20 Horror Films For Halloween (10/29/25)

Posted on October 29, 2025 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Here’s 20 suggestions, some of which are obvious and some of which are not.

The Essentials

What would Halloween be without watching Halloween (1978)? And, just to make clear, I’m talking about the John Carpenter Halloween and not any of that David Gordon Green crap. John Carpenter’s Halloween continues to be one of the most effective horror films ever made and it’s also the rare example of a slasher film in which the victims are just as memorable as the killer. I love Donald Pleasence’s performance as Dr. Loomis. Halloween can be viewed on Shudder.

Halloween II (1981) picks up right where the first Halloween ended. Jamie Lee Curtis doesn’t really do much in this version, other than spend her time limping through the hallways of Haddonfield’s nearly deserted hospital. However, that just means that we get to spend more time with Dr. Loomis! Halloween II is nowhere near as effective as the first film but it still introduced some really interesting ideas, like Samhain and Laurie being Michael’s sister. David Gordon Green decided all of that unnecessary. I disagree. Halloween II can be viewed on Peacock.

Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) does not feature Michael Myers or Laurie Strode or even Dr. Loomis. However, it does feature the Silver Shamrock theme song, Tom Atkins yelling like a badass, and Don O’Herlihy explaining the true meaning of Halloween. “….and Happy Halloween.” Halloween III can be viewed on Peacock.

The Exorcist (1973), William Friedkin’s masterpiece and the first horror film to ever be nominated for Best Picture, is one of the few horror film to remain frightening even after repeat viewings. I will add that you don’t have to be Catholic to get The Exorcist but it definitely helps. The Exorcist can be viewed on HBOMax.

Suspiria (1977) remains Dario Argento’s best film, a dizzying masterpiece of horrific pop art that mixes blood, ballet, witches, music, and names that start with S. From the moment that Jessica Harper (giving a great performance) steps into the rainy night to the shocking double murder at the red apartment building to the mind-bending climax, Suspiria is a brilliant mix of suspense and horror. Do not see the remake. (What is the deal with pretentious schmucks remaking brilliant horror films?) The original is all you need. It’s on Tubi.

Inferno (1980) is one of Argento’s more unfairly overlooked films. A loose sequel to Suspiria, Inferno is a masterpiece of both horror and paranoia. Irene Miracle’s opening swim is one of Argento’s most haunting set pieces. The killer kitties are adorable. The ending features effects work from none other than Mario Bava. Sadly, the making of Inferno was not a happy experience for Argento and it temporarily soured him on working in America. This brilliant film is on Tubi.

After his bad experience with Inferno, Argento returned to his giallo roots with Tenebrae (1982). A series of murders in Rome are connected to an American writer. Argento reportedly did not get along with star Anthony Franciosa but he still got a good performance out of him. The wonderfully quirky supporting cast includes John Saxon, Daria Nicolodi, Christian Borromeo, John Steiner, Lara Wendel, Ania Pieroni, and Giuliano Gemma. This film features several frightening and suspenseful set pieces. The relentless dog still freaks me out. Tenebrae can be viewed on Tubi.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) — again, the original and not the remake — holds up surprisingly well. Whenever I watch it, I’m shocked to be reminded of just how scary Freddy Krueger actually was in his first film appearance. This Wes Craven shocker is available on HBOMax.

Poltergeist (1982) — the original, not the remake — also holds up well. JoBeth Williams finding the strength after being thrown around her room to limp down that ever expanding hallway to save her children continues to be both horrifying and inspiring. Craig T. Nelson’s over-the-top delivery of “YOU LEFT THE BODIES!” continues to make me smile. Poltergeist can be viewed on HBOMax.

It’s not Halloween without Bruce Campbell and Evil Dead (1981) — the original, though the remake isn’t bad — is available on Tubi. Though it lacks the humor of the sequels, the first Evil Dead holds up very well and one can definitely see why not only Bruce Campbell but also Sam Raimi went on to have active and successful career afterwards.

In my previous entry, I listed several Vincent Price/Roger Corman collaborations. Somehow, I failed to include The Masque of the Red Death (1964), which is the best of them all. Vincent Price is wonderfully evil. Roger Corman’s direction is appropriately intense. Nicholas Roeg’s cinematography is beautifully ominous. It can be viewed on Tubi.

The Wolf Man (1941) — the original, even though I like the remake — is one of my favorite Universal horror films, even if it does leave me wondering how Lon Chaney, Jr. could possibly be the son of Claude Rain. In future films, Larry Talbot would become a bit too whiny for his own good. In this one, your heart breaks for him and his father. The Wolf Man can be viewed on Peacock.

White Zombie (1932) is considered to be first feature-length zombie film. It’s a bit creaky but it does feature one of Bela Lugosi’s best performances. One should see it for its historical significance, if nothing else. It can be viewed on on Tubi!

