A guide for the faint-of-heart
You can’t go wrong with a movie night on Halloween. For those who love psychological thrillers or gory violence, there is a seemingly never-ending selection of what to watch. Fun and goofy Halloween shows, on the other hand, are a lot harder to come by. Over the years I have developed a collection of tried-and-true movies and television shows that I consistently revisit during the Halloween season. If you’re like me, and the trailer for a horror movie is enough to keep you from sleeping for a week, this list is for you.
1. Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice is ridiculous in a way that only an ’80s movies can be. As two clueless ghosts attempt to scare away the family who has recently purchased their home, they enlist the help of the highly opportunistic and perverse Beetlejuice. While this movie may have scared me as a kid, it’s far more bizarre than genuinely frightening.
2. The Wizard of Oz
I’m sure there’s nothing that I can say about this movie that hasn’t been said before, but it’s certainly undeniable that it is famous for a reason. The Wizard of Oz is the pinnacle of childhood dreams and imagination. Wild colours, friendly munchkins, and witches, both good and bad; how could you go wrong?
3. Hocus Pocus
When an unsuspecting teenager moves to a new town, he makes the mistake of lighting the black-wick candle on All Hallows’ Eve, unleashing three witches. The witches embark on a mission to capture the town’s children and use their lifeforces to return themselves to their former power. This would pose significantly more of a threat if the witches were a little bit less incompetent. Rather than striking fear through the hearts of the townspeople, the witches lead them in a rousing rendition of “I Put a Spell on You,” flirt with a local bus driver, and are trapped in a classroom. Their level of menace may have come a long way from the witches of Macbeth’s time, but these witches are certainly good for a few laughs.
4. Practical Magic
While this is a fairly popular movie, a less widely known fact is that Practical Magic was based on a novel by Alice Hoffman. Hoffman’s novels have a unique way of capturing that which lies just under the surface of reality. She distorts reality in a way such that nothing is explicitly stated, and everything is possible. This movie captures the essence of Hoffman’s writing beautifully, as it tells the story of the complicated loves and lives of the women of the Owens family — a family gifted with extraordinary gifts which have earned them the title of witches.
5. Ghostbusters
Who ya gonna call? Thanks to the Ghostbusters, that question will never again be the same. The world would never have thought that the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man could make such a good adversary, but thanks to Ghostbusters, his true sinister nature has been revealed. The Ghostbusters are iconic Halloween emblems — the season wouldn’t be complete without watching this movie at least once. Just forget that the second movie ever happened.
6. Halloweentown
Family channel original movies may not be the pinnacle of cinematography, but there are most definitely a few gems in there, and Halloweentown is one of them. There are at least three movies in this series, and I’m pretty sure you could watch them in whatever order you wanted and still enjoy them, but in my opinion, the first is the best. When a teenage girl discovers that she is a witch, she travels with her grandmother to Halloweentown — a city populated by a widely varied cast of mythical creatures. From here, spectacular adventures ensue.
7. Stranger Things
Stranger Things has really taken off in the last couple of years, so I highly doubt that there are many people who have yet to hear about it. However, if for some reason or another you’ve been holding off on watching it, I must urge you: WATCH IT NOW. Settle down with a bowl of Halloween candy and an especially warm blanket, and be prepared to finish an entire season in one sitting, because this show is unbelievably addictive.
8. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
While it may seem cheesy at the beginning (and, admittedly, remain this way throughout the majority of the show) the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a place in which I have spent many of my hours. If you’re looking for excellently choreographed fight scenes, dreamy vampires who don’t sparkle, and a considerable helping of teenage angst, Buffy the Vampire Slayer may be your next guilty pleasure.
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All images obtained from Wikimedia Commons via CC0