There are plenty of movies with casinos and card games in them, but not many of them are from the horror genre. By taking a look at some of these examples and also some card games, we can see how these two elements work together so well and why we might hope for more in the future.
Card Games and Casinos in Horror Movies
Card games are often used to add tension to a movie, so it makes perfect sense that they get used in horror movies where cranking up the tension and making the outcome unpredictable is so important. Therefore, it’s a surprise to see so few card games in horror, although The Dark Dealer from 1995 has three men playing blackjack against the devil to save their souls.
The card game featured in the movie is now massively popular, partly due to the success of online blackjack which is played with live-streamed human dealers. It’s now possible to find variants including Blackjack Switch and Cash Out Blackjack, each with slightly modified rules that help players find a version that suits them. The likes of side bets and random multipliers are among the recent additions to the classic gameplay.
Poker Night is a 2014 thriller where a detective needs to recall advice given to him by experienced colleagues during their poker sessions to escape from a terrifying psychopath. Other films have used casinos in general as part of their pilot, such as 2011’s Remains, which is set in post-apocalyptic Reno and has the survivors playing cards as they avoid the zombies. 2007’s The Haunted Casino (alternatively known as Dead Man’s Hand) uses an abandoned casino filled with ghosts to create a spooky atmosphere.
Playing Games with Horror-Inspired Cards
Another option for horror fans who enjoy card games is to look for special decks of cards like the Top Trumps Card Game – Unofficial Guide to 30 Scary Flix Edition. This game covers some of the most memorable horror films from Psycho to the Blair Witch Project.
You can also play your favorite card games like blackjack and poker with horror movie playing cards created by the Austrian firm Piatnik. Featuring timeless characters including Frankenstein, Dracula, and images from The Birds and Godzilla, they work just like normal cards but with an added twist.
Psycho Killer: The Card Game is an action-packed game where players draw cards from a deck that includes five psycho killers and a variety of weapons. It cleverly draws on the most common horror movie cliches to make something that’s entertaining as well as having an ironic, knowing edge to the gameplay that a lot of players should enjoy.
Given the way that horror and card games can work well together, it’s perhaps surprising that there aren’t more high-profile examples of them being combined to produce something fresh and interesting. With live blackjack ensuring that this game reaches a wider audience now, this may help to inspire card game creators to think about new ways of bringing a touch of terror to how we play or encourage directors to add some card games to the way they thrill us.
