Remember a couple of weeks ago when we talked with Nick Bankhead for our Milwaukeean of the Week? Well, we didn’t cover everything from our conversation. Instead, we were saving it until today, when we could really lean into Halloween since it’s right around the corner.
Nick is a certified horror junkie, and not the kind that only watches horror films – he’s writing and directing them too. He and a friend founded Cursed Dolls Production and have already produced one film, Murder Cabin. Now, they’re working on their second indie horror film, Wallpaper (Kickstarter for it just launched)!
Leading up to Halloween, I wanted to do a write-up on some of the most iconic horror films produced. However… I am not the right person to compile that list, as I’m terrified of any horror or psychological thriller-type movies. I don’t want to see them on the screen, or worse yet, hear the sharpening of a blade, the blood-curdling screams, or the anticipatory, ominous music that plays when a jump scare is bound to happen. Nope. Not for me.
So, I enlisted the help of Nick. He put together a list of 16 of the most notorious films in the genre, categorized by a few common themes and with added commentary for your reading pleasure.
Check them out below!
Practical FX (Gore)
Hatchet (2006), Hatchet II (2010), Hatchet III (2013), Victor Crowley (2017)
Lumping these into one so I can share more good stuff. Adam Green set out to make old school American horror and actually did it. Kane Hodder under the makeup, buckets of real practical gore, and Victor Crowley tearing people apart in ways CGI can’t fake. Four movies, one swamp, one huge, mutant boy who misses his Daddy.
Sweatshop (2009)
Punk kids squat in an abandoned warehouse for a rave, and a hulking masked brute decides they’re trespassing. It’s grimy, it’s mean, and the practical kills hit hard. Nobody talks about this one enough.
The Mutilator (1984)
College kids, a beach condo, fall break, and a dad with a grudge and a garage full of tools. The gaff hook scene alone earns its spot. Pure 80s regional slasher energy, and the effects punch way above the budget.
Laid to Rest (2009)
Watch it. Trust me.
Classic
Halloween (1978)
The blueprint. Carpenter, a white mask, a kitchen knife, and that theme. Everything that came after owes this one rent.
Friday the 13th (1980)
Camp Crystal Lake, Tom Savini’s effects, and Kevin Bacon getting an arrow through the throat. It turned summer camp into a death sentence and built a franchise that still won’t stay dead. Are you watching the new series Crystal Lake on Peacock?
Scream (1996)
Reintroduced the slasher to a new generation. Smart, mean, and in on the joke without ever forgetting to be scary.
The Burning (1981)
You see young George Costanza’s ass. That’s all you need.
Christmas
Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025)
Yes, a remake. And it kills it. You know that pun was intentional.
Red Christmas (2016)
The mom from E.T. hosts a family Christmas that goes very wrong, and it gets political in a way most slashers wouldn’t touch. Super Australian. Super rad.
Secret Santa (2018)
How did Good Burger do better than this? Rad family chaos, super fun gore, and the most honest depiction of a holiday dinner ever filmed.
A Christmas Horror Story (2015)
Four stories in one. Dark. Krampus, too.
This Author’s Favorite of All Time
Christine (1983)
The Kings, Stephen and John. I saw it as a young kid and, dude, captivating. Still is, every time I watch it. And Carpenter has a way with a soundtrack. See Halloween.
A note from Nick:
Wallpaper is my love letter to MKE, told through Milwaukee-made horror. It’s a psychological horror film with dark comedic undertones, set in the dead of winter, shot entirely here, and cast with local actors. Milwaukee isn’t a backdrop. It’s one of the main players. Eric Hahn and I are crowdfunding production now through our company, Cursed Dolls, and every backer gets us one step closer to putting it on screen.