For me, Vincent Price's voice alone has that quintessential 'cozy horror' energy to it. It makes me feel like I'm sitting in candlelit study on a rainy autumn afternoon, speaking with a therapist that I WANT to trust, but there's just something that fills me with dread instead. It's the perfect thing to get me in the October vibe. Aaaaaaanywho, thank you for so many recommendations of cozy horror to watch! :>
I am utterly surprised you didn't mention anything by John Carpenter. The amount of lived in atmospherics in each of his films, despite how wild they get is some of the most underrated aspects of his films. Examples I would point out include The Fog, Prince Of Darkness and Christine. *ESPECIALLY* Halloween.
Just caught The Fog for the first time last October, and it is EXTREMELY up my alley. Extremely atmospheric, a slow burn, but doesn't feel like it drags, and a shocking amount of likable characters! Quickly became one of my favorite spook-em-ups!
My senior year of HS I competed in public speaking, and before each tournament I would watch Wild And Untamed Thing to amp myself up - worked like a charm!
Not to yuck your yum but I am so vehemently anti rocky horror. It’s like Saltburn to me. Yes, I completely understand the point. The text wouldn’t stop screaming it at me, but it is still an awful piece of media. To each their own tho, but I’ll never claim it as important to my queer identity. 😂
@@BirdParsons I'm not queer, but I always saw it as celebrating campy old science fiction movies and also having fun songs/eccentric characters. The fact that it's iconic in your community just enhances it's cultural status.
Hopping on the Vincent Price horror hype train to recommend a hidden gem called The Tingler. At age thirteen, it broke my brain and I didn’t sleep well for weeks. I don’t want to ruin the plot, but the film asks: what if fear was a parasite that grew on your spine? And I’ll leave it at that. Thanks for the video!❤
I saw The Tingler on tv when I was a kid. Scared the shit out of me. Before I went to bed I had to shake out the bedclothes to make sure nothing was hiding in them.
I’m probably a weirdo, but I find the American version of The Ring to be very cozy. The rain-soaked grayish-green atmosphere of everything- that’s my vibe, and it’s nice to just wrap yourself in blankets on a cold day and watch. (And if I may go on a tangent for a bit related to what you said about sympathetic ghosts, I absolutely adore Sadako- she’s one of my favorite horror characters. She’s a young woman who was violated and silenced, and is now determined to make sure the entire world knows her story, punishing those who try to continue to silence her- she was really ahead of her time. And while Samara is admittedly a very different character from Sadako, she’s still a girl who was mistreated and is determined to be listened to; still a character who’s sympathetic despite how scary she is.)
OMG, you're so right about "The Ring". I oughta check when the next rainy day is, and watch it then. Maybe get some cocoa... And I agree about Sadako and Samara; despite what they do, it's easy to feel sorry for them... )-:
Another awesome video. My go-to cozy horror gem is El Orfanato (The Orphanage), a 2007 Spanish film with somber mystery, great colour work, and no cheap jumpscares -- and of course Guillermo del Toro had some input here and there. Another one for cozy horror I still love is The Others (2001); I think how dark and large the house is inside and how foggy it is outside touches on a similar vibe to Silent Hill. Nicole Kidman knocks it out of the park when you see how happy (and heartbroken) she is when /that/ character close to her shows up for a little bit.
Totally agree - two of my very favorite more recent horror films - the ideal balance of stylish horror with emotional power - I'd add The Babadook and The Witch to that list
You are so based for including The Wolf Man at the top of your Universal monster pics, Wolfman tends to get overshadowed next to the Dracula and Frankenstein films. I can confirm this movie has it's own sort of coziness to it that the other monster movies don't quite have, even thought he movie is all about the psychological and physical terror the werewolf inflicts upon Larry and the town. However, I'm a huge werewolf/wolf man fan, so I am very biased...
I watched universal movie monster movies for the first time last October due to them being available for streaming. Wolf man and The Invisible Man ended up surprisingly becoming my favorites.
Trick 'R Treat is so damn good. It's also one of the most unique anthology movies I've ever seen; the way it moves from story to story, and you even see characters in more then one segment... it's just really cool.
John carpenter's The Fog is my go to cozy horror. I love every shot of that movie. I love the cozy costal town and the locals. The opening scene around the camp fire at the beach with the old bloke telling his creepy ghost stories. The radio station in the lighthouse and Adrienne Barbeau's smoky voiced narration. Guh . I could watch it on a loop ❤ I need more movies like this in my life.
Another cozy one (that’s a mix of horror and comedy) is “Abbot and Costell meet Frankenstein.” (Also includes Dracula and Wolfman as played by their original actors). Highly recommend. It has those horror moments from classic monsters but also a comedy style that surprisingly still works for modern audiences.
My favourite family horror movies include the Goosebumps movies and Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit. They're just fun to watch. Also, as of right now, Agatha All Along has a fun spooky vibe to it. I know it hasn't finished yet, but it's definitely a good Halloween series to watch :)
CLUE!! lol despite the 20 miles Tim runs in that film, it's basically a cozy dinner party with murder - which might just be a subgenre lol and camp (which this film clearly is lmao) brings it back to cozy :)
We watch A Christmas Story every year for Christmas Eve. Last year I asked if we could do a double feature. Opened with the original Black Christmas. Mum wasn't very happy.
