The start of October brings with it the start of one of the best times of the year: Halloween. In an effort to get hyped for the season (and have a good reason to procrastinate studying for midterms), here are five movies to get you in the holiday spirit.
1. Halloween Town (1-3)
No good Halloween movie list would be complete without the staple series of Halloween Town. This trio of films is a Disney classic, following the lives of Marnie Piper and her witch-filled family. After following their grandmother to her home on a Halloween night, Marnie and her siblings are brought to a town that is dedicated to Halloween year round—basically the ultimate dream. With a variety of cheesy Halloween puns, magical love stories and plenty of magic, this is the perfect nostalgic series to get ready for Halloween.
2. IT
One of the most terrifying things to exist—clowns. IT is a classic movie that recently had a reboot, so two equally terrifying versions to choose from! IT follows the story of an evil demon named Pennywise that comes out every few years to feast upon the children of his town. Another group of children of the town form a group, dubbed the “Loser’s Club,” and throughout the movie try to defeat IT. If you are looking for a movie that will simultaneously make you laugh and cry out of fear then look no further.
3. Hocus Pocus
Another classic Disney Halloween movie, Hocus Pocus is a witchy movie with great actresses like Sarah Jessica Parker and Bette Midler. After sneaking into a spooky house on Halloween, a group of kids accidentally free an imprisoned group of sister witches. The sisters are released into the unfamiliar 20th Century world after their long imprisonment, and the movie follows their attempts to find a sacrifice to keep them within this modern world. There is humor within the movie for all ages, and can provide some great costume inspiration.
4. Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Although originally seen as one of the most frightening horror movies of its time, Texas Chainsaw Massacre has become a great cult classic. After a group of friends decided to investigate the countryside grave site of one member’s grandfather, they become targets of a cannibal family that lives in the area. The general plot line of the film became famous for the verity behind it, as records of cannibalistic, body snatcher murders were inspiration for the characters. The film set a new standard for horror films, and now can be enjoyed for its equally terrifying and laughter-inducing special effects.
5. The Craft
The final movie of this list is The Craft—a movie with a great female cast that explores a darker side of magic. After moving to a new town, Sarah Bailey is recruited for her telekinetic powers into a coven of three other girls to complete their magical group. Their group of ‘weirdos’ go through series of spells to exact vengeance on those who have wronged them, and the film follows them through their magical successes and the repercussions that follow. With plenty of dark humor and moral dilemmas, The Craft is a great cult classic to add to your list.
As late nights studying come up this fall, take a break to delve into any of these movies and get a little more into the holiday spirit.