The arrival of October each year signifies the beginning of not only midterms and cooler weather, but also a resurgence of all things spooky and eerie, particularly in film. For five short weeks leading to Halloween, a majority of society willingly welcomes fright, creepiness, gore, terror and the likes into their lives all for the sake of maximizing one’s fall experience. Here is a beginner’s Halloween film guide to complete those cozy nights in front of the television.
To start on the cozier end of spooky films, the family-friendly classics like “Hocus Pocus” and “Halloweentown” are the perfect pairing to end a long, wholesome day at the pumpkin patch or apple orchard. These movies are humorous and entertaining with the perfect amount of childish Halloween fun that won’t keep you up at night.
Slightly more crude and dark than the aforementioned classics, but still arguably family-friendly, “The Addams Family,” “Beetlejuice,” “Coraline” and “ParaNorman” are must-watches this time of year. The comedic aspect of “The Addams Family” and “Beetlejuice” and the animation factor of the other two relegate them to a more comforting level of scary movie. Many of film director Tim Burton’s gothic and horror films are suitable for a wide range of audiences and are stellar watches this time of year. An added bonus to these movies is the sense of nostalgia as I personally grew up watching these with my siblings and continue to watch every October in tradition.
Stepping it up a notch, possibly the most quintessential of Halloween films are the teenage slashers of the 70s, 80s, and 90s. One cannot go wrong with Michael Meyers in “Halloween” or Freddy Krueger in “A Nightmare on Elm Street.” I am personally a major fan of the “Scream” franchise, but “Friday the 13th,” “The Blair Witch Project,” and “I know What You Did Last Summer” will also keep you at the edge of your couch, gripping the arm of whomever you choose to watch it with because I do advise a companion with these, especially with “Halloween.”
Some earlier to mid 20th century horror classics to add to your watch list this October are “The Shining,” “Psycho,” “Freaks,” and “The Exorcist.” These are gateway horror films that set the foundation for many films made in recent years. For a little more vulgarity and gore on movie night, “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,” “Children of the Corn,” “Hostel,” and “As Above, So Below” will make your insides twist just the right amount. At this level of horror, some modern favorites of mine are “The Conjuring,” “It,” “Orphan” and the “Paranormal Activity” franchise. Whether you’re looking for supernatural thrillers or murderers on a bloody rampage, there is something for everyone this season.
If you desire to elongate the spooky vibes to every night of the week but can’t commit to a whole film, thankfully there are plenty of spooky shows in circulation. A couple shows to watch that are supposedly kid-friendly but offer a substantial level of creepiness are “Courage the Cowardly Dog,” “Scooby-Doo,” and “Goosebumps,” based on R.L. Stine’s book series. For actively frightening shows, “The Haunting of Hill House,” “American Horror Story,” and “Bates Motel” to name just a few, will satisfy your inner horror junkie for a longer period of time.
Before October ends, grab a friend or significant other, put on some fuzzy socks, and go watch a classic horror flick to have the true spooky season experience. Just be prepared to never trust a shower curtain or cornfield again after watching some of these, as you never know where fiction overlaps with reality when it comes to horror.