Ten creepy cult classic films to watch this Halloween

The Halloween season has officially begun, and it’s time to make sure that your monthly watch list reflects that. There's no universal definition for a ‘cult classic’, but there are several signifiers. Usually, it is used in reference to underground films, midnight movies, and box office bombs: what ties every cult classic together is its fervent fanbase. There are plenty of niche movies that are perfect for this spine-tingling time of year.

‘Jennifer's Body’ (2009)

When a high school cheerleader (Megan Fox) is demonically possessed after a satanic ritual gone wrong, she feeds on her male classmates’ flesh to fulfill her cannibalistic cravings. As the opening line of the movie states, “Hell is a teenage girl.” Jennifer’s Body has a dismal rating on IMDb with a 5.4. Needless to say, it was a box office bomb, with critics writing it off as a trashy experiment in horror-comedy. However, this might have been due to the marketing which screenwriter Diablo Cody declares was “all wrong.” Jennifer’s Body has since been appreciated as a feminist cult horror film.

‘X’ (2022)

In 1979, a group of adult filmmakers traveled to rural Texas, where they met a reclusive, elderly couple who caught them in the act. A homage to '70s grindhouse movies, director Ti West’s love of the slasher genre oozes from every scene and every bodily crevice. Mia Goth and Jenna Ortega also shine as the scream queens of Gen Z. With a reasonably low rating of 6.6 on IMDb, X has all the makings of a modern cult classic.

‘Titane’ (2021)

After Julia Ducournau’s directorial debut, Raw, a cannibalistic, coming-of-age film, caused audience members to pass out, her sophomore movie was much anticipated. Titane follows a young woman (Agathe Rousselle) with a titanium plate fitted to her head and a disturbing obsession with cars. It also follows a father who is reunited with his missing son. How those two tales intertwine will surprise you. The film’s average rating of 6.6 on IMDb proves that it is not for the faint-hearted or those with weak stomachs.

‘Heathers’ (1989)

At Westerburg High, Veronica Sawyer (Winona Ryder) is struggling to fit in with the catty clique of Heathers: Duke (Shannen Doherty), McNamara (Lisanne Falk), and Queen Bee Chandler (Kim Walker). When a mysterious new kid and James Dean lookalike arrives, complete with a cocky smirk and leather jacket, Veronica’s teenage angst suddenly racks up a body count. Over two decades after its initial release, Heathers still influences iconic teen movies, including the new Netflix release Do Revenge. That, along with its 7.2 rating on IMDb, cements Heathers’ cult classic status.

‘Videodrome’ (1983)

Written and directed by the King of body horror, David Cronenberg, Videodrome follows a programmer (James Woods) at a TV station specialising in adult entertainment who stumbles across the stuff of nightmares: a mysterious broadcast signal of snuff films. As he attempts to uncover the signal’s source, he increasingly loses touch with reality in a series of disturbing and bizarre hallucinations. Although a box-office bomb with mainstream audiences in 1983, it has been heralded a cult classic among niche circles and Cronenberg’s best film to date, with a rating of 7.2 on IMDb.

‘Hereditary’ (2018)

When her unstable mother passes away, Annie (Toni Collette), her husband, son, and daughter mourn the loss. Tortured by grief, Annie and her children begin to experience strange visions and compulsions. In director Ari Aster’s twisted and nightmarish imagination, generational trauma is monstrous and inescapable. Described as this generation’s The Exorcist, Hereditary truly is terrifying, with an average rating of 7.3 on IMDb. Midsommar is not far behind with a rating of 7.1, and Aster’s much-anticipated third movie has been described as a four-hour long “nightmare comedy.”

‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ (1975)

When a straight-laced young couple’s car breaks down, they are forced to seek shelter at the residence of Dr Frank N. Further (Tim Curry), a cross-dressing mad scientist who is about to unveil his latest creation. As Brad and Janet give themselves over to absolute pleasure, it is clear that this night will be one they remember for a very long time. Any conversation about cult classics would be incomplete without mentioning The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which holds an IMDb rating of 7.4.

'Grindhouse' (2007)

Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez team up to pay homage to the exploitation double features of the 60s and 70s. Death Proof is a slasher flick with the most satisfying ending, while Planet Terror shows the world in the midst of a zombie outbreak. The two movies are tied together with fake trailers in between, just like the good old days. While it currently holds an IMDb rating of 7.5, Grindhouse was a box office bomb back in 2007. It was a movie made by, and for, cinephiles.

‘The Wicker Man’ (1973)

When Sergeant Neil Howie, a devout Christian, arrives in a remote Scottish island village in search of a missing 12-year-old girl, he stumbles across a strange pagan cult who engage in disturbing fertility rituals and denies the existence of a missing girl. The Wicker Man has an IMDb rating of 7.5. On its original release, as the "B-feature" in a double bill alongside Don’t Look Now, the film was met with confusion from critics and audiences alike.

‘Donnie Darko’ (2001)

After narrowly escaping death, a troubled teenager named Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal) is plagued by disturbing visions of a man in a large rabbit costume who calls himself Frank. When Darko discovers that the world will end in 28 days, he is drawn into a series of bizarre events that may reflect his unraveling sanity. With an impressive IMDb rating of 8, Donnie Darko is a creepy cult classic that will leave viewers scratching their heads long after the credits roll. While it may seem confusing on the first watch, the satisfaction of peeling back the film’s endless layers makes it all worth it.