Welcome to Horrorscope, a monthly column keeping horror nerds and initiates up to date on what to watch now. Here’s a guide to all the essential horror streaming in October 2020.
It’s the moooooooost wonderful tiiiiiiiime of the year!
That’s right, it’s finally October! A blessed month when you can marathon as much horror as you want, guilt-free! Not that anyone should ever feel guilty about their viewing choices. But now if anyone questions why your Letterboxd is just back-to-back Lucio Fulci splatter films, you can hold your brow high and remind them that this is October, and all bets are off, baby. If you want to watch cheezy eye-gauging all day, you’re well within your autumnal right!
It’s a dark, dark world out there. Quite literally these days, as the sun sets earlier and earlier, plunging us into the pitch-black depths of the winter months. All the better to see a dark-lit horrorshow, I say! And we’ve got quite the line-up this month. Streaming services have delivered the spooky goods in the form of creepy collections, inspired double bills, and spectral specials. I’ve scoured the incoming streamable content and highlighted the best of the best, from well-known bangers to new entries from today’s most exciting genre directors.
Be sure to peruse the complete list below, calendar in hand, for a full picture of what horror flicks are coming and going form your favorite streaming services this October.
Pick of the Month: Don’t Look Now (1973) and the rest of Criterion Channel’s ’70s Horror collection
Synopsis: Laura and John, grieving the terrible and unexpected loss of their daughter, move to Venice, where John is in charge of the restoration of a church. There they meet two mysterious sisters, one of whom tells the couple she has been in contact with their daughter. As Laura finds herself sucked in by this dangerous claim, John scoffs. That is until he glimpses a figure in the canals who looks an awful lot like his daughter.
Don’t look now… but The Criterion Channel is back at it again with an October line-up that easily puts every other streaming service to shame. I wasn’t sure how Criterion was going to top last year’s god-tier round-up of 1970s sci-fi flicks. And shame on me for underestimating them! This year, we’re staring down the barrel of a truly inspired collection of twenty-nine (twenty-nine!) films that represent the wilder, weirder, and whackier landscape of horror in the 1970s. From the passion projects of auteur mavericks to cult curios, and from campy gothic spine tinglers to art-house experiments, this collection brings together what can only be described as a veritable rogues gallery of gore, with the likes of Tobe Hooper, George A. Romero, Wes Craven, Brian De Palma, David Cronenberg, Nicolas Roeg, and Abel Ferrara all hanging out under one glorious roof.
This is a ridiculously well-thought-out syllabus of sleaze. And as you check out the full listing and plan your month accordingly, I’d encourage those who have not seen it already to prioritize a viewing of Nicholas Roeg‘s Don’t Look Now. Donald Sutherland is the king of the 1970s, and his turn as the grief-stricken John is, absolutely, his best work in a decade full of untouchable performances. Don’t Look Now is the bridge between the arthouse and the camp factory; it would be a marvelous way to kick off a deep dive into a decade of debauchery.
Available on The Criterion Channel October 4th.
A pandemic picture with a macabre match made in heaven
Synopsis: A tyrannical 12th-century prince named Prospero invites the local nobility to his castle for protection against an oncoming plague. Naturally, all guests must arrive in full masked regalia. Because if you’re going to quarantine you might as well throw a ball, darling. Amidst an atmosphere of next-level debauchery, the prince notices a hooded stranger cloaked in crimson. Believing the mysterious figure to be Satan himself, the prince is horrified at the revelation of the stranger’s true identity.
The Masque of the Red Death is a part of Shudder’s new “The Price of Fright” collection, a five-film series that aims — and absolutely succeeds — to pay due to the inimitable “Merchant of Menace” himself, Vincent Price. As the streaming service notes, few actors have been as closely associated with horror as Price. There really was nothing like his unique blend of refinement, intelligence, and giddy delight in the macabre.
I’ve highlighted The Masque of the Red Death for several reasons. First, look: if I were living through a pandemic, I would simply throw a perverted party in my psychedelic satan castle. Second: this is a Roger Corman joint that sees yet another unholy union between Price and his frequent collaborator from beyond the grave, Edgar Allan Poe. Tell me: does it get any more ooky-spooky than that?
Available on Shudder October 1st.
Mike Flanagan’s latest attempt to scare us all off being homeowners
Synopsis: A young governess is hired by a man to look after his niece and nephew at the family country house after they fall into his care. Arriving at the Bly estate, she begins to see apparitions that proceed to haunt the premises
Mike “gauzy image quality” Flanagan is back at it again! This time, with a new spookernatural Netflix series: The Haunting of Bly Manor. What’s it about? Well, a haunting of Bly Manor of course! Loosely based on the 1898 horror novella The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, The Haunting of Bly Manor sees the reunion of much of the cast and crew from Flanagan’s very (very, very) popular The Haunting of Hill House. All nine episodes drop at once, and if you’re at all familiar with James’ novella, you know there’s oodles of creepy kid shenanigans in store.
Available on Netflix October 9th.
