Once October rolls around, movie fans make an effort to watch scary movies and Halloween classics all month long. As an avid movie watcher myself, I figured I should comprise a list of the top five Halloween movies of all time. What makes a Halloween movie to me is a fall setting, spooky or macabre atmosphere and themes, and/or supernatural elements; it doesn’t necessarily have to take place on Halloween. With that being said, let’s get to the rankings.
- Coraline (2009) – Directed by Henry Selick
From the director of Nightmare Before Christmas (which is definitely a Christmas movie by the way), comes a Halloween animated classic. The animation style is very unique, and it offers a semi-family-friendly spooky movie to watch during the fall season.
- A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) – Directed by Wes Craven
Wes Craven’s breakout effort is often considered a horror classic. It features a monster named Freddy Krueger who haunts and kills teenagers in their dreams. It takes place in the fall with a spooky atmosphere and features many frightening supernatural elements.
- Trick ‘r Treat (2007) – Directed by Michael Dougherty
This movie is a horror/comedy anthology film with four interwoven stories that take place on Halloween night. It’s honestly such a treat to watch. Unlike many anthologies that are basically just a collection of short stories, this film connects them mainly with one character, Sam, a demonic, child-sized, pumpkin creature. He is the enforcer of Halloween tradition. The opening of the movie sees him kill someone for violating said tradition. There are many really funny moments, yet also plenty of truly frightening moments that toe the line between horror and comedy perfectly. Some things were illogical because of how unhinged the movie is, but it’s almost more enjoyable because of that.
- Sleepy Hollow (1999) – Directed Tim Burton
Sleepy Hollow follows a young, inexperienced, nervous, yet courageous Ichabod Crane (played by Johnny Depp) as he attempts to uncover the mystery of the beheadings that have been occurring in the titular town of Sleepy Hollow, New York. Depp’s performance in this role is great, and the character itself is even better. He is oozing with personality, charm, and tenacity. There are a few comedic bits that work well and are timed perfectly. The headless horseman is also awesome and frightening. Although, I have two issues with it. Those issues being that there should have been more emotion in the film and the whodunit plotline towards the end was a little rushed and messy. As for its Halloween elements, it definitely has the atmosphere that you’d expect, and it has supernatural and horror elements.
Honorable Mentions (in order): Donnie Darko, Halloween, Beetlejuice, and Hocus Pocus.
- Scream (1996) – Directed by Wes Craven
Scream is often talked about as the movie that revitalized the horror/slasher genre. It’s about a group of high school kids who are on edge when the bodies of two of their classmates are found mutilated. The rest of the movie plays out as police and students try to uncover who did it. The opening scene is amazing and incredibly iconic. It sets the stage for a suspense-filled mystery where it’s unclear who the killer is, and there’s a bit of a twist at the end. The performances are fantastic, especially from the killer, whom I shall not reveal. It’s set during the fall and there’s an eerie vibe that makes it a fantastic Halloween classic. I have one small gripe with it, which is that the romance, while it’s brief, it wasn’t very well executed.
