Possession (dir. Andrzej Żuławski, 1981)
The fine lines that Possession walks make it one of the most impressively made horror films of all time, if not just films of all time and, of course, a very obvious first pick for this spooky season. Possession follows a man named Mark (a delightfully unhinged Sam Neill), whose wife, Anna (a delightfully unhinged Isabelle Adjani ), leaves him to take care of their son after she admits to having an affair. The first half of Possession plays almost like a melodrama, but there’s very apparently something sinister going on. There’s always something a little off about these scenes, even the ones that don’t end with an unsanitary use of an eclectic knife (it should be acknowledged that this film does contain a few very upsetting depictions of self-harm). This eventually culminates near the end of the first hour with the discovery of a slimy, tentacled monster that feels right out of John Carpenter’s The Thing (except this was made a year before) and the death of a private detective.
Possession is perhaps one of the most ominous films ever made. Polish director Andrzej Żuławski clearly revels in his long takes, but in this film, the ‘oners’ aren’t showy and distracting—they’re unsettling. Even if subconsciously, the whole time we’re thinking, “Why aren’t they cutting?” The performances also reflect this. We wonder why the main characters can’t react normally to anything. Perhaps it has something to do with the ambiguous meaning of the title. We wonder so much that by the end we expect there’ll be some big explanation for all of this. Spoiler: there isn’t. The second half of Possession leans so hard into abstraction that we have no choice but to formulate our own explanation. As the credits roll, nobody will have the exact same interpretation.
Streaming on Shudder , Kanopy , and the Criterion Channel . Available to rent or buy anywhere you rent and buy movies.
Audition (dir. Takashi Miike, 1999)
If you’re having a conversation about the great genre-swap movies, chances are you won’t get too far before somebody mentions Takashi Miike’s 1999 masterpiece Audition . Audition begins with a rather distressing scene of a man named Shigeharu (Ryo Ishibashi) witnessing his wife die in front of him just before his son walks into the room. Seven years later, his son (Tetsu Sawaki), now a teenager, convinces him that he needs to get remarried. And so, with the help of his film producer friend, Yasuhisa (Jun Kunimura), he begins an audition process for a new film, but secretly for a new wife. The girl who attracts him the most, Asami (Eihi Shiina, in one of the most unsettling performances of all time) likes him, but he can’t seem to find out any more information about her. I’m not going to reveal any more about Audition ’s plot because watching Audition with as little information as possible is almost as fun as rewatching Audition with a friend who has as little information as possible. Takashi Miike shoots the more abstract sequences of the film completely differently from, how say, David Lynch, the dream master (not to be confused with the fourth Nightmare on Elm Street film, The Dream Master ), might’ve shot them, but they’re just as upsetting and disorienting as any scene in Mulholland Drive . These sequences are what make Audition one of the most memorable additions to the horror canon.
Streaming on Tubi . Available to rent or buy anywhere you rent and buy movies.
Phantom of the Paradise (dir. Brian De Palma, 1974)
Okay, here’s a silly one for those of you who are less horror-oriented. Before Brian De Palma became a household name by directing classics such as Carrie , Scarface , Blow Out , The Untouchables , and the first Mission: Impossible, he collaborated with musician Paul Williams to make a rock-opera retelling of The Phantom of the Opera called Phantom of the Paradise. Phantom of the Paradise is about an aspiring songwriter named Winslow Leach (William Finley) who wants to break the music industry out of its phase of 1950s nostalgia. Record producer Swan (the aforementioned Paul Williams) believes that Winslow’s new music, inspired by the legend of Faust , can be perfectly tailored to Swan’s musical sensibilities. Swan steals the song from Winslow and frames him for drug dealing, sending him to prison where he becomes horribly deformed. Also in the mix is an aspiring singer named Phoenix (Jessica Harper), who Swan seduces and convinces to sing Winslow’s stolen work. De Palma almost always works in a heightened space ( Mission: Impossible somehow applies the least to that), but it’s such a delight to see his heightened sensibilities shine in a comedy. The characters in Phantom of the Paradise (which De Palma also wrote) are sumptuous with bits that it’s funny to just watch any given character stand around. The titular Phantom (which Winslow transforms into after becoming deformed) is so uniquely designed, so much so that many people believe it to be a major inspiration for Darth Vader’s mask. As for Phantom of the Paradise’s music, every song is an undeniable banger and the film forever changed my karaoke game.
Available to buy or rent anywhere you buy and rent movies.
Halloween III: Season of the Witch (dir. Tommy Lee Wallace, 1982)
Are you aware that in 1982, producers John Carpenter and Debra Hill came to the decision that Michael Myers’ story had concluded in Halloween II , just one year earlier? So, with that in mind, they developed a new Halloween movie that had nothing to do with the previous two at all. Instead, Halloween III: Season of the Witch is about a man named Dr. Daniel Challis (Tom Atkins) who comes to suspect there’s something sinister going on with the company making a popular set of Halloween masks. Season of the Witch isn’t perfect (like, why is it called Season of the Witch despite mostly being about cursed shamrocks?), but it’s impossible not to respect it for daring to be different. One can imagine a different universe where Season of the Witch had been better regarded critically (and, perhaps more crucially, box office -wise) and this is what the Halloween franchise had become; once every year or so, a new director, with a blessing from John Carpenter, would get to make a new spooky flick centered around Halloween . Unfortunately, this is not what happened. Season of the Witch might have been received a little better at the time if it more easily fit into a specific genre (it’s not really a horror movie), but because of this we get a Halloween sequel that feels more in line with Alan J. Pakula thrillers from the 70s mixed with 60s Bond movies. It’s an undeniably fun time that I don’t think anybody would resent watching with their friends this October 31.
Streaming on Peacock and AMC+ . Available to rent or buy anywhere you rent and buy movies.
Bones and All (dir. Luca Guadagnino, 2022)
Somehow, the movie from three years ago in which Timothée Chalamet plays a cannibal has been somewhat forgotten by the public. I’m here to amend this. Bones and All is about the journey of a fine young cannibal (sorry, had to do it) named Maren (Taylor Russell) who, after attempting to eat a schoolfriend’s hand, runs away on a search to find her mother (eventually Chloë Sevigny). Along the way, she’s exposed to the disturbing underground world of cannibalism, where she meets Lee (Timothée Chalamet). Also in the mix is an unsettling older cannibal named Sully (Mark Rylance), who’s undeniably obsessed with Maren. Bones and All has its fair share of deeply upsetting scenes, but what makes it particularly memorable is the love story at the heart. Maren and Lee are just two people who want to be loved and accepted, and it’s a shockingly sweet story. Guadagnino, somebody who became aware of his sexuality when he was a teenager in the 80’s, clearly sympathizes with his two young protagonists and perfectly utilizes the script by Iowan writer David Kajganich. Chalamet’s obviously good in the film, but Russell is the standout and watching it three years later, you wonder why Hollywood hasn’t had more to offer her since. Another performance that cannot go unmentioned is the great Michael Stuhlbarg as Jake, who still haunts my dreams from time to time. As many a scene in Bones in All is wont to do.
Steaming on Peacock . Available to rent or buy anywhere you rent and buy movies.