My go to cozy horror films in no particular order include: The Carnival of Souls, Coraline, American Werewolf in London, House of Wax (1953), The Haunting (1963), Fright Night, Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow and Hausu
I also really love the first Silent Hill movie. I find that to be a very cozy and brief watch. It was my introduction to the series, so maybe I'm biased. But I genuinely don't understand the hate or extreme criticism it gets at times. I think it's a great if not flawed movie at times. It's sincere to the source material despite the changes. I'm glad its gained a cult following in the past few years.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen it, but the only thing I don’t like about the Silent Hill movie is that Pyramid Head doesn’t make any sense as the manifestation of the towns guilt or the little girls ghosts wrath, Pyramid Head is very specifically the manifestation of James guilt and repressed memories *SPOILERS FOR A 20 YEAR OLD GAME* of killing his own wife. Though I do think the use of the nurses works.
The Changeling is my favorite horror movie of all time! It came out when i was 16 and I must have seen it in the theater half a dozen times. I have seen Let's Scare Jessica to death a couple of times. Very eerie and dreamlike. Have you seen Ghost Story? It has academic vibes and is cozy. I also find Krampus (2015) with Toni Collette quite cozy with all the baking, the Grandmother from the old country, and getting snowed in. I really enjoyed this video, new subscriber.
Speaking on Silent Hill. I think the 1st movie is actually quite underrated and well made. Definitly worthy of re-evaluation as time passes. Not an amazing adaptation, but a pretty darn good horror movie
I stayed up late and watched Let's Scare Jessica to Death alone in the basement back in the 70's when I was a kid. It scared Leslie to death!! It's one of my favorites. The 70s and 80s had the best horror movies!
The original Halloween for me. I really love the atmosphere in that movie, and the music is strangely soothing at times, specially love the shots whwre leaves are blowing. I really like Phsyco too, the contrast between the rainy night, and the cozy motel. Very well edited movie too.
10:44 Remember, that’s the *second* remake of Black Christmas you’re talking about. Lest we forget about the one from the 00s that was more or less a straight up remake with more Christmasy motifs added in
I find it strange how that one is strangely the least remembered version of Black Christmas. It's a perfectly serviceable remake, but it's not as controversial or as incredible to stand out in memory.
@@fisheyenomikoYeah but, it wasn’t a very misplaced social commentary on the inherent misogyny in most of those “sorority girls get slaughtered” slasher cheapies. If they wanted to remake a sorority girl massacre movie to make a point, then their were plenty of those movies from the 80’s to pick from, but Black Christmas was *_absolutely_* not one of them.
My favorite cozy horror film is Ghostwatch, it’s set in a normalized nostalgic broadcast, it’s British, it’s a slow burn. The presenters up until the end don’t take it too seriously, and just has the feel of telling a ghost story around the campfire. Everyone you know is there and it’s dark out but it doesn’t take away from the mythical unease that something’s lurking in the dark.
The Doctor Phibes films are underrated camp classics! Seeing him bury himself with his beloved wife (to the strains of "Over the Rainbow") is fabulous! 🌈
For me it resident evil, for the last 6 yrs every October I play and watch all things resident evil, it fills me with this cozy, comfortable feeling, the zombies, mutants, the gore, the campiness, just feels good around this time of year
The original Silent Hill movie is AMAZING. I don´t get why so many people dislike it. Translates the game perfectly and one of the best aspectc of it is the atmosphere. ...and yes, the second one dropped the ball BIG time. But at the very least we got a second one, with returning characters, that connected with the first and the ending was incredible. If anything, just for that it was worth it. And can´t wait for the new one!!!
One of my favorite cozy "horror" films is ParaNorman. It's in my top 5 favorite movies (I have a tattoo of it), and it's like a love letter to cheesy 80s horror movies. It's goofy and self-aware, and it also makes me cry every time I watch it, because I was a weird little kid obsessed with creepy stuff like Norman was. 10/10 I love it so much
Don't know if you have seen HEBGB TV, but it's an amazing low-budget anthology-esque movie that I absolutely love. It is so pure and filled with love of horror from a trio that have clearly been watching horror since they were children. It's completely nostalgic while being totally of it's time. If you haven't seen it, you absolutely should; you won't regret it.
My favorite “cozy” horror movie is The Blackcoat’s Daughter. Just because it’s quiet and subdued and has a cool vibe, and it makes me think of winter days with blankets and hot cocoa. I wouldn’t say it’s the best HALLOWEEN horror movie though. It’s more of a “dead of winter” movie. For a good Halloween pick, I’d maybe say the original Grudge, actually. It scared me real bad when I watched it, but it seems like a very fun Halloween watch.
It's a bit debatable if you can call it a horror film per say but I recently watched "Let the right one in" And found it quite cozy Loved the vibes of it and the relationship between oskar and eli felt sweet. Ginger snaps had a very cozy halloween vibe to it too I can definitely see myself re watching it every year around october.
I can definitely cozy up to Martyrs. It's one of my favorite movies. I'm the kind of guy who relaxes by thinking about rotting corpses disemboweling me, though.
"Hell House LLC". What can I say, I love me a good found footage movie. (-: "The Uninvited"... no, not the movie about the mutant cat. Or the move that's a remake of "A Tale of Two Sisters". Or--Jesus, how many completely unrelated movies are called "The Uninvited"? No, this one is a VASTLY underrated haunted house movie from the 40's. It's soooo good, y'all. I cannot recommend it enough!
Have you ever heard of a horror movie just called Popcorn (1991)? I look forward to watching it ever October. Not really scary but the aesthics are off the charts.
