ONTD Original: It's October 1st, Here Are 10 Films To Get You in The Spooky Szn Mood
It's October 1st, and for many it's officially spooky season (even though I argue it really begins September 1st, but I digress). Here's a list of films to get you in the mood, and since I'm only going to include 10, feel free to share your must watch films in the comments!
NOT ranked and in no particular order:
1. Halloween (1978)
Come on, you knew I was gonna start with this classic.
Click to viewOn a cold Halloween night in 1963, six year old Michael Myers brutally murdered his 17-year-old sister, Judith. He was sentenced and locked away for 15 years. But on October 30, 1978, while being transferred for a court date, a 21-year-old Michael Myers steals a car and escapes Smith's Grove. He returns to his quiet hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois, where he looks for his next victims.
[Click 🎃nce More]2. Halloweentown (1998)
A perfect feel good film for the entire family.
Marnie and her kids get a big shock when they follow grandma home to Halloweentown - and find out they come from a family of witches. The town is the only place where supernatural beings can lead a `normal' life, but trouble is looming, and on her 13th birthday Marnie not only finds she is a witch, but that she and her family are involved in a fight against the evil that is threatening to take over the world.
I also highly recommend Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge. I actually prefer it to the original tbh.
3. Trick 'r Treat (2007)
An ONTD Favorite and must watch.
Interwoven stories demonstrate that some traditions are best not forgotten as the residents (Anna Paquin, Brian Cox, Dylan Baker) of a small town face real ghosts and goblins on Halloween. Tales of terror reveal the consequences of extinguishing a Jack-o-Lantern before midnight and a grumpy hermit's encounter with a sinister trick-or-treater.
4. Casper (1995)
One of my first VHS films my parents purchased for me, at Mervyn's of all places.
Casper (voiced by Malachi Pearson) is a kind young ghost who peacefully haunts a mansion in Maine. When specialist James Harvey (Bill Pullman) arrives to communicate with Casper and his fellow spirits, he brings along his teenage daughter, Kat (Christina Ricci). Casper quickly falls in love with Kat, but their budding relationship is complicated not only by his transparent state, but also by his troublemaking apparition uncles and their mischievous antics.
5. Scream (1996)
What's your favorite scary movie?
In the town of Woodsboro, two teenagers are gruesomely killed by a mysterious stranger wearing a white mask. A panic breaks out in the town, as the killer continues to target more and more people, displaying an affinity for horror movie tropes in staging his murders. Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), who is still reeling from the death of her mother a year before, becomes the killer's primary target as "Ghostface" slowly wipes out her friends one by one. Meanwhile reporter Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) investigates the killings with deputy sheriff Dewey Riley (David Arquette), convinced that the deaths are linked to Sidney's past.
6. Hocus Pocus (1993)
A Family friendly classic. It was the first time I ever saw a trailer on tv and noticed a scene wasn't included in the film: when Bette Midler falls into a pool.
After moving to Salem, Mass., teenager Max Dennison (Omri Katz) explores an abandoned house with his sister Dani (Thora Birch) and their new friend, Allison (Vinessa Shaw). After dismissing a story Allison tells as superstitious, Max accidentally frees a coven of evil witches (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy) who used to live in the house. Now, with the help of a magical cat, the kids must steal the witches' book of spells to stop them from becoming immortal.
7. Friday the 13th (1980)
Some might argue this is more fitting for well, Friday the 13th but come on. Halloween is also a perfect time to watch these films and get into the mood.
Crystal Lake's history of murder doesn't deter counselors from setting up a summer camp in the woodsy area. Superstitious locals warn against it, but the fresh-faced young people -- Jack (Kevin Bacon), Alice (Adrienne King), Bill (Harry Crosby), Marcie (Jeannine Taylor) and Ned (Mark Nelson) -- pay little heed to the old-timers. Then they find themselves stalked by a brutal killer. As they're slashed, shot and stabbed, the counselors struggle to stay alive against a merciless opponent.
8. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
The duality of this film! Perfect 2x a year, for Halloween and Christmas. When will your fave?
The film follows the misadventures of Jack Skellington, Halloweentown's beloved pumpkin king, who has become bored with the same annual routine of frightening people in the "real world." When Jack accidentally stumbles on Christmastown, all bright colors and warm spirits, he gets a new lease on life -- he plots to bring Christmas under his control by kidnapping Santa Claus and taking over the role. But Jack soon discovers even the best-laid plans of mice and skeleton men can go seriously awry.
9. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
A nightmare movie classic that made many weary of falling asleep after watching it.
In Wes Craven's classic slasher film, several Midwestern teenagers fall prey to Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), a disfigured midnight mangler who preys on the teenagers in their dreams -- which, in turn, kills them in reality. After investigating the phenomenon, Nancy (Heather Langenkamp) begins to suspect that a dark secret kept by her and her friends' parents may be the key to unraveling the mystery, but can Nancy and her boyfriend Glen (Johnny Depp) solve the puzzle before it's too late?
10. The Craft (1996)
A 90's cult classic film with relatable high school drama and darkness.
After transferring to a Los Angeles high school, Sarah (Robin Tunney) finds that her telekinetic gift appeals to a group of three wannabe witches, who happen to be seeking a fourth member for their rituals. Bonnie (Neve Campbell), Rochelle (Rachel True) and Nancy (Fairuza Balk), like Sarah herself, all have troubled backgrounds, which combined with their nascent powers lead to dangerous consequences. When a minor spell causes a fellow student to lose her hair, the girls grow power-mad.
Sources: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 + Synopsis via Google