The best scary movies to watch when you’re high

The Halloween season is a time of many traditions. Some, like finding a costume, are timeless, while others, like the annual marketing blitz for pumpkin spice products, are harder to decipher. One thing that’s definitely in October is the occasionally stressful pastime of getting together with your loved ones to watch some scary movies – especially when you’re stoned.

Sure, watching a zombie disembowel something can be unpleasant, but the hardest part? Usually, you have to decide which horror movies will be on your TV screen. From the classic Universal monster movie to the latest installments in the “Halloween” and “Saw” franchises, the options we have when it comes to choosing scary movies seem to be virtually limitless. Fortunately, Cannabis now brings you a curated list of sure-fire winners of the spooky season.

Put together with the assumption that you’re planning on infusing your Halloween night with some THC, the following films range from gory runaways to cheesy musicals. Alternately delightful and frightening, these are films that will scare the living daylights out of you, but which also pair well with cannabis in one way or another. Now it’s time to turn off the lights and see what’s down in the basement…

Monster movie that is also a great musical: “Little Shop of Horrors” (1986)

In the pantheon of legendary horror movie villains, there should be a pot of earth reserved for Audrey II. In the plot of “Little Shop of Horrors,” the unfortunate Seymour aligns his wits with a bloodthirsty plant that loves to eat and can also put down a mean tune. With unforgettable turns from stars Rick Moranis and Ellen Greene, it’s young Steve Martin who shines the most as the insane dentist. The film is also packed with catchy tunes and some truly visionary work from director (and voice of Yoda) Frank Oz, making this campy cult classic a great choice for those who prefer sing-alongs to jump scares.

You can’t be high enough for that: “Anaconda” (1997)

Believe it or not, the giant snake that repeatedly tries to eat stars Ice Cube and Jennifer Lopez for nearly 90 minutes isn’t the scariest part of this movie. That honor goes to Jon Voight, who is scary beyond words as a snake hunter who is picked up by a documentary crew trying to capture footage of an elusive indigenous tribe on the banks of the Amazon. The only problem is a murderous anaconda that seems to be whatever length suits it best depending on the scene. If you decide to indulge in this madness, then get ready to witness the most disturbing wink in the history of film. Anaconda isn’t a top contender for the most realistic movie of all time, but that doesn’t make the prospect of watching Owen Wilson and Danny Trejo fight a gigantic CGI snake any less awesome.

Space is incredibly scary: “Event Horizon” (1997)

If you’re in the mood for something truly spooky, try traveling to the most terrifying place of all: space. In “Event Horizon,” a crew led by Laurence Fishburne is sent to explore a seemingly abandoned spaceship that has mysteriously resurfaced after disappearing seven years ago. Things start out well enough, but soon Fishburne’s crew recognizes people who aren’t there, while also uncovering some pretty disturbing details about where the Event Horizon might have been while he was away. If you only know Sam Neill from Jurassic Park, prepare to see a whole new side of him in this underrated gem. Warning: This film is really scary!

Stoner comedy disguised as a horror film: “Idle Hands” (1999)

If the prospect of consuming cannabis and watching a horror movie isn’t enough, then why not get high and then watch a scary movie where weed is a central part of the plot? “Idle Hands” portrays Devon Sawa as the most stereotypical stoner imaginable. Not only does he constantly wear a pipe made from a converted asthma inhaler around his neck, but he is also so lazy that his hand becomes possessed by the devil and he goes on a killing spree. While “Idle Hands” definitely features a fair amount of violence, this is a story that is definitely played for laughs. So if you love the vibe of ’90s teen classics like “Can’t Hardly Wait” and “She’s All That,” this is the horror film for you. It even features Seth Green!

Too lazy to change the channel: “Grindhouse” (2007)

Maybe your ideal Halloween involves moving as little as possible. If indolence is your love language, you can get two films for half the price with the unique 2007 double feature Grindhouse. This double ode to 1970s exploitation films combines Robert Rodriguez’s zombie attack film “Planet Terror” with Quentin Tarantino’s car chase hit “Death Proof” and even includes a number of fictional trailers for other, similar films. They’re so good that after “Grindhouse” was released in 2007, two of the fake trailers (“Machete,” “Hobo with a Shotgun”) were eventually turned into real films. Before you try these out, though, watch “Grindhouse” to enjoy nearly 200 minutes of mayhem, including Kurt Russell driving to kill and Rose McGowan swinging a machine gun leg.