As leaves change and pumpkins begin to adorn doorsteps, you know that Halloween is in the air. However, it isn't really spooky season until you turn on a time-tested, classic Halloween movie. Whether you want a film fit for the whole family or a nightmare-inducing thriller, keep reading for the perfect movies to get you into the Halloween spirit. So grab the popcorn and a pumpkin spice latte, and snuggle up with one of our favorite movies that just scream Halloween.
Family Favorites
Ghostbusters 1984
Double Double Toil and Trouble 1993
Make way for spells, witches, wizards, and adventure! It's Halloween, the scariest, most fun event of fall. But for Lynn and Kelly Farmer (Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen) something scarier could happen. A slump in the family business means the Farmers will lose their home - unless the spirited twins find a way to save it! We still love watching this one.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Equal parts Halloween and Christmas movie, you can keep watching this animated feature from October through December. Who can resist following the King of Halloween Town, Jack Skellington, as he makes his accidental journey into Christmas Town?
Casper (1995)
A young Christina Ricci stars in this sweet movie about a teenage girl's friendship with a twelve-year-old, lonely—yet friendly—ghost.
The Classics
Psycho (1960)
A Phoenix secretary steals $40,000 from her employer's client, goes on the run, and checks into a remote motel run by a young man under the domination of his mother. This Hitchcock Masterpiece is a must.
The Shinning (1980)
If you're looking for a good fright, alongside cinematic prowess, turn on The Shining. The Stanley Kubrick-directed film has become a horror movie classic, tracing an innkeeper who goes off the psychological deep end.
Halloween (1978)
John Carpenter's HALLOWEEN premiered on October 25th, 1978, not in Los Angeles with a big event at Mann's Chinese Theater, instead, it opened in Kansas City. It did quite well there and opened up in Chicago, and then earned showings in New York. From there, it had a platform release across the country, playing in different cities at different times. And now its a Halloween Staple.
The Must-See
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
The one I will watch every Halloween!
And of course...
Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
This cult-favorite musical is the longest-running theatrical release in history, because of its frequent, interactive showings around Halloween. So watch it solo or, even better, grab some friends and do the Time Warp again.
Frankenstien (1931)
The horror classic in which an obsessed scientist (Colin Clive) assembles a living being (Boris Karloff) from parts of exhumed corpses.
So what are some of your Halloween go to movies? Also, have you haunted those other bloggers counting down to the big night? Click the button below for more Halloween fright.
My fave of all of these is Rocky Horror!
ReplyDeleteI love that my girls will watch this one now every year, they might not get all of the jokes but it's still fun. My oldest and I where going to an interactive show this year until the rona hit. Now I'm afraid she will be to old for me next year and go with friends nevertheless I will teach her the way.
DeleteWhen it comes to straight Halloween movies my favorites are Trick R' Treat, Halloween, Halloween 2, Halloween 3, and Halloween 2020, Tales of Halloween, Ernest Scared Stupid, the Crow (though it takes place on Devil's Night, right before Halloween), Something Wicked This Way Comes (in October, if not Halloween). My family's Halloween choices are Hocus Pocus and all of the Halloweentown movies.
ReplyDeleteI'm on the hunt for Something Wicked This Way Comes I Hope to bump into a vhs copy in a thrift store. I'm going to pop in Ernest one night when my kids are home they always pass when I ask if we can watch it. I'm just going to do!
DeleteLove Psycho. And Halloween is my favorite film, not just for Halloween time, but of all films. Been saving it to watch late each October, so that I don't over do it. But as soon as I hear that music, I get the skin crawlies, no matter how old I am getting.
ReplyDeleteLove Psycho but The Birds was one of the movies my mom made me watch when I was getting into Horror Movies scared the crap out of me was hook from that day on. I can watch Halloween all year round as well but Halloween 2 has a special place in my heart for watching during the season.
DeleteRocky Horror or The Nightmare Before Christmas are my favorites.
ReplyDeleteYou know in this house muscal's are going to rule. My oldest wants to watch Sweeney Todd this year and revisit Little Shop of Horrors.
DeleteLOL, when you titled it "The Shinning" I thiought it was going to be "Treehouse of Horror V" from the Simpsons...
ReplyDeleteAlso RHPS brings back memeories...when I was in college I hung out with a bunch of audience cast folk...we had a theatre in town that showed it every Saturday midnight. Still have the theatre, now that they've moved out of their epynomous loft to an actual real multiplex. Alas they don't seem to run it every weekend any more.
"Over the Garden Wall" should be considered for this list. It's not "scary" in the way we consider horror movies, but put all the episodes together, and you've got a nearly perfect *Halloween* movie.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.vox.com/culture/2020/10/19/21516968/over-the-garden-wall-cartoon-october-halloween-animated-miniseries-wirt-greg-review-ending-explained
(The Countdown to Halloween sent me here!)