Halloween Movies
As much as I like to read spooky autumn books, I also like to get in as many of my favorite Halloween movies as I can before the month is over. I depend mainly on stumbling upon a favorite old movie popping up between regular television viewing. A lot of channels offer spooky selections all month. Too, I like to catch the Halloween specials - like Halloween decorating episodes and specials on H>V or things like "The History of Halloween" or "Famous Haunted Houses" or whatever on channels like The History Channel or The Travel Channel. Even the Food Network gets in on the theme with shows about candy and traditional autumn foods like pumpkins or corn.
But, back to movies. So many to choose from! There's just no way to list them all. I'm not at all into the slasher/chain saw type movies. In fact I don't think I've seen any of the well known ones. I like my violence, if at all, with humor or fantasy elements. And I'm drawn more to fun stuff.
Not an exhaustive list by any means, just an "off the top of my head - and that would be my very sleepy head" list of movies I'd be happy to pop some popcorn and spend an October evening watching.
Mr. Boogedy and Bride of Boogedy - I love these two movies. Alas, both of these were 1980's made-for-television Disney movies that are not available on DVD. You can go here to petition Disney to release them on video. All we have left is a portion of Bride of Boogedy on a failing old VHS tape. Sniff.
Donnie Darko - creepy but amazing cult classic. We always end up spending an hour discussing .... well, I don't want to give away a twisty ending - let's say we spend time discussing "quantum mechanics".
Rocky Horror Picture Show - what can I say. Campy bizarre to the max. Songs you can't get out of your head.
Sleepy Hollow - scary AND Johnny Depp. What's not to love!?
Nightmare Before Christmas and/or Corpse Bride. I love them both but I think Corpse Bride would be my first choice if I had to choose between the two.
Any of the Harry Potter movies - witches and wizards, y'know. But I sort of think of these as Yule movies as well because I associate them with seeing the first two in the theatre during December - also the great snowy scenes and the Yule Ball scene.
Okay, I'll admit to liking the goofy new Disney television movies - Twitches and Twitches Too. (I've only seen part of the second one)
Practical Magic - love it any time of the year but the dress up bit at the very end of the movie clinches the Halloween-ness.
Kiki's Delivery Service - adorable pre-anime style animated movie about a little witch who goes out into the world to prove her worth.
The Worst Witch - there's both a series and a movies. I haven't seen these on t.v. so you have to find them in video. I can't bring myself to pay for the series packages, but we own the movie.
Underworld - sexy clothes, dark, gothic mood, vampires and werewolves, yeah good times!
Van Helsing - Hugh Jackman. More vampires. 'Nuf said.
Of course I have to add the old television specials - It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown and Garfield's Halloween.
And last, since it's getting late and I will probably remember a dozen more only after I post, Beetlejuice. I saved this one for last because (you can blame Julie for starting this with an old Disney cartoon) I've had this earworm... er, I mean song stuck in my head.
I've watched this clip several times in the last week but it hasn't helped much, I still find myself singing it as I go about my tasks. In fact, not only is it still stuck there but now it's been joined by this one too.
Yeah, I know. You're welcome! Hehehe.
What is your favorite October viewing choices?
posted by Laume at 11:29 PM
7 Comments:
Hi Love your spooky movie post! Its funny I have also been gathering movies to watch...just picked up Addams Family at my local supermarket, and beetlejuice was on tv last week! That is one song that never leaves your head ha,ha When I was a child I saw an old tv movie of Worst Witch.....and found it on amazon, now i own it and cant wait to watch! Thanks for introducing me to the other movies...I just wish the uk could air half of tv the shows you mentioned, I watch many clips on their web sites!!!
Priscilla x
OooooooOOOOOoooo... There are some spooky goodies on your list. I absolutely loved Beetlejuice when it first came out. I also like to watch Practical Magic any time of the year and it is a must to watch in October. In fact, it's on the television right now.
Have you watched the Nightmare Before Christmas? Okay, that's an October AND a December film.
Have you watched Corpse Bride by Tim Burton (who also did Sleepy Hollow, Beetlejuice and Sleepy Hallow)? And what about his latest one, Sweenie Todd?
Well thanks to your post, I think I'm going to drive over to my library tomorrow and pick up some of these spooky films. :)
Oops! I repeated Sleepy Hollow. I meant to say that Tim Burton also directed Nightmare Before Christmas.
well... virtually all the ones you mentioned AND anything with Zombies. Also movies which are so far beyond "B" that they just sing! A combination of the two yeilds "hide and go creep"! I'm also thinking anything Sir Graves Ghastly ever featured... hmmm a post builds in my head!
Perfect! You have the spirit here for sure. I'm not sure I loved Sweeney Todd so much, I loved the picnic scene but the rest of a bit too graphic.
I HAVE to get Beetlejuice again...hmmmm, I wonder if you can still get Hill House, I remember that being the scariest movie I ever saw when I was young.
daaaayyyo
sigh...I have no time for movies right now, and a wee one who wanders into the room from time to time unless he falls asleep on the couch..one of the downsides of co sleeping...he won't go up to bed alone....
GhostBusters..who ya gonna call?
Practical Magic...saw about 3/4 of that last week? on tv. I hate slasher movies too...but there's the one by M. Knight Shamalaut (sp), I think it's call the Village...that was spooky, and a real conversation generator for us!
Charlie Brown, natch, and that probably fills my list. I know, it's pitifully short. Someday I'll have time to read and watch movies again, right now I'm really enjoying where I'm at, and hey, sometimes my life and children are spooky...you shoulda heard the screams coming out of my living room yesterday...definitely slasher-style screams!!
Of course Priscilla, how could I forget the Addam's Family movies! I think my favorite is Addam's Family Values.
Susanna - I've seen all the ones I've posted, most more than once.
Zombies are good Connie. Although hubby is afraid of zombies (no, really! We bought him the Zombie Survival Handguide (or something like that) and he read it all the way through and quotes it often) so we don't watch the terribly scary ones. Have you ever seen Shaun of the Dead? I've never heard of Sir Graves Ghastly, I'll have to check it out.
Stephanie - Sweeney Todd is amazing but I admit I watched the entire thing through my fingers the first time through. Even with Tim Burton in charge I didn't expect such a fright. But I've seen it several times since and after the first shock was over, I can appreciate it better, all the little nuances and the songs. I think you'll probably laugh at Hill House now that we're all so used to special affects at such a greater level. I remember watching that one (if I'm remembering the right movie) late at night in the dark at my dad's house when I was a pre-teen - and it scared me too. I've given up telling my kids "Oh, this was a scary one" if we watch old movies from my childhood because invariably I end up getting laughed at!)
Kirsty - I've done my non-movie time as well. Several decades of it. It's fun now but yes, enjoy where you are in your life now. They grow so fast. Ghostbusters - another one I missed. A classic!
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