#the changling

Then, how is it someone who doesn't like horror, could, or would even have any interest in writing a horror novel? Because I don't like horror movies, but I love scary movies.

Over the years, I have built up a collection of favorites that in major and minor ways, inspired how I created the world and story of my newest book, The Big Bad Wolf, a horror/mystery novel based on true events, and I've assembled ten of my favorites, to celebrate the book's release.

After you check out the list, get yourself a copy of The Big Bad Wolf HERE, and see if you can spot the influences.

10, Sinners (2024) - Sinners is an instant classic. It abides by traditional horror rules, but gives a tired vampire genre a new spin. The Big Bad Wolf was almost finished by this point, so it didn't have much literal influence, but in that BBW is a period piece, set in 1975 and 1985, I absolutely loved how the juke joint acted like a portal to a different time, celebrating different eras happening concurrently, like it was normal. That alone makes for excellent viewing. And the music's fucking rad.

9, The Thing (1982) - The Thing was a big revival of the horror genre, and though gross and gory, channeled that energy into a very mature story. Where horror is primarily aimed at young people, this was one that took the original source material, and created a perfect storm of practical effect-heavy grossness with a who-done-it mystery aimed at older, working people. It also has a timeless quality in that it plays like an allegory for the perpetual degradation of society, where we're all very tired, and no one trusts anyone.

8, The Believers (1987) - It's a fact that the whole premise of this movie is based around xenophobia, which was still pretty typical of the time (and, you know, like now), but it also was a revival of its own, since by this point, themes of voodoo and witchery had fallen out of favor. You'll notice some very mainstream movies that have directly rehashed this film. It is well-structured, thrilling, creepy, and has a crazy ending.

7, The Blair Witch Project (1998) - Like The Thing and a few others on this list, this was a horror revival, in that it was the first time audiences really got a found footage movie, and one that played on being trapped and hunted. The difference with this one was, in essence, the film students were not trapped, they should have been able to escape their environment, but couldn't find their way out. Bit-by-bit, the characters lose their connection to reality, and are driven slowly insane until we get that fantastic ending where we get a glimpse of the Blair Witch legend being played out. It has elements of meddling kids, primal terror, American origin themes of being outside the community in and the wilderness that will lead to terrors unknown, and the fantastic New England fall setting, that gives and takes away.

6, The Others (2001) - This movie really came out of nowhere. The dual story lines blurred the truth of what was really going on, only to be revealed later, but clever viewers were able to figure out the secret right away. That's hardly a spoiler, either, whether you figured it out or not, it delivers both ways. It also does the haunted manor trope really well, harkening back to a lot of British and Hammer Horror, but really calls on The Innocents (1961), another favorite, without copying it, or being a remake.

5, Sleepy Hollow (1999) - I have always regarded this movie as an art piece more than a truly scary movie. A Tim Burton film, it's highly-stylized, while telling another New England American origins story, one of the oldest in the American cannon, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. It bends the original Washington Irving story somewhat, but in a good way, and is an abundantly fun watch. Fun fact, Sleepy Hollow was a Dutch Colonial village that really existed, inside the limits of Tarrytown, New York, also a place that really exists, and in The Big Bad Wolf, the small town of Morningstar, is based on these locations.

4, The Ring (2001) - I saw this in the theater when it came out, and with the first death reveal, I jumped so hard, I pulled a muscle in my leg. Later that night, I woke up in bed and a large tube tv across the hall was on snow, and I was so freaked out, kept my eyes covered because I was SURE Samara was standing next to me. This movie blended horror and mystery perfectly, as the creepy story was bit-by-bit revealed, only for it to double back and become clear that despite their best intentions, they actually just made things a million times worse.

3, The Orphanage (2007) - This film isn't widely-known to American audiences, made in Spain and produced by Guillermo Del Torro, this is a deeply-creepy story that slowly spirals out of control. As we watch a mother frantically search for her lost child, we see her become more determined and dogged in her search, alienating everyone around her, but she knows she can't give up, must follow the clues, and allow herself to suspend her disbelief and potentially play games with fairies, and ghosts of orphans. There are a couple of gross-out moments that weren't typical horror moments that almost made me faint, and to this day, I won't watch those scenes, but it is an excellent amateur-sleuth story combined with a disturbing story, that results in some really heart-pounding moments.

2, The Faculty (1999) - This came out when I was in eight grade, and I thought it was the raddest, most kick-ass movie I'd ever seen. As did every other kid I talked to about it. It was like a cultural revolution. Like many things from the time of our youths, we do eventually lose touch, so something like 25 years probably went by before I saw it again as an adult, and I can tell you, I was right. It was rad as fuck and kicks so much ass. Back then, I didn't know who Robert Rodriguez (thus all the explosions and action) or Greg Nicotero (practical effects, and of The Walking Dead fame), but I did know the absolutely STACKED cast, made up of Hollywood legends, A-Listers, child stars, singers, and stars-in-the-making. The casting is an absolute dream, even with a couple of hmm, weird that you're in this, but it works, people.

What's more, aside from small details to big moments, everything is so well thought-out, so cool, and highly-relatable, against the backdrop of American decay. In watching other movies on this list talk about American origin stories as well as Capitalism eroding modern America, this movie breaks through the evolution, and is already there. So, the choice for the students to figure out what's going on by actually RECOGNIZING movies and literature, is a chefs kiss. Everything about this movie is fucking perfect, and no one can prove me wrong. It takes a little heat in the modern gaze because of the seemingly-conformist changes the characters undergo, but if you're paying attention, you'll see how they embody a need for what eventually they find fulfillment for in the end, and is about as happy of an ending as a horror movie, particularly of this era could ever get.

1, The Changeling (1981) - This is something of a sleeper, and not likely to be as well-known, but it's my favorite scary movie. It stars George C. Scott, who at this time, was still regarded as a no-nonsense John Wayne type of actor, and still upheld that General Patton aura of seriousness, so he adds gravity to the story, and is the anchor point. Dealing with recent trauma, looking for a fresh start, and gets drawn into supernatural experiences reluctantly, but cannot ignore what is happening right in front of him. Another amateur-sleuth scenario, but it is handled logically, seriously, and has the most realistic depictions of real seances that have ever been on film. Those scenes and the movie takes the paranormal themes seriously, where it's not kitchy, stupid, or laughable, very seldom portrayed in film, before or since. I won't spoil the story, because you are absolutely in for a treat with this one if you want to see a realistic, believable portrait of the supernatural breaking in on the real world.

Thanks for checking out my top ten scary movies!! The Big Bad Wolf is available HERE for digital download, on Kindle Unlimited, and paper and hardback copies are coming soon!!

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