Your section on The Changeling made me think of the original adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s “The Haunting of Hill House” by Robert Wise. My brother and I watched it awhile ago and it was surprisingly cozy aside from the points where we went “WTF is that noise?” and the last ten or so minutes. The set is gorgeous and it’s nice to see the cast mostly just relaxing and chatting until things take a turn.
One of my favorites is Theatre of Blood where Vincent Price kills his critics according to Shakespearen plays and you have great British character actors as his victlms and the wonderful Diana Rigg.
Hey anthony! Just discovered your videos with this delightful essay - you are a less pretentious and, well, cozier James Sommerton - yet just as intelligent, witty and articulate - a real pleasure to discover your channel and looking forward to watching the Disney and Queer essays on here. Totally agree about the classic Universal monster films - best friends since childhood / love House on Haunted Hill and Dr Phibes - also his Poe films and House of Wax - the anarchic farce of Gremlins - the crazy ride that is lets scare jessica.... (not to mention Burnt Offerings) I would definitely add the following to your list, at least for me - i love the autumnal beauty and precise filmmaking of the original Halloween, the exquisite artistry of The Witch, the stratospheric high camp of The Old Dark House, the haunting power of Psycho and Vertigo (my favorite film of all time), the romantic sweep of The Uninvited. - And my two favorite horror films of all time - The innocents and the original The haunting. Of course, as a horror film fan there are so many others - So nice to find a kindred spirit HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
For family friendly cozy horror, I'd recommend The Little Vampire and Little Monsters. For a cozy horror game, The Evil Within 2. Other cozy horror films I love are: Take Shelter (though it's more of a drama, the nightmare scenes are genuinely frightening), Cemetery Man, Nightbreed, Phenomena, Psycho II and Let the Right One In.
I saw Let's Scare Jessica to Death recently as part of my watch of Carmilla film adaptations, and I love how unique it is. The original material is there, but it also does its own thing in such a strange and empathetic way. It's interesting for coming out in a time when there started to be a reclamation of the label of insanity, as with the Buddy Holly song "Rave On". Yes, the character's apparent insanity is used to create a disturbing atmosphere, but it in context of the empathetic framing allows for an opportunity to explore ideas contrasted with the accepted mores of society, like lesbian attraction and hippies.
I think I'll go to TV for my "cozy" horror recommendation. Chucky. Specifically season 1 (just for no other reason than I'm playing catch up; I'm working through season 2 & haven't seen season 3). But season 3 is just visually gorgeous. The exterior shots of Hackensack in the Fall. The visuals have this warm vibe, kinda boosted by the comedic elements
I have this challenge I've been doing for the last couple of years where I attempt to watch 31 horror films I've never seen before in October, so thank you for this video🙏 I've added a bunch of movies to my list
"Think of a film that makes you feel cozy" 'Brave little toaster' "What comes to mind? Blankets?" '...Technically, but one of the protagonists probably isn't what you mean there...' For cozy horror films for me? The Uncanny and _maybe_ American Werewolf in London are the ones that come closest to that vibe.
If you want a campy alternative to the Hammer Horrors, highly recommend Carry On Screaming. The Carry On franchise is a series of bawdy British comedies that have a real keen eye for genre tropes, but the camp horror is a favourite for me Hocus Pocus forever has my heart though EDIT: How could I forget the annual marathon of the Treehouse of Horror Simpsons episodes??
I'd throw in a recommendation for the Basque movie Errementari: the Devil and the Blacksmith. It's on Netflix, and it's the best Guillermo del Toro movie he didn't make. A wonderful dark fairy tale.
Oh, Let's Scare Jessica To Death is on my list of ones to track down! So neat to see it make the list here. Fright Night is one of my cozy movies. I mean, anything with vampires can be a comfort watch for me, but Fright Night is like a big, comforting hug. (but then, I'm a guy who has been known to put on old '70s and '80s horror movies to help me sleep easier when I've got insomnia, so my idea of cozy is also not everyone's)
Show of hands, who else saw the thumbnail & thought Cartoon Ant wasn't wearing pants (great suggestions to kick off with in Spooktober, thank you Ant ❤)
If you want a movie that scratches the same itch as Hocus Pocus, I recommend When Good Ghouls Go Bad. Very family friendly and has that Goosebumps production vibes. Also Christopher Lloyd
There is something about the small towns in a Stephen King that one makes me wish I lived in a small town at some point in my life and two they feel perfect for horror story.
I know video turn over is hard to manage but I'd love to see a video from you that talks about 'Over the Garden Wall'. I absolutely love it; my sister and I watch it every year.
I can't believe you mentioned Silent Hill but not the Silent Hill movie. I actually really enjoyed it and rewatch it sometimes. It's the kind of movie I'll show friends. I even like the second one, which actually does kind of feel cozy in it's cheapness.
Would you ever consider doing a longer video on Stephen King's IT? I'm asking because I don't think there's been a good video covering THAT SCENE people always talk about. I get why it's controversial, but it's also not written they way that people like Shapiro act it is. I'm not defending it, but I think it probably should be explored by someone who has actually read it rather than ppl like Shapiro.
To be fair to Stephen King, I think he even said he wouldn't write that scene today. He's never shied from being controversial with his horror, but not to the point of being a dick.
I'm not sure if this is exactly what you're looking for, but MertKayKay here on RUclips has a big IT video. She weaves the book, the TV movie, and the theatrical release together to analyze the story. She does talk about "that scene" and tries to contextualize it. I don't know if her video will go deep enough for you though, but you can try it?
