Looking for ideas for the perfect date night with your Valentine? Look no further than the horror section of your favorite streaming service! Horror movies, while not typically thought of as “date movies,” are actually a solid choice. Your senses are heightened. You’re both clutching for each other during intense scenes. You get a peek at the raw emotion of your partner. The list goes on and on. We’ve compiled a list of spooky-yet-smoochy flicks to get those heart strings throbbing, so read on and enjoy the show!
My Bloody Valentine (1981, 2009)
Of course we had to put these on the list, it’s Valentine’s Day! In a mining town, the annual Valentine’s Day dance is back on schedule after an accident caused it to be banned 20 years before. The town folk had unfortunately forgotten the reason behind the ban, and a string of murders soon reminds them. It’s a cheesy 80s movie, so expect lots of blood and lots of bad acting.
And if you’re in the mood for a double-feature, there was a remake made in 3D! It’s somewhat reminiscent of the original, just updated for the modern audience.
Valentine (2001)
We’re at peak late 90s/early 2000s horror with Valentine, a tale of high school bullying turned deadly. Lies can get you into a lot of trouble, as a group of friends finds out; Jeremy Melton is framed for assault and sent to reform school while the group of girls responsible lives fabulous lives afterward. Then, at a Valentine’s party years later, the friends are murdered one by one. A murder mystery, you’ll have fun trying to figure out if the killer is Jeremy hellbent on revenge, or another character with a mysterious past.
It Follows (2014)
Teens, this one’s for you. Romance and sex are fun, but there are consequences to your actions if you’re not careful. You could get pregnant, or get a disease, or be followed non-stop by an unseen force with a boner for murder. Jay and her friends find out just how rough it is to be caught in that situation: constant running away, fear of not knowing, extreme danger, everything. Yes, It Follows is considered to be “elevated horror,” but it is unpretentious and focuses on the horror without being overbearingly preachy. It’s aimed at teens and young adults, but it lives in a sort of future-yesterworld that speaks to all ages regardless when they grew up. It’s the kind of movie that makes you question whether the person holding you in their arms is really safe or not. That possibility of danger just makes the date all the more fun.
The Loved Ones (2009)
If Jeffrey Dahmer met Carrie, it would be The Loved Ones. Lola is cray… real cray. And nothing will get in the way of her going to prom with Brent. He refuses her advances and she decided kidnapping and torture are the way to go. Gory, unhinged, all of the above, The Loved Ones will make you look at your past rejections and think “Thank god it wasn’t that bad!” The few Aussie films I’ve seen have been just as visceral as this one, so be prepared for scenes that will make you bury your head in your partner’s arms.
Honeymoon (2014)
A honeymoon should be the most relaxed time of your life, especially after a busy wedding. Bea and Paul plan to do just that. Everything is going well in their secluded forest cabin, until Bea starts to act strangely towards Paul. She also develops weird marks on her legs, making Paul think she is up to something unbecoming of a new wife. He soon finds out that their cabin in the woods isn’t as peaceful as it seems when strange lights appear at night. Relationships can be scary — not trusting your partner can turn a marriage into a disaster. But Honeymoon shows that sometimes it’s worse than cheating with the neighbor… way worse.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
I have crossed oceans of time to find you.
Count Dracula, Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
If those aren’t the most mesmerizing words you’ve ever heard, you’re doing something wrong. We all know the story: Dracula makes his way to England and wreaks havoc with his vampire powers. 1992’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula is that, but amped up a million times with the theatrics. Here, Dracula is still the evil blood-sucker from Transylvania, but his mission this time is moreso on finding his reincarnated love, rather than creating more vampires. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still blood, monsters, and fight scenes we’re used to, but Dracula leans heavily on the sappy love stories we see in chick flicks. It’s really the best of both worlds if your date isn’t into horror.
Peeping Tom (1960)
Back in the day, a movie like Peeping Tom was way too raunchy for common folk to handle. Now, it’s just another Tuesday! Mark has the awful habit of peeping into ladies’ lives during their most intimate moments. That peeping soon leads to the women’s deaths. As we follow along their last moments, we peer directly into their eyes as we take on the role of the killer in one of the first POV horror films. See through the eyes of a murderer and find out why peeping can be both a sexual rush as well as a lethal game. Frisky, raunchy, fun!
Over Your Dead Body (2014)
A literal tale as old as time, Over Your Dead Body is a modern imagining of a famous Japanese love/murder story that takes place in feudal times. Actress Miyuki and her barely-committed actor boyfriend Kosuke are leads in a play based on the story. As scenes of adultery and jealousy are acted out on stage, events occur in the real world that mirror it, spelling out danger for those who don’t take love seriously. Beautifully told with magnificent stage settings (both in the movie’s play and in its “present” time), Over Your Dead Body embodies the grace and vengefulness of Japanese folklore. Its moody atmosphere is starkly told with the contrast between clean and white present time and the autumnal feudal play setting. Exquisitely Japanese: sensual yet sadistic.
Deathgasm (2015)
This film rocks. Deathgasm is the visual representation of someone who doesn’t like death metal, learning to love it. Trying to impress a high school classmate by way of a death metal band, Brodie and his friends find a book with the most unholy music. Playing it releases not only the sickest of riffs, but the evilest of demons. Brodie now has to fight for his right to rock and his right to woo the ladies all while saving the world. I never thought I’d be into any kind of metal, but Deathgasm had me jamming to the tunes in every scene. It’s funny with a wicked storyline, and its fast pace kept me energized. Deathgasm is a little slice of New Zealand humor that you and your boo are sure to jive with.
Megan Is Missing (2011)
Okay, maybe it’s a little harsh toward the end, with all the… rape, and whatnot… but it is a cautionary tale of loving too much. Megan and her friend, Amy, are teen girls with eyes for the guys. Unfortunately, they learn the hard way that meeting people you don’t know through online platforms and friend-of-a-friend’s drug-laden parties aren’t ideal places to meet the boy of your dreams. When Megan goes missing, Amy goes out to find her, starting with the boy she’d been talking to online. Megan is Missing is not for the faint of heart; it has scenes that honestly make me, a grown woman, very very frightened. Violent and unapologetic, this film will have you and your date talking about all that could go wrong in the search for “the one.”
