The club’s leaders share their viewing recommendations for the spooky season.
What makes a good horror movie? Is it the number of successful frights in a film? Is it the sense of dread that creeps up on the viewer? Or is it the fear that lingers even after the lights come back on?
To Edi Yuricic (BFA Comics) and Ayesha Nusrath (BFA Illustration), what makes a good horror movie is entirely subjective. Yuricic and Nusrath run one of the College’s more popular clubs on campus, the SVA Horror Society. Each Thursday, they screen a new horror film based on a monthly theme. September’s theme was “Dead On Arrival,” a month of zombie flicks such as Night of the Living Dead (1968) and Evil Dead 2 (1987).
When asked what they enjoy in a horror film, Yuricic responds, “For me, it’s important to strike a balance between being silently horrifying and insanely over the top. I like a good mix of genuine terror and a bit of camp.”
Nusrath first became interested in horror through silent films like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) and The Phantom of the Opera (1925). So it’s no surprise that she enjoys a slow build-up of dread and moody atmospheres.
In the spirit of the scariest month of the year, here are Yuricic and Nusrath’s top 10 horror movie picks.
Yuricic: This movie is an absolutely ridiculous gorefest that holds a very big place in my heart. Filmmaker Sam Raimi’s crazy camera work combined with Bruce Campbell’s iconic performance makes for a movie that’s earned its place as a cult classic.
Nusrath: Director Jane Schoenbrun doesn’t follow typical horror conventions in I Saw the TV Glow, but the result is a film that I would argue is one of the year's best movies.
Yuricic: Interestingly enough, this is a comfort movie for me. I almost always watch it when I get sick. It’s a fantastic film with a great atmosphere and incredible performances from the cast.
Nusrath: This one’s obvious. It’s just a fun time! A classic! It has an incredibly electric soundtrack! A great Halloween movie.
Yuricic: Another isolation-based horror film; maybe that says something about me. This film is a classic for body horror and has some of the more iconic practical effects to date.
The Wicker Man - Final Cut (1973)
Nusrath: Oh boy, I almost don’t want to give anything away about this film. I’ll just say that it’s a spellbinding, horrifying, spectacular trip.
Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
Yuricic: I can’t begin to express how much I love this campy horror musical. This film is Rocky Horror before Rocky Horror. It takes elements of Phantom of the Opera and Faust and delivers them to the audience in the most ’70s way possible. I cannot sing (hah) its praises enough.
Nusrath: I had to include at least one animated film in the mix! Stop-motion animation is the perfect vehicle for horror, and director Phil Tippett’s masterpiece is an amazing example.
Yuricic: This film occupies an interesting space in my brain. I watch it mindlessly while flipping through channels at 2am. It is yet more isolation horror, as the story follows a group of people trying to find their way out of a trapped puzzle cube. It is definitely an underrated film.
What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
Nusrath: Okay, technically, this isn’t really a horror movie. But it’s one of my favorite movies of all time, and it gets better with every rewatch. If you’re not a fan of getting scared, this is the movie for you.
And with that, these are 10 movies to watch this spooky season! If you’re fiending for more, be sure to check out Horror Society’s screening schedule on Instagram @svahorrorsociety or find them at 136 West 21st Street in room 418F every Thursday at 8pm.