Common Themes: In the Dark

Hello everyone!

This is the last post of October since the 31st is on Tuesday so no post next week or the entire month of November (personal things happening, nanowrimo participation) but come December, I will be doing an overall post over things I’ve watched, what I’ve read this year, etc so be ready for that!

So for the end of October, we’re getting towards the hurdle of what’s going to be going on for Halloween? Granted the holiday is on a weekday so no matter what you’re doing over that weekend like trunk or treat, actual trick or treating, costume parties, staying in and enjoying some spooky horror movies, I wish you guys a safe and fun holiday! And what way to end it out with some suggestions to watch??

Though this is a part of my “Common Themes” series which I’ve done a previous post here and you can read about it… all about haunted houses so if you’re in the mood for haunted houses, go for that. But this is all about “in the dark” or a lack of light when it comes to horror. Yes, there are many horror movies that use the dark or the lack of a lighting source to a scene but I am talking about the ones where the entire movie might take place in the dark or uses the environment to its advantage to create more tension. For example, Jaws would be fitting for the opening sequence but the majority of the film takes place in the daytime and even in the daytime, Spielberg uses the mystery of the shark to his advantage.

I have 13 listed so let’s see how this goes!

The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Paranormal Activity (2007)
Cloverfield (2008)
Skinamarink (2022)
The Descent (2005)
The Strangers (2008)
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1983)
Hush (2016)
Host (2020)
Hell House LLC (2015)
The Evil Dead (1981)
Lights Out (2016)
Demons (1985)

You know what most of these have in common?
Seclusion.
And seclusion in the dark or during nighttime.

There’s this overwhelming energy of I am alone or “we” are alone and there’s nothing any of us can do (or I do) to get out of the situation. And our hand is forced to wait until the daytime where we can feel safer. I look at The Evil Dead, The Blair Witch Project, The Descent and Skinamarink where there’s literal darkness and seclusion of being in the woods or underground and there’s just danger. Just danger and what can a human do to solve the problem?

But Paranormal Activity, Hell House LLC, Demons and Host are paranormal events that surge and escalate through the night(s). I mean, Hell House has some of the best scary sequences at night, especially the end. And where does Hush, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Lights Out and The Strangers land? Serial killers or dangerous people making their “moves” at night, where no one can see them.

The outlier is Cloverfield but it is not supernatural nor serial killer/slasher, just a kaiju that gets very sad one night and the entire movie feeds off the vulnerability of destruction and the night just adds fuel. Plus the movie does go into the day and yes things are still dangerous but it’s different at night. It’s like camping. Setting up and hiking in the day is fine but when its night and there’s no light, technology, etc, it’s… off putting. All those times I went camping as a Girl Scout and the weird shit I heard and experienced out there, nah. 

So those are some “in the dark” horror movies that you can watch this Halloween. Or watch whenever, spooky season is forever 24/7 around these parts!

Wishing you guys a good Halloween and I’ll see you guys AFTER Thanksgiving aka December to do the overall last post of 2023… and perhaps revamping the blog (AGAIN) but there will be some changes!