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: 1983

The horror… the horror: A sweet little gem from Czech filmmaker Jan Švankmajer that is short and to the point. At fifteen minutes, this wordless near-literal adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s Inquisition horror show conveys more dread and foreboding than most feature-length frights. Shot in stark black and white, enabling Švankmajer to take full advantage of shadows and light. Unlike Poe’s story, however, don’t expect a triumphant denouement.

Halloween haunt: The titular pit, as well as its accompanying pendulum. The inquisitorial tomb within which the hero is incarcerated is reminiscent of the catacombs of a haunted castle, replete with scurrying rats, burning candles and ominous echoes.

Tastiest treat: The ingenious, last-minute application of a beaten food dish.

Goes great with: The Facts in the Case Mister Hollow (2008). A five-minute, animated short film by filmmakers Rodrigo Gudiño and Vincent Marcone. The entire short traces the examination of a single photograph from the point of view of the examiner. Wonderfully creepy, with virtually no action save for the perpetual movement of the examiner’s glass and the odd inconsistencies in the photograph itself.