Terrific Travel Terror – My Favorite Horror Movies Along the Way

Comfort Horror Movies

I still enjoy horror films, even at my firmly-middle age.  I proudly made it through Terrifier 3 last night on Peacock without any issues, and actually, I quite enjoyed it.  What does this say about me?  We’ll just save that for another article I’ll probably never get around to writing.  Last year, I shared my favorite horror movies about travel.  As Halloween quickly approaches this year, I’m focusing on the comfort horror movies I enjoy when I’m traveling.  Here are my faves, and give me yours in the comments!

The Silence of the Lambs

This has been a routine banger since my junior high days.  I vividly remember checking this out from Blockbuster with friends and feeling like we got away with something.  So the nostalgia hits deep here – the Howard Shore soundtrack, the sleepy, cloudy settings, Clarice’s accent, and oh-so-many quotable lines.  Inexplicably, what still sticks with me is Buffalo Bill quizzically honking this one.

So I’ll easily throw this on while flying, knowing I can pick right back up after a brief interruption for a drink and questionable decision from the snack basket.  Perhaps this film’s best work is sending me off for the greatness of an unintentional nap.

The Shining

I go to my even younger days for this one, seeing this the first time on the old USA network during the dog days of an elementary school summer.  The creepy twins at the end of the garishly-wallpapered hallway got me (and still do), but I was too young to know to be scared of other parts.  The commercials broke the intensity up, anyway.  So like The Silence of the Lambs, I’ll lean into the familiarity here but also pick up new wrinkles on repeated viewings while traveling.

Alien

Okay, let’s get this straight upfront.  I’m only talking about the original here, not the more-action-than-horror Aliens or any of the other sequels.  While I’m a fan of the maybe-too-high-minded Prometheus, nothing pops like Ridley Scott’s initial effort.  I’m able to get a lot done on any plane ride while taking in the slow burn of the opening credits and exposition.  The beautifully-dated Jerry Goldsmith soundtrack adds in more to the surreal environment, complementing something I’m similarly experiencing on the flight.  That’s how I’m able to forgive the now-comical, that’s-clearly-a-guy-in-a-suit-outside-the-spaceship ending.

The Thing

The “hey, it’s that guy” star power oozes from John Carpenter’s 1982 version.  Kurt Russell, Keith David, Richard Masur, and holy crap, that’s Wilford Brimley!  Again, the atmospheric soundtrack from Ennio Morricone and Carpenter wrap me up in a metaphoric warm blanket even if AA doesn’t provide one.  The men in this movie spend a lot of time drinking, and I almost feel like I have a few buddies as I enjoy a beer while watching it.  The character study, and yes, blood and guts deliver big time, and I’ll easily watch as long as pasta isn’t served on the flight.

The Fly

I, and many of you, pretty much knew what’s going to happen in The Fly even before we saw it.  Geena Davis and a young, pre-getting-his-teeth-fixed Jeff Goldblum star.  The slow progression of the latter into exactly-you-know-what is something to behold, even if you get pulled away for a few minutes here and there.  And alongside The Silence of the Lambs, this one puts me to bed quite easily.

The Invisible Man

A relatively-newer addition here is The Invisible Man from a few years ago starring Elisabeth Moss.  This one sucks me in with every viewing, even though I know who’s around every corner (even if I can’t see him).  They say time flies when you’re having fun, and that applies here.  This entertaining edition of the old story makes every flight, um, fly by.

Comfort Horror Movies – Conclusion

I could keep going, but that’s probably enough for now.  I’m more interested to hear your comfort horror picks while traveling.  I’m always looking to add more to my reliable list.  But maybe I don’t want that roster getting too big.  Perhaps it’s just as much about the routine, the repetition of a small selection, just as much as the movies themselves.  Even better, maybe some of your suggestions could usurp one of the above!  Who shall take on such a dorky challenge?  Let me hear from you!