Thirteen Spooky Films You Must Watch in Surround Sound

It’s that time of year: some people call it Pumpkin Spice Season, while traditionalists prefer “Autumn.” The truth is, this is the season when humans feel the mysterious impulse to dim the lights and watch movies and shows that scare them into a cold sweat. But what could make this time of terror even better?

You guessed it: cinematic surround sound, courtesy of Platin.

We’ve put together our list of thirteen suspenseful stories with soundscapes you can count on to give you that feeling of being right alongside the hapless, horribly doomed protagonists as they shudder and shake for dear life. Get ready to experience breath-holding, pillow-hugging, popcorn-flinging thrills that will keep your anxiety perfectly peaked all month long.

A Quiet Place (2018)

Streaming on Hulu

Of course, this one would be first. A genre shift from one of entertainment’s finest funnymen, John Krasinski, A Quiet Place follows the Abbott family’s experience surviving against horrific creatures that prey on anything making a sound. The contrasting moments of eerie silence against loud, frantic pursuit make this movie a great one to experience with the volume turned up. Its sequel, A Quiet Place 2, is not yet available on streaming services.

The Babadook (2014)

Available to stream with Amazon Prime

This masterpiece about a widowed mother and her son being tormented by a monster is much more than it appears, owing to a heartfelt story and plenty of beneath-the-surface symbolism. The Babadook is something more than a monster, seemingly fueled by denial and other hallmarks of human grief. Meanwhile, the Dolby surround sound is layered with creepy effects and atmospheric activity that will envelop you in unease.

Candyman (1992)

Watch free on Tubi or rent/buy on Amazon, Google, Apple TV, or YouTube

If the recent sequel caught your eye when it was released in August, then take a step back and experience the original. Widely considered a contemporary classic of the horror genre, this movie will have you biting your nails as the protagonists struggle against the film’s titular urban legend, and against their own perception of what is real.

The Conjuring (2013)

Streaming on Netflix and HBO Max

This supernatural horror flick stars Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren, called to investigate a series of strange and grisly phenomena around a Rhode Island farmhouse in 1971. The vengeful spirit occupying the house grow more aggressive throughout the film, attacking on a physical and spiritual level. Give this haunt some space in your home, and feel the presence of evil on all sides.

Alien (1979)

Rent/buy on Amazon, Google, or Apple TV

Claustrophobics need not apply to the crew of the Nostromo, which carried then-newcomer to film Sigourney Weaver on her role as Ripley, one of the most iconic protagonists to grace the history of cinema. Every shot in the film is exquisitely cramped, creating a tense environment that only gets worse with the addition of…well, the title gives that away.  Even if you’ve never seen the full movie, you’re probably familiar with the famous chest-bursting scene that’s been parodied and memed in countless ways.

Pandorum (2009)

Watch free on Tubi or rent/buy on Amazon, Google, Apple TV, or YouTube

You’ll see direct cues taken from Alien in this more modern take on the sci-fi/action/horror cocktail that flips the formula: rather than a ship subject to invasion, this movie has the crew awaken to an invasion that seems complete. The barely-functional ship is dark, crowded, and populated by hostile creatures of unknown origin. The creaking metal-on-metal environment begs to be put in surround speakers, keeping you guessing at where the next danger will emerge.

The Ring (2002) and/or Ringu (1998)

Streaming on Hulu (The Ring) or watch free on Tubi (Ringu)

Lauded as one of the best horror films of the early millennium, The Ring is a remake of the Japanese film Ringu. Both films rely very little on gore, and more on eerie visuals and the unsettling fear that comes from inevitability. A curse carried through a VHS tape might seem dated now, but maybe obsolete technology can serve the same purpose as an ancient artifact, lending more credibility to the story? You’ll have to watch yourself to decide.

Poltergeist (1982)

Streaming on HBO Max

If you still feel too relaxed in the room with your TV by this point, then maybe this will change that. A quintessential haunted house film, this Spielberg story has plenty of jump scares to keep your heart rate on the fritz. If you’ve been a fan of Stranger Things, you’ll recognize plenty of inspirations drawn from this film. The practical and post-production special effects definitely hold up well, even after almost 40 years. Talk about scary, has it really been that long since ‘82?

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

Streaming on Hulu and Amazon Prime

This film revived the found-footage genre, paving the way for other films like Paranormal Activity and Cloverfield, and at its release, it embraced an immersive meta-marketing strategy by listing its cast members as “deceased” and staging several mock police interviews to lend credibility to its legend. It remains one of the most successful independent films of all time.

The Lighthouse (2019)

Available to stream on Amazon Prime

Reviewers and critics struggled to define this film’s genre, as “horror” or “psychological thriller” both seem too simple a box to put it in. A hidden gem from A24, the studio behind The Witch, Midsommar, Hereditary, and recently The Green Knight, this essentially two-man film between Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe received overwhelmingly positive responses from critics and viewers alike, and has an 83/100 on Metacritic, a.k.a. “Universal Acclaim.”

Berberian Sound Studio (2012)

Available to stream on Amazon Prime

A scary movie about making sound for scary movies? Sounds like they hit the nail on the head for Platin at Halloween. This small-release British film was named #5 among Sight & Sound magazine’s best films of 2012. The plot follows Gilderoy, a British sound designer hired by an Italian filmmaker to provide sound and Foley effects for a giallo (i.e. Italian for “pulp”) film. From there, we get an intense look behind the scenes of the film-within-a-film, as we explore the dysfunction of is production and of Gilderoy’s own psyche.

Slither (2016)

Watch free on Tubi, or available to stream through Amazon Prime

Nothing much happens in the town of Wheelsy, until evil slips in and sheriff Bill Pardy (Nathan Fillion) has to investigate mutilated livestock and a missing person, leading to the discovery of a gruesome alien life form out to devour the world. This genre-defying horror-comedy-parody-tribute affectionately rips off at least a dozen ’80s B-movies, and does so with plenty of panache. A box office flop, panned by critics, Slither enjoys an enthusiastic cult following, and the more “Night of the Living…Whatever” films you’ve seen, the more this movie is made especially for you.

The Halloween Franchise (1978 onward)

Available to stream with Amazon Prime

Just like death by kitchen knife, this eventual presence on our list was…inevitable. Michael Myers is without question the spookiest thing to ever wear a jumpsuit, and his reign of terror now stands at 11 films and counting. The original killer who stalks at a slow walk and stops for nothing, the white-masked invincible slasher personifies what it is to be completely out of one’s depth. So dim the lights and huddle up with somebody, because you don’t want to be alone for this one.