31 Horror Films To Watch This October

Had it been shot in late 1979, The Burning might’ve beaten Friday The 13th to the punch, been picked up by Paramount and become a phenomenon that spawned sequels, clones, a TV show, bath towels etc. There’s plenty of talent in the movie: the effects are by Tom Savini, and the cast includes Jason Alexander (Seinfeld), Fisher Stevens (Short Circuit) plus The Piano’s Holly Hunter in her film debut. The editor is Jack Sholder, who later directed The Hidden, and the producers are Brad Grey (The Sopranos), plus Bob and Harvey Weinstein.

Once again, a bunch of meddling kids get theirs courtesy of a barely seen psycho, this time a garden shears-wielding caretaker named Cropsey who takes revenge after being burned in a prank gone awry. Whenever Cropsey’s offscreen, though, the movie strays into Porky’s territory - the nerd watches showering starlets, jocks discuss masturbation while reading Hustler and the bully gets his comeuppance when he’s shot in the ass.

With its porno cinemas, prostitutes and blood-spattered walls, as well as a heavy breathing psycho who owns a subjective camera and a synthesizer, The Burning occasionally resembles Homecoming, Eli Roth’s fake Grindhouse trailer. That’s the film’s true home – playing to the rubes on 42nd Street, probably on a double bill with Don’t Go In The Woods.