ARTS & CULTURE – JORGE GUERRERO
ORIGINALLY PUBLISED ON OCT 25 2023
As the leaves turn to shades of orange and the air grows crisp, Halloween season emerges with a ghoulish grin. While the semester enters its final stretch, students look to cozy up with a movie fit for the season. From classic frights to familyfriendly fun, the world of cinema offers a plethora of options to cater to every taste.
Beginning with an all time classic, John Carpenter’s 1978 masterpiece “Halloween” is an iconic slasher film that laid the foundation for countless horror movies to come. This movie introduced the world to Michael Myers, the silent, masked killer who haunts the streets of Haddonfield. The eerie soundtrack, the suspenseful build-up, and the terrifying inevitability of Myers’ pursuit make this film a must-watch for any Halloween enthusiast. This movie can be streamed for free on Crackle, as well as on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.
Though the public teeters from calling this a Halloween and Christmas movie, Tim Burton’s, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is a darkly whimsical stop-motion animation. The perfectly crafted film brings us the tale of Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, who stumbles upon Christmastown and decides to take over Christmas. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is a unique blend of Halloween and Christmas, making it an ideal film to bridge the gap between the two holidays. Currently, this movie can be streamed on Disney+ with a valid subscription and can be rented on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV for $3.99 On a similar note but with much more suspense than horror, Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, T he Shining, is a psychological horror masterpiece. Jack Nicholson’s chilling performance as Jack Torrance, a writer turned madman, is unforgettable. The isolated, haunted Overlook Hotel becomes a character in itself, adding to the film’s eerie atmosphere. Leaving viewers on the edge of their seats, this cult classic film is regarded as one of Stanley Kubrick’s most intense works. A perfect movie to watch with snacks to munch on as the suspense peaks, this movie can be seen on Amazon Prime Video or Max.
Finishing out the “scary” movie section of the Halloween Movie list, Wes Craven’s “Scream” is a self-aware slasher film that cleverly plays with horror tropes while delivering genuine scares. The story of a killer who taunts his victims with horror movie trivia has become a seasonal classic. T his movie guaranteed to spook viewers’ socks off is streaming on Paramount Plus, as well as available for digital rental through Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.
Diving into the family friendly movies, “Hocus Pocus” is a Halloween film that has become a beloved tradition for many. This Disney classic follows the adventures of Max, Dani, and Allison as they try to stop a coven of witches, the Sanderson sisters, from wreaking havoc on Salem. This movie perfectly captures the spirit of the holiday with its humor, magic, and a catchy musical number from Bette Midler. This humorous Halloween classic is available to watch in theaters as well as on streaming platforms through Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video. Another all time Halloween fan favorite is “Beetlejuice”, the darkly comic fantasy f film directed by Tim Burton. This film tells the story of a recently deceased couple, Barbara and Adam Maitland, who enlist the help of a mischievous spirit, Beetlejuice, to scare away the new residents of their home. The film’s unique blend of humor and the supernatural makes it a Halloween favorite as well as being known for one of the projects that gave stand out roles to eventual hollywood stars Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton. This movie can be watched in theaters until the end of October and is currently streaming on Hulu and Amazon Prime Video
Finally, Based on Neil Gaiman’s novel, “Coraline” is a visually stunning stop-motion film that tells the story of a young girl who discovers a secret, magical world that seems perfect at first but hides a dark secret. With its eerie button-eyed characters and a sense of creeping dread, “Coraline” is an excellent choice for Halloween viewing. Full of eyecatching filmmaking and comical jabs from the abundance of characters, this 2009 film directed by Henry Selick can be streamed on Hulu and Amazon Prime Video The world of cinema offers a diverse array of Halloween movies to suit all tastes and age groups. Whether in the mood for classic horror, family-friendly fun, or a bit of both, these films are sure to get rattlers in the Halloween spirit.