Odds and Ends

One can debate whether or not Targets (1968) should be considered a horror film or a thriller but it features what is perhaps Boris Karloff’s best performance, playing an aging horror star who fears that his old movies can’t compete with reality. For once, Karloff is the hero, bravely confronting a madman who starts shooting at the people attending a showing of one of Karloff’s old films. Targets can be viewed on Pluto TV.

The Dead Pit (1989) is a personal favorite of mine. An amnesiac (energetically played by Cheryl Lawson) finds herself in an insane asylum where she spends a lot of time running around in her underwear while a doctor performs experiments and the dead rise. Lawson’s committed performance and director Bett Leonard’s atmospheric direction elevate the entire film. This is 80s, low-budget horror at its best and it’s on Tubi.

Night of the Demons (1988) asks the question, “Is it really a good idea to have a party in a deserted house?” Night of the Demons is enjoyable in its shameless and demented way. Linnea Quigley and Angela Kinkade throw themselves into the role of the two girls throwing the party. The film is energetic, surprising, witty, and occasionally even scary. It can be viewed on Tubi.

From the same director as Night of the Demons, Witchboard (1986) is the ultimate film about why one shouldn’t mess with a Ouija board. I relate to Witchboard because it’s about a redhead who never curses. Beyond that, though, this is a good horror film that features Stephen Nichols getting upset when everyone fails to take his Ouija board seriously. This film actually has its share of very real jump scares. It can be viewed on Tubi.

Wishmaster (1997) is well-remembered for Andrew Divoff’s creepy intensity as the Djinn but the cast is actually a who’s who of horror royalty. Robert Englund, Tony Todd, George “Buck” Flower, Kane Hodder, Reggie Bannister, Joe Pilato, they all made appearances. I like the fact that no one ever chooses their words carefully when speaking to Wishmaster. The film is on Tubi.

Dead and Buried (1981) features strange things happening in a coastal town. This film feels like a particularly gruesome episode of The Twilight Zone and features a strong performance from Jack Albertson as the coroner with a secret. It’s on Tubi.

Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977) has a terrible reputation that is largely deserved but I have to admit that I find it to be strangely fascinating. It’s such a misfire that you really can’t look away and it takes an all-star cameo approach to its story that feels so wrong that it leaves you wondering whether John Boorman was intentionally going for a parody or not. Richard Burton doesn’t waste any time with being subtle. See if you can figure out what’s going on during the flashback scenes. It’s on Tubi and I dare you to watch it.

Click here for the weekend’s list!

Scenes That I Love: The Wishmaster Meets A Security Guard In Wishmaster

Posted on July 2, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today, the Shattered Lens wish a happy birthday to character actor Andrew Divoff!

Today’s scene that I love comes from 1997’s Wishmaster and features Divoff in his best-known role. The Wishmaster films were kind of silly but Divoff always made them worth watching.

Horror Scenes That I Love: Andrew Divoff in Wishmaster

Posted on October 9, 2023 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Andrew Divoff is a talented character actor who has been making films since 1986. He’s been played a countless number of different characters, some of whom are villainous and some of whom are sympathetic. On Lost, he was the most menacing of the Others. That said, for a certain generation of horror fans, Andrew Divoff will always be known for starring as the tricky Djinn in the Wishmaster films.

In this scene, from 1997’s Wishmaster, The Djinn finally confronts Alexandra (Tammy Lauren) and grants her wish to see the Djinn as he truly is. In the hands of Andrew Divoff, the Djinn becomes a truly classic horror movie villain. Who can ever forget the gleam in his eye when he asks, “Is this something that might interest you?”

Horror Film Review: Wishmaster (dir by Robert Kurtzman)

Posted on October 26, 2021 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Do you all remember Wishmaster?

Played by Andrew Divoff, the Wishmaster was a genie (or a djinn) who made his film debut in the 1997 film of the same name. The Djinn’s schtick is to randomly approach people and say something like, “Would you like to be rich?” or “Would you like all of your enemies to suffer?” He grants wishes but he does so in ironic ways. So, if you say want to be rich, you might very well turn into someone named Rich who is on the verge of getting hit by a bus. If you say that you want to escape from your mundane life, you might end up in a straight-jacket under water, struggling to perform one of Harry Houdini’s signature escapes.

I rewatched Wishmaster a few months ago and what I immediately discovered was the the Djinn wasn’t really that good at his job. He pretended to be clever in the way that he would fool humans but, honestly, it often seemed less like he was tricking people and more like he really wasn’t playing fair. Take the security guard who made the mistake of wishing for an escape. As I just mentioned, The Djinn immediately put him underwater in a straight-jacket. But the guard’s wish was not to have to escape. The guard’s wish was to simply escape. So, putting him in a life-and-death situation and telling him to figure it out for himself wasn’t fulfilling the guard’s wish. It just seemed like the Djinn wanted to drown someone and he decided to use his wish-granting job as an excuse.

