Leaves are changing, days are shortening, and fall is upon us. This means several things: the temperatures are cooling, you have an excuse to wear scarves and toboggans, and, of course, pumpkin pie is not far off. For many people, however, the beginning of autumn is exciting for a much simpler reason – Halloween.
Halloween, which gave you the opportunity for all kinds of fun as child, still holds special meaning for the adventure-seeking 20-something. College students can always find creative ways to celebrate any given holiday. Halloween is no exception, whether it involves a lot of alcohol and a corn maze or the more traditional recipe of copious amounts of candy and a few rolls of toilet paper.
Some of us, however, like me, are of the opinion that nothing could possibly be better than gearing up for the impending hallowed evening with a marathon of cinematic Halloween goodness. In celebration of October, I give you the 13 Essential Halloween Watches, in no particular order. Some are scary, some are funny, some are old, some are new, but I promise you this – none of them will waste your time.
American Psycho (2000) – This piece, which managed to get overlooked by many audiences, is the story of Patrick Bateman, gracefully crazy guy running the rat race in Reagan’s era. A wonderfully unique and painstakingly crafted movie, American Psycho brilliantly combines sex, blood, chainsaws, a great critique of Corporate America, and Huey Lewis and the News. Patrick Bateman. What else could you ask for?
Dawn of the Dead, (2004) – This movie, a very loose adaptation of the 1978 film by George Romero, is one of the best zombie movies I have ever experienced. It also has the best musical montage sequences ever conceived (two words – Johnny Cash). It has blood, chainsaws, impalement and the gratuitous nude scene right in the beginning. Dawn of the Dead is basically pretty close to perfect if you’re looking for a fun night of grotesquery.
Evil Dead (1981) – I am still daily amazed by the number of people who have never even heard of this movie. This is the first installment of the cult epic starring Bruce Campbell, written and directed by Sam Raimi. Campbell and Raimi’s first feature-length movie (and filmed in Morristown, Tenn.), Evil Dead tells the story of what ensues when five college students, spending a weekend in the woods, inadvertently resurrect a slew of demons who possess the living. The bloodiest flick of its era, Evil Dead is the ultimate experience in grueling terror.
The Exorcist (1973) – One of the most infamous (and successful) horror movies of all time, The Exorcist is the story of one little girl’s encounter with a malevolent spirit and of the doctors and priests that tried to help. When it was first released, there were reports of people fainting and vomiting in the theaters, and there was also reportedly one woman who suffered a miscarriage after seeing the movie. It is disturbing and bizarre – perfect for a true fright night.
Friday the 13th (1980) – This movie, one of Kevin Bacon’s earliest, laid the brickwork for modern slasher films. Although this movie spawned about a dozen ill-advised sequels (with the exception of Freddy vs. Jason, which was very enjoyable), the classic 1980 story of Camp Crystal Lake is the one you want to see. Probably the first widely popular horror movie to incorporate mass amounts of gore, Friday the 13th has become a scary movie staple for good reason.
Halloween (1978) – If Friday the 13th made way for the modern slasher, Halloween is what made the success of Friday possible at all. This movie, introducing Jamie Lee Curtis, is the story of one quiet suburban neighborhood that gets rampaged one Halloween night by the psychopathic masked Michael Myers. Spartan and patient, with a surprisingly effective musical score, Halloween is an imperative watch for the horror movie purist.
Land of the Dead (2005) – In 1968, George Romero released his first movie, Night of the Living Dead, and created a whole new genre of horror – the zombie movie. Romero decided that zombies were probably the best medium for communicating some stinging social commentary, and went on to release Dawn of the Dead in 1978 and Day of the Dead in 1985.
While his movies are innovative, they aren’t really any good (with the possible exception of Day, the re-make of which is currently in pre-production). Land of the Dead is Romero’s final installment of the zombie saga, and I must say he finally got it right. This movie is frightening, passionate, political and yet still entertaining. For the connoisseurs of fine zombie flicks, Land of the Dead should be near the top of your list.
Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) – Although it has never faded from popularity, this film has been brought back into the limelight by the recent release of Tim Burton’s newest stop-motion feature, Corpse Bride.
Nightmare, for those of you who somehow have managed as of yet not to see this movie, is a creepy, quirky, musical fairy tale about what happens when holidays collide. The music, story and animation have become legendary, and Nightmare Before Christmas is now a standard watch for Halloween or Christmas.
Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) – This classic psychological slasher, which introduced Johnny Depp to movie audiences, has been renowned for over 20 years as one of the best modern scary movies. It is the ghoulish and gruesome story of the psychopathic Freddy Krueger who literally feeds off of the fears of his victims. With just the right ratio of psychology to blood, Nightmare on Elm Street thrills a variety of moviegoers.
Psycho (1960) – Please note the release year for this film and know that I am by no means condoning the 1998 atrocity starring Vince Vaughn. This irreplaceable Hitchcock paradigm is both one of the most well-known and most successful suspense thrillers ever made, and it is definitely an essential watch for any horror aficionado.
The Shining (1980) – Adapted from the 1977 Stephen King novel (King was still turning out decent work back then), The Shining is a story of madness, isolation and a lot of generally strange things. This film is often thought of as the quintessential creepy movie, and you know you cannot go wrong with Jack Nicholson playing a lunatic.
Sybil (1976) – This movie, which rocketed Sally Field out of television and into the movies, is not traditionally considered to be a horror movie at all (you should find it in the “drama” section). The psychological suspense, however, has that special brand of creepiness that only the late ’70s could produce, and Sybil will definitely add some spice to your evening.
Sybil is a young women suffering from about 16 separate personalities that emerged as a result of her extremely twisted and abused childhood. Flashbacks to her childhood and nightmares that she suffers as an adult makes Sybil more than sufficient to satisfy even the most stoic of audiences.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) – Five teenagers on a road trip encounter three generations’ worth of psychosis and cannibalism. Less frightening than just generally twisted, this classic film is one of many inspired by the work of Ed Gein, serial murderer and body part collector. Although its 2003 remake was not nearly as embarrassing as it could have been, the 1974 version is the one that you will want to see this Halloween.
From zombies and demons to dysfunctional families, you have plenty of choices for a good movie night. In a few weeks, however, when you’re finishing satisfying your curiosity about Saw II, you can pull out this list and celebrate Halloween with some cinematic style. Happy Halloween!
Love me? Hate me? I’d like to know. Send your comments/rants/suggestions to themoviegoer.cj@gmail.com.

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