October on television–A month of Halloween scares awaits you on cable channels and Netflix

Of course the big highlight of October will not be a film at all, but the premiere of the entire second season of Stranger Things on Netflix, coming October 27. But Netflix is also finally adding the time travel/horror/coming of age Donnie Darko to its streaming service, coming October 11. Lifetime will premiere its remake of Disney’s The Watcher in the Woods, starring Anjelica Huston, on October 21. Fans of the classic Universal Monsters will get their fix this month from Turner Classic Movies (TCM) throughout the month. And Freeform (formerly ABC Family) has the modern classics and “family” viewing horror films including animated and mainstream films like Monsters, Inc., Frankenweenie, The Addams Family, and Sleepy Hollow. You’ll find a run of Boris Karloff movies today on TCM, a Stephen King marathon on AMC on October 14, and a Tim Burton marathon on Freeform on October 23.

AMC does not post its television schedule more than two weeks in advance, so you’ll need to check your local listings for the annual AMC FearFest, but we do know it runs from October 23-31, and usually features a marathon each day, so you can probably expect a day each of films from Halloween, Freddy and Jason, Chucky, and Leprechaun films. This year’s FearFest includes the following horror films: Halloween (1978), Halloween 4, Halloween 5, Halloween 6, Halloween H2O, Halloween II (2009), A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010), Freddy vs. Jason, Friday the 13th Part IX: Jason Goes to Hell, Jason X, Wes Craven’s New Nightmare, Child’s Play, Curse of Chucky, Cult of Chucky, Annabelle, Thinner, Dreamcatcher, Dawn of the Dead (2004), Land of the Dead (2005), House of the Dead 1&2, House on Haunted Hill (1999), Return to House on Haunted Hill, House of Wax (2005), Hellbound: Hellraiser II, Army of Darkness, Van Helsing, Lake Placid, Slither, and the Leprechaun franchise (last year’s Fest included Leprechaun 1-4). Syfy Channel and Spike listings are posted below through October 17–listings are not yet available beyond that. Chiller–the year-round horror network, carries its standard slasher fare, plus some better modern horror classics this month. Chiller’s listings are reported only about two weeks out, so listings below are through October 14. Spike begins some good Halloween classics on October 13. Syfy is hosting its 31 Days of Halloween event again this year.

Other Netflix films coming this month related to the horror genre include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Ghost Patrol, 13 Demons, and Cult of Chucky, now available, Stephen King’s The Mist season one (October 24), and the bloody Quentin Tarantino Western The Hateful Eight (October 25). TCM is highlighting horror on Tuesdays this month. Freeform’s annual 13 Nights of Halloween kicks off October 19. Starz Encore Suspense is another way to stream Halloween films this month. Their inventory includes Pride & Prejudice and Zombies, Death Proof, Don’t Breathe, Rosemary’s Baby, The Funhouse, John Carpenter’s Prince of Darkness, and entries from Final Destination, Friday the 13th, Halloween, Children of the Corn, Hellraiser, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and The Grudge franchises–and horror and suspense films are part of the channel’s daily schedule here.

Definitely cable channels and Netflix will have plenty for every taste and all ages this month, and this is before all the channels have published their end of month schedules. So start with today, browse the selections and set your DVR now. All times listed below are Central Time.

Tuesday, October 3
1:00A Island of Lost Souls (1932) TCM – Charles Laughton, Bela Legosi
2:30 The Black Cat (1934) TCM – Boris Karloff, Bela Legosi (Edgar Allan Poe adaptation)
3:45 The Invisible Man (1933) TCM – Claude Rains
10:00 The Creature from the Black Lagoon – Starz Suspense
11:00 The Hollow – Syfy
12:00P Pulp Fiction – AMC
1:00 Hollow Man 2 – Syfy
3:00 Hollow Man – Syfy
4:00 Old 37 – Chiller
5:30 Exorcism of Emily Rose – Syfy
6:00 All Cheerleaders Die – Chiller
7:00 Frankenstein (1931) TCM – Boris Karloff
8:00 Apartment 143 – Chiller
8:30 Bride of Frankenstein (1935) TCM – Boris Karloff, Elsa Lanchester
9:00 Drag Me to Hell – Syfy
10:00 The Mummy (1932) TCM – Boris Karloff
10:00 Old 37 – Chiller
11:00 The Mothman Prophesies – Syfy
11:30 The Wolfman (1941) TCM – Lon Chaney, Jr.

