Classic Horror on 4K: “Dracula,” “Poltergeist” and 11 More

Nothing says Halloween like fear of the unknown. A tiny town on the California coast is celebrating it’s centenary when things start getting strange. Inanimate objects take on a life of their own, mystical fires appear, and corpses begin showing up before a strange fog encompasses the town. What is the mystery the lies within “The Fog“? Get it here. You can actually get a pretty awesome John Carpenter set of 4K films here.

A stellar performance by Gary Oldman makes Francis Ford Coppola‘s “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” a must have for all monster movie fans. Condemned to an eternity of living off blood, Count Dracula meets with lawyer Johnathan Harker (Keanu Reaves) to secure a land deal, but becomes infatuated with Harker’s fiancee, Mina (Winona Ryder). The spitting image of Dracula’s wife, he becomes obsessed with her, revealing the motives of a lonely monster. Anyone who loves the romance and danger of vampires would be happy to own this classic. Get it here.

Any creature feature lover has to own John Landis’ “An American Werewolf in London“. College students David (David Naughton) and Jack (Griffin Dunn) are attacked by a massive wolf while backpacking through England. David escapes with a bite, but Jack loses his life. Haunted by the image of his dead friend, David learns that was more than a wolf that bit him. It was a werewolf, and David will transform by the next full moon. With time running out, what will David do? With award-winning effects by Rick Baker, get it here so you can enjoy those effects in delicious clarity.

Get ready for some awesome monster bashers! This horror comedy is one popcorn flick you don’t want to miss. Brothers Michael (Jason Patric) and Sam (Corey Haim) move to Northern California with their mother (Dianne Wiest). A pair of misfits, Sam meets some like-minded nerds just like him. Meanwhile, his angsty older brother falls for a local beauty, Star (Jami Gertz). But it turns out she’s in the thrall of seductive vampire David (Kiefer Sutherland), leader of a gang of blood suckers. It’s up to Sam and his friends to find a way to save Michael and Star from the monster gang. Get it here.

They’re heeeerrre. In all the finest detail you could want. “Poltergeist” came to 4k in September and is an absolute must if you’re looking to built a ghostly library of films for Halloween. The Freelings are a normal family, living a normal life, until strange things begin happening in their home. An angry spirit has invaded their house and taken their daughter to the plane between life and death. What’s brought this entity to their home, and why? Written by Steven Spielberg and directed by Tobe Hooper, introduce this freaky favorite to new friends or curl up with old ones for some high-definition frights! Get it here.

Any self-respecting horror lover has to have this Tim Burton classic on their shelves. Now it’s available in 4k! After the tragic death of The Maitlands, Barbara (Gina Davis) and Adam (Alec Baldwin), they have to adjust to their new afterlife as ghosts. When their home is bought by The Deetzes, Adam and Barbara befriend their daughter Lydia (Winona Ryder) when their hauntings fail. In trying to get their house back, they attract the attention of Beeltejuice (Michael Keaton), a trouble-making poltergeist who turns the situation on its head. A cult classic with iconic characters, get your ghost with the most in 4k here.

Hidey-ho! There’s nothing creepier than a dead-eyed doll. Especially when that doll gains sentience. Snag yourself some popcorn and see that molded plastic with crystal clarity with “Child’s Play” 4k. Directed by Tom Holland and written/created by Don Mancini, the horror movie classic about a killer doll can’t not be on your shelves this Halloween. When criminal Charles Lee Ray (Brad Dourif) is gunned down by Detective Mike Norris (Chris Sarandon), he uses black magic to transfer his soul into a Good Guy doll named Chucky. Desperate to get one for her son Andy (Alex Vincent), Karen Barklay (Catherine Hicks) buys the doll. But when brutal murder begins to happen around Andy, no one believes him when he blames the doll. Can Karen convince Detective Norris of the doll’s evil intensions before her son is next?! Get it here.

Everybody needs a slasher in their collection. That’s why “Friday the 13th” needs to be on your list this year. Everybody knows horror teens never do what they’re told. So despite the history of murder and warnings about Crystal Lake, it doesn’t stop counselors from making it into a summer camp. Jack (Kevin Bacon), Alice (Adrienne King), Bill (Harry Crosby), Marcie (Jeannine Taylor), and Ned (Mark Nelson) get up to hormone-fueled shenanigans before they realize someone is stalking them through the woods, brutally murdering them one by one. Unseen and unheard, which of the counselors will escape the clutches of this merciless killer? And just who is behind it and why? Get your copy here.