The guard, by the way, was played by Tony Todd, one of the many horror icons who appeared in small roles in Wishmaster. (Today, Tony Todd is best known for the Final Destination films but, when Wishmaster came out, he was known for playing the Candyman.) Among the other cameos:

From Phantasm, Angus Scrimm provided the narration while Reggie Bannister played an unlucky pharmacist.

From Friday the 13th, Kane Hodder played a security guard who made the mistake of saying that he wished he could see the Djinn try to walk straight through him.

Day of the Dead’s Joseph Pilato played a crane operator.

John Carpenter vet George “Buck” Flower played an angry homeless man.

Sam Raimi’s brother, Ted Raimi, showed up long enough to get crushed by a crate.

And finally, Robert Englund played the somewhat pretentious professor who was responsible for bringing the Djinn to America in the first place.

As you can probably guess by looking at all of the cameos, Wishmaster is not a film that’s meant to be taken seriously. It’s often deliberately campy. Wes Craven may have produced it and was undoubtedly responsible for recruiting many of the actors who appeared in it but the film’s direction was handled by special effects maestro, Robert Kurtzman and he puts more emphasis on the visual effects than on any sort of serious exploration of the somewhat random series of events that make up the film’s storyline. Of course, when seen today, the film’s special effects look a bit cheap but, for many viewers (like me!), that’s actually a part of the film’s grisly charm.

Wishmaster does have a plot but it’s not particularly important. The Djinn tries to make Alexandra (Tammy Lauren) make three wishes so that he can unleash the forces of Hell. Why he spends all of his time granting wishes to other people instead of just concentrating on Alex is never really explained. It may be an often dumb movie but it’s also undeniably entertaining when taken on its own terms. Andrew Divoff is enjoyably sinister as the Djinn, playing the character with a sarcastic wit to go along with his evil schemes. It’s a fun movie to watch, even if it does feel like it was basically slapped together in a handful of days.

You should always be careful what you wish for but Wishmaster is still an entertaining piece of 90s horror.

(Author’s Note: Wow, this is embarrassing. Right after I posted this review, I discovered that I previously reviewed Wishmaster in 2018! Whoops! Well, it’s nice to see that my thoughts on the film have remained consistent. — LMB)

Horror Film Review: Wishmaster (dir by Robert Kurtzman)

Posted on October 11, 2018 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Remember the Wishmaster films?

There were four of them and they all deal with this ancient Djinn (Andrew Divoff) who, during each film, would escape from his magical prison and then wander around granting people their wishes. Of course, since the Djinn was evil, there was always a catch. He would either interpret the wish very literally or he would manipulate people into asking for the wish in the wrong way. As a result, people would always get their wish but they’d get in a way that would make them suffer.

For instance, a typical Wishmaster conversation would go something like this:

“I wish I was a better actor.”

“Am I to understand that you wish you were John Wilkes Booth?”

“Wait …. what?”

“As you wish.”

“Sic semper tyrannis!”

The first Wishmaster was released in 1997 while the fourth (and, to date, last) installment was released in 2002. They’ve never gotten as much attention as some of the other horror franchises from that period, largely because there was really only so much that you could do with a character like the Djinn. Part of the problem was that almost every scene depended on someone not understanding the importance of being clear when making a wish. There’s only so many times that you can watch the Djinn trick people into saying, “I wish I never get old,” before the whole novelty of it all wears off.

That said, the Wishmaster films did have one thing going for them and that was Andrew Divoff. A veteran character actor (and one who you might recognize from Lost, where he played a member of the Others who was both Russian and who had only one eye), Divoff was always creepy as fug in the role of the Djinn. Whenever someone made the mistake of making a wish, this little smile would appear on Divoff’s face and you knew that someone was about to learn an important lesson about being careful what you wish for. Divoff was seriously frightening of the Djinn, so much so that you regretted that the films themselves could never quite keep up with his performance.

Last night, I watched the first Wishmaster film for the first time in six years and it was actually a little bit better than I remembered. The plot itself is typical Wishmaster stuff. The Djinn is trapped inside of a gem that eventually makes it way to the United States. An idiot lab worker attempts to experiment on it, which leads to the gem exploding, the Djinn getting free, and an epidemic of mass wish granting. Nobody seems to have learned the lesson that the first thing you wish for is more wishes.

Wishmaster is stupid but fun. The first film was produced by Wes Craven and perhaps that explains why the film is full of cameos from everyone who was anyone in low-budget 90s horror. As a result, you’ve got Kane Hodder saying that he would “love it if” the djinn “tries to go right through him,” and Robert Englund playing a businessman and Tony Todd showing up as a doorman. It’s nice to see them all, though ultimately the main reason to watch the film is for Andrew Divoff’s wonderfully smirky turn as the Djinn. It’s hard not to wish that he had another horror franchise to dominate.

Be care what you wish for!

(Sorry, had to do it….)