Wednesday, October 4
12:00A All Cheerleaders Die – Chiller
1:30 Scream of the Banshee – Syfy
2:00 Apartment 143 – Chiller
5:30 Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein – Syfy
8:00 The Mothman Prophesies – Syfy
10:30 Dead Still – Syfy
12:30 The Exorcism of Emily Rose – Syfy
3:00P Drag Me to Hell – Syfy
4:00 Fender Bender – Chiller
5:00 Resident Evil: Afterlife – Syfy
6:00 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre – El Rey
6:00 The Boy – Chiller
7:00 Insidious: Chapter 3 – Syfy
8:00 Wrath – Chiller
10:00 Fender Bender – Chiller
11:00 Dead Still – Syfy

Thursday, October 5
12:00A The Boy – Chiller
1:00 Ghost Storm – Syfy
2:00 Wrath – Chiller
3:30 Silence of the Lambs – El Rey
6:00 Bram Stoker’s Dracula – Syfy
8:30 Holes – AMC
9:00 Ghost Storm – Syfy
11:00 Silent Hill – Syfy
11:30P Total Recall – AMC
1:30 Resident Evil: Afterlife – Syfy
3:30 Insidious: Chapter 3 – Syfy
4:00 ATM – Chiller
5:30 Blade Runner – Syfy
6:00 Indigenous – Chiller
8:00 John Dies at the End – Chiller
10:00 Blade Runner – Syfy
10:00 ATM – Chiller

Friday, October 6
12:00A Indigenous – Chiller
12:30 Silent Hill – Syfy
12:30 Silence of the Lambs – El Rey
2:00 John Dies at the End – Chiller
6:00 Bad Milo! – Chiller
8:00 Dead Souls – Chiller
11:30 Joy Ride 3: Roadkill – Syfy
12:00P Bad Milo! – Chiller
1:30 Joy Ride 2: Dead Ahead – Syfy
2:00 Dead Souls – Chiller
3:00 King Kong – El Rey
3:30 Joy Ride – Syfy
4:00 Suspiria – El Rey
4:00 It’s in the Blood – Chiller
6:00 Boogeyman – El Rey
6:00 Sleepwalkers – Chiller
8:00 Boogeyman 2 – El Rey
8:00 Fright Night – Chiller
10:00 Boogeyman 3 – El Rey
10:30 It’s in the Blood – Chiller
11:00 Cabin Fever – Syfy

Saturday, October 7
12:00A Boogeyman – El Rey
12:30 Sleepwalkers – Chiller
2:00 Boogeyman 2 – El Rey
2:01 Scream 4 – AMC
4:00 Boogeyman 3 – El Rey
5:00 The Drownsman – Chiller
7:00 Joy Ride 3: Roadkill – Syfy
7:00 5 Senses of Fear – Chiller
9:00 Joy Ride II: Dead Ahead – Syfy
9:00 Fright Night – Chiller
10:00 Wishmaster – El Rey
11:00 Joy Ride – Syfy
11:30 The Drownsman – Chiller
12:00P Wishmaster 2 – El Rey
2:00 Wishmaster 3 – El Rey
3:30 Blade Runner – Syfy
3:30 Wolf Creek 2 – Chiller
4:00 Wishmaster 4 – El Rey
6:00 Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D – Syfy
6:00 Wishmaster – El Rey
6:00 Lost After Dark – Chiller
8:00 House of the Witch – Syfy
8:00 Wishmaster 2 – El Rey
8:00 Creature – Chiller
10:00 Jennifer’s Body – Syfy
10:00 Wishmaster 3 – El Rey
10:00 Wolf Creek 2 – Chiller

Sunday, October 8
12:00A Wishmaster 4 – El Rey
12:30 Carrie (2013) – Syfy
12:30 Lost After Dark – Chiller
2:00 Wishmaster – El Rey
2:30 Blade Runner – Syfy
2:30 Creature – Chiller
4:00 Wishmaster 2 – El Rey
8:00 Carrie (2013) – Syfy
10:00 Jennifer’s Body – Syfy
10:00 Valley of the Fangs – El Rey
12:00P The Wolfman – Syfy – Emily Blunt
2:00 House of the Witch – Syfy
4:00 Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D – Syfy
6:00 The Faculty – Syfy
8:00 Truth or Dare – Syfy
10:00 My Soul to Take – Syfy

