It’s October, which means horror fans are putting together their seasonal slate of chilling films.  If you enjoy slow-burn horror full of haunting imagery, or if you like historical dramas just as much as you like horror, there’s no better time to get acquainted with the films of Robert Eggers.  Eggers has a signature style, delivering dark fables full of memorable imagery.  However, despite consistency in style, each of his films still feels completely one of a kind.  If you’re curious, every feature film directed by Eggers can be found at Mead Public Library, and it’s an excellent time to give them a watch or rewatch. It’s perfect time of year, and Eggers’ fourth feature film, Nosferatu, hits theaters this December.

The Vvitch

Strange occurrences bedevil a puritan family exiled from their community in colonial New England.  As eldest daughter Thomasin watches her family succumb to tragedy and paranoia, she becomes tempted to answer the dark forces calling out to her from the woods.  This was the feature film debut of now-megastar Anya Taylor-Joy.  It also launched a meme in the form of the diabolical goat Black Phillip and his siren call to reckless hedonism: “Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?”.  This film established Eggers’ mastery of mounting dread and surreal, haunting imagery, and nearly ten years later, it definitely holds up.

The Lighthouse

A new lighthouse keeper tries not to buckle under isolation, harsh conditions, and mistreatment from his employer.  He is transfixed by the light his employer forbids him from seeing, and haunted by his own dark secret.  This movie is a case in point for Eggers’ keen eye for casting: it’s hard to imagine anyone but Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe playing these roles.  This movie is tense, mind-bending, a little bit gross, and absolutely unforgettable.

The Northman

It’s always interesting when directors branch out and try new things the way Eggers did here.  The Northman is a historical drama rather than a horror film, but the slow build of tension and surreal imagery are still in fine form.  The film follows fugitive Viking prince Amleth in his quest to avenge his father, who was murdered by his uncle.  Eggers’ masterful casting is once again on display: Anya Taylor-Joy and Willem Dafoe return, and Nicole Kidman nearly steals the show as Amleth’s enigmatic mother Queen Gudrún.  Björk even shows up as an otherworldly seer in just one of many dreamlike sequences that will stay with you long after the credits roll.  If you love movies that feel a little bit like music videos, this is absolutely a film for you.