Horror Films and Dark Cocktails: How to Plan the Perfect Halloween Fright Night

Halloween is right around the corner and we all know that besides going shopping for freaky costumes, it is the perfect excuse to turn the lights off, curl up in your sheets, sip martinis and enjoy a horror film. Now, some of you may like treats more than the terrifying tricks, while the others may want to hunker down with your friends and scream your lungs out.

Here is a list of 10 movies you can watch this Halloween. From scary to gory, thriller to fun, this list has it all. Read on and plan your ‘spooktacular’ fun-filled night with special Halloween drinks to go with these films.

1. The Haunting (1963)

A psychological horror movie directed by Robert Wise, The Haunting is an unsettling journey of two women invited to stay in a haunted mansion by a scientist who is determined to prove the existence of ghosts. Based on the Gothic Horror Classic, ‘The Haunting of Hill House’, this is one of the best haunted-house films.

It that will frighten you despite it’s vintage, The Haunting should be watched with a glass of an equally classic drink – The Black Martini. Find the recipe here.

2. Trick ‘r Treat (2007)

Directed by Michael Dougherty, Trick ‘r Treat is an anthology horror film about four interwoven stories that occur on Halloween. The common link between the stories is Sam- a young and mysterious trick-or-treater dressed in shabby pyjamas and a burlap sack over his head. Sam will punish everyone who breaks Halloween traditions. Beware, because Sam does not spare any one!

The perfect drink to go with this movie is the refreshing cocktail – Jack O’ Lantern. 

3. Nosferatu, A Symphony of Horror (1922)

A Halloween without a vampire movie? And what is a vampire movie without Nosferatu? Truly a symphony of horror, Nosferatu is an unauthorized, yet celebrated adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The film follows a series of events that take place after Graf Orlok, the vampire, expresses interest in a new residence and real estate agent Hutter’s wife. An eerie and Gothic performance by Max Schreck will make your Halloween night, an unforgettable one!

As cliche as it may sound, the best drink to go with this film is Dracula’s Kiss. Find the recipe here.

4. Halloween (1978)

It’s time to go gory! A slasher horror film by John Carpenter, Halloween is a story that follows a six-year old psychotic murderer, Michael Myers who stabbed his sister to death. Fifteen years later, Michael is now stalking a young girl, Laurie Strode and her friends and would do anything to bring them to their end. Pure evil, Michael Myers is not just feared, he is loathed.

With the classic backdrop of Halloween, the film should be coupled with a glass of Candy Corn Martini. Find the recipe here.

5. Freaks (1932)

The original version of this film was considered too shocking and was, thus, never released. A 1932 horror film, Freaks is a story of performers of a circus. When Hans, a midget and the leader of the performers discovers that his ‘normal sized’ wife married him only for his inheritance, he becomes furious and vengeance dawns upon him. It is a film worth watching as the characters were played by real life performers, commonly seen as ‘freaks’.

Get your freak on by watching this film with an equally eerie drink, The Bloody Brain Shooter. Find the recipe here.

6. Night of the Living Dead (1968)

The ultimate zombie movie, Night of the Living Dead is a story about Ben, Barbara and five others stuck in a farmhouse in Pennsylvania, which is attacked by the un-dead, well, zombies. Every horror fan loves this film for the purity in its depiction of horror. With the undead eating corpses and feeding on humans, this film has everything!

The delicious Corpse Reviver#2 is the best cocktail companion for this film. Find the recipe here.

7. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Not all Halloween films need to be scary. This one is a treat and a Halloween movie for family night! Directed by Tim Burton, The Nightmare Before Christmas is a stop motion animation film about Jack Skellington, a resident of The Halloween Town who opens a portal into The Christmas Town. A beautiful story with Tim Burton’s nuance, this film will guide you from Halloween’s mood to the queued Christmas-sy mood.
Since its family night, watch the film with the very tasty, very scary Boo Nilla Shake. 

8. Sleepy Hollow (1999)

Another great film by Tim Butron, Sleepy Hollow is a story of a police officer Ichabod Crane, who is sent to the hamlet of Sleepy Hollow to investigate the murders of three people. The victims are said to have been killed by a man who lives in the “legend of Sleepy Hollow”, and is often called The Headless Horseman! An intriguing tale of horror, this is perfect for an artsy, yet scary Halloween night.

Have a sip of Caramel Apple Martini while watching the striking performance by Johnny Depp. Find the recipe here.

9. The Exorcist (1973)

You did not think we forgot The Exorcist, right? No one can forget The Exorcist because it stays in your mind even if you don’t want it to. When 12-year old Regan is possessed by demons, her mother feels troubled and in her attempt to save her daughter and her image in the film industry, she calls upon a priest who performs the infamous exorcism.

As you watch The Exorcist, squeeze in some shots from The Jello Shot Syringes because they can cure everything, even demon possession! Find the recipe here.

10. Creepshow (1982)

If you don’t want to be scared too much but still want to get into the Halloween mood, this is the perfect movie for you. Ridiculously fun-filled, yet scary, Creepshow is a horror anthology film written by Stephen King. Five stories woven together with the common element being terror, the film deals with a ‘Zombie Dad’ coming back to claim his Father’s Day cake, a vengeful husband who buries his wife and lover neck deep into sand and other similar themes.

Dark humor is best coupled with an equally dark, yet humorous Halloween punch – The Blueberry Rickety Eyeball Punch. Yes, we said ‘eyeball’. Find the recipe here.

Well, have a ‘fangtastic’ night with these drinks and movies! Happy Halloween, y’all.