Depending upon the availability of the movie, links are either for purchase (those support me and independent bookstores when linked to Bookshop, thank you) or Letterboxd. The movies based upon novels are noted and also linked, but of course.
These two episodes have been reuploaded to the feed, and are available wherever you catch your podcasts, or ad-free for subscribers here on Substack: Part 1 and Part 2. Working on part 3 right now!
So here’s the list; join me and listen for all the gore-free spooky details, so you can enjoy this Halloween season without all the Things You Wish You Hadn’t Seen.
1408 (2007), the first Stephen King on the list–original story from the collection Everything’s Eventual: 14 Dark Tales
Abandon (2002), directed by Stephen Gaghan, based upon the novel Adam’s Fall by Sean Desmond
The Awakening (2011), directed by Nick Murphy
The Bad Seed (1956), directed by Mervyn LeRoy/The Bad Seed (1985), directed by Paul Wendkos, based upon William March's novel of the same name
The Blair Witch Project plus the short Curse of the Blair Witch (1999)
The Changeling (1980), with the amazing George C. Scott
Clue (1985), directed by Jonathan Lynn
The Craft (1996), directed by Andrew Fleming
A Dark Song (2016), directed by Liam Gavin
Dark Water: both the original (2002), directed by Ringu and Ringu 2 director Hideo Nakata, and the American remake (2005) with Jennifer Connolly; based upon the short story Floating Water (浮遊する水; Fuyū Suru Mizu from the collection From the Depths of Dark Water Honogurai mizu no soko kara (Kanji: 仄暗い水の底から) by Koji Suzuki
Don't Leave Home (2018), directed by Michael Tully
Edward Scissorhands (1990), directed by Tim Burton
The Endless (2017), directed by Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson
Flatliners (1990), directed by Joel Schumacher
Frailty (2001), directed by Bill Paxton
The Good Son (1993), script written by novelist Ian McEwan (famous for Atonement)
Gone Girl (2014), directed by David Fincher, based upon Gillian Flynn's novel of the same name
Gossip (2000), directed by Davis Guggenheim
Gretel & Hansel (2020), directed by Oz Perkins
The Haunting (1963), based upon Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House
Horror in the High Desert (2018), directed by Dutch Marich
House on Haunted Hill (1959), directed by William Castle
The Houses October Built (2014)—this is a remake of the 2011 original by the same filmmakers, I have not seen the original. This is one of those movies that you will finish watching and swear it was gory. I promise you—no gore. None.
The Innkeepers (2011), directed by Ti West
Insomnia (2002), directed by Christopher Nolan
It Follows (2014)—warning for the opening scene, as with others in this movie, the violence happens off-screen, but the result is grotesque
Jessabelle (2014)—warning for one dead goat carcass shown
Lake Mungo (2008), directed by Joel Anderson
The Lodgers (2017), directed by Brian O’Malley
Marrowbone (2017), directed by Sergio G. Sánchez
New Best Friend (2002), directed by Zoe Clarke-Williams
Paperhouse (1990), based upon the young adult novel Marianne Dreams, by Catherine Storr
Paranormal Activity 2 (2010), directed by Tod Williams
Paranormal Activity 3 (2011), directed by Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman
Paranormal Activity 4 (2012), directed by Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman
Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension (2015), directed by Gregory Plotkin
Return to Oz (1985), based upon the second, third and fourth books in the Oz series: The Marvelous Land of Oz, Ozma of Oz, and Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz
Rose Red (2002), lookee, Stephen King again
Rosemary’s Baby (1968), based upon the novel by Ira Levin
Run (2020), directed by Aneesh Chaganty
Searching (2018), directed by Aneesh Chaganty
Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983), based upon the novel by Ray Bradbury
Spider Baby (1967), directed by Jack Hill
Storm of the Century (1999), and there’s the second Stephen King (screenplay)
Summer of Fear, sometimes also known as Stranger in Our House (1978), based upon the young adult novel by Lois Duncan
Veronica (2017), directed by Paco Plaza
Wait Until Dark (1967), directed by Terence Young
We Have Always Lived in the Castle (2018), directed by Stacie Passon, based upon Shirley Jackson's novel of the same name
What Lies Beneath (2000), with Harrison Ford and Michelle Pffiefer
The Wicker Man (1973), directed by Robin Hardy—warning for nudity
Willow Creek (2013), directed by Bobcat Goldthwait
Winchester (2018), directed by Michael Spierig, Peter Spierig
The Witch (2016), warning for one brief breastfeeding scene involving blood, lasts seconds
The Woman in Black (2012), based upon the novel by Susan Hill of the same name
(The images are from Return to Oz (top) and Run.)
New Part 3 episode coming pronto! Happy spooky season!
Would you count Session 9 in the same category? I always come back to that for its creepy vibes.
Created Letterboxd list for this series: https://letterboxd.com/claradox/list/boo-without-goo-scary-movies-for-the-squeamish