13 Scary Movies To Petrify Your Patrons

It’s that time of year again. Soon ghosts and goblins will be rapping at your chamber door with the all-too-familiar salutation: “Trick or treat!”

No Halloween would be complete without a good scary movie. If your public library has a subscription to Access Video On Demand streaming video, your patrons have access to a treasure trove of frightening films, all on an advertisement-free platform. Plus, Access Video’s mobile-friendly platform allows patrons to stream horror movies anytime, anywhere—including from the coziness of their own living rooms.

Here are 13 spine-tingling horror movies you can find on Access Video On Demand. (Some of these titles contain mature themes or content; viewer discretion is advised.)

Nosferatu

RetroFilm Archive, 1922, Item #56680

This silent vampire film, a landmark of German Expressionism, is known for its fidelity to its source, Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula. Made in 1922, it is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential horror movies ever made. (Available in the U.S. and Canada.)

The Curse of Hobbes House

Screenbound International Pictures Ltd, 2020, Item #276079

After the death of her aunt, Jane Dormant travels to the family’s remote, ancestral home hoping to receive a large inheritance. When Jane’s estranged half-sister Jennifer arrives at Hobbes House to claim her part of the estate, the sisters’ simmering hate ignites. Then a violent, unexpected storm cuts the estate off from outside help, and a wave of bloodthirsty zombies lays siege. Now the sisters have to learn how to fight back together.

McBetter: Fast Food Has a New King

BayView Entertainment LLC, 2019, Item #210210

Take Shakespeare’s Macbeth, combine with The Sopranos, add a dash of giallo-inspired horror, and you end up with a killer recipe known as “McBetter.” Joe McBetter is the elderly owner of a profitable fast food chain. Malcolm, his future son-in-law, is a humble university researcher with initially noble intentions. During a surprise visit by daughter Melanie and Malcolm to the McBetter villa, Malcolm suggests an idea that will renew the fast food business. The intrigue, mystery, and horror mount within the luxurious walls of the villa as everyone becomes ensnared in the evil plot that unfolds. Nominated for two 2019 Skullie Awards by IndieHorrorOnline: Best Feature Film and Best Foreign Horror Feature. (Available in the U.S. and Canada.)

Portmanteau

Bounty Entertainment, 2017, Item #185735

Portmanteau is an anthology collection of short horror tales. A photographer develops an old film and is unprepared for what he sees in the pictures; road rage escalates into a deadly game of cat and mouse; a man wonders what his suspicious neighbor could be disposing of; a bird-watcher descends into madness in an isolated cabin; a Foley artist is reassigned to a classic horror; a writer battles with a seemingly invincible cockroach; a man waits patiently in the hope of sex with strangers; and a woman goes camping alone…but she is not alone! (Available worldwide except Canada.)

Count Dracula

MVD Entertainment Group, 1970, Item #183465

In 1970, cult director Jess Franco and screen legend Christopher Lee collaborated on what they promised would be the most faithful adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel ever filmed. From its remarkable performances to its lush locations and atmosphere of sinister sensuality, it remains perhaps the most spellbinding version of Dracula since the original.

Extra Ordinary

Good Deed Entertainment, 2019, Item #283380

Rose, a mostly sweet and lonely small-town driving instructor, must use her supernatural talents to save the daughter of Martin (also mostly sweet and lonely) from a washed-up rock star who is using her in a Satanic pact to reignite his fame. (Available in the U.S. and Canada.)

Paranormal Highway

MVD Entertainment Group, 2017, Item #205653

On a peaceful October day a college team and its coaches depart on a three-day journey to a national championship. From the start, strange things happen on their creaky, rented bus. Just after midnight on the third day, they hit something on the road. For the next six hours, in the dead of night, thirteen people face their ultimate terror.

Watch If You Dare

WowNow Entertainment, 2018, Item #194545

What many are saying was the most disturbing film of 2018, Watch If You Dare revolves around a series of horrifying incidents. If you press play, look away…

The Blood Spattered Bride

MVD Entertainment Group, 1972, Item #195824

A beautiful young bride marries into a family with a dark secret and quickly becomes haunted by dreams of a mysterious woman. When her visions become flesh, the newlywed finds herself drawn into a nightmare of unholy communion, violent murder, and forbidden desires.

Demon

WowNow Entertainment, 2017, Item #194551

When the embodiment of evil rises to destroy Earth and all that we know, can the human race defend itself, or will it succumb to the forces of evil? When you enter the world of this terrifying new anthology, things are never what they seem.

Tony

BayView Entertainment LLC, 2019, Item #206427

Four psychology students plant a camera in a church’s confession box and come across a serial killer confessing to murder to the priest. Life takes a bizarre turn when they meet Tony, the serial killer, and go on a murdering spree with him. In Hindi with English subtitles. (Available in the U.S. and Canada.)

Heidi

MVD Entertainment Group, 2016, Item #188732

After investigating inside a neighbor’s attic, two high school friends, known for making prank videos, are increasingly plagued by a series of disturbing supernatural events involving a creepy, vintage doll named Heidi—but no one will take their claims seriously, until it is too late.

Living Dark: The Story of Ted the Caver

New Films International LLC, 2015, Item #194916

This horror film takes its inspiration from the “Ted the Caver” urban legend about a spelunker who makes a horrifying discovery in a subterranean cavern. In this version, two estranged brothers mourning the recent death of their father decide to explore a nearby cave and end up on a Descent-like journey into uncharted terror.

What Is Access Video On Demand?

Access Video On Demand streaming video offers public libraries an expansive, patron-friendly collection of thousands of high-quality videos that complement and enhance your library’s content offerings. We bring your patrons exceptional content from around the world that they may never have had the opportunity to see: from Oscar®, Emmy®, and Peabody Award-winning documentaries, to how-to programs that make life easier and richer, top-quality performances spanning the arts, biographies of history-makers past and present, a variety of TV shows and movies, and more.

Try Access Video On Demand today!

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About the Authors

Patrice Keville (she/her) has worked in marketing and editorial capacities at library and education-focused companies for well over 15 years. Prior to working at Infobase, she was an Assistant Editor at the H.W. Wilson Company, where she worked on H.W. Wilson’s Core Collections (formerly Standard Catalogs); she was also Online Editor at Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, Matthew.

Sharon Golan is Director of Content Licensing at Infobase. With over a decade of experience creating and licensing materials for the education market, she has a keen eye for high-quality, compelling content and enjoys working on films that employ this dynamic art form to educate and enrich audiences.

13 Scary Movies to Petrify Your Patrons