5 Scary Alternatives to the Classics for Autumn

Autumn is the perfect time of the year for binge-watching classic horror movies. There’s nothing quite like the nostalgia of cozying up on the couch with warm apple cider and watching a scary movie.

Many of the typical gory slasher movies can begin to feel overplayed. Although they are classics, it’s fun to switch things up.

Everyone has seen Halloween, Child’s Play, and Scream. They’re great, but there are so many horror films out there with an interesting spin.

If you like horror with a twist of art-house indie or a touch of psychological thriller, then this article is for you. Keep reading to find alternatives to your typical blood-and-guts gore.

Suspiria (2018)

This version of Suspiria is a remake of the 1977 version. The film stars Dakota Johnson as Susie Bannion, a dancer who travels from America to 1970s Berlin for an audition at the Helena Markos Dance Company.

The film is full of witchcraft and disturbing but artfully done imagery. It is a cinematic masterpiece that fits the horror and psychological thriller bill, setting it apart from the gory classics.

X (2022)

A24 hit X takes place in 1979 at a rural Texas farmhouse where a group of actors stay to shoot an adult film. The vintage production is a refreshing take that differs from the typical gore, though it does pay homage to Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

The group of young adults is terrorized by the elderly couple who owns the farmhouse and end up fighting for their lives as the couple hunts them. The movie is definitely scary, but not your typical slasher film, and definitely a must-watch.

Mother! (2017)

Darren Aronofsky’s Mother! is chock full of layers with endless possible interpretations. The film stars Jennifer Lawrence as “Mother” and Javier Bardem as “Him.”

The film is a psychological mind-bender with the heavy theme of religion and humanity. Mother! is worth the watch if you’re ready to be left slightly disturbed with questions while pondering the meaning of existence.

Rosemary’s Baby (1968)

Okay, so this one can be considered a classic. But it is unique and often overlooked. Not a slasher or gory blood-and-guts film, yet plenty disturbing, Rosemary’s Baby plays on real-life fears.

Rosemary, played by Mia Farrow, is impregnated by the devil, and while that part is a little unrealistic, her husband and doctor’s misogyny alongside her femininity being stripped from her feels relatable. Rosemary becomes nothing but a vessel to bring the spawn of Satan into the world.

We highly recommend checking Rosemary’s Baby out if you’re into unique classics.

Hereditary (2018)

Ari Aster, popularly known for other films including Midsommar, never fails to create a film that leaves us disturbed, questioning what exactly we just watched. Hereditary is no different.

“The goal is to meet the demands of the genre, and then to startle people a few times, but then let them off the hook,” Ari Aster says.

This film is anything but a typical jump scare and rather a consistently creepy plot of evil. The film is a sinister story of a demon manipulating a family to find a new human host. The evil aura Hereditary has is what sets the film apart.

If you’re ready to be really freaked out by a horror movie, this one is for you.

That’s all for this list of horror movies that are set apart from your typical jump scares and gore films. I hope this list gets you in the spooky spirit of Autumn.