For as violent and gruesome as it is, and it might be odd of me to say, but Terrifier 2 is that movie to me. Not only is it an independent movie, but it perfectly captures a cozy Halloween atmosphere with everything from the costume shop and trick-or-treating (rest in pieces Allie), to the climax taking place inside an abandoned haunt, the synth soundtrack by Paul Wiley, and even the practical blood and gore effects bring to mind all the ridiculously grisly sights you see during this time of year. I've seen the film so many times now that it's become familiar to me, and it's right up there with Halloween 2018 and Trick 'r Treat in my personal hierarchy of favorite films to watch during this holiday season.
As you requested for us to think of a cozy movie, I immediately uttered to myself: Cannibal Holocaust, Irreversible, Guinea Pig Series. This genius type commentary is what my friends would get to hear if we we're watchingthis together. But none of them are here so enjoy my humor in the comments 🤗. Come to think of it most of them barely ever come for a movie night anymore - I wonder if it's the bad jokes or the flicks I suggest 🤔.
My biggest take away from this video is that you'd love living in a haunted house in a spooky town 😂 haha, but for real, this was a great video! Bunch here I'll have to check out!
I absolutely feel this! There is a horror series that is my absolute comfort show i love watching every Halloween month. It's called Gregory horror show and It's all in first person. You, Or whoever the protagonist is, ends up in a hotel because their car dies. In the fog "you" are greeted by a rat named Gregory who admits you as a guest. And he, along with some of the other "guests" the you meet looks a lot like something out of Animal Crossing or Parappa the Rapper. It's a papercraft vibe in a way. But the more the show goes on, The more you find out about who the main character is. Somewhat. Not everything is revealed and that's on purpose. And it's downright psychological at times. One episode is about meeting a weird scale guy that asks you what seems like an obvious question, but he answers for you/the main protagonist. Another episode has the protagonist meet a lizard nurse who's... TOO into blood and injections... Yeah Katherine is weird. It is such a good horror series And it's very comforting in the way that it not only takes place in the first person so it's like you're there at times, but as dangerous and horrifying this hotel is, there's a part of you that kinda wants to stay. Edit: I didn't know why I misremembered Katherine's name as Cassandra. Whoops
Recently, I've read some Dutch children's books from my childhood, _Dolfje Weerwolfje_ (translated in English to "Alfie the Werewolf") by Paul van Loon (this guy writes a lot of horror-themed children's stories with a lot of humor). Now, I don't think these are _as_ scary as even Goosebumps, let alone more mature horror stories, but they ARE pretty cozy to me, and can even be suspenseful at times (where the characters can be in actual life-threatening danger), especially in early stories. Paul van Loon also wrote _De Griezelbus_ books; I haven't read those but supposedly these are anthology stories used as framing devices.
Imma be honest. You talking about jacob's ladder kinda upset up. The theme just depresses me more then making me feel cozy. But it is interesting hearing how it influenced Silent hill
Coraline is the ultimate cozy horror
That is definitely my go-to cozy movie once fall hits
For me, Vincent Price's voice alone has that quintessential 'cozy horror' energy to it. It makes me feel like I'm sitting in candlelit study on a rainy autumn afternoon, speaking with a therapist that I WANT to trust, but there's just something that fills me with dread instead. It's the perfect thing to get me in the October vibe. Aaaaaaanywho, thank you for so many recommendations of cozy horror to watch! :>
I am utterly surprised you didn't mention anything by John Carpenter. The amount of lived in atmospherics in each of his films, despite how wild they get is some of the most underrated aspects of his films.
Examples I would point out include The Fog, Prince Of Darkness and Christine. *ESPECIALLY* Halloween.
Just caught The Fog for the first time last October, and it is EXTREMELY up my alley. Extremely atmospheric, a slow burn, but doesn't feel like it drags, and a shocking amount of likable characters! Quickly became one of my favorite spook-em-ups!
My favorite is killer klowns from outer space, "what are ya doing with those pies, boys?"
Silver Bullet is one of my biggest comfort movies. Love that movie so much I named my Jeep after it.
I always watch The Rocky Horror Picture Show but I watch that movie every week 😂
My senior year of HS I competed in public speaking, and before each tournament I would watch Wild And Untamed Thing to amp myself up - worked like a charm!
Not to yuck your yum but I am so vehemently anti rocky horror. It’s like Saltburn to me. Yes, I completely understand the point. The text wouldn’t stop screaming it at me, but it is still an awful piece of media. To each their own tho, but I’ll never claim it as important to my queer identity. 😂
I've been watching that movie monthly since 1990 when it came out initially on VHS and now downloaded.
@@BirdParsons I'm not queer, but I always saw it as celebrating campy old science fiction movies and also having fun songs/eccentric characters. The fact that it's iconic in your community just enhances it's cultural status.
Hopping on the Vincent Price horror hype train to recommend a hidden gem called The Tingler. At age thirteen, it broke my brain and I didn’t sleep well for weeks. I don’t want to ruin the plot, but the film asks: what if fear was a parasite that grew on your spine? And I’ll leave it at that. Thanks for the video!❤
I love The Tingler! That's also a William Castle film, I believe, so the same director as House on Haunted Hill.
All of the William Castle films are a cozy good time...
Yeah tingler is the film that william castle installed buzzers into theatre seats for. You would literally feel the tingle:)
love it
I saw The Tingler on tv when I was a kid. Scared the shit out of me. Before I went to bed I had to shake out the bedclothes to make sure nothing was hiding in them.
