Celebrating 1920s & 30s horror 🧌, Lou Diamond Phillips goes mad 🎭, 'Bride of Frankenstein' turns 90 ⚡, & more!

For this issue, we’re diving into the classics. By “classics”, we mean films from the 1920s-1940s. From black & white, maybe even silent films, there’s something for everyone. It’s also a view into how horror has evolved over the past 100 years.

Let’s look back at where it all began →

CLICK HERE FOR THIS ISSUE’S LETTERBOXD LIST

IN THE NEWS by Brett Petersel | Bluesky | Instagram | Letterboxd

🔟 HBO MAX helps Bring Her Back to their streaming service
On October 3rd, HBO Max subscribers will be able to exclusively stream Bring Her Back, the A24 film directed by Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou.

😱 Celebrate Brooklyn Horror Film Festival in October!
One of our favorite film festivals, The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival, celebrates its 10th anniversary this October. The festival, which is being held in Brooklyn, New York, runs October 16-25, 2025. Check out the lineup here.

📅 AMC FearFest returns with Janelle Monáe as host
The AMC FearFest 2025 schedule is a franchise fans’ dream come true! From all the A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th films, to classics like as House of Wax, Ghost Ship and Thinner, mark yourself as busy throughout October! Check out the full schedule on Bloody Disgusting here.

TIMEWARP by Brian Finnerty | Bluesky | Instagram 

Skeletons In The Closet: “THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN” (1935) As Queer Tragedy (Rant)

The tragedy is a narrative tale as old as time. Popularized through classic Greek plays from Sophocles, such as the stories of Antigone or Oedipus Rex, the mantle was famously taken up by William Shakespeare, who penned famous plays like “Romeo and Juliet” (1597) and “Macbeth” (1606). It is a genre of storytelling that has resonated powerfully across cultures and time periods, suggesting an immutable draw toward the dark and macabre for our species and speaking to the catharsis that is always needed in a species that can be so cruel to one another while also creating such artistic magic.

While not beholden to this aesthetic, classic tragedies often focus upon the fallibility of their protagonists. The genre frequently seeks to highlight the flawed human nature of its characters, which usually spirals out of control over the course of the tale, leading to the tragic conclusion foretold by the genre’s name. This brings us to why “The Bride of Frankenstein" (1935), the classic Universal Pictures monster movie by James Whale, still feels so relevant to us even today. Whale subverted the trope of the modern tragedy in a way only an openly gay filmmaker could. The lynchpin upon which the tragedy of The Bride and The Monster is built is not their own undead flaws; instead, it is the external cruelty and insecurity of the heteronormative society around them that brings about their downfall. “The Bride of Frankenstein” is not a cautionary tale to learn from, as many tragedies are. It serves as a warning of the dangers surrounding queer people, perhaps even a call to action and an escape.

Read the complete opinion piece on Macabre Daily

TRAILERVILLE

DOUBLE TROUBLE by Bee Delores | Bluesky | Instagram | Letterboxd

I didn't start exploring pre-1950s horror until about five or six years ago. Except for films like Frankenstein, which was required viewing in my sophomore English class, I was completely clueless about where to start. Thanks to such online challenges as #100HorrorMoviesIn92Days and my own curiosity, I've come to adore the 1920s and '30s and have discovered countless cozy favorites, many of which are lesser known entries we don't talk about nearly enough. For this week's newsletter, I knew I wanted to go with films I rarely see discussed online. After a bit of brainstorming, I settled on The Secret of the Blue Room (1933) and The Walking Dead (1936).

Kurt Neumann's The Secret of the Blue Room strikes a perfect balance between terrifying and melodramatic. With a script written by Erich Philippi and William Hurlbut (also the writer behind Bride of Frankenstein), the film follows the story of three men who have all fallen in love with the same women and a challenge to spend a night in the so-called "blue room." Decades prior, a mysterious death took place behind its closed door, eventually turning into something of an urban legend. When the three men each take turns sleeping in the room, they encounter some of another world. It's a perfectly eerie campfire tale that goes heavy on the mood and atmosphere and a welcome addition to the fall months.

The Walking Dead, directed by Michael Curtiz (Casablanca, Mildred Pierce, The Adventures of Robin Hood), fixates its story on John Elman (Boris Karloff), a pianist and ex-con, who is framed for murder and executed. A devious scientist resurrects John, sparking a murderous rampage against those who conspired against him. Unsurprisingly, Karloff gives one of his best performances -- anchoring the film in place, accompanied by some serious haunted vibes. At just over an hour, it's the kind of horror flick you put on one chilly autumn night when no one else is home.

FAVORITE 1920s & ‘30s HORROR FILMS

There's something truly magical about 1920s and '30s horror films. Whether we're talking about the surefire classics or lesser-known essentials, the two decades set in motion what horror could be for the next 100 years. The sky was the limit in those early days, resulting in many foundational building blocks that have continued to influence horror to this day. Our favorites perfectly capture the spirit of the genre-defining decade and span styles, themes, and stories. Check out the list on Letterboxd.

WHAT TO WATCH

RIYL: FRANKENSTEIN (1931)

One of the most enduring horror films is 1931's Frankenstein. Through the next (nearly) 100 years, the Mary Shelley adaptation has influenced countless rearrangements of the premise, often fitting the era in which they're released. 

For this week's RIYL, we've selected many of the standouts, as well as other horror films that fit the vibe of the classic film. Check out the list on Letterboxd here.

Check out our Screaming Soon list on Letterboxd for the latest release information and what’s coming out in theaters and/or on demand.