Written by Rebecca Wood, Staff Writer
Wondering what to watch this Halloween? There is a wide variety of horror movies perfect for Halloween, but I will discuss some of the classics.The first movie I’m going to discuss is “Creature from the Black Lagoon ” which came out in 1954. The film follows a group of scientists searching for fossils who discover a prehistoric creature lurking in the lagoon, and the group attempts to capture the creature. Though this movie may seem less than scary when compared to modern horror films, it was ahead of its time. It is an undeniable classic, and you can watch this for free on Peacock.
Another classic Halloween movie is “Children of the Corn,” released in 1984. A doctor and his girlfriend are driving to his new job when they find a murdered boy in the middle of the road. They discover a town made up entirely of children in a cult. This movie is gory at times but any horror fan will be able to stomach it. This film is also available for free on Peacock.
“Poltergeist” was released in 1982 and is categorized as a thriller. A family in California begins communicating with ghosts through their TV set. The originally harmless ghosts take a turn and when the youngest child goes missing, her parents seek out an exorcist for help. If you’re a fan of horror movies or ghosts this is a perfect film for you. “Poltergeist” is available on HBO Max, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime Video.
“The Sixth Sense” came out in 1999 and is categorized as a horror film/thriller. You may recognize this film by the well-known phrase, “I see dead people.” The film begins with a child psychologist who is attacked after being visited by an unhappy former patient. Soon the psychologist begins treating a young boy who has the ability to see and speak to ghosts. The boy doesn’t tell anyone except his psychologist about this ability as he is the boy’s last hope. The script and atmosphere have been called chilling and it has an unexpected twist in the ending. This is available for free on Peacock but is also available on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.
The next classic Halloween Horror movie is “Halloween,” released in 1978. The film follows Michael Myers, who murdered his 17-year-old sister and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. While being transported to a court date, Myers escapes and returns to his hometown in search of his next victims. If you love this movie, you may also be interested in its sequel “Halloween II.” This classic is available on YouTube and Amazon Prime Video.
“The Shining,” based on Steven King’s popular book, was released in 1980. A father, Jack Torrence who has been out of a job, takes on the job of winter caretaker of an isolated hotel in Colorado. He hopes the job will help cure his writer’s block. Torrence’s son has psychic visions, and living in the hotel makes his visions become more violent the longer they are there. Previous winter caretakers have gone on to do horrible things because of the isolation and past of the hotel. This movie is available on HBO Max, YouTube, and Amazon Prime Video.
Despite being more recent, “Insidious,” which was released in 2010, is still a Halloween classic. A couple moves into a new home with their young son. After venturing into the attic, the young boy enters into a coma. Following many unexplainable occurrences, the parents believe their son is possessed and they take action to save him. This film is accompanied by 3 sequels titled “Insidious: Chapter 2,” “Insidious: Chapter 3,” and “Insidious: The Last Key.” This film is available on Hulu, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime Video.
I have a few honorable mentions, beginning with “Scream.” “Scream” was released in 1996 and is available on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and YouTube. Another honorable mention is “The Babadook,” this was released in 2014 and is available on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, and Apple TV. “The Conjuring” is another classic horror movie, and was released in 2013. The film is available on Netflix and Apple TV. The final horror movie I want to mention is “IT” and its sequels. The original “IT” came out in 1980 but was remade in 2017 and a sequel was released in 2019. If you have a fear of clowns, these movies are not for you. They are available on Hulu and Apple TV.
For non-horror fans, some other classic Halloween movies are “Beetlejuice,” “Ghostbusters,” and “The Addams Family.”
“Beetlejuice” was released in 1988 and follows a family of ghosts after they’re killed in a car accident. The movie is available on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.
The first “Ghostbusters” movie was released in 1984 with a second movie coming out in 1989. In 2016 another “Ghostbusters” film came out in which the leads were cast as women,which sparked some controversy. The latest “Ghostbusters” movie, “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” will be released in November 2021. The “Ghostbusters” films are available on Hulu and Amazon Prime Video.
“The Addams Family” has been adapted to TV shows, movies and musicals. “The Addams Family” TV series went on for 2 seasons from 1964-1966. In 1972, the notorious family appeared in a crossover episode with “Scooby-Doo.”An animated TV show of “The Addams Family” was released in 1973. A Halloween special featuring the Addams Family was released in 1977. In 1991 the family was revived in another film titled “The Addams Family.” In 2021, “The Addams Family” will return to screens in a new animated movie.