I'm always overjoyed to see a Let's Scare Jessica to Death mention/rec, it's one of my favorites.
I’m probably a weirdo, but I find the American version of The Ring to be very cozy. The rain-soaked grayish-green atmosphere of everything- that’s my vibe, and it’s nice to just wrap yourself in blankets on a cold day and watch.
(And if I may go on a tangent for a bit related to what you said about sympathetic ghosts, I absolutely adore Sadako- she’s one of my favorite horror characters. She’s a young woman who was violated and silenced, and is now determined to make sure the entire world knows her story, punishing those who try to continue to silence her- she was really ahead of her time. And while Samara is admittedly a very different character from Sadako, she’s still a girl who was mistreated and is determined to be listened to; still a character who’s sympathetic despite how scary she is.)
OMG, you're so right about "The Ring". I oughta check when the next rainy day is, and watch it then. Maybe get some cocoa...
And I agree about Sadako and Samara; despite what they do, it's easy to feel sorry for them... )-:
@@fisheyenomiko I kinda want Sadako to adopt Samara as her little sister, and Kayako from The Grudge can be their mom. ^__^
Another awesome video. My go-to cozy horror gem is El Orfanato (The Orphanage), a 2007 Spanish film with somber mystery, great colour work, and no cheap jumpscares -- and of course Guillermo del Toro had some input here and there. Another one for cozy horror I still love is The Others (2001); I think how dark and large the house is inside and how foggy it is outside touches on a similar vibe to Silent Hill. Nicole Kidman knocks it out of the park when you see how happy (and heartbroken) she is when /that/ character close to her shows up for a little bit.
Good picks! I love those movies ❤
Totally agree - two of my very favorite more recent horror films - the ideal balance of stylish horror with emotional power - I'd add The Babadook and The Witch to that list
You are so based for including The Wolf Man at the top of your Universal monster pics, Wolfman tends to get overshadowed next to the Dracula and Frankenstein films. I can confirm this movie has it's own sort of coziness to it that the other monster movies don't quite have, even thought he movie is all about the psychological and physical terror the werewolf inflicts upon Larry and the town. However, I'm a huge werewolf/wolf man fan, so I am very biased...
I watched universal movie monster movies for the first time last October due to them being available for streaming. Wolf man and The Invisible Man ended up surprisingly becoming my favorites.
I think trick 'r treat is my cozy horror movie.
Watching it’s become a kinda Halloween tradition for me. It’s so perfect for the season
Trick R Treat IS Halloween for me.
Trick 'R Treat is so damn good. It's also one of the most unique anthology movies I've ever seen; the way it moves from story to story, and you even see characters in more then one segment... it's just really cool.
Definitely. It is now my number one go-to Halloween movie.
The greatest Halloween movie.
Glad to see Jacob's Ladder get some love. Genuinely underrated movie with some of the most unsettling imagery.
Sleepy Hollow with Johnny Depp is my favorite cozy movie. I highly recommend Vincent Price's cookbook too. I made the Harvey Girl pancakes last night.
John carpenter's The Fog is my go to cozy horror. I love every shot of that movie. I love the cozy costal town and the locals. The opening scene around the camp fire at the beach with the old bloke telling his creepy ghost stories. The radio station in the lighthouse and Adrienne Barbeau's smoky voiced narration. Guh . I could watch it on a loop ❤ I need more movies like this in my life.
I have anxiety issues but love horror and Halloween. So having these easy to digest options is great including some I haven't watched before
Another cozy one (that’s a mix of horror and comedy) is “Abbot and Costell meet Frankenstein.” (Also includes Dracula and Wolfman as played by their original actors). Highly recommend. It has those horror moments from classic monsters but also a comedy style that surprisingly still works for modern audiences.
The old 1990 IT films really hit the spot for me. They’re so campy and cheesy and I love them so much.
Trick r' Treat is my go-to, I watch it every Halloween the 1st to get in the holiday spirit
Man, remember those little ads that would show up to count down to Halloween? Just Sam causing some mischief inside other holidays? Those were great.
The Shining is one of my favorite King books. I read it after seeing the movie and I can't help sometimes note how the book works so much better.
My favourite family horror movies include the Goosebumps movies and Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit. They're just fun to watch.
Also, as of right now, Agatha All Along has a fun spooky vibe to it. I know it hasn't finished yet, but it's definitely a good Halloween series to watch :)
The Lakeview hotel is genuinely such a cozy location. It reminds me of the historical hotels that I would visit on occasion as a child.
CLUE!! lol despite the 20 miles Tim runs in that film, it's basically a cozy dinner party with murder - which might just be a subgenre lol and camp (which this film clearly is lmao) brings it back to cozy :)
In other words:
IT'S SPOOKY MONTH!!
🖐🏼😃🖐🏼
We watch A Christmas Story every year for Christmas Eve. Last year I asked if we could do a double feature. Opened with the original Black Christmas. Mum wasn't very happy.
Your double feature shared the same director: Bob Clark.
