Halloween season is here in full force, which means it’s time to dive into all things spooky—and what’s better than curling up on the couch with a scary movie, creepy podcast, or bone-chilling read to get you in the spirit?
Whether you’re a die-hard horror fan or prefer something that won’t keep you up at night, there’s a variety of bingeable content with Minnesota connections to explore this Spooky Season.
Movies
Filmed in Minneapolis last November and December, “Dead Media” is a brand-new horror movie by Minnesotan filmmaker Joseph Scrimshaw, who now resides in Los Angeles. The 90-minute film follows Maggie, a young woman struggling to move forward, as a haunted horror DVD comes to life and takes over her world. As described by Film North: “The eerie thrill of ‘The Ring’ meets the heart of an indie family drama with a splash of the dark comedy of ‘Ready of Not.'”
The majority of the cast is based in the Twin Cities, including actors Sam Landman and Anna Sunberg. You can catch the premiere of this local film at a one-night-only screening on Monday, Oct. 20, at The Parkway Theater in Minneapolis—tickets are available online.
Courtesy of Film North
Written and directed by St. Paul native Nicholas Bain, “Voice of Shadows” follows a young man who travels with his girlfriend to the estate she’s set to inherit. During their stay, the couple uncovers a strange set of rules that must be followed for the deal to go through. “‘Voice of Shadows’ is a horror-noir about a flawed individual who is up against something much greater than himself,” said Bain in a statement. “It’s a story about discrimination, class, and the responsibility of sacred power.”
The movie was filmed at the James A. Thompson B&B in Lanesboro and had its world premiere at Twin Cities Film Fest in 2023. It’s currently available for streaming on Apple TV, Tubi, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, and other platforms.
This campy cult classic from 2009 is set in the fictional town of Devil’s Kettle, Minnesota—named after a real waterfall in Judge C.R. Magney State Park, where several scenes in the movie were filmed. Megan Fox stars as a possessed high-school cheerleader who feeds off the flesh of her male classmates, as her best friend, played by Amanda Seyfried, tries to end the killing spree. Stream this Halloween must-watch on Hulu, Apple TV, or YouTube.
Courtesy of Fox Atomic
We all remember Timothée Chalamet’s performance of Bob Dylan last year (and his visit to Minneapolis for the premiere of “A Complete Unknown”), but this wasn’t the actors first role in a Minnesota-connected project. In director Luca Guadagnino’s 2022 romantic horror film “Bones and All,” young cannibals Lee (Chalamet) and Maren (Taylor Russell) embark on a cross-country road trip to Minnesota to find Maren’s mother. It’s gory, romantic, and not for weak-stomached. Watch it now on Peacock, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime Video.
Courtesy of Amazon Prime Video
Set and filmed in Minneapolis, this Italian film follows a teenage girl who attempts to stop the serial killer who murdered her parents. Directed by Dario Argento in 1993, the movie is an eccentric thriller with extensive gore—squeamish, be warned. You can stream the film on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Tubi.
This 2016 psychological horror film is set in a “small Midwestern town”—the shooting location of which was Virginia, Minnesota. Here, a troubled teen with homicidal tendencies must hunt down a supernatural killer while keeping his own inner demons at bay. Watch it now on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, YouTube, and other platforms.
Books
“Anoka: A Collection of Indigenous Horror” by Shane Hawk
Indigenous author Shane Hawk explores themes of family, grief, loneliness, and identity in his debut collection of short horror stories. Dive into tales involving witches, werewolves, skeletal bison, cloned children, and more, all set in the town of Anoka, Minnesota—otherwise known as the “Halloween Capital of the World.” Available for purchase on Amazon, Audible, or at Barnes & Noble.
“The Laughing Dead” by Jess Lourey
Courtesy of Amazon
In the third book from Minneapolis-based author Jess Lourey’s “Steinbeck and Reed” series, the bodies of three teenage girls are found in central Minnesota, each with their mouth fixed into a smile. Decades later, cold case agent Evangeline “Van” Reed is investigating a murder where the victim wears the same expression—but this time, she’s the prime suspect. Will Reed’s dark secrets come to light? Read this heart-pounding novel to find out; available on Amazon, Kindle Unlimited, and at Barnes & Noble.
“The Land of Dreams” by Vindar Sundstøl
Named as one of the top 25 Norwegian crime novels of all time, “The Land of Dreams” is the first installment in author Vindar Sunstøl’s Minnesota Trilogy, set in the small towns and towering forests along Lake Superior. The chilling novel follows a U.S. Forest Service officer and grandson of Norwegian immigrants that stumbles upon a pair of brutally murdered tourists on the shore, and eventually uncovers clues that hit close to home. Available for purchase at Barnes & Noble and on Amazon.
Podcasts
“Truer Crime With Celisia Stanton”
In 2020, Minnesotan Celisia Stanton discovered what the “justice” in “criminal justice” meant when she became the victim of a financial scheme that defrauded her of tens of thousands of dollars. While they can be fascinating, and oftentimes spooky, true crime stories cover the lives of real people—missing, murdered, or misled—and they deserve to be told with compassion and humanity. That’s where “Truer Crime” comes in, as Stanton takes a deeper look at true crime cases with more nuance, context, and questions. Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
This five-part anthology series of fictional horror stories is produced in Minneapolis by Julie Censullo and Sophie Nikitas. Each episode is a self-contained scary story, with settings ranging from the downtown Minneapolis skyway system to the quietest place on earth. Pick an episode, put on your headphones, and turn off the lights—if you dare. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music.
Courtesy of Julie Censullo and Sophie Nikitas
