The COVID-19 pandemic has made the world come to a standstill like no society ever thought would happen. It has changed our way of life with citizens having to walk around with masks and celebrate events virtually. Due to the pandemic, another celebration that people enjoy has to be celebrated differently or not all: Halloween. Though this pandemic has changed norms and friendly exchanges, some people have taken advantage. Many have come up with different methods to participate in handing out or collecting candy. Since I won’t be celebrating Halloween this year, I will be watching childhood Halloween themed movies instead.
The list below won’t be the usual Halloween movies that give people, like myself, nightmares. Instead, it will consist of my five top Halloween movies that I adore and continue to watch since my childhood.
“Hocus Pocus”
In 1993, Walt Disney Pictures released a horror film mixed with a comedy theme named “Hocus Pocus” in theaters. The film is about three sisters known as the Sanderson sisters who were murdered in the 1600s after they were exposed as witches. Before being killed the sisters cast a spell that would help them restore to life if a particular candle at their old home is lit by a virgin. Centuries later a boy named Max who recently moved to the town the sisters once live lights the candle with his sister, Dani, and friend/crush, Allison, present on Halloween. The film follows Dani, Max, Allison, and a talking cat named Thackery. Everybody is protecting Dani who the sisters are trying to cast a spell on in order to steal her soul in order to stay young.
This film is one of my most-watched Halloween movies that I can look at all day if given the chance. The movie is hilarious with great acting from everybody, especially the actresses that play the Sanderson sisters, with their old fashioned clothing and unattractive facial expressions. The hunt for Dani keeps my attention as well because of the obstacles everyone goes through to protect and the obstacles the Sanderson sisters go through to take her.
Currently, “Hocus Pocus” is available on streaming service Disney+ and airs on Freeform on certain days.
“Halloweentown” Series (Except Film Four)
“Halloweentown” is a Disney channel series of movies about a witch named Marnie Piper who comes from a line of powerful witches. She is learning to utilize and develop her powers throughout each movie with the help of grandmother, Aggie. The series contains four movies, the first one is called Halloweentown and was released on the Disney channel in 1998 that focuses on Marnie and her siblings finding out about their powers. In that movie, she finds out how to fight evil with her powers in another dimension called Halloweentown. The second one is called “Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge” that was released in 2001 and takes place two years after the events of the first one. The film depicts Marnie fighting another evil that happens to be connected to the evil from the first one. In 2004, “Halloweentown High” was released that centers around Marnie taking a specific duty and fighting evil with her family’s powers being threatened. The final movie of the series was called “Return to Halloweentown” that premiered in 2006 with Marnie attending college in Halloweentown instead of in the human world. She is fighting against two sets of evils with one set hiding in plain sight.
As a child, I always looked forward to the month of October because that meant the “Halloweentown” series would be on repeat. Usually, it would be available on OnDemand if you have the TV service Xfinity. The film series is my favorite and still is because as a child I always imagined having powers and the visual effects were awesome. The movie taught me also that people may be different in looks but that doesn’t mean you don’t have much in common. Though I love the series, I can say that the fourth and final film was a major disappointment. For some reason during the fourth one the usual actress that plays Marnie, Kimberly J. Brown was replaced by actress Sara Paxton. Also, though the visuals were intriguing the plot was just empty without much excitement.
Since it is October the “Halloweentown” series is aired on the Disney channel sometimes and is available on Xfinity On Demand. Also, the film is available on Disney+ where it can be streamed at any time.
“Don’t Look Under The Bed”
Over 20 years ago, in 1999 “Don’t Look Under The Bed” was broadcasted on Disney Channel. The movie centers around Frances, a smart teen that is in high school and starts to see an imaginary guy named, Larry. He informs her of the boogeyman who is constantly framing Frances for mysterious events taking place. Larry is said to be after the boogeyman and tracking him down to stop him from harming Frances or her little brother, Darwin. As the movie continues Larry starts to change himself with secrets being revealed.
As a child, I was extremely scared of this movie because of the figures and makeup on creatures such as the boogeyman. Plus, the theme and surroundings were scary, but I continued to watch it. I like the fact that the film broke barriers with the way that the movie was scary, but was able to still entertain children. Also, this film shared an intimate moment between two people of different races which wasn’t very popular in movies.
Much like “Halloweentown,” due to the month being October “Don’t Look Under The Bed” is played on Disney Channel. To add on, the film is on Xfinity On Demand and streams on Disney+.
“The Little Vampire”
This book turned into a movie was released in theaters in 2000 and tells the journey of two young boys named Tony and Rudolph. Tony is an American boy from California that moves to Scotland after his father takes a job offer. At school, he is disliked and bullied and also starts to suffer from nightmares. By accident, he comes upon Rudolph who is a young vampire. They soon start to befriend each other and Tony learns that Rudolph has a family as well. He also learned that Rudolph and his family are on the run from a vampire hunter and are searching for an object that would help him and his family along with other vampires become human during a ceremony. The film follows these two as their relationship develops and they fight against time and a hunter.
This film was hilarious to me as a child because of the dialogue throughout the movie. As a child, I was obsessed with European accents and since this movie was based in Scotland everyone practically had an accent. I like movies that revolve around creatures such as vampires which was the main topic of discussion in the film.
Unfortunately, “The Little Vampire” is not available for free on any platform and because of that I barely see the movie more than once a year. Though the film is available to rent or buy on Youtube or Xfinity On Demand.
“Beetlejuice”
“Beetlejuice” is a 1988 comedy with a dark theme that follows a dead couple named Barbara and Adam Maitland. Instead of going into the afterlife, they are trapped in the home they once lived in as ghosts. Soon a family moves into the home along with a daughter named Lydia who can see them because of her gothic beliefs and persona. Soon the Maitland couple wants their home back and tries to find ways to get the family to move out. They are looking for help through different afterlife sources including help from a ghost named “Betelgeuse” though pronounced like Beetlejuice. The film depicts the couple trying to kick the family out of the house though they begin to care for Lydia. Also, it centers around the maniac ghost, “Betelgeuse,” who is trying to enter the mortal universe.
This film is my mother’s and I favorite Halloween movie because of multiple reasons. One is the acting specifically from actor Michael Keaton who plays as “Betelgeuse” and acting was so phenomenal which resulted in him being nominated for awards. Also, the costumes that were bright sometimes and stood out from the usual dark background. To add on, the musical scenes were amazing and makes me sing along every time I watch them. “Beetlejuice” is one of my favorite Halloween themed childhood movies that some consider not to be child friendly.
Since it is October, “Beetlejuice” is available to watch on Freeform when it airs sometimes. Also, it is available on Xfinity On Demand.