Come to daddy, it’s Clive Barker’s original, goo-tastic masterpiece!
Synopsis: Pervert and pain pioneer Frank will do anything to set his senses ablaze. And yes, this means signing over his flesh and soul to interdimensional leather fetishists (demons to some, angels to others!). But Frank finds a way to (quite literally) claw his way out of hell. So it’s up to his sister-in-law (and former lover) to help Frank pull himself back together, as it were. If only her nosey step-daughter would stay out of it!
What’s your pleasure? Is it a wildly entertaining 1980s classic that’s actually, you know, scary? Well good news, because Clive Barker’s absolutely bananapants, kinky, and goop-tastic Hellraiser is available until the end of the month. Hellraiser will tear your soul apart with skin-crawling practical effects, a kick-ass final girl, and one of the best female villains of all time. That’s right. Even in a room full of sensory sadomasochists, Clare Higgins‘ Julia is by far the scariest thing in this film. If you haven’t had a chance to check out this bonafide, top-tier terror trip, now’s your chance.
Leaves Hulu October 31st.
Streamable Horror Incoming This Month
| Streaming Service | Movie | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Prime | 30 Days Of Night (2007) | October 1 |
| Amazon Prime | John Carpenter’s Vampires (1998) | October 1 |
| Amazon Prime | Species (1995) | October 1 |
| Amazon Prime | The Grudge 3 (2009) | October 1 |
| Amazon Prime | Evil Eye (2020) | October 13 |
| Amazon Prime | Nocturne (2020) | October 13 |
| Hulu | After.Life (2010) | October 1 |
| Hulu | Blade (1998) | October 1 |
| Hulu | Blade 2 (2002) | October 1 |
| Hulu | Blade: Trinity (2004) | October 1 |
| Hulu | Double, Double, Toil and Trouble (1993) | October 1 |
| Hulu | The Executioners (2018) | October 1 |
| Hulu | The Eye (2008) | October 1 |
| Hulu | Fallen (1998) | October 1 |
| Hulu | Hostel (2006) | October 1 |
| Hulu | Hostel: Part II (2007) | October 1 |
| Hulu | House of 1000 Corpses (2003) | October 1 |
| Hulu | Interview With the Vampire (1994) | October 1 |
| Hulu | Lady in a Cage (1964) | October 1 |
| Hulu | Martyrs (2016) | October 1 |
| Hulu | The Quiet Ones (2014) | October 1 |
| Hulu | The Sandman (2018) | October 1 |
| Hulu | The Skull (1965) | October 1 |
| Hulu | Species (1995) | October 1 |
| Hulu | Vampire (2011) | October 1 |
| Hulu | When a Stranger Calls (2006) | October 1 |
| Hulu | Zombie Killers: Elephant’s Graveyard (2015) | October 1 |
| Hulu | Monsterland (2020) | October 2 |
| Hulu | Books of Blood (2020) | October 7 |
| Hulu | Scream 4 (2011) | October 8 |
| Hulu | It Came from the Desert (2017) | October 15 |
| Hulu | Friend Request (2016) | October 18 |
| Hulu | Bad Hair (2020) | October 23 |
| Netflix | A.M.I. (2019) | October 1 |
| Netflix | Ghost Rider (2007) | October 1 |
| Netflix | House of 1,000 Corpses (2003) | October 1 |
| Netflix | Dick Johnson is Dead (2020) | October 2 |
| Netflix | The Binding (2020) | October 2 |
| Netflix | Vampires vs. the Bronx (2020) | October 2 |
| Netflix | Hubie Halloween (2020) | October 7 |
| Netflix | The Haunting of Bly Manor (Season 1) | October 9 |
| Netflix | A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting (2020) | October 15 |
| Netflix | Unfriended (2014) | October 16 |
| Netflix | ParaNorman (2012) | October 18 |
| Netflix | Cadaver (2020) | October 22 |
| Netflix | Nobody Sleeps in the Woods Tonight (2020) | October 28 |
| Netflix | His House (2020) | October 30 |
| Shudder | Ghoul Log (2020) | October 1 |
| Shudder | The Fall of the House of Usher (1960) | October 1 |
| Shudder | The Masque of the Red Death (1964) | October 1 |
| Shudder | The Tomb of Ligeia (1964) | October 1 |
| Shudder | Theater of Blood (1973) | October 1 |
| Shudder | From Beyond (1986) | October 1 |
| Shudder | House of 1000 Corpses (2003) | October 1 |
| Shudder | Scare Me (2020) | October 1 |
| Shudder | The Deeper You Dig (2019) | October 5 |
| Shudder | The Monster Club (1981) | October 5 |
| Shudder | WNUF Halloween Special (2013) | October 5 |
| Shudder | The Cleansing Hour (2019) | October 8 |
| Shudder | Mohawk (2017) | October 12 |
| Shudder | The Mortuary Collection (2019) | October 15 |
| Shudder | Sleep Tight (2011) | October 19 |
| Shudder | Them (2006) | October 19 |
| Shudder | 32 Malasaña Street (2020) | October 22 |
| Shudder | Joe Bob’s Halloween Hideway (2020) | October 23 |
| Shudder | The Creepshow Halloween Special (2020) | October 26 |
| Shudder | May The Devil Take You Too (2018) | October 29 |
| The Criterion Channel | Peeping Tom (1960) | October 2 |
| The Criterion Channel | Odd Obsession (1959) | October 2 |