My go to cozy horror films in no particular order include: The Carnival of Souls, Coraline, American Werewolf in London, House of Wax (1953), The Haunting (1963), Fright Night, Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow and Hausu
Okay - the Vincent price cookbook?? While watching house on haunted hill? DATE NIGHT PERFECTION. 👻🍁🖤🍂🎃
I love Black Christmas, but I’m twisted, so I actually like to watch it around Christmas instead haha
I also really love the first Silent Hill movie. I find that to be a very cozy and brief watch. It was my introduction to the series, so maybe I'm biased. But I genuinely don't understand the hate or extreme criticism it gets at times. I think it's a great if not flawed movie at times. It's sincere to the source material despite the changes. I'm glad its gained a cult following in the past few years.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen it, but the only thing I don’t like about the Silent Hill movie is that Pyramid Head doesn’t make any sense as the manifestation of the towns guilt or the little girls ghosts wrath, Pyramid Head is very specifically the manifestation of James guilt and repressed memories *SPOILERS FOR A 20 YEAR OLD GAME*
of killing his own wife. Though I do think the use of the nurses works.
The Changeling is my favorite horror movie of all time! It came out when i was 16 and I must have seen it in the theater half a dozen times. I have seen Let's Scare Jessica to death a couple of times. Very eerie and dreamlike. Have you seen Ghost Story? It has academic vibes and is cozy. I also find Krampus (2015) with Toni Collette quite cozy with all the baking, the Grandmother from the old country, and getting snowed in. I really enjoyed this video, new subscriber.
I saw Ghost Story for the first time last year. I really loved its vibe
another fantastic essay by Ant. I so love your work on movie/TV analysis
IT'S THE TRUE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF YEAR!
IT'S SPOOKY SEASON! ALL HAIL THE GREAT PUMPKIN!
my comfort movies have always been horror movies. glad to know i was never alone in that.
Speaking on Silent Hill. I think the 1st movie is actually quite underrated and well made. Definitly worthy of re-evaluation as time passes. Not an amazing adaptation, but a pretty darn good horror movie
I stayed up late and watched Let's Scare Jessica to Death alone in the basement back in the 70's when I was a kid. It scared Leslie to death!! It's one of my favorites. The 70s and 80s had the best horror movies!
John Carpenter's The Fog! My absolute favorite COZY SPOOKY MOVIE!
The original Halloween for me.
I really love the atmosphere in that movie, and the music is strangely soothing at times, specially love the shots whwre leaves are blowing.
I really like Phsyco too, the contrast between the rainy night, and the cozy motel. Very well edited movie too.
10:44 Remember, that’s the *second* remake of Black Christmas you’re talking about. Lest we forget about the one from the 00s that was more or less a straight up remake with more Christmasy motifs added in
I find it strange how that one is strangely the least remembered version of Black Christmas. It's a perfectly serviceable remake, but it's not as controversial or as incredible to stand out in memory.
As soon as I heard they gave "Billy" a backstory, I was out. Like, way to miss the point, guys.
@@fisheyenomikoYeah but, it wasn’t a very misplaced social commentary on the inherent misogyny in most of those “sorority girls get slaughtered” slasher cheapies. If they wanted to remake a sorority girl massacre movie to make a point, then their were plenty of those movies from the 80’s to pick from, but Black Christmas was *_absolutely_* not one of them.
My favorite cozy horror film is Ghostwatch, it’s set in a normalized nostalgic broadcast, it’s British, it’s a slow burn. The presenters up until the end don’t take it too seriously, and just has the feel of telling a ghost story around the campfire. Everyone you know is there and it’s dark out but it doesn’t take away from the mythical unease that something’s lurking in the dark.
The Doctor Phibes films are underrated camp classics! Seeing him bury himself with his beloved wife (to the strains of "Over the Rainbow") is fabulous! 🌈
For me it resident evil, for the last 6 yrs every October I play and watch all things resident evil, it fills me with this cozy, comfortable feeling, the zombies, mutants, the gore, the campiness, just feels good around this time of year
The Changeling was the first horror movie I fell in love with. "How did you die?" Shivers!
Analog horror is incredibly cozy to me. Especially the funny bad ones like the boiled one
The original Silent Hill movie is AMAZING. I don´t get why so many people dislike it. Translates the game perfectly and one of the best aspectc of it is the atmosphere.
...and yes, the second one dropped the ball BIG time. But at the very least we got a second one, with returning characters, that connected with the first and the ending was incredible. If anything, just for that it was worth it.
And can´t wait for the new one!!!
One of my favorite cozy "horror" films is ParaNorman. It's in my top 5 favorite movies (I have a tattoo of it), and it's like a love letter to cheesy 80s horror movies. It's goofy and self-aware, and it also makes me cry every time I watch it, because I was a weird little kid obsessed with creepy stuff like Norman was. 10/10 I love it so much
Loved the video, can't wait to watch some of these for Halloween
Anything with Vincent Price is 1000% cozy!
Don't know if you have seen HEBGB TV, but it's an amazing low-budget anthology-esque movie that I absolutely love. It is so pure and filled with love of horror from a trio that have clearly been watching horror since they were children. It's completely nostalgic while being totally of it's time. If you haven't seen it, you absolutely should; you won't regret it.
The original Halloween is my go to cozy spooky season movie. I look forward to watching it again every year!
My go-to is Halloween 3.
Romero's Dawn of The Dead sorta feels cozy with the settling in the Mall for me
YES! A video about the best time of the year.
My favorite “cozy” horror movie is The Blackcoat’s Daughter. Just because it’s quiet and subdued and has a cool vibe, and it makes me think of winter days with blankets and hot cocoa. I wouldn’t say it’s the best HALLOWEEN horror movie though. It’s more of a “dead of winter” movie. For a good Halloween pick, I’d maybe say the original Grudge, actually. It scared me real bad when I watched it, but it seems like a very fun Halloween watch.
Wolfman is my favorite of all time with Lon Chaney Jr.😊❤
For me, I would add 'Hubie Halloween' to the comedy movie section.
