Halloween is a great time of year. From costumes to candy to decorations, it has to rank among the most fun holidays of the year. However, for some of us, as much as we love Halloween and want to enjoy every creepy bit of it, we also want to be able to sleep at night without fearing every creak and crack we hear. So, whether you know someone who get’s scared easily, or its you who’s a bit of a scaredy cat, here’s a list of my favorite creepy things to enjoy over halloween that won’t send you checking for monsters under your bed. I’ve made the list in order from least to most creepy. However, everyone’s idea of what is creepy or scary is different, so don’t take the ranking too much to heart.
1. Frankenstein by Mary Shelly
There are a few ways to enjoy this classic for Halloween to get a good spook without losing sleep. I would not recommend your typical Frankenstein movie, just because you can do so much better when it comes to a plot line. If you’re a book work like myself, reading the original Frankenstein by Mary Shelly is a must. It’s an artfully and intelligently crafted story that may give you some chills, but shouldn’t scare your pants off. Another option I’d recommend is watching the stage adaptation done by Johny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch which stays very close to the novel. One of the fascinating things about this adaption, is that there are two versions of it: one in which Miller plays Dr. Frankenstein and Cumberbatch the monster, and another with the roles reversed. Sadly, this will not be coming out on DVD any time soon, but the National Theatre Live periodically does showings of both versions at theaters around the world. You can find more info here, or just read the book for between $1-$7.
2. OFF
OFF by Mortis Ghost is a FREE French indie game in which you control a character known as the Batter in your quest to purify the world of spirits and ghosts. It’s full of twists, turns, puzzles, and dark humor, as well as a mysterious and intriguing storyline, all wrapped up in a charming old fashioned art style. The music and visuals help to set an eerie mood, while not being so creepy as to haunt you when you’ve done. You can download the game for here in French or English: https://www.zchr.org/off.html
3. Within the Wires
This is the first of three podcasts on this list, two of which (including this one) are produced by Night Vale Presents, which specializes in strange and wonderful podcasts. Within The Wires takes the form of “Relaxation Cassettes” distributed to you in what is only called, “The Institute” in what appears to be an alternate reality. Each “cassette” features a calming voice guiding you through focused relaxation exercises, which may or may not be more than they seem. Perhaps what adds to the already strange and creepy nature of the Institute, is that the podcast itself can be very immersive if you follow the instructions given to you, amplifying feelings of uneasiness throughout the podcast. You find out more and listen for free here or on iTunes.
4. Dracula by Bram Stoker
Another classic piece of literature, that is not half as terrifying as it is made out to be. Once again, I do not recommend taking the easy way out with a movie rendition, as none come close to recreating the artistry of Bram Stoker’s original. Some are actually scarier than the original as well. Reading Dracula does not take a lot of time or effort, though the plot itself can be slow at times. However, if you like to read, this will be a great work to tackle over this Halloween season. Plus, you can download it for free as a Nook book through Barnes and Noble.
5. My Favorite Murder
Here’s the second of the three podcasts. This one is a bit longer than the others, taking about an hour per episode. In this podcast, Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark talk about exactly what the title suggests: their favorite murders. Believe it or not, this is a comedy podcast, as they not only speak frankly about gruesome or just freaky murders, but add a bit of macabre humor along the way. Hometown stories are also submitted by their fanbase (Murderinos as they like to call them) and read aloud on the podcast for all to hear. So, if you have a relatively strong stomach, and the strange and awful things humans do to each other fascinate you, you can get the podcast here or on iTunes for free.
6. Welcome to Night Vale
Arguably the creepiest of the podcasts, Welcome to Night Vale comes in at a number 6 on the creepy scale. This podcast is presented as a radio show hosted by the silky voice of Cecil Palmer in the small desert community of Night Vale. Here, the horrifying is the norm, and sometimes the norm is horrifying. Though this podcast can be light hearted, it has moments of dark, existential considerations. There is also a book that now accompanies the podcast simply titled, “Welcome to Night Vale,” which is also a great read and keeps up very well with the podcasts beautiful strangeness. You can download the podcast here, on iTunes for free, or subscribe to the YouTube channel.
7. Watching Horror Games
So we had playing a game earlier on the list, but sometimes it’s more fun to sit back and watch someone else get spooked. Plenty of youtube gamers play horror games of varying caliber and scare-factor. There is really a horror game for everyone. A lot of the indie games are good for people whose scare tolerance is low, because they are usually less fleshed out, while some other games like Five Nights at Freddy’s, Outlast, and Welcome to the Game can be quite frightening. Some of my favorite “let’s plays” (in order from least to most scary) can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVIU8J2nYy0mIG5dbhIxwLvqznNdl1XaC
You can also watch the ultimate jumpscare game, Five Nights at Freddy’s here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVIU8J2nYy0mIG5dbhIxwLvqznNdl1XaC
8. Fringe
This TV show is a sci-fi nerd’s dream. From alternate universes to alien diseases to monsters of strange origins, Fringe has it all. Focusing on mad scientist Walter, his assistant Astrid, genius son Peter, and FBI agent Olivia, the show takes you through a series of other worldy oddities every episode, but larger mysteries still lurk in the background throughout the show. The series ended in 2013, but can be found on Amazon and in DVD form.
9. Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds is a TV show which follows the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI in their quest to track down serial killers and put them to justice. This rather famous show rates at 9 on the creep scale mostly because of how real it can feel. There’s never any supernatural element, or any real reason to believe, “this could never happen.” It’s all “real people” harming others in completely possible ways. Luckily, this show comes with a bit of closure at the end of most episodes and you can rest easy knowing the bad guys were caught. It can be found on Netflix, and the episodes for the current season can be found here.
10. Silence of the Lambs
Finally, we have our creepiest thing for our daredevil scaredy cats. Silence of the Lambs is a classic movie, following an up and coming FBI agent (noticing a trend here?) tracking down a serial killer who cuts strange shapes in the bodies of the women he kills. And who does she ask for help in this case? Only the suave yet disturbing Hannibal Lecter, the serial cannibal and former psychiatrist. It’s a story of suspense that explores the human mind from a plethora of angles. Although Hannibal may give you the creeps, the overall story and the (semi) satisfying ending should allow you to sleep just fine at night. You can find it on amazon for $4-$5.
Thanks for reading, collegiettes! Try not to get too scared this Halloween! HCXO!