Truckers go down dark and scary roads

Halloween is coming, so it’s time to brush up on our scary movies. We like good psychologically scary movies. Take one raised eyebrow by Anthony Hopkins, add a crazed Jack Nicholson smile, a clown, birds, and a homicidal doll, and you’ve got our idea of a perfect horror movie.

It’s in this spirit – pun intended – that we want to make sure everyone knows our favorite trucking horror movies of all time. Remember, these are best watched in the middle of the night while parked at a lonely rest stop in the middle of nowhere.

“Duel” (1971)

Would you believe Steven Spielberg’s first full-length film was about trucking? “Duel” pits a menacing, unseen trucker against a guy driving a Plymouth across the barren California desert. Expect plenty of ominous diesel exhaust blowing across the screen.

“Maximum Overdrive” (1986)

This story comes from another master storyteller named Steve. Brought to us by Stephen King, “Maximum Overdrive” ’is a tale of machines coming to life. Not only do you get homicidal semi-trucks going on murderous rampages, but you’ll also be treated to maniacal hairdryers and psychopathic vending machines. Does it get any better?

“Road Games” (1981)

Although this movie was filmed in Australia, heavyweights like Stacey Keach and Jamie Lee Curtis star in it. In an interesting twist to the trucking genre, “Road Games” follows a truck driver who plays a cat-and-mouse game with a serial killer using young female hitchhikers as bait. It’ll make you think twice next time you see an outstretched thumb.

“Joy Ride” (2001)

We can’t leave out this Paul Walker vehicle, which landed prior to the late actor’s “Fast and Furious” fame (say that five times fast…and furious). This movie is the classic psycho-trucker-on-a-CB-radio-torments-hapless-young-adults horror flick. It’s over-the-top and the plot has more holes than a slice of Swiss cheese. In other words? It’s perfect.

There you have it! Who knew trucking was represented in such great horror flicks? So, next time you can’t figure out what scary movie to watch, keep trucking in mind.