31 horror films you need to watch this October

The Fly (1986)

The Plot

Eccentric genius Seth Brundle invents human teleportation, but during the first test, an unassuming housefly slips into the telepod with him just before he’s dematerialized. At first, he doesn’t even realize what had happened; but as he discovers amazing new physical abilities followed by changes in his mind and behavior, Seth starts to suspect that something in the process has gone wrong. It’s only when bristly black hairs begin to sprout from his back and his fingernails start to fall out that Seth realizes exactly how wrong it went.

What really makes this movie effective is watching Seth’s slow deterioration; what it lacks in eerie atmosphere it makes up for in sheer visual panache, with effects that still look great over thirty years later.

The Breakdown

I’ll lead with the most important thing: this movie contains Jeff Goldblum. Now, if for some reason that isn’t enough to make you automatically watch it, fear not; it also features fantastically gruesome practical effects and a great sci-fi concept that slowly morphs into body horror so effective it will make your skin crawl. But that’s okay, because much worse things can happen to your skin, as The Fly is adept at demonstrating.

The Scare Factor

If you love practical effects, 80s movies, and body horror, this movie will be a slam dunk. If you love Jeff Goldblum—well, what am I saying. Of course, you do. The fact is, this movie will probably gross you out, and also serves as a compelling cautionary tale: anti-self-experimentation, and pro-bug screens.