Monday, October 9 – A Nightmare on Elm Street Marathon, Part 1
1:00A The Wolfman – Syfy
3:00 Red: Werewolf Hunter – Syfy
3:16 Apollo 18 – AMC
3:30 Silence of the Lambs – El Rey
4:00 Alien vs Predator – AMC
5:00 Dark Haul – Syfy
6:00 Independence Day – AMC
7:00 Boogeyman – Syfy – Eddie McClintock
9:00 Independence Day – AMC
9:00 My Soul to Take – Syfy
11:00 Truth or Dare – Syfy
1:00P The Faculty – Syfy
3:00 A Nightmare on Elm Street – Syfy
5:00 A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddie’s Revenge – Syfy
7:00 A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors – Syfy
9:00 Maggie – Syfy – Arnold Schwarzenegger zombie flick
11:00 A Nightmare of Elm Street – Syfy
11:30 I Walked With a Zombie (1943) TCM

Tuesday, October 10 – A Nightmare on Elm Street Marathon, Part 2 (see El Rey website for remainder of month listings)
1:00A The Seventh Victim (1943) TCM – Kim Hunter, Hugh Beaumont
1:00 Boogeyman – Syfy
2:30 Bedlam (1946) TCM
4:00 The Leopard Man (1943) TCM
5:00 Witchslayer Gretl – Syfy
7:00 Odd Thomas – Syfy – Anton Yelchin
8:00 Escape from New York – AMC
9:00 Grave Halloween – Syfy
10:00 Alien vs. Predator – AMC
11:00 Heebie Jeebies – Syfy
12:00P Pompeii – AMC
1:00 Maggie – Syfy
2:30 Volcano – AMC
3:00 A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master – Syfy
4:00 Wrecked – Chiller
5:00 Lake Placid – AMC
5:00 A Nightmare on Elm Street V: The Dream Child – Syfy
6:00 Grabbers – Chiller
7:00 Cat People (1942) TCM – Simone Simon
7:00 Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides – AMC
7:00 Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare – Syfy
8:00 Beneath – Chiller
8:30 The Body Snatcher (1945) TCM – Boris Karloff, Bela Legosi, Robert Wise (dir.)
9:00 Trick ‘r Treat – Syfy – Anna Paquin
10:00 The Man in the Shadows (2007) TCM
10:00 Wrecked – Chiller
11:00 A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: Dream Master – Syfy

Wednesday, October 11
12:00A Grabbers – Chiller
1:00 A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: Dream Child – Syfy
2:00 Beneath – Chiller
4:00 Stage Fright – Chiller
5:15 The Ghost Ship (1943) TCM – a former lost film
6:00 Haunted High – Syfy
6:30 Isle of the Dead (1945) TCM – Boris Karloff
8:00 The Diabolical – Syfy – Ali Larter
8:00 Volcano – AMC
10:00 Trick ‘r Treat – Syfy
12:00P Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome – Syfy
2:30 Paul – Syfy – Simon Pegg, Nick Frost
4:00 Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides – AMC
4:30 Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare – Syfy
6:30 The Sixth Sense – Syfy
8:00 The Colony – Chiller
9:30 Predator – AMC
10:00 Stage Fright – Chiller
11:00 Paul – Syfy

Thursday, October 12
1:00A Roger Corman’s Death Race 2050 – Syfy
2:00 The Colony – Chiller
6:30 Tasmanian Devils – Syfy
8:30 Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome – Syfy
11:00 Night of the Wild – Syfy
1:00P The Cave – Syfy
2:00 Predator – AMC
3:00 The Sixth Sense – Syfy
4:00 Cockneys vs Zombies – Chiller
5:30 Underworld – Syfy
6:00 Altitude – Chiller
7:00 Independence Day – AMC
8:00 Jack Frost – Chiller
10:00 Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer – AMC
10:00 Blade – Syfy
10:00 Cockneys vs Zombies – Chiller

Friday, October 13th
12:00A Alien vs. Predator: Requiem – AMC
12:00 Altitude – Chiller
12:30 Horns – Syfy – Daniel Radcliffe
2:00 Return to House on Haunted Hill (2007) – AMC
2:00 Jack Frost – Chiller
6:00 Dog Soldiers – Chiller
8:00 Killer Legends – Chiller
10:00 Poltergeist (1982) – Spike
10:00 Snakes on a Plane – AMC
10:00 Nailbiter – Chiller
10:30 The Cave – Syfy
12:00P The Innocents (1961) TCM – Deborah Kerr (The Turn of the Screw adaptation)
12:00 Alien vs. Predator: Requiem – AMC
12:00 Dog Soldiers – Chiller
12:30 Horns – Syfy
2:00 Killer Legends – Chiller
3:00 Underworld – Syfy
4:00 Severance – Chiller
4:30 The Shining (1980) – Spike
5:30 Blade – Syfy
5:45 The Curse of the Cat People (1944) TCM – Simone Simon
6:00 Deep in the Darkness – Chiller
7:00 Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday – AMC
8:00 Stephen King’s It (1990) – Spike
8:00 Snoop Dogg’s Hood of Horror – Chiller
8:59 Freddy vs. Jason – AMC
9:00 Priest – Syfy – Paul Bettany
10:00 Severance – Chiller
10:58 Jason X – AMC

