In observance of that autumn spell when we celebrate the primal instinct of fear, Rainestorm highlights 31 days of spooky scares to season the eerie atmosphere of Halloween.

Reign of terror: 1999

The horror… the horror: One of the most polarizing films ever made. Though I generally disdain shaky camera work, this is one of the few instances where it works in the movie’s favor, primarily because of its documentary conceit. Devoid of music or sound effects, letting natural sound flavor the mood, and utilizing a ridiculously simple premise (three kids lost in the woods, taunted by spooks), The Blair Witch Project manages to build upon itself progressively, in the process producing some genuinely terrifying footage. Though the performances are sometimes as shaky as the cinematography, it is rarely a distraction. First time feature directors Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez know the value of the unknown and the unseen, letting the ever more terrified reactions of the protagonists drive the fear. If you value suspense and terror over tawdry carnage, The Blair Witch Project knows your buttons and when to push them.

Halloween haunt: Burkittsville, Maryland. Specifically, the woods on the outskirts thereof. Custom made for occultist dread, the equivocal cracking and snapping of distant kindling adds to the foreboding and apprehension.

Tastiest treat: The rude mid-evening wake-me-up as the trio’s tent is besieged by supposedly spectral forces.

Check the candy for: The rather impressive faux-mythology that went into the viral marketing for the film. Say what you want about the filmmakers, they certainly didn’t skimp on their research.

Devilish discourse: “No redneck is this creative.”

Goes great with: Wrong Turn (2003). More lost-in-the-woods shenanigans in a Deliverance meets The Texas Chainsaw Massacre mash-up as deranged and deformed inbred mountain men stalk and snack on luckless travelers.