It’s day 2 of Bloody Disgusting’s 31 Days of Halloween, and the first Devil’s Night pick: 2012’s Sinister. Director Scott Derrickson, who co-wrote the film with C. Robert Cargill, previously terrified audiences with The Exorcism of Emily Rose, which blended courtroom drama with a terrifying, based on a true story possession case. In Sinister, Cargill and Derrickson unleashed Pagan deity Bagul, or Bughuul, upon true crime writer Ellison Oswalt. Granted, Bughuul isn’t an actual Pagan deity, but he does seem to bear serious similarities to Moloch, the Canaanite deity of child sacrifice. So, what better way to begin Devil’s Night than with a creepy beginning of the decade’s dive into the occult.
Synopsis: True crime author Ellison Oswalt has uprooted his family and moved them into a home where a family was previously murdered, unbeknownst to them. He’s researching the murder for his new book, hoping the research will lead him to the whereabouts of the murdered family’s missing 10-year-old girl. When he finds a box of Super 8 home movies in the attic, he discovers the murder might be the work of a serial killer whose work dates back to the 1960s. The more he uncovers, the closer he brings he and his family to perilous danger.
Key Players: Ethan Hawke plays Ellison Oswalt, and Juliet Rylance plays his wife Tracy. Fred Dalton Thompson is the unwelcoming Sheriff, though James Ransone offers up comedic levity as Deputy So and So. Look for Vincent D’Onofrio to pop in long enough to deliver needed exposition about Bughuul, and Nick King plays Bughuul (aka Mr. Boogie).
Why It’s on the List: Another solid entry in early 2010 horror, Sinister is one of the rare films where audiences and critics are in alignment. Eerie atmosphere, iconic jump scares, and a memorable boogeyman all make for a noteworthy genre movie.
The Best Scare: The lawnmower scene. Need we say more?
Where You can Watch: Sinister is currently streaming free on Vudu with ads. That means you have no excuse not to watch along with us tonight!
It’s Wednesday, which means that at 7pm CST/8pm EST, we’re pressing play and live-tweeting along with today’s pick using hashtag #BloodyHalloween. Be sure to follow Bloody Disgusting on Twitter, and tweet along with us as we pay a visit to Mr. Boogie.