Definitely a cheesy movie, but its cozy.
It's a bit debatable if you can call it a horror film per say but I recently watched "Let the right one in" And found it quite cozy Loved the vibes of it and the relationship between oskar and eli felt sweet.
Ginger snaps had a very cozy halloween vibe to it too I can definitely see myself re watching it every year around october.
That’s exactly the vibe of movies I was looking for ❤ ty so much 👏🏼
I can definitely cozy up to Martyrs. It's one of my favorite movies. I'm the kind of guy who relaxes by thinking about rotting corpses disemboweling me, though.
"Hell House LLC". What can I say, I love me a good found footage movie. (-:
"The Uninvited"... no, not the movie about the mutant cat. Or the move that's a remake of "A Tale of Two Sisters". Or--Jesus, how many completely unrelated movies are called "The Uninvited"? No, this one is a VASTLY underrated haunted house movie from the 40's. It's soooo good, y'all. I cannot recommend it enough!
Murder Party is one of my main cozy ones for October. It has such late 2000's charm. Also Beyond The Gates is another cozy classic!
Have you ever heard of a horror movie just called Popcorn (1991)?
I look forward to watching it ever October. Not really scary but the aesthics are off the charts.
"Its longer than you think" jumpscared me with emisis blue
Your section on The Changeling made me think of the original adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s “The Haunting of Hill House” by Robert Wise. My brother and I watched it awhile ago and it was surprisingly cozy aside from the points where we went “WTF is that noise?” and the last ten or so minutes.
The set is gorgeous and it’s nice to see the cast mostly just relaxing and chatting until things take a turn.
One of my favorites is Theatre of Blood where Vincent Price kills his critics according to Shakespearen plays and you have great British character actors as his victlms and the wonderful Diana Rigg.
Hey anthony! Just discovered your videos with this delightful essay - you are a less pretentious and, well, cozier James Sommerton - yet just as intelligent, witty and articulate - a real pleasure to discover your channel and looking forward to watching the Disney and Queer essays on here.
Totally agree about the classic Universal monster films - best friends since childhood / love House on Haunted Hill and Dr Phibes - also his Poe films and House of Wax - the anarchic farce of Gremlins - the crazy ride that is lets scare jessica.... (not to mention Burnt Offerings)
I would definitely add the following to your list, at least for me - i love the autumnal beauty and precise filmmaking of the original Halloween, the exquisite artistry of The Witch, the stratospheric high camp of The Old Dark House, the haunting power of Psycho and Vertigo (my favorite film of all time), the romantic sweep of The Uninvited. -
And my two favorite horror films of all time - The innocents and the original The haunting.
Of course, as a horror film fan there are so many others -
So nice to find a kindred spirit
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
There's one Hammer film that feels super cozy to me:
Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter
It's fun and has some interesting vampire lore.
I'd say sleepy hollow and the fall of the house of usher are pretty cozy
La Morte Vivante by Jean Rollin is my comfort movie
For family friendly cozy horror, I'd recommend The Little Vampire and Little Monsters. For a cozy horror game, The Evil Within 2. Other cozy horror films I love are: Take Shelter (though it's more of a drama, the nightmare scenes are genuinely frightening), Cemetery Man, Nightbreed, Phenomena, Psycho II and Let the Right One In.
The scream franchise makes me feel cozy all of the movies also the reboot of Halloween
Two of my favorite cozy horror movies are "Night of the Comet" and Dario Argento's "Phenomenon"
I saw Let's Scare Jessica to Death recently as part of my watch of Carmilla film adaptations, and I love how unique it is. The original material is there, but it also does its own thing in such a strange and empathetic way. It's interesting for coming out in a time when there started to be a reclamation of the label of insanity, as with the Buddy Holly song "Rave On". Yes, the character's apparent insanity is used to create a disturbing atmosphere, but it in context of the empathetic framing allows for an opportunity to explore ideas contrasted with the accepted mores of society, like lesbian attraction and hippies.
I think I'll go to TV for my "cozy" horror recommendation. Chucky. Specifically season 1 (just for no other reason than I'm playing catch up; I'm working through season 2 & haven't seen season 3). But season 3 is just visually gorgeous. The exterior shots of Hackensack in the Fall. The visuals have this warm vibe, kinda boosted by the comedic elements
I have this challenge I've been doing for the last couple of years where I attempt to watch 31 horror films I've never seen before in October, so thank you for this video🙏 I've added a bunch of movies to my list
Love Vincent Price in anything 😊❤
"Think of a film that makes you feel cozy" 'Brave little toaster' "What comes to mind? Blankets?" '...Technically, but one of the protagonists probably isn't what you mean there...'
For cozy horror films for me? The Uncanny and _maybe_ American Werewolf in London are the ones that come closest to that vibe.
If you want a campy alternative to the Hammer Horrors, highly recommend Carry On Screaming. The Carry On franchise is a series of bawdy British comedies that have a real keen eye for genre tropes, but the camp horror is a favourite for me
Hocus Pocus forever has my heart though
EDIT: How could I forget the annual marathon of the Treehouse of Horror Simpsons episodes??
This is a nice amuse-bouche before "Schlocktober" and "Longbox Of The Damned."
I'd throw in a recommendation for the Basque movie Errementari: the Devil and the Blacksmith. It's on Netflix, and it's the best Guillermo del Toro movie he didn't make. A wonderful dark fairy tale.
