HONOLULU (KHON2) — Only a few years after the very first filmmakers emerged in the mid-1890s, George Mellies created “Le Manoir du Diable”. It is often translated into English as “The Haunted Castle” or “The House of the Devil”.
This film is widely believed to be the very first horror film ever created. It is a three-minute film that includes cauldrons, animated skeletons, ghosts, transforming bats, and, of course, an incarnation of the Devil. Whether it was meant to be a horror film or not, critics deem it to be the genre defining first horror film.
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According to Statista, as of October 2022, about two-thirds of adults who are a part of Generation Z in the United States watched a horror movie in theaters between one and 12 months preceding the survey performed. They also found that amongst all other generations that were surveyed (Boomer, X, Millennial), under 45% said they had.
This means that GenZ has a much stronger love for horror movies than their predecessors.
This made KHON2.com wonder what horror films our reporters liked most. Are you ready? Let’s find out what they said. Turns out, our very own Nikki Schenfeld is a scary movie expert. Find out her favorites below.
Before we get to the really scary flicks that make our spines tingle, let’s take a look at the three scary movies that some our reporters love that are also keiki friendly.
Casper the Friendly Ghost
Brigette Namata is not a fan of scary movies. Her choices were any movie with Casper.
The very first Casper the Friendly Ghost movie premiered in 1945; and since then, there have been dozens of these fun movies to enjoy.
Scooby-Doo
Sports Anchor, Rob DeMello, feels the same way as Namata. DeMello typically steers clear of scary movies; so, his chose was Scooby-Doo.
“I don’t have a favorite scary movie because, to be completely honest, I avoid them at all costs,” said DeMello. “From the time I was a kid, I was able to identify that being scared is not fun. So, why go out of my way to get scared? With that being said, my experience with ‘scary’ movies probably starts and ends with Scooby-Doo cartoons.”
Coco
Jill Kuramoto isn’t a fan of scary movies. She chose a Disney animation, Coco.
“Admittedly, I am the biggest coward when it comes to scary movies; so, my favorite not-so-scary movie is Disney’s Coco,” revealed Kuramoto. “It’s such a visually rich movie with a thoughtful story that touches on family, culture, life and death. Yes, I cried. And don’t tell anyone, but even my husband teared up, too.”
Coco is about an aspiring musician named Miguel who, when confronted with his family’s ancestral ban on music, enters the Land of the Dead to find his great-great-grandfather who was a legendary singer.
A Nightmare Before Christmas
Jenn Boneza loves A Nightmare Before Christmas because it has the best of both worlds.
The story is about a creature named Jack Skellington who is king of Halloween Town. He discovers Christmas Town which leads him to attempt to bring Christmas to his home, but the new holiday causes confusion amongst his villagers.
The Haunted Mansion
Our sports reporter Mitch Riberal said he loves this Eddie Murphy classic horror flick, The Haunted Mansion.
It’s a story about a realtor who is summoned to a mansion along with his wife and children. Soon after they arrive, they discover the mansion is haunted; and while they attempt to escape, he learns an important lesson about the family he has been neglecting.
Get Out
Our digital sports reporter, Christian Shimabuku, said that he really likes the Jordan Peele horror flick, Get Out.
In this scary movie, Jordan Peele explores the relationship a young African-American man has with his White girlfriend’s parents when they visit for the weekend. However, his simmering uneasiness about their reception of him eventually reaches a boiling point.
Bradley Whitford and Daniel Kaluuya deliver some amazing scary moments in Jordan Peele’s directorial debut. Peele garnered a great deal of attention from the film.
Jeepers Creepers
Our new traffic reporter, Brittni Friedlander, said she loves Jeepers Creepers.
In this horror flick, a brother and sister, who are on spring break, drive home through an isolated countryside when they encounter a flesh-eating creature that is in the midst of its ritualistic eating spree.
Sinister
Bryce Moore isn’t a big fan of scary movies, either; but his choice was Sinister, a 2012 horror flick.