Saturday, October 14 – Stephen King Marathon
12:00A Phantasm: Ravager – Syfy
12:00 Deep in the Darkness – Chiller
2:00 Phantasm – Syfy
2:00 Nailbiter – Chiller
3:01 A Nightmare on Elm Street – AMC
7:00 Phantasm: Ravager – Syfy
8:00 Siren – Chiller
9:00 Cujo – AMC
9:00 Silent Hill – Syfy
9:00 Stephen King’s It – Spike
10:00 Snoop Dogg’s Hood of Horror – Chiller
11:00 Dreamcatcher – AMC
11:30 Finder’s Keepers – Syfy
1:00 The Goonies (1985) – Spike
1:30P The Exorcism of Emily Rose – Syfy
2:00 Christine – AMC
2:00 Siren – Chiller
3:30 Ghostbusters (1984) – Spike
4:00 Silver Bullet – AMC
4:00 Priest – Syfy
4:00 After.Life – Chiller
6:00 Thinner – AMC
6:00 Insidious: Chapter 3 – Syfy
6:00 Almost Human – Chiller
8:00 The Sandman – Syfy
8:00 Roger Corman’s Death Race 2050 – Chiller
10:00 John Carpenter’s Vampires – Syfy
10:00 After.Life – Chiller

Sunday, October 15 (see Chiller website for remainder of month listings)
12:28A Graveyard Shift – AMC
12:30 John Carpenter Presents Vampires: Los Muertos – Syfy
2:30 Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead – Syfy
7:00 The Exorcism of Emily Rose – Syfy
9:30 John Carpenter Presents Vampires: Los Muertos – Syfy
11:30 John Carpenter’s Vampires – Syfy
1:00P Ghostbusters – Spike
2:00 The Sandman – Syfy
4:00 Insidious: Chapter 3 – Syfy
6:00 I, Frankenstein – Syfy
8:00 Neverknock – Syfy
10:00 From Dusk Til Dawn – Syfy

Monday, October 16 (see Spike website for remainder of month listings)
12:30A Neverknock – Syfy
2:30 Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein – Syfy
5:30 Bram Stoker’s Dracula – Syfy
8:00 Tales from the Crypt Presents Demon Knight – AMC
8:30 Silent House – Syfy
9:30 The Amityville Horror – AMC
10:30 SiREN – Syfy
12:30P Jennifer’s Body – Syfy
2:30 I, Frankenstein – Syfy
4:30 From Dusk Til Dawn – Syfy
7:00 Truth or Dare – Syfy
9:00 House of the Witch – Syfy
11:00 30 Days of Night – Syfy

Tuesday, October 17 (see Syfy website for remainder of month listings)
12:00A The Curse of the Werewolf (1961) TCM
1:45 The Plague of the Zombies (1966) TCM
3:30 The Reptile (1966) TCM
8:00 Tales from the Darkside: The Movie – AMC
9:30 Firestarter – AMC
7:00P The Devil’s Bride (1968) TCM – Christopher Lee
8:45 The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) TCM – Peter Cushing
10:15 The Mummy (1959) TCM – Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing

Wednesday, October 18 (no listings yet released for Syfy, AMC, Spike, or Chiller)

Thursday, October 19 (see AMC website for remainder of month listings)
1:35P The Haunted Mansion – Freeform
3:40 The Addams Family – Freeform
5:45 Addams Family Values – Freeform
7:50 Hocus Pocus – Freeform
11:00 ParaNorman – Freeform

Friday, October 20
6:00A The Sorcerer’s Apprentice – Freeform
11:00 The Haunted Mansion – Freeform
1:10P The Addams Family – Freeform
3:15 Addams Family Values – Freeform
5:20 Hocus Pocus – Freeform
7:30 Sleepy Hollow – Freeform
11:00 The Sorcerer’s Apprentice – Freeform

Saturday, October 21
6:00A Edward Scissorhands – Freeform
8:30 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 – Freeform
11:30 Fun Size – Freeform
1:35P Matilda – Freeform
3:40 Sleepy Hollow – Freeform
6:10 The Addams Family – Freeform
8:15 Addams Family Values – Freeform
10:25 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Freeform

