Hosting an Outdoor Horror Movie Night

It’s 2020 and the world got really weird and scary this year. Many of us still want to celebrate Halloween in safe ways and what better way to enjoy the season than to host an Outdoor Horror movie night. A movie night outdoors is a covid-friendly way to get together and be scared with your friends.

Here are some tips for hosting movies outside:

Seating:

You have different options here. Some people prefer chairs. You can have some chairs handy or tell guests they can bring their own. Blankets are also an option for those who prefer that, just have them in front of the chairs so visibility is great for everyone.

Screen:

You can have an outdoor screen on a stand, but a white sheet works just as well. You can either build a simple frame for it and just staple the sheet to the frame or hang it from your house if that is an option. We picked up cheap white sheets at Value Village for this purpose.

Projector:

Your options are buying one, borrowing one or renting one!

Other equipment:

extension cords
hdmi cord
DVD player or laptop
speakers

Wifi:

If you plan on streaming a movie, be sure your wifi is good in the yard where you plan to place your laptop. If it isn’t great, then consider getting movies on DVD/Blu-ray for the event.

Lighting:

You’ll want to wait until dark to get the best image possible; projectors work best with minimal or no ambient light. You may want to have some small lights around so that people can get up to go to the bathroom, etc.

Movie Snacks:

No movie is complete without snacks. Setting up a popcorn bar is a fun way for guests to customize their own movie snacks. Just have a giant bowl of popcorn ready with bags or bowls for each guest and have a selection of popcorn spice toppings for them to choose from. You can also ask guests to bring sharable movie treats as well.

Keeping Warm:

Be sure to communicate to guests that the movies will be outside. Have some blankets on hand so that everyone can keep cozy throughout the night. Have warm drinks available, such as hot chocolate and tea.

Plan Ahead:

Test out the set up beforehand so you can problem solve any issues in advance!

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There is something frightening about watching horror movies outdoors; the darkness, the sounds of nature, etc. just add to the creepiness of the movie experience. Choosing the right movie to accentuate this fear is essential!

This is my Top Ten List of Movies to Watch Outside:

The Blair Witch Project (1999)
- This has had me scared of camping ever since.
- “Three film students vanish after travelling into a Maryland forest to film a documentary on the local Blair Witch legend, leaving only their footage behind.”
- https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0185937/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
Blair Witch (2016)
- This movie has a scene near the end of the movie that makes me incredibly uncomfortable, which makes it one of my top picks.
- “After discovering a video showing what he believes to be his vanished sister Heather, James and a group of friends head to the forest believed to be inhabited by the Blair Witch.”
- https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1540011/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Cabin in the Woods (2012)
- If a remote cabin isn’t scary enough throw in some backwoods zombies!
- “When five college friends (Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams) arrive at a remote forest cabin for a little vacation, little do they expect the horrors that await them.”
- https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_cabin_in_the_woods
Evil Dead (1981)
- If you aren’t scared in the forest perhaps you should be afraid of the forest itself.
- “Five friends travel to a cabin in the woods, where they unknowingly release flesh-possessing demons.”
- https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083907/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
The Forest (2016)
- Just the idea of this Japanese forest is enough to make me afraid.
- “A woman goes into Japan’s Suicide Forest to find her twin sister, and confronts supernatural terror.”
- https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3387542/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Backcountry (2014)
- Not a true horror movie in my books, but an incredibly stressful situation!
- “A couple (Missy Peregrym, Jeff Roop) on a deep-wilderness hike become hopelessly lost within an aggressive black bear’s territory.”
- https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/backcountry
Willow Creek (2013)
- Found Footage meets Bigfoot.
- “Deep in the dark and silent woods, isolated and hours from human contact, neither Kelly or Jim are prepared for what is hidden between the trees, and what happens when the cameras start rolling…”
- https://www.imdb.com/video/vi2296232473?playlistId=tt2885364&ref_=tt_ov_vi
Don’t Go in the Woods (1980)
- A maniacal murderer kills tourists in the woods.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t70KbTz1bK4
Yellow Brick Road (2010)
- “1940: the entire population of Friar, New Hampshire walked up a winding mountain trail, leaving everything behind. 2008: the first official expedition into the wilderness attempts to solve the mystery of the lost citizens of Friar.”
- https://www.imdb.com/video/vi2970000921?playlistId=tt1398428&ref_=tt_ov_vi
Dying Breed (2008)
- This is a great little After Dark film that is disturbing in many ways. It’s perfect if you get tired of Hollywood horror.
- “Dying Breed interweaves the two most fascinating icons of Tasmanian history: the extinct Tasmanian tiger and “The Pieman” (aka Alexander Pearce) who was hanged for cannibalism in 1824.”
- https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1064744/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1