{"id":343935,"date":"2025-10-30T20:26:19","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T20:26:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/343935\/"},"modified":"2025-10-30T20:26:19","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T20:26:19","slug":"reel-nightmares-7-san-antonio-horror-filmmakers-pick-their-favorite-scary-movies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/343935\/","title":{"rendered":"Reel Nightmares: 7 San Antonio horror filmmakers pick their favorite scary movies"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"GuillermoGuillermo del Toro \u201cmasterfully blends genres using supernatural elements to explore trauma and war\u201d in Devil\u2019s Backbone, according to one local filmmaker. Credit: Sony Pictures Classics<\/p>\n

Even with the flood of content on streaming services, it can be hard to avoid recycling the same few horror movies once spooky season comes around.\u00a0<\/p>\n

To that end, we asked a few San Antonio horror filmmakers to recommend some of their favorite fright flicks. So, grab some popcorn, dim the lights and get ready for a nightmare-inducing movie marathon.<\/p>\n

Max Booth III (Writer of We Need to Do Something)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 2014 film The Guest<\/strong> features one of the coolest haunted house set pieces I\u2019ve ever seen in a movie. It\u2019s unhinged, stupid and a total blast \u2013 plus, that score! I came to the 1988 horror-comedy Elvira: Mistress of the Dark<\/strong> kind of late, but my God, it\u2019s perfect. I don\u2019t understand why it isn\u2019t considered a Halloween classic. Nobody is cooler than Elvira! I rewatch one movie every Halloween night, and that movie is Ghostwatch<\/strong>. Bonus points if you check it with someone unaware of its context. Ghostwatch has my heart forever.<\/p>\n

Colin Bressler (Director of The Mummy Murders)<\/strong><\/p>\n

I love the \u201980s horror\/sci-fi classic The Thing<\/strong> so much. It creates an incredible atmosphere \u2014 freezing temps and isolation. Even before the creature appears onscreen, the audience is locked in. Jordan Peele\u2019s 2019 film Us<\/strong> is underrated and very creepy. The horror really comes from the intense acting. The cast sends chills through me every time I watch it. Good Boy <\/strong>is a recent film that shows the world from a dog\u2019s point of view. It unfolds in a very scary way.<\/p>\n

Jess Castro (Director of Get the Hell Out)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chaos ensues in the 1985 horror movie Demons<\/strong> when the titular plague inexplicably comes to life from a Euro theater screen, eye-gouging and hair-pulling moviegoers to gory deaths. College kids and punk coke fiends don\u2019t stand a chance as they fight for their life amongst a backdrop of hair metal and synth rock music. A young monster-movie nerd becomes a hero in the 1983 film The Deadly Spawn<\/strong> after slug-like aliens invade his home, eat his parents and terrorize old ladies at a Jell-O party. Chock full of indie filmmaking spirit, this one\u2019s an innovative bloody blast made with heart. Terror in the Aisles<\/strong> from 1984 is a spectacular horror-clip show that features the best bits from all-time classic horror films. It oozes with late-night sleazy grindhouse vibes.<\/p>\n

Sam Lerma (Director of Squeezebox)<\/strong><\/p>\n

I love M. Night Shyamalan\u2019s 2015 film The Visit<\/strong>,because it was his comeback after several flops. It\u2019s a dark, found-footage film filled with creepy moments, a creepy \u201cgrandma\u201d and some great dark humor. Another film that uses found footage is the 2007 Spanish film [REC]<\/strong>. It follows a camera crew trapped in a building after a deadly virus outbreak. I love the fresh take on the undead as the crew makes its way to the top floor. The 2005 British horror film The Descent<\/strong> is about a group of girlfriends who get trapped in a cave and are stalked by amphibious humanoid creatures. There\u2019s always something lurking in the darkness.<\/p>\n

Rob Mabry (Director of The Legend of El Chupacabra)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 2010 film Tucker & Dale vs. Evil<\/strong> is a tale of backwoods buddies who are mistaken for a couple of deranged killers by college campers. It\u2019s a sharp parody of slasher films that doesn\u2019t hold back on the gore, even if it\u2019s played for laughs. The 2015 movie The Final Girls<\/strong> is an \u201980s meta-slasher comedy about a group of high school students who must survive a machete-wielding psycho with their wits and knowledge of horror movie tropes. Does the world need a film about a murderous pair of designer jeans? If you\u2019re into absurd horror-comedy that takes aim at corporate greed and the drudgery of working in retail, 2020\u2019s Slaxx<\/strong> might be the movie for you.<\/p>\n

Marcella Ochoa (Writer of Madres)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sinners<\/strong> is my favorite movie of the year. I love how it blends genres and uses horror as a commentary on historical and cultural issues. Director Ryan Coogler and actor Michael B. Jordan are a winning combination, and the visuals, performances and music are beyond incredible. Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro\u2019s beautifully haunting 2001 ghost story The Devil\u2019s Backbone <\/strong>is one of my favorite films. It masterfully blends genres using supernatural elements to explore trauma and war. The original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre<\/strong> also is a great watch for Halloween with its intense claustrophobic feel, great cinematography and awesome sound design. And, of course, it\u2019s set in Texas!<\/p>\n

Bryan Ortiz (Director of Doctor S Battles the Sex Crazed Reefer Zombies: The Movie)<\/strong><\/p>\n

John Carpenter\u2019s The Fog<\/strong> from 1980 offers a perfect blend of eeriness and tension, making it one of the best cozy horror movies out there thanks to a slow-burn ghost story set in a misty coastal town. The haunting score combined with its minimalist horror creates a sense of unease that\u2019s more comforting than frightening. The 1997 film Event Horizon<\/strong> is a mind-bending, otherworldly nightmare that terrified me as a kid by blending sci-fi with pure cosmic horror. It\u2019s a terrifying journey into the unknown which delivers both psychological dread and visceral imagery. The 2024 film Cuckoo<\/strong> is a hypnotic dream that slithers between reality and nightmare, wrapped in an atmosphere thick with dread and mystery. Mix its haunting Alpine setting and unnerving soundscape for a movie that will deliver the ideal spooky mood for Halloween.<\/p>\n

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