Sunday, October 22
6:00A Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 – Freeform
9:05 Matilda – Freeform
11:10 Hocus Pocus – Freeform
1:20P Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Freeform
4:00 The Addams Family – Freeform
6:05 Addams Family Values – Freeform
8:15 Hocus Pocus – Freeform
10:25 Alice in Wonderland (2010) – Freeform

Monday, October 23 – Tim Burton Marathon
6:30A Frankenweenie – Freeform
10:00 Edward Scissorhands – Freeform
12:35P Alice in Wonderland – Freeform
3:10 Dark Shadows – Freeform
4:50 Sleepy Hollow – Freeform
8:20 The Nightmare Before Christmas – Freeform
11:00P Frankenweenie – Freeform
11:00 Curse of the Demon (1957) TCM

Tuesday, October 24
1:00A Carnival of Souls (1962) TCM
10:00 Fun Size – Freeform
12:00P The Haunted Mansion – Freeform
2:00 The Nightmare Before Christmas – Freeform
2:30 From Beyond the Grave (1974) TCM – Peter Cushing
3:40 The Addams Family – Freeform
5:45 Addams Family Values – Freeform
6:00 Edward Scissorhands – Freeform
7:00 The Innocents (1961) TCM
7:50 Hocus Pocus – Freeform
9:00 Diary of a Madman (1963) TCM
11:00 Teen Witch – Freeform

Wednesday, October 25
10:30A Twilight – Freeform
1:25P The Addams Family – Freeform
3:30 Addams Family Values – Freeform
5:35 Hocus Pocus – Freeform
7:45 Men in Black – Freeform
11:00 Bewitched – Freeform

Thursday, October 26
6:30A R.L. Stine’s Monsterville: Cabinet of Souls – Freeform
10:30 Bewitched – Freeform
12:30P The Haunted Mansion – Freeform
2:35 Sleepy Hollow – Freeform
5:05 Men in Black – Freeform
7:20 Dark Shadows – Freeform
11:00 The Haunted Mansion – Freeform

Friday, October 27
6:00A Dark Shadows – Freeform
11:00 Sleepy Hollow – Freeform
1:25P Hocus Pocus – Freeform
3:35 Men in Black – Freeform
5:50 The Addams Family – Freeform
7:55 Addams Family Values – Freeform
11:00 Hocus Pocus – Freeform

Saturday, October 28
6:00A Spooky Buddies – Freeform
8:05 R.L. Stine’s Monsterville: Cabinet of Souls – Freeform
10:10 The Addams Family – Freeform
12:20P Addams Family Values – Freeform
2:30 The Nightmare Before Christmas – Freeform
4:10 Hocus Pocus – Freeform
6:20 Disney•Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. – Freeform
8:25 Disney•Pixar’s Monsters University – Freeform
10:55 ParaNorman – Freeform

Sunday, October 29
6:00A R.L. Stine’s Monsterville: Cabinet of Souls – Freeform
8:10 ParaNorman – Freeform
10:20 The Nightmare Before Christmas – Freeform
12:00P Hook – Freeform
3:15 Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story of TERROR! – Freeform
3:45 Hocus Pocus – Freeform
5:55 Disney•Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. – Freeform
8:00 Disney•Pixar’s Monsters University – Freeform
10:30 Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story of TERROR! – Freeform
11:00 Frankenweenie – Freeform

Monday, October 30
6:00A Sleepy Hollow – Freeform
10:30 Dark Shadows – Freeform
1:00P Sleepy Hollow – Freeform
3:30 The Addams Family – Freeform
5:40 Addams Family Values – Freeform
7:50 Hocus Pocus – Freeform
11:00 Hocus Pocus – Freeform

Tuesday, October 31
12:15A The Cat and the Canary (1939) TCM – Bob Hope
1:45 The Old Dark House (1963) TCM – Tom Poston
3:30 The Bat (1959) TCM – Vincent Price, Agnes Moorehead
6:30P Hocus Pocus – Freeform
7:00 The Old Dark House Boris (1932) TCM – Boris Karloff, Gloria Stuart, Raymond Massey
8:30 The Haunting (1963) TCM – Russ Tamblyn, Robert Wise (dir.)
10:00 Hocus Pocus – Freeform
10:30 House on Haunted Hill (1958) TCM – Vincent Price

No doubt channels like Syfy, AMC, and Chiller will fill out their schedules in the last two weeks of the month as with prior years. Check local listings each week for updates to their scheduling. *Bolded entries identify notable cast members and recommended films.

C.J. Bunce
Editor
borg.com