Red October III – A 31 Days of Halloween Viewing Guide
Every three years, the Red River Horror team curates their own version of 31 Days of Halloween, aptly titled Red October. While we’re proud of our hand-selected list, the real joy was in creating a viewing schedule via a live broadcast on YouTube and Instagram. If you’re interested, feel free to watch the entire broadcast, including the chalkboard presentation.
How did we pick this year’s list?
In order for us to have the full list of films to pick from for this year’s Red October, I asked the Red River Horror contributors and friends to select five movies they MUST watch during October — horror or otherwise. Five films were provided by Stephen Beason, Joe D (from Different Take), Dr. Halloween, Staci Layne Wilson, Christian Toto, Melissa Caiazzo (the boss), Joe Zakrzewski and yours truly.
RED OCTOBER III List in Order:
October 1 – Pyewacket
October 2 – The Descent
October 3 – Salem’s Lot (2024)
October 4 – Mirror Mirror (1990) – Teen angst meets demonic interior design in this girl-power horror show. Our protagonist discovers that her mirror not only talks back but also offers a bloody beauty regime. Featuring Karen Black and Yvonne DeCarlo, because nothing says “empowerment” like legendary scream queens. (Bonus: Mirror Mirror is written and directed by women.) – Staci Layne Wilson
October 5 – Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers
October 6 – The Exorcist
October 7 – Train to Busan
October 8 – Hocus Pocus
October 9 – The Thing (1981)
October 10 – Bone Tomahawk
October 11 – The Nightmare Before Christmas
October 12 – Night of the Demons
October 13 – Halloween III: Season of the Witch
October 14 – God is a Bullet
October 15 – Hell House LLC
October 16 – The Silence of the Lambs
October 17 – The Watcher in the Woods (1980) – Disney decides to traumatize a generation by mixing Bette Davis with supernatural shenanigans. An American family moves to Britain and gets more than tea and crumpets – they get a ghost with serious FOMO. Proof that even Mickey Mouse has a dark side. – Staci Layne Wilson
October 18 – Witchboard (1990) – Tawny Kitaen discovers that supernatural Tinder is a bad idea when her Ouija board swipes right on Malfeitor instead of the ghostly equivalent of a golden retriever. Cue demonic chaos and a reminder that sometimes, it’s better to ghost your ghosts. There’s comedy but also genuine terror and gore. – Staci Layne Wilson
October 19 – Trick ‘r Treat
October 20 – The Midnight Meat Train
October 21 – Sleepy Hollow (1999) – Tim Burton heads up a gothic party and invites Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, and Christopher Walken to play dress-up in 1799. Watch as Depp’s character loses his head (figuratively) over a guy who literally lost his. It’s a headless horseman’s game of hide and seek, with extra fog for dramatic effect. – Staci Layne Wilson
October 22 – ALIEN
October 23 – Return of the Living Dead
October 24 – Halloween Kills
October 25 – Halloween (2018)
October 26 – Terrifier
October 27 – Tales of Halloween
October 28 – Prince of Darkness
October 29 – The Monster Squad
October 30 – It Follows
October 31- Halloween (1978) – You can’t kill the bogeyman, and you can’t mess with perfection. It was unanimous that John Carpenter’s iconic slasher film centered around our favorite holiday should be viewed on Halloween itself. The atmosphere is ideal, showcasing Carpenter’s masterful direction and punctuated by Dean Cundey’s brilliant cinematography. The soundtrack is, simply put, perfect. You can fill your entire Halloween day with horror films, but when the doorbell stops ringing and the trick-or-treaters have long gone, it’s time to dim the lights, lock your doors and windows, and watch Michael Myers stalk the sleepy little town of Haddonfield, Illinois. – Eddie Caiazzo
I sincerely hope you enjoyed this year’s list and, more importantly, are able to watch a film a day throughout October — horror’s favorite month. Most importantly, have fun! This list is always enjoyable to create. Part III is in the books, and Part IV is coming in 2027. Until then, happy Spooky Season to you, and always remember to keep traveling those Channels of Fear.
31 movies not enough? Spark some creativity with the past lists linked below:
- 2023 – Doctor Halloween’s 31 Days of Halloween
- 2022 – n/a
- 2021 – Red October II
- 2020 – 31 Days of Halloween: A Personal History
- 2019 – n/a
- 2018 – Red October