| The Criterion Channel | Trog (1970) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | The Vampire Lovers (1970) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | Daughters of Darkness (1971) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | Let’s Scare Jessica to Death (1971) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | The Nightcomers (1971) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | Images (1972) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | Death Line (1972) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | The Crazies (1973) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | Don’t Look Now (1973) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | Ganja & Hess (1973) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | Sisters (1973) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | Theater of Blood (1973) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | The Wicker Man (1973) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | Black Christmas (1974) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | Deathdream (1974) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | It’s Alive (1974) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | Shivers (1975) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | The Witch Who Came from the Sea (1976) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | The Hills Have Eyes (1977) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | Rabid (1977) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | Coma (1978) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | Long Weekend (1978) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | The Brood (1979) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | The Driller Killer (1979) | October 4 |
| The Criterion Channel | Deer Boy (2017) | October 6 |
| The Criterion Channel | Antichrist (2009) | October 6 |
| The Criterion Channel | We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011) | October 7 |
| The Criterion Channel | Videodrome (1983) | October 8 |
| The Criterion Channel | Cat People (1942) | October 9 |
| The Criterion Channel | The Blob (1958) | October 9 |
| The Criterion Channel | Beware! The Blob (1972) | October 9 |
| The Criterion Channel | The Unknown (1927) | October 11 |
| The Criterion Channel | What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) | October 11 |
| The Criterion Channel | Influenza (2004) | October 13 |
| The Criterion Channel | Caché (2005) | October 13 |
| The Criterion Channel | The Velvet Vampire (1971) | October 21 |
| The Criterion Channel | Humanoids from the Deep (1980) | October 21 |
| The Criterion Channel | Slumber Party Massacre (1982) | October 21 |
| The Criterion Channel | A Tale of Two Sisters (2003) | October 25 |
| The Criterion Channel | The Host (2006) | October 25 |
| The Criterion Channel | Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008) | October 26 |
| The Criterion Channel | Nosferatu (1922) | October 30 |
| The Criterion Channel | Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979) | October 30 |
| The Criterion Channel | The Devil’s Backbone (2001) | October 31 |
Horror Titles Expiring from Streaming Soon
On Their Way Out: These films have one foot in the grave—bump ‘em to the top of your October 2020 queue while you can!
| Streaming Service | Movie | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Hulu | 31 (2016) | October 31 |
| Hulu | After Life (2010) | October 31 |
| Hulu | Blade: Trinity (2004) | October 31 |
| Hulu | Bug (1975) | October 31 |
| Hulu | Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (1974) | October 31 |
| Hulu | The Executioners (2018) | October 31 |
| Hulu | Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974) | October 31 |
| Hulu | Hellraiser (1987) | October 31 |
| Hulu | Hostel (2006) | October 31 |
| Hulu | Hostel: Part II (2007) | October 31 |
| Hulu | The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959) | October 31 |
| Hulu | Martyrs (2016) | October 31 |
| Hulu | Phase IV (1974) | October 31 |
| Hulu | The Quiet Ones (2014) | October 31 |
| Hulu | The Sandman (2018) | October 31 |
| Hulu | The Tenant (1976) | October 31 |
| Hulu | Twilight (2008) | October 31 |
| Hulu | The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) | October 31 |
| Hulu | The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010) | October 31 |
| Hulu | Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 (2011) | October 31 |
| Hulu | Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 (2012) | October 31 |
| Hulu | Vampire (2011) | October 31 |
| Hulu | When A Stranger Calls (2006) | October 31 |
| Netflix | Carrie (2002) | October 1 |
| Netflix | House of the Witch (2017) | October 1 |
| Netflix | Insidious (2011) | October 1 |
| Netflix | Medium (1985) | October 1 |
| Netflix | My Babysitter’s a Vampire: The Movie (2010) | October 1 |
| Netflix | Paranormal Activity (2007) | October 1 |
| Netflix | Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010) | October 1 |
| Netflix | Sinister (2012) | October 1 |
| Netflix | The Devil’s Advocate (1997) | October 1 |
| Netflix | Emelie (2015) | October 2 |
| Netflix | Cult of Chucky (2017) | October 3 |
| Netflix | Truth or Dare (2018) | October 3 |
| Netflix | Kristy (2014) | October 30 |
| Netflix | The Girl With All the Gifts (2017) | October 31 |
| Netflix | The Silence of the Lambs (1991) | October 31 |
| Netflix | Sleepy Hollow (1999) | October 31 |
| Netflix | Underworld (2003) | October 31 |
| Netflix | Underworld: Evolution (2006) | October 31 |
| Netflix | Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009) | October 31 |
