The Best and Worst Halloween/Scary Movies

First off, I am not the resident movie buff. By which I mean that I have no formal training, knowledge of cinematography, or any other film-related information, other than what entertains me and scares the pants off me (and the completely unscientific MBWHQ poll I took). I love scary movies partly for the nostalgia factor; my Dad and I would watch scary movies on the nights my teacher-mom would have staff meetings because she couldn’t stand them. There are also hundreds more movies out there that are terrible, or that are great, but I’ve never seen. So, take this list for what you will, and feel free to add your own (or argue with my choices) in the comments.

Scary movies that never let me down:

10. The Exorcist- No list of fright is complete without this classic, about a girl possessed by a demon. With frightening scenes almost everyone would recognize, regardless of whether they have seen the film, it is bound to scare the pants off you, whether or not you believe in demons.

9. 28 Days Later- A more contemporary twist on the ever-popular zombie theme, this film takes place 4 weeks after an incurable virus sweeps through the UK.

8. American Werewolf in London- A classic, though not to be confused with the more recent, and terrible, American Werewolf in Paris.

7. Bram Stoker’s Dracula- An adaptation very close to the novel by Bram Stoker. Won 3 well-deserved Oscars for makeup, sound effects, and costume design.

6. The Shining- The famous psychological thriller with Jack Nicholson, and directed by Stanley Kubrick. This one makes the list based on the urgings of my peers, as I have never found it scary, myself.

5. Saw- This is one I refused to see because of the disturbing theme of torture and the gore factor. However, I am told by the staff here at MB WHQ that it deserves a place in the top 10, so I obliged.

4. Se7en- More of a thriller than a horror flick, this one chronicles cops on the trail of a serial killer who kills based on the Seven Deadly Sins. Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman head up an all-star cast.

3. The Silence of The Lambs- One of my all-time favorites, this movie will scare you in broad daylight. Just the name sends a chill through my body. Another psychological thriller about a serial killer (are we starting to detect a theme?). Anthony Hopkins is genius in this film.

2. The Ring- This is the American version of the Japanese film, Ringu, which I actually recommend over this one, if you can find it. The movie’s plot, about a journalist who must investigate a string of deaths seemingly caused by the viewing of a VHS tape, could have been horribly hokey. It’s not. Without a drop of blood, this movie will make yours run cold.

1. Halloween- My all-time favorite Halloween/scary movie. The soundtrack will leave you terrified and breathless, curled up in a corner of the couch. The movie relies on very little blood and gore, and focuses on the factors that really scare-timing, sound track, and psychology.

Good Funny/Not Scary:

Young Frankenstein- That’s Frahhnk-in-steen! A humorous movie about the grandson of the infamous doctor, who inherits the old castle and decides to re-create the classic experiments. With Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder, you can’t go wrong.

Beetle Juice- A decidedly weird film about a recently deceased couple determined to rid their house of it’s new occupants, with the help of Beetle Juice. What you would expect from Tim Burton.

Ghostbusters- Who you gonna call? A very funny series of the mishaps of ghost hunters in New York City.

Gremlins- Listed as horror, these little furballs are hard to take too seriously.

Rocky Horror Picture Show- A classic Halloween film with a very serious cult following. About the bizrare goings-on at the home of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, played by Tim Burton. This one you have to see to believe.

Evil Dead- Bruce Campbell horror movies are hard to take too seriously. This and Army of Darkness are hilarious takes on the monster movies.

The Adam’s Family- The classic monster family.

Witches of Eastwick- Another one with Jack Nicholson as the ‘man’ conjured by three single women in a lonely village who decide to dabble in witchcraft.

It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown- The great Halloween offering in the children’s series.

Worst:

Scary Movie- A series of terrible mockudramas about teen horror flicks.

Hocus Pocus- Witches return to Salem in this hokey take.

Teen Wolf- An 80’s werewolf movie with Michael J. Fox. Loved it as a kid, but it’s a terrible movie.

Scream- This one will definitely keep you in it’s grips, but once you discover who the killer is, it loses it’s charm.

Halloween H2O- The terrible most recent addition to the Halloween series. Skip this, watch the original.

Blair Witch Project- The ’scary’ movie that never concludes, and the cinematography will make you nauseous.

Child’s Play- A series of movies based on psycho, possessed dolls. Why bother, when you can watch truly scary movies about psycho people?

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