STEAMY STREAMING: LEGENDS

Mothman, Sleepy Hollow, Candyman + more

image above: tony todd in candyman; cover image: christina ricci and johnny depp in sleepy hollow

BY: Georgia Davis

At Halloween, many of us like to dress up as a favorite person or choose something or someone in pop culture. They include spooky characters from film and tv. Some costumes are even more terrifying! They’re the urban legends responsible for years of real-life scares. And, some of these tall tales end up on the big screen. So curl up, pour yourself some warm apple cider (preferably in the daylight) and freak yourself out with these movies based on urban legends:

THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES

This flying fiend originates in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Legend says Mothman was active for a little more than a year and spotted before the 1967 Silver Bridge collapse that killed 46 people. The tragedy was illustrated in 2002’s The Mothman Prophecies. Richard Gere portrays the journalist trying to uncover the story of the mysterious creature sure to give you nightmares.

The Mothman Prophecies is available on Starz.

SLEEPY HOLLOW

The Headless Horseman runs rampant throughout the village of Sleepy Hollow. Ichabod Crane, played by an extremely chiseled Johnny Depp, arrives to investigate the citizens’ unusual decapitations. Christina Ricci also stars in the fantastical Tim Burton horror story, proving to be one of the best collaborations of all time.

Sleepy Hollow is available on Philo.

SHUTTER

This 2004 Thai film was the inspiration for the 2008 American adaptation of the same name. It follows a couple with relationship problems. They also hit a girl when travelling a country road. From the time of the accident, whenever they take a photo, a supernatural figure appears in their snapshots, prompting fear and suspicion. We recommend you track down and watch the original. You can watch the American remake of Shutter right now on Amazon Prime.

Shutter is available on Netflix.

THE WITCH

The Salem Witch Trials are no myth and Robert Eggers’ 2015 film The Witch shows what happens when the Devil possesses a human soul. The film might seem like a slow burn, but sticking with it is well worth it. The ending is so unexpected and spectacular that you’ll want to watch it over and over again — even when it’s not Halloween.

The Witch is available on Netflix.

CANDYMAN

Legend says that if you utter the Candyman’s name in front of a mirror five times, he will appear. The Candyman is supposedly a slave brought back to life and seeking revenge against the people who mistreated him. Tony Todd stars as the title character. Carefully choose the time of day when you watch this horror movie, you might not be able to sleep afterward.