Choose a Fall Book, Get a Fall Film
By: Beth Petrunak
When you think of Fall, do visions of a dark and eerie wood appear? Can you hear the creaking floorboards of a haunted house? Or perhaps Fall reminds you of warm sweaters, spiced lattes, and scented candles. Whatever your flavor, there is no better time to cozy up with a new book or watch a classic film than Fall. Here are some film recommendations based on your favorite seasonal reads.
A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid - Crimson Peak by Guillermo del Toro
A personified landscape, a gothic mansion, and a young protagonist who has always felt a connection to the other side; Ava Reid fans, let me introduce you to Crimson Peak. After falling into a whirlwind romance with the charming Sir Thomas Sharpe, Edith is taken away to his crumbling yet alluring mansion. Edith quickly becomes overwhelmed with visions and hauntings, but as she tries to investigate, Thomas’s sister, Lady Lucille, is there to stop her at every turn. This film is full of gothic themes and tropes including a personified estate, hysteria, and plenty of melodrama. Like Effy from A Study in Drowning, Edith is a quiet and seemingly naive character who discovers her power in the things that make her different and embraces it. Content warning for sexual content and gore.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt - Dead Poets Society by Peter Weir
Nothing says Fall like dark academia. The niche sub-genre is characterized by a university setting, an appreciation for the arts and humanities, and a plot typically involving some sort of mystery. If you like the intellectualism and the youthful camaraderie of The Secret History, you will love Dead Poets Society. Set at a New England boys’ prep school, the film follows students Neil and Todd who are slowly being crushed under the weight of their parents and society’s expectations of them. They are forced to reconsider their lives, values, and dreams when a new English teacher appears with unconventional teaching methods. What follows is an emotional journey of self-discovery, passion, and obsession.
The Ex Hex by Rachel Hawkins - Practical Magic by Griffin Dunne
For those in search of a cozy, magical romance, look no further than Practical Magic. Like Vivienne Jones in The Ex Hex, sister witches Sally and Gillian are no stranger to magical mishaps. After they try to bring back Gillian’s ex-boyfriend from the dead, they are faced with not only a haunting, but a suspicious special investigator, Gary Hallet, looking for answers. What really sells this film is the cozy small town atmosphere. You’ll find yourself wishing you were walking down a New England town street drinking a seasonal beverage in your favorite warm sweater. Just like The Ex Hex, this film is filled with cozy fall nostalgia as well as hexes, curses, and some good old-fashioned slow burn yearning. Content warnings for SA and DV.
Slewfoot by Brom - The Witch by Robert Eggers
For a darker, more sinister Fall watch, look no further than Robert Eggers. His films are filled with striking imagery, unsettling stories, and depraved characters. If you are looking for a dark, colonial story of Witchcraft like Slewfoot, then I would recommend The Witch. After their youngest child goes missing, paranoia grows in a Puritan family living on the edge of the woods. Tensions rise and as they begin to turn on one another, it becomes clearer that no one is devoid of sin. This film is incredibly atmospheric and haunting, but also intimate and alluring. This is a story that will leave you questioning, Woulds’t thou like to live deliciously? Content warnings for gore and nudity.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - Lisa Frankenstein by Zelda Williams
There is no shortage of Frankenstein adaptations and retellings. From Bride of Frankenstein to Frankenweenie, some of the themes that tie these stories together are loss, creation, and personhood. If you’ve ever wondered how an emo teenage girl might handle these topics in a stylized 1980s suburbia, then let me introduce you to Lisa Frankenstein. Looking for comfort after the brutal murder of her mother, Lisa Swallows seeks companionship in her local graveyard, where she becomes infatuated with the grave of a young man there. After a freak lightning storm brings him to her doorstep, she must confront her thirst for retribution and her growing feelings for her monster. Content warning for some violence and gore.
The Witching Hour is Upon Us!
From a cozy spiced latte to a bubbling witch’s brew, however you celebrate the changing of the season, there is something for you. Lean into your haunting, hex-filled fantasy or scour the stacks for secret tomes. However you celebrate, Fall is here! And no one can tell you it’s too early to celebrate. For more bookish and fall content, check out Beth on TikTok at @heybethrenee