citizens in his town as they sleep. While the thought of plant-based aliens taking over human bodies overnight isn’t exactly fear-inducing, the focus is more on not being in control of your life and not being “you” anymore. Personally I think the remake is a bit more fast-paced and exciting, but I would recommend watching this for the subconscious context.
October 19: The Strange Door (1951)
The Strange Door is very strange indeed. A man keeps his rival and rival’s daughter imprisoned (for revenge purposes, of course), but is thwarted at the end by his man servant. A basic revenge plot is fine, but all along the way I couldn’t help but think that every decision made was a dumb one. Why keep your rival alive? Why force a marriage between a ruffian and the daughter? Why trust your servant with someone you hate? Just… why?! Unfortunately, that’s all I could think about, and all the redeeming qualities that could have been there were lost. It’s a skip for The Strange Door.
October 20: Dead Men Walk (1943)
We’ve got a little Satanic Panic here with Dead Men Walk! A doctor tries to save his niece and her husband when his evil twin brother (who happens to be some kind of Satanic magician), comes back from the dead to drain the blood of the townsfolk. While I find the old thinking of Satanism to be silly, I do appreciate the hypocritical glossing over of one murder for another. Dead Men Walk is low on action and high on dialog, so if you’re looking for lots of screaming villagers and gore, you won’t find it here.
October 21: Horror Island (1941)
Horror Island is what happens when you cross 1974’s The Treasure of Jamaica Reef with 1959’s House on Haunted Hill. So many plot points! Basically, it’s a treasure hunt on an island that someone (or some people) are trying to take advantage of. The acting is a little like a black and white Scooby Doo, so nothing to be scared over. Honestly it’s more of a mystery than a horror film and not much more than that.
October 22: The Old Dark House (1932)
So many characters in one small house! When rain-soaked travelers arrive at a countryside abode, they learn that the spooky mansion is home to a possible threat. There is a mysterious arsonist living in an upstairs bedroom! Creaky stairs, dripping basements, a strange mute butler — everything you need in a 1930s Universal production. I loved the interactions between characters, and though I found the thought of a pyromaniac causing terror in the house a bit far fetched, I enjoyed it nonetheless.
October 23: Häxan (1922)
I feel like every horror history documentary uses a snippet of the Häxan demon. I mean, why not? It’s a scary and memorable point in a very old film! This “history of witchcraft through the ages” of course shows supposed witches affiliating themselves with the Devil, bewitching people, and flying around at night. It also shows accused witches being tortured and put to death, actions seen as good in their time, but now seen as terrible ideas. Being such an old movie, you wouldn’t think Häxan would side with the witches; but it makes a point to talk about how a lot of things thought to be the workings of Satan and Black Magic were in fact done because of mental illness. These 1922 psychological reasonings aren’t the best compared to modern science, but it’s definitely an upgrade from misconceptions on witchcraft both before and after its release.
October 24: King Kong (1933)
This giant ape is perhaps one of the most recognizable creatures to exist in film and a pinnacle of horror monsters (besides Godzilla). King Kong, a giant gorilla, is captured from his jungle island and transported to the new world to be used as a show piece in the concrete jungle that is New York City. More than a story of nature meeting modernity, King Kong is said to mirror the Black experience in America while simultaneously playing into stereotypes. The towering ape went from being feared and revered on his island, to finding love in the wrong places and eventually dying at the hands of people looking to use him for profit. Of course, King Kong can be enjoyed without looking too deeply into its story. While creature features aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, like Godzilla, King Kong should be praised for its technical accomplishments, something that helped solidify its place in cinema history.
October 25: The Haunted Castle (1896)
Yes, we had movies before the 1900s, and this one is even a short! At 3 minutes long, The Haunted Castle actually has pretty good special effects (practical, of course), like a flying bat, a disappearing skeleton and ghost, and an appearance of the Devil (what now seems to be a common theme in these older films). It’s silent and grainy, but incredibly impressive for an Industrial-age film.
October 26: The Twilight Zone, The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine (1959)
It’s scary because it’s true. We’re in a time of near-instant fame surrounded by wishing for things to go back to what was once “normal,” wishing for reality to reflect what we miss most in life. An aging actress cannot face that reality and disappears into past film reels, living her best life over and over again. While not scary in the usual sense, The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine makes us think about what we hold dear and what that means for us now. It’s more psychological and sad, something that sticks in your mind as opposed to something that scares and fades away.
October 27: Faust (1926)
Alchemist Faust, in an attempt to have everlasting youth and help those in need, makes a pact with the devil to do so. Faust accomplishes just that, but feeds more into debauchery before eventually regretting his decision. Faust has a “happy” ending, but I am still surprised nonetheless with the prospect of a heavily religious movie coming out of this time period. That said, Faust is a great example of German Expressionist film, with exaggerated effects, reality-bending scenes, and raw emotion. Being an older film, it also showcases the magic of makeup and costuming in creating creepy characters that rival what we imagined them to be.
October 28: The Cat and The Canary (1927)
A classic whodunit, The Cat and The Canary is a story of a dying wealthy man, a seemingly haunted mansion, an inheritance, and the man’s family greedily vying for that inheritance. Though the plot is nothing new, you’ll be pulled in by the beautiful camera pans down creepy hallways and increasingly interesting close-up shots — something I didn’t expect from a silent film. I may be more interested in the set pieces than the plot, but I’ll give a shout out to the monstrous hand reaching from the dark later on in the film.
October 29: The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
The Bride of Frankenstein is less a tale of a scientist creating life from body parts and more the start of Frankenstein’s monster’s growth towards being “human,” like in the original novel. The monster craves affection, and against Frankenstein’s wishes, another scientist (Dr. Pretorius), forces the creation of a female monster — thus creating the first horror power couple. Although the title insinuates the Bride will have a big role, she is only seen in the last few minutes. Regardless, The Bride of Frankenstein still serves up iconic imagery in the Bride, Frankenstein’s monster (via speaking roles that make him more empathetic but still scary), and Dr. Pretorius’ collection of homunculi.
October 29: Freaks (1932)
If any black and white movie were to scare people, it would be Freaks. It’s still just another revenge plot, but rife with real-life “freaks” and an ending that got it highly censored and put onto many controversial film lists. In a modern world where we readily indulge in media about bodily ailments (i.e., “My 600-lb Life,” “Dr. Pimple Popper,” “My Strange Addiction,” etc.), Freaks still strikes a chord when it comes to severe deformities. What makes it worse is the thought of people with those ailments essentially turning you into “one of them.” There’s no gore to be seen, but we can only imagine the pain and torture one of the characters goes through when we see what her actions have caused her to become.
October 31: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920)
On Halloween, it’s only fitting to watch a movie about changing into something else, something horrifying. 1920’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde isn’t my favorite rendition of the classic tale, but one I do appreciate for its portrayal of a crazed man losing touch with his moral, human side. It’s a silent film, so we really see the acting take center stage instead of almost-needless dialog. The only thing I could ask for more of is Hyde’s transformations and patrol of the London streets.