“I am NOT a fan of scary movies and can probably count on one hand how many I’ve seen,” revealed Moore. That being said, my favorite would probably have to be ‘Sinister’, released in 2012.”
In this film, a controversial true crime writer finds a box of super 8 home movies in his new home. The tapes reveal that the murder case he is currently researching could be the work of an unknown serial killer whose legacy dates back to the 1960s.
Insidious
Digital reporter/producer, Elizabeth Ufi, said she is a big fan of the scary movie Insidious. This movie is also one that Nikki Schenfeld loves.
It’s a 2010 flick about a family that is seeking to prevent evil spirits from trapping their comatose child in a realm that is known as The Further.
Scream franchise
In general, Max Rodriguez loves the whole Scream franchise. Jenn Boneza also loves this franchise.
“Definitely all of the Scream saga,” said Rodriguez. “I love the jump scare and how campy Ghostface could be! Plus, there was Latinx representation in the fifth and sixth installments with Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera as the lead actors.”
The franchise has exploded into an American murder mystery and slasher franchise that includes six films, a television series, merchandise, a podcast and games.
Se7en
It’s more of a thriller than a horror, but Chevy Chevalier loves this scary 1995 movie starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman.
Se7en is a story about two detectives, a rookie and a veteran, who hunt a serial killer that uses the seven deadly sins as his motives for murder.
Alien franchise
Chris Latronic said that he loves all things Alien and Predator and loves the mashup Alien v. Predator.
“Is there any better heroine than Ripley?” asked Latronic.
Alien is about the crew of a commercial spacecraft that encounters a deadly lifeform after investigating an unknown transmission.
The Conjuring
Nikkie Schenfeld likes The Conjuring. She said it’s a great way to dip your toe into the horror genre.
It’s a movie about a couple who are paranormal investigators named Ed and Lorraine Warren. They work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse.
A Nightmare on Elm Street
A classic that is loved by Jenn Boneza, it is a 1980s romp through suburbia.
In this film, a teenager named Nancy Thompson must uncover the dark truth concealed by her parents after she and her friends become targets of the spirit of a serial killer in their dreams. The dream walker is armed with a bladed glove with which he attempts to steal their souls by killing them while they sleep.
The Ring
Sam Spangler’s favorite scary movie is The Ring. He said that he first saw the film while in high school and that he really was frightened by the movie.
“I was actually peering over the seat during the really scary parts,” said Spangler.
The film is about a journalist who must investigate a mysterious videotape which seems to cause the death of anyone one week to the day after they’ve view it.
The Exorcist
The classic 1973 horror flick The Exorcist is what Kristine Uyeno likes to watch. This is also a big favorite of Nikki Schenfeld.
She said that she saw this movie for the first time when she was 11. Nikki watched it one Halloween with her bestie. While the movie scared the living daylights out of Nikki, it made her fall in love with the genre.
It’s a story about a young girl who is possessed by a mysterious entity. As a result, her mother seeks the help of two Catholic priests to save the life of her daughter.
Poltergeist
KHON2’s resident thespian has a couple of scary he flicks he likes. The first on his list is the classic 1982 horror film, Poltergeist.
It’s about a family’s home that is haunted by a host of demonic ghosts.
A Quiet Place
The next on Joe’s list is a more recent scary move, A Quiet Place.
This 2018 flick is about a family that is struggling for survival in a world where most humans have been killed by blind but noise-sensitive creatures. Everyone who has survived is forced to communicate in sign language to keep the creatures at bay.
Crimson Peak
This reporter’s favorite horror movie is the 2015 film from Guillermo del Toro, Crimson Peak.
Crimson Peak is a visual feast for the eyes that only del Toro can produce. With rich colors and creepy characters, this film covers all the horror basics and elevates the scary movie narrative.
This film explores the aftermath of a family tragedy when an aspiring author is torn between love for her childhood friend and the temptation of a mysterious outsider. She tries to escape the ghosts of her past; but she is swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds and remembers.
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So, there you have it. A few great scary movies to begin populating your streaming queue as you indulge in the Halloween season.
