Top 10 Movies to Watch on Halloween

A guide to the most chilling and fitting movies for All Hallows Eve

Aug 23, 2009 Paul Counelis

It's an autumn night, the harvest moon is shining down on the swirling leaves for the perfect horror movie setting. But which Halloween flicks have the most appeal?

One of Halloween's many modern traditions is to sit with friends, family, or just by yourself (eep!) and watch a tantalizingly spooky horror film on that most spirited of nights. Which films stand the test of time and will put you in the "holiday spirit"?

Where To Start

10) The Ring. This frightfully good 2003 movie features a freaky mood throughout, plenty of jump scares, and one of the most chilling females to ever grace the screen in the unforgettable Samara. There's nothing that says Halloween like a good horror folk tale, and The Ring is one of the best.

9) Darkness Falls. Though critical appeal was not kind to this little horror about the Tooth Fairy gone awry, it is a worthy (if underrated) addition to the campfire tales catalog. This is the underdog of the list. Give it a shot if you haven't already.

8) Exorcist III. Pretty much the only film in the Exorcist canon worthy of being called a sequel, this gloomy movie features a couple of the most memorable scenes in horror film history. George C. Scott leads the cast.

7) Pumpkinhead. Stan Winston's only directorial feature film is another in the lineage of horror folk tales, and it's a doozy. The creature effects alone are worth the price of admission, and horror legend Lance Henriksen oozes sympathy with his stunning portrayal of a man who has reached his limits. Watch with the lights low, jack o' lantern's glaring.

What Else?

6) Jeepers Creepers. This movie came out of nowhere to stun crowds with it's 2001 debut. This movie is tense, moody, and flat out scary. The Creeper is one of the most effective monsters in cinematic history, and that first half hour builds the tension as well as any horror film ever has.

5) Fright Night. This eighties vampire flick by director Tom Holland (Child's Play) is the perfect mix of comedy and horror. Charley Brewster (William Ragsdale) is surprised to find that his new neighbor is a vampire...but no one will believe him! Chris Sarandon is lasciviously evil as the vampire in question. "Oh, you're so cool, Brewster!"

4) Halloween III. Though that pesky Michael Myers is nowhere to be found in this superior sequel, don't let that scare you away from this excellent film with it's take on the paranoia of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers". Children's Halloween masks are being made into deadly weapons, and it's up to the great Tom Atkins to try to stop the madness. And you WILL come away from this movie incessantly humming "Silver Shamrock".

3) A Nightmare On Em Street. The original is still the best, and Freddy Krueger is at his howlingly scariest in the Wes Craven classic. The camera finds Freddy amongst the shadows, stalking and harrassing the children of Springwood. Robert Englund turns in one of the most unforgettable and best monster roles of all time.

The Top Two

2) The Exorcist. While this film doesn't deal directly with the Halloween holiday, it is probably the scariest film ever made (I know...opinions vary) and is therefore required All Hallows Eve viewing. Often cited as the best horror film of all time, The Exorcist doesn't flinch from it's progressive goal of scaring the crap out of people. Decades after it's release, it still packs a more powerful horror punch than most.

1) Halloween. Yep, a predictable spot indeed for this John Carpenter master work, but the proper one. The greatest slasher film of all time still gives goosebumps, and with that ominous theme music, remains one of the most memorable scores in cinema history. The little indie horror film remains the absolute standard by which holiday horror films are measured, and should be watched every October, popcorn in hand, lights turned down low.

So, there it is. Agree? Disagree? What are your favorites to watch every Halloween season? Like Jason more than Freddy? And Pinhead over Michael? Will this year's anticipated release of Trick 'R Treat add a new film to the Halloween legacy? What do you think?

The copyright of the article Top 10 Movies to Watch on Halloween in Horror Films is owned by Paul Counelis. Permission to republish Top 10 Movies to Watch on Halloween in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Halloween Havoc

What do you think about this article?

---

NOTE: Because you are not a Suite101 member, your comment will be moderated before it is viewable.

post your comment

What is 7+9?

Comments

Sep 3, 2009 8:26 PM

Malene Jorgensen :

First off, I definitely agree with Carpenter's "Halloween" as the primary movie to be watched Halloween night. I am a huge Myers fan and believe that he is the number one bad-ass!

It is, however, quite the task you have taken upon you, mostly because each individual is scared of different things. It is therefore hard to compose a list of Halloween movies that will have the right or proper scare-effect on everyone. Therefore, I think it is important to let the person decide for themselves and instead, make a list of all time scary movies that applies to a broader field.

To answer your question, I would like to see more freaks n' gore on the list, more reality films, such as:

-"The Strangers". It is freakishly realistic and to keep up with the Halloween spirit, the killers do wear masks

-"Funny Games": A remake of a German film of same name, two younger guys take over a summerhouse and their residents with an unpredictable ending - super freaky, as it could happen! (unlike some of the cheesy ghosts movies). And the cool thing about this movie, is that the killers talk to the camera - as if they are communicating to you, the audience! (unlike anything really seen before) - it will give you chills!

-Of course, Jason Voorhees needs to make at least one appearance on that list!

-One cannot forget about the lovely zombies that graced the big screen in the 1970`s and 1980`s. Perhaps "Night of the living dead" might be an asset to the list, as many costumes are inspired by zombies or `the living dead` - or the newest remakes, always good gore

-Last, but not least: Blairwitch Project, Poltergeist, Psycho, Pet Sematary, Candyman, The Saw Movies, The Silence of the Lambs, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 28 days later, The Shining and Amityville Horror.

Each of these above mentioned films, along with many others throughout the decades, are just a few of the movies that might cause the spine to feel a bit different on Halloween night.

Sep 3, 2009 9:29 PM

Paul Counelis :

Nice response!! I absolutely agree, what scares people is different from person to person. Well done, I like your list. :)

2 Comments