Halloween is upon us and it’s time to venture into some of our favorite terrifying tales on the page and on the screen. Our list contains some of the classics of horror writing like Stephen King and Thomas Harris combined with some of the masters of scary cinematics like Alfred Hitchcock and Stanley Kubrick.
The Best Scary Books and Movies for your Halloween Weekend
The Shining
Stephen King
We couldn’t talk about scary books and their movie adaptations without mentioning The Shining. Arguably one of the most successful transitions from book to screen, Stephen King’s book was adapted by Stanley Kubrick and starred Jack Nicholson as the main protagonist, Jack Torrance.
For those who haven’t experienced The Shining, it tells the tale of a young family that move to an isolated hotel in the winter off season. Their young son discovers he has psychic powers and struggles to hold his own against the forces of evil that are driving his father insane.
Get The BookGet The Movie
The Silence of the Lambs
Thomas Harris
Another classic movie and book combination is The Silence of the Lambs. The Thomas Harris psychological thriller tells the story of Clarice Starling, a young trainee at the FBI Academy, who is tasked with interviewing a Dr. Hannibal Lecter – Hannibal the Cannibal – who is kept under close watch in the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane.
The movie stars Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster and is still considered one of the most shocking thriller films ever.
Get The BookGet The Movie
Psycho
Robert Bloch
The novel Psycho was published in 1959 and was inspired by the real-life story of Ed Gein, a psychotic murderer who lead a dual life.
Alfred Hitchcock was so captivated by the book that he turned it into one of the most-loved classic films of all time. It has since had more recent adaptations, including another movie and a spin-off TV series, Bates Motel.
Get The BookGet The Movie
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Seth Grahame-Smith & Jane Austen
“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains.” Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a bold reimagining of the beloved Jane Austen classic romance.
This New York Times Best Seller was recently made into a major motion picture and is definitely a scary ride for both fans of Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith’s updated tale.
Get The BookGet The Movie
Gone Girl
Gillian Flynn
Gone Girl, the New York Times Best Selling novel by Gillian Flynn is a tale that will definitely send chills down your spine this Halloween.
The story of Nick Dunne and the sudden disappearance of his wife Amy was also made into a blockbuster movie in 2014, starring Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike. Both the movie and the book are a guaranteed to give you a sleepless night this Halloween if you dare.
Get The BookGet The Movie
I Am Legend
Richard Matheson
I Am Legend is a science fiction book that has also received the film adaptation treatment. But this one is actually a little different from the original. Both are scary stories that feature a main protagonist named Robert Neville, who is the last man on earth.
While in Richard Matheson’s original, the world was filled with vampires, the Hollywood remake starring Will Smith actually changed this to zombies. Either one will still give you a fright, just in very different ways.
Get The BookGet The Movie