Get in the spirit with these horrors from YouTube

A spooky YouTube list for Halloween

Instead of one horror movie or album, the writer picks several odd and unsettling videos from YouTube. Some are surreal art films, some are cosmic horror, and some are old viral clips. Each pick is short enough to watch in one sitting.

Key facts about the picks

• Possibly in Michigan: a 1983 short film, about 12 minutes long.
• Heck: a 29-minute short that was later made into the feature film Skinamarink, which runs 100 minutes.
• Dining Room or There is Nothing: a one-minute looping video, also shown in a four-hour version.
• Homemade Gatorade: a road trip short that mixes stiff animation with heavily processed video.

Why these videos found new fans

Many of these videos are old or small. Possibly in Michigan was uploaded to YouTube more than 30 years after it was made, and then spread through Reddit. Its strange imagery has inspired many fan videos that try to explain it.

Why it matters

The list shows how the internet helps old and unusual films find an audience. Short videos can also create fear and tension without showing much. The writer says less can be more, as in Portrait of God.

What to try next

• Watch Possibly in Michigan first to see the film that inspired many fan analyses.
• Try Heck if you like slow, creepy tension.
• Play the four-hour loop of Dining Room or There is Nothing at a Halloween party.