Unlike Christmas, you can pretty much watch horror films whenever you want, hence rendering the film selection for the Halloween season to lack exclusivity. However, there are a handful of staple Halloween films out there where they just don’t feel right watching without a bowl full of candy corn and a carved jack o’lantern glowing in the windows. Maybe it’s because they’re all actually set in fall; maybe it’s because there’s just a special something about them. Following is a list of five of those staple Halloween films that stand out either because they are a) absolutely terrifying or b) the part of your childhood where you sat watching them in front of a TV anticipating a raging night of binge candy-eating (or maybe that’s something you still do, whatever floats your boat). Without much further ado, here they are:
The Exorcist
When people talk about the horror movie of all times, this is what they’re referring to. When people are asked what the scariest movie they’ve ever seen is, this is what they answer with. The Exorcist, as suggested by its title, surrounds the story of an actress living in Georgetown shooting a film when her young daughter begins to show signs of what at first appears to be a mental breakdown, but soon is revealed to be demonic possession (but close enough, right?). Sure, you might find it a bit passé, maybe even a bit too typical to reference this as a classic, but hey, classics are classics for a reason. The Exorcist, even if the puke is obviously pea soup, has made head spins for the last four decades with terrifying images and a story that has a habit of staying with you especially when you’re alone at night.
(Also as a PS, I could have said Halloween for this slot, but we don’t want to be too cliché, now, do we?)
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
Obviously this film has made it on to the list, despite the fact that television seems to have forgotten about it these past few Halloween seasons (or maybe I just keep missing it). Regardless, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown has warmed many hearts with a cidery goodness. There’s rocks and bad ghost costumes and stupid Linus with his stupid blanket, who you kind of want to punch for the duration of the movie but whose Great Pumpkin doctrine you’re also kind of in to. Still, though, if it came to bobbing for apples versus waiting for some weirdo wearing a pumpkin head in a cold, deserted pumpkin patch, which one would you chose? Move on, Sally, move on.
Sleepy Hollow
Although horror films were originally intended to scare the bejeezus out of you, it seems that these days they’re a favorite past time for teenagers who want a good laugh with more sex than a Game of Thrones marathon. Sleepy Hollow can provide both (laughs, not sex). To be totally honest, it’s not exactly scary, but it’s gaudy overuse of the blood budget translates into enjoyment rather than laughter, getting to stare at Johnny Depp in his prime for an hour and a half not exactly a bad tradeoff. Starring as jaded Ichabod Crane traveling to Sleepy Hollow in order to investigate a mysterious series of decapitations, Depp not only picks up Christina Ricci as a love interest and battles Christopher Walken as the Horseman risen from the grave. Directed by Tim Burton, it’s a great combination of weird quirkiness and dark humor (and Johnny Depp).
Rocky Horror Picture Show
Some people may like this movie. Some people may not. That all depends on whether or not they’re not too crazy about the film’s content, or that they’re extremely disturbed that Tim Curry has nicer legs than ninety percent of the female population. Regardless, the plotline is this: there is no plotline. A young couple gets engaged, gets lost, and ends up accidentally crashing what could be the biggest simultaneous acid drop in the history of human kind. There are transvestites, there is genetically engineered eye candy, and there’s even a body in the entree. How much more Halloween could you get?
Hocus Pocus
Don’t act like you didn’t see this coming. Just don’t. Hocus Pocus has been a staple in Halloween movie binge-watching since Bette Midler and Bette Midler’s teeth flew onto the scene in 1993. But since 365 days is a long time, here’s a quick refresher course in the plot line of this film: virgin moves into town, virgin lights a candle to impress a girl that he hopes will change his virgin status but instead calls back from the dead three witches whose faces generally inspire celibacy. Probably one of the greatest song/dance numbers of all times ensues. That, friends, is one of the many reasons why this movie has remained at the top of the Halloween-movie-pinnacle.