I got to the end and was like "I wonder if it'll be Let's Scare Jessica to...... yep thats what it is"
love ur stuff Anthony but let’s hold off on the Christmas horror recs til the Christmas season, Christmas creep doesn’t make me cozy lol
Oh, Let's Scare Jessica To Death is on my list of ones to track down! So neat to see it make the list here.
Fright Night is one of my cozy movies. I mean, anything with vampires can be a comfort watch for me, but Fright Night is like a big, comforting hug.
(but then, I'm a guy who has been known to put on old '70s and '80s horror movies to help me sleep easier when I've got insomnia, so my idea of cozy is also not everyone's)
Show of hands, who else saw the thumbnail & thought Cartoon Ant wasn't wearing pants
(great suggestions to kick off with in Spooktober, thank you Ant ❤)
If you want a movie that scratches the same itch as Hocus Pocus, I recommend When Good Ghouls Go Bad. Very family friendly and has that Goosebumps production vibes. Also Christopher Lloyd
There is something about the small towns in a Stephen King that one makes me wish I lived in a small town at some point in my life and two they feel perfect for horror story.
I know video turn over is hard to manage but I'd love to see a video from you that talks about 'Over the Garden Wall'. I absolutely love it; my sister and I watch it every year.
I can't believe you mentioned Silent Hill but not the Silent Hill movie. I actually really enjoyed it and rewatch it sometimes. It's the kind of movie I'll show friends. I even like the second one, which actually does kind of feel cozy in it's cheapness.
Would you ever consider doing a longer video on Stephen King's IT? I'm asking because I don't think there's been a good video covering THAT SCENE people always talk about. I get why it's controversial, but it's also not written they way that people like Shapiro act it is. I'm not defending it, but I think it probably should be explored by someone who has actually read it rather than ppl like Shapiro.
To be fair to Stephen King, I think he even said he wouldn't write that scene today. He's never shied from being controversial with his horror, but not to the point of being a dick.
I'm not sure if this is exactly what you're looking for, but MertKayKay here on RUclips has a big IT video. She weaves the book, the TV movie, and the theatrical release together to analyze the story. She does talk about "that scene" and tries to contextualize it. I don't know if her video will go deep enough for you though, but you can try it?
For as violent and gruesome as it is, and it might be odd of me to say, but Terrifier 2 is that movie to me. Not only is it an independent movie, but it perfectly captures a cozy Halloween atmosphere with everything from the costume shop and trick-or-treating (rest in pieces Allie), to the climax taking place inside an abandoned haunt, the synth soundtrack by Paul Wiley, and even the practical blood and gore effects bring to mind all the ridiculously grisly sights you see during this time of year. I've seen the film so many times now that it's become familiar to me, and it's right up there with Halloween 2018 and Trick 'r Treat in my personal hierarchy of favorite films to watch during this holiday season.
I love Pet Sematary 1989. Trying to buy the novel, but right now I'm reading Christine.
As you requested for us to think of a cozy movie, I immediately uttered to myself: Cannibal Holocaust, Irreversible, Guinea Pig Series.
This genius type commentary is what my friends would get to hear if we we're watchingthis together. But none of them are here so enjoy my humor in the comments 🤗. Come to think of it most of them barely ever come for a movie night anymore - I wonder if it's the bad jokes or the flicks I suggest 🤔.
My biggest take away from this video is that you'd love living in a haunted house in a spooky town 😂 haha, but for real, this was a great video! Bunch here I'll have to check out!
I love your videos man. Keep up the good work.
I absolutely feel this! There is a horror series that is my absolute comfort show i love watching every Halloween month.
It's called Gregory horror show and It's all in first person. You, Or whoever the protagonist is, ends up in a hotel because their car dies. In the fog "you" are greeted by a rat named Gregory who admits you as a guest. And he, along with some of the other "guests" the you meet looks a lot like something out of Animal Crossing or Parappa the Rapper. It's a papercraft vibe in a way.
But the more the show goes on, The more you find out about who the main character is. Somewhat. Not everything is revealed and that's on purpose. And it's downright psychological at times. One episode is about meeting a weird scale guy that asks you what seems like an obvious question, but he answers for you/the main protagonist. Another episode has the protagonist meet a lizard nurse who's... TOO into blood and injections... Yeah Katherine is weird.
It is such a good horror series And it's very comforting in the way that it not only takes place in the first person so it's like you're there at times, but as dangerous and horrifying this hotel is, there's a part of you that kinda wants to stay.
Edit: I didn't know why I misremembered Katherine's name as Cassandra. Whoops
Recently, I've read some Dutch children's books from my childhood, _Dolfje Weerwolfje_ (translated in English to "Alfie the Werewolf") by Paul van Loon (this guy writes a lot of horror-themed children's stories with a lot of humor). Now, I don't think these are _as_ scary as even Goosebumps, let alone more mature horror stories, but they ARE pretty cozy to me, and can even be suspenseful at times (where the characters can be in actual life-threatening danger), especially in early stories. Paul van Loon also wrote _De Griezelbus_ books; I haven't read those but supposedly these are anthology stories used as framing devices.
Imma be honest. You talking about jacob's ladder kinda upset up. The theme just depresses me more then making me feel cozy. But it is interesting hearing how it influenced Silent hill
I took the jacobs ladder as the moment before death , not as purgatory.. could be wrong but it makes more sense and is more disturbing than purgatory
That’s how I interpreted it as well, not purgatory!
I find this video very cozy
Atmospheric movies rock.
I love the original King King from 1933 to watch on Halloween