Classic, Camp, Crap: 17 Texas Horror Movies To Watch This October
When it comes to horror, there are few places quite as scary as Texas. Here are 17 horror movies based in Texas to watch just in time for Halloween.
House of 1000 Corpses
Yes, the one that started it all in Rob Zombie's trifecta of terror featuring a deranged family that has a certain affinity for the occult, dirty jokes, and murder.
The film is set in Texas, as four teens on a cross country road trip find themselves at the mercy of the psychotic Firefly family on Halloween. It features Chris Hardwick, who hosted AMC's Talking Dead and a game show for Comedy Central called @Midnight. A pre-The Office Rainn Wilson is also in the movie. This is Rainn before Dwight Schrute.
The Devil's Rejects
The second installment in Rob Zombie's trilogy de Firefly, and honestly it's probably his best film to date. It follows the same family from the first film as they continue to maim and terrorize.
What this film does differently than its predecessor is that at the start of the film, Rob doubles down on just how evil this family is. By the end, Zombie has somehow found a way of almost making you root for the psychos.
Definitely worth a watch.
3 From Hell
The final piece of Rob Zombie's Firefly trilogy. While definitely not any where near the caliber of film that "Rejects" is, if you've seen the other two movies then you might as well cue this one up and get it out of the way.
It's campy and fun at times. At other times it feels like it drags and gets a bit boring. While the other two films seem to be constant frantic storytelling, this one lets off the gas too much at times.
Still, it's worth seeing how it all ends for the Firefly family.
Death Proof
I'm a big fan of Quentin Tarantino, and I love the fact that I can add one of his films to this list. This film is an homage to the car chase films of the 60s and 70s. The film revolves around a psychotic stuntman who likes to stalk pretty women, and then murder them with his "death proof" cars.
It was actually filmed in Texas; partially in Austin. It stars Kurt Russell as the murderous stuntman.
Planet Terror
The second entry in the Grindhouse double feature made by Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez. This is Robert's entry, and it is a campy, over-the-top zombie slaughter fest.
It is set in Texas, and features Rose McGowan as the go-go dancer who winds up with an assault rifle for a leg. Lots of action, lots of gore, lots of zombie Bruce Willis and definitely worth watching.
Rest Stop: Don't Look Back
Argyle, Texas gets a little love in this hot mess of a ghost fueled car chase film. Reviews aren't particularly kind to movie. It's a jumbled mess of shock, schlock, and Winnebago.
The Bad Batch
Cannibals, drugs, dystopia, Keanu Reeves, and Jim Carrey; that's what you have to look forward to with this one. Set in a dystopian future, the story follows a woman who is exiled to the desert outside of Texas where she battles cannibals and Keanu Reeves.
It can be a bit slow moving at times, but you have me at cannibals and Keanu Reeves. What's not to enjoy?
Bubba Ho-Tep
There are two things that make this movie an instant watch. One is Bruce Campbell. The other is Bruce Campbell.
This one is set in a nursing home in East Texas where two residents find themselves battling an ancient evil. That ancient evil is a really nasty mummy, Bubba Ho-Tep.
Bruce Campbell plays an aged Elvis, who was in a coma after a hip gyrating accident. Elvis teams up with JFK in the nursing home to take on Bubba Ho-Tep and save the day.
This one is a must watch.
From Dusk Till Dawn
Another entry from the dynamic duo of Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez, this classic gem of all out chaos revolves around two brothers, a kidnapped family, vampires, and Selma Hayek dancing with a snake.
Two brothers, played by George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino, rob a bank and take off to the Mexico border. Along the way they kidnap a family, and wind up taking refuge at a topless bar. They find out the hard way that the topless bar is home to a gang of vampires.
Definitely worth a watch for the over-the-top action you can only get from Robert Rodriguez, and for the scene with Selma and her snake.
The sequel is From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money, and features more over-the-top vampire action.
Race With The Devil
RVs, rural Texas, Satanic cult sacrifice and motocross are what you'll find in this film from 1975 starring none other than Peter Fonda. Definitely worth a watch for the most entertaining car chase scene involving an RV and a tow truck that you'll ever see.
Also, bonus points go to this film for the weaponized rattlesnakes.
The Swarm
It's been hailed as the worst movie ever made, which is a little too harsh but not far off the mark. This is a disaster film from the time when disaster films were all the rage. The real disaster with this film, is the film itself.
It doesn't really stand a chance from the start. Instead of a massive super volcano or world ending earthquake, the disaster that humanity is forced to face is a massive swarm of bees...killer bees.
Set in Texas, this one is worth checking out only if you get a kick out of awful movies.
Manos: The Hands of Fate
Not even sure where to begin with this one. If polygamy and human sacrifice sound like a good time, then you're in the right place.
This independent film is set in Texas, and once again a vacationing family finds themselves taking a wrong turn. They wind up stuck at a "lodge" with a polygamous cult that intends on using the family as a sacrifice.
This one is awful. It's hard to get through. Even the trailer is tough to get through.
Bonus points to our villain for being able to have that many wives with that mustache. Also, bonus points to MST3K for giving us all a reason to sit through this one.
The Town That Dreaded Sundown
If you're looking for a flim that's based on a true story, then this is the one for you. This 1976 film is loosely based on the Texarkana Moonlight Murders in 1946 that were attributed to the Phantom Killer.
The real killer was never caught, nor identified.
Anything With Texas Chainsaw In The Title
Just put the words "Texas Chainsaw" into a Google search and get to watching. There's more of them than there really should be. There's new generations, reboots, revivals, sequels to sequels...there's a lot.
It's fair considering how iconic the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie is. It set the bar for independent horror films at the time. Leatherface is a staple of every single haunted house I've ever been too. There's always some wild haired yokel with a chain-less chainsaw scaring the kids.
Silent Rage
It's 1982 and you need a sheriff to take on a mentally deranged killer who has been brought back to life and given super powers. Who do you get for the job? Chuck Norris, that's who.
This film is set in a small town in Texas where some scientists make the obviously bad decision to bring a dead killer back to life. The methods they use give the killer super powers, and the only way to beat him is by hiring Chuck Norris to karate kick the bad guy to death.
All The Boys Love Mandy Lane
Classic, campy, schlocky setup of Texas teens heading out to a ranch for a little getaway only to be harassed by a merciless killer once they get there. Reviews have called the film lazy. It stars Austin, Texas native Amber Heard.
Frailty
Hands down one of my favorites. The story revolves around a dad and his two sons. Dad gets a message from God one night. Apparently God needs dad to go out and murder some demons. The catch is that they're disguised as ordinary people.
There are a lot of twists and turns in this one, and it's definitely worth a watch.