There are so many good films out there for the Halloween season that I realized after my first 13 Movies of Halloween list that I wanted to make another. So here is part two. Grab some movies from this list to help make your Halloween a creepy, fun time.
Halloween
I didn’t include this on my first list because I think it should go without saying that the original Halloween film should be watched religiously every Halloween, but here we are. I am not going to give a synopsis of this movie. If you don’t know the story by now, then you need to see it more than ever. From the opening POV scene to the last frame before the credits, Halloween is a masterful horror film that created multiple icons in the entertainment industry, a standard for future slasher flicks, and a reason to be scared of William Shatner masks. Every moment of stalking terror, every razor-sharp scare brings audiences to the edge of their seats with fear and excitement.
Buy a copy here!
House
This haunted house movie brought the spooky house genre into the ‘80s with a blend of horror, comedy, and tragedy. While fighting writer’s block on his new book, horror novelist Roger Cobb receives news that his beloved aunt has died and he must deal with her estate. This includes the house that she lived in and where Roger lost his son. Roger escapes to the house to isolate himself and finish his book. While at the house though, Roger begins to see and experience things that can’t be real. As manifestations begin to occur more frequently, Roger decides to fight back.
House is great Friday night movie fare and the beginning of a unique franchise. The heavily made-up demons in the house are a great balance of phony-looking, but grotesque. There is lots of foam rubber in here, but it works in the movie. The film is also intermixed with flashback scenes of Roger that all tie together at the end of the film. A good movie and a lot of fun for the Halloween seasons (as all these movies are).
Buy A Copy Here!
House on Haunted Hill
One of my favorite actors and a prince of horror, Vincent Price stars in this William Castle classic. While the story centers around a house that is supposedly filled with ghosts, that is not the real thing you need to be afraid of at the House on Haunted Hill. Guests invited to the party at the house by Frederick Loren (Price) each get $10,000 if they can stay until the morning. What starts as possibly harmless fun and an attempt to embarrass Loren’s wife quickly devolves as tensions rise between the guests, their host, his wife, and each other. Will any of them survive the night?
Buy A Copy Here!
Frankenstein (1931)
Watch as a brilliant scientist discovers how to create life from death in the 1931 classic Frankenstein. I always have to watch at least one Universal Monster movie each Halloween season and Frankenstein is a great place to start. Its combination of horror and tragedy makes the film appealing to this day. Boris Karloff’s portrayal of the monster is breathtaking. While there have been many remakes of this movie and interpretations of the Mary Shelley story, this one ranks highest for me. I like to watch this back to back with The Bride of Frankenstein to get a more complete story, but this film stands on its own.
Buy A Copy Here!
Sleepaway Camp
I just recently did a full review of Sleepaway Camp, but it has been a film I have enjoyed for many years. Accidents and deaths occur quickly in the summer camp that Angela and her cousin Ricky are staying at. Angela’s introverted personality creeps out and even offends her campmates and counselors. She is ridiculed, but defended strongly by her cousin. Is someone else defending Angela from her persecutors or is something else going on?
The story, the kills, and the twist ending make this slasher flick stand out amongst its peers. A lot was done with a small budget. The kill effects and makeup are very ‘80s looking, but I say that with the highest regard. The performances by a mostly preteen cast are memorable. You’ll stay staring at the screen until the credits roll when sitting down to watch this one.
Buy A Copy Here!
Tales from the Crypt
I didn’t throw a TV show on this list (although I easily could). No this is the 1972 British horror anthology film from Amicus Productions. Based on the EC comics, this film has a group of tourists become separated from their group on a tour of old catacombs. They find their way into a large room with a strange robed man. They each then experience the forewarning of each of their deaths and we get to see each moment.
Containing five individual stories, Tales from the Crypt has a plethora of horror sub-genres it covers including witchcraft, zombies, folklore, slasher-killers, and more. Each story is entertaining. My personal favorite is a story of vengeance called Blind Alleys. The film also boasts a cast packed with British stars including Joan Collins, Peter Cushing, Ian Hendry, Patrick Magee, and Ralph Richardson. While not the maniacal, laughing, pun-quipping Cryptkeeper from the famous tv show, Ralph Richardson’s crypt keeper is a perfect guide for us through each of the characters’ stories.
Leave a Reply