Top 5 Horror Movies to Watch in Surround Sound

Top 5 Horror Movies to Watch in Surround Sound

Share

It’s Halloween! Are you planning on dressing up to go trick or treating? How about visiting that creepy, abandoned Victorian at the end of your block, or contacting departed spirits via Ouija Board? Perhaps that’s a bit too spooky…If you’re looking for a fright this Halloween, look no further than your own living room! Here is our list of the top 5 horror movies to watch in surround sound this Halloween!

 

5)  The Grudge

The 2004 American remake of the Japanese film Ju-on: The Grudge was a box office smash. The Grudge is a curse that is born when someone dies in the grip of extreme rage (or sorrow), materializing, and killing those in it’s path. Therefore, the Grudge is constantly being reborn, passing from victim to victim in an endless train of terror. The Grudge makes a clicking/gurgling sound when on the prowl, and your surround sound system will pick up every chilling note. Not to mention, the piercing, high-pitched noises that pervade the soundtrack, as well as all the banging and crashing that goes hand in hand with fighting off an unstoppable force of evil.

 

4) The Orphanage

This Spanish horror film is as beautifully shot as it is creepy. Filmed on the rocky coast of northern Spain, The Orphanage chronicles the story of Laura, a former child orphan, her husband, and adopted son. Together, they move into the orphanage where Laura grew up to reopen the facility and cater to disabled children. But her son begins to act strangely, claiming to see a masked child, and soon goes missing. The film features an exceptional soundtrack and lots of mysterious banging noises that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

 

3)  The Babadook

Jennifer Kent’s 2014 masterpiece about a widowed mother and her young son who are tormented by a monster known simply as “The Babadook,” was a commercial and critical success due to the actors’ performances, Kent’s screenplay and direction, and the overall thrilling, yet heartfelt story, loaded with symbolism. The film features “a DTS-HD MA 5.1 track that is layered with creepy sounds, atmospherics, and great surround activity…The overall presentation does so many things right, setting the stage for a story that is sure to send chills down your spine.” (Home Theater Shack)

 

2) Alien

Sure, “in space no one can hear you scream,” but your surround sound system will pick up every eerie note in this 1979 Sci-Fi/Horror classic. With a musical score composed by Jerry Goldsmith (Planet of the Apes) and performed by the National Philharmonic Orchestra, Goldsmith envisioned a score filled with romanticism and lyrical mystery that would build throughout the film, culminating in suspense and fear. Nominated for numerous awards including a Golden Globe for Best Original Score, a Grammy Award for Best Soundtrack Album, and a BAFTA Award for Best Film Music, we’d say that Goldsmith’s score was out of this world.

 

1) The Cabin in the Woods

The horror-comedy film, The Cabin in the Woods, follows five friends who travel to an isolated cabin deep in (you guessed it) the woods. Their relaxing vacation soon turns nightmarish when they fall victim to zombies and two technicians who manipulate the ongoing events from an underground facility. From the audio side: “Footsteps thump solidly from every direction, a whirling chain scythes through the air splitting from front to rears with exceptional clarity, and the drip drip of falling water in the forest is heard with pinpoint accuracy…There is no generic 70’s sounding mono music to warn us that a bad guy is creeping up behind the unsuspecting teens, but rather the score floods its way into the audience, creating a mood of suspense and horror without coming right out and giving everything away, as can be so common.” (Home Theater Review)

 

You’re favorite horror film didn’t make the cut? Share yours in the comments section below!