Do you like scary movies? As of October 4th, “Scream 2” can now become part of your golden horror oldies. The fan favorite of the films, “Scream 2″ is sure to get the attention of fellow horror fans as a must-have! After Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox) survived her brush with Ghostface, her nightmare is far from over when two students wind up murdered at the premiere of a film inspired by the masked killer. Now a copycat is on the loose, and must be uncovered! Who’s behind it?? Directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson, a classic like this is perfect for a Halloween playlist. Get it here.

Hail to the king, baby! Every movie needs a good spoof. And we’ve got the best. “Army of Darkness“, the third film of the “Evil Dead” trilogy, got its 4K release with a steelbook. Groovy! Available since August, this quote-worth horror comedy is one you can’t pass up! After being launched back in time by the Necronomicon, the book of the dead, Ash (Bruce Campbell) finds himself in the medieval era. The smart-mouthed, chainsaw-toting most reluctant hero ever must find a way to defeat the Deadites and get back home. Written and directed by Sam Raimi, if you don’t have this one yet, what are you waiting for? Get it here.

What horror movie collection would be complete without some zombies? George Romero‘s “Night of the Living Dead” (get the Criterion 4K here) walked so this movie could run…well, more like shuffle. Inspired by Romero’s zombie films, “Return of the Living Dead” is a beloved zombie comedy that any horror fan would be happy to have. When foreman Frank (James Karen) and newbie Freddy (Thom Matthews) accidentally release a corpse-reviving gas, the dead walk again and make a meal of the town of Louisville, Kentucky! With the help of their boss (Clu Galager) and a mortician (Don Calfa), they’ve got to find a way to survive or become food for the dead! With a killer soundtrack and hilarious one-liners, this is one for the collection for sure! The 4k release has been available since October 11th. Get it here.

You can’t have spooky without the truly mind-bending. Psychological horror is an underappreciated genre. Terrifying through the bizarre and artistic, if you’ve never seen “Suspiria” now’s your chance. Ballet Dancer Suzy (Jessica Harper), travels to Berlin to attend a prodigious dancing school. Arriving on a rain-soaked night, she runs into Pat (Eva Axen), a fellow dancer who is fleeing for her life, only to be murdered. After Suzy is admitted to the school, bizarre things begin to happen to her; hallucinations, illness, and a bizarre behavior from her peers. As more dancers begin to die, Suzy delves into the mystery surrounding the school to uncover its horrific secret. Directed by Dario Argento and written by Daria Nocolodi and Argento, this Italian horror classic will have you hiding behind the cushions this Halloween. Get it here.

Last but not least, you can’t expect a Halloween to go by without watching at least one vampire film. “Fright Night” got its 4K release October 4th. Add this blood-sucking drama to your collection this year and break out the cranberry juice. The film debut of Tom Holland (written and directed by) is a must for any self-respecting vamp fanatic. Horror aficionado Charley Brewster (William Ragsdale) become suspicious when his new neighbor, Jerry Dandridge (Chris Sarandon), seems to be exhibiting all the classic signs of vampirism. When no one believes him, Charley has no choice but to hunt down retired vampire hunter Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall) to help him uncover the truth. Get it here.

While not available on Amazon and also not a true 4K, Arrow Video has a pretty spectacular “Hellraiser” edition. Directed and Written by Clive Barker, this classic full of gory, glorious special effects should be part of every horror fan’s collection. When sexual deviant Frank Cotton (Sean Chapman) comes across a puzzle box while traveling abroad, he’s told it will bring pleasure beyond his imaginings. But solving the box unleashes the Cenobites, leather-bound demons that deal in the pleasure of pain. Frank’s brother Larry (Andrew Robinson) inherits his house with wife Julia (Claire Higgins). An accident reanimates what’s left of Frank’s body under the floor. Secret lovers with Julia, Frank convinces her to lure men back to the attic so he might reconstruct his body by feeding on their blood. When daughter Kirsty (Ashley Laurence) begins to get suspicious of the goings on, it leads her to Frank, the box, and the monsters within. A cult classic and the introduction of Doug Bradley as the iconic Pinhead, this is definitely one for the horror lovers.