Some Halloweens we're not interested in going out or hosting a party. Sometimes it's cool to have a night of horror flicks, get three or four films queued up and ready to go.
This, then, is my suggestion for a great Halloween horror movie night.
I've had a good think about this list, and the order to watch them in. To clarify, this is NOT a list of the best horror films of all time, or even my personal favourites. This is a carefully chosen billing of films that I think fit in with what Halloween is about for me. Yes, it should be scary, but also fun. It has to fit in with the theme somehow. No Hostels or Saws or crap like that. Proper movies. Good movies. This is not a selection of possible viewing options. This is a definitive list, in a particular order. Do as you're told.
I chose not to stick anything on the track listing that has the word 'Halloween' in the title. That would be way, way too easy and obvious. Rather, it should feel Halloween. It should be the kind of stories you might tell as a storm lashes the windows, the power goes out, and all you've got left is a single wavering candle, while you wonder... could any of these creatures be lurking just beyond this small circle of light? Are they watching us from the dark, creeping nearer, nearer...
I reckon you can stick this one on around about seven in the evening, give any younger members of the family a chance to be involved in the fun. Don't worry, it won't scar 'em too much. It's got that adventure movie vibe of stuff like Goonies and Gremlins in the '80s that you just don't get in films anymore. And look at who's in it, perfect for Halloween, all the classics, all the greats! Dracula, Frankenstein, Wolfman, the Mummy, Creature from the Black Lagoon, a full cast of great Halloween costumes all in one place. Get the trick or treating out the way, then start this up while you scoff those sweets. The make-up is amazing across the board, and the practical effects are fantastic - one seen in particular involving the Wolfman will make your eyes pop out, I guarantee it.
In fact, there's no CGI in any of these films I've chosen. Just the good stuff.
Cranking up the tension a bit, here's a classic that has lingered in my mind ever since I saw this at the age of about 11 or 12. This is ideal for Halloween - it even starts with the story being told around a campfire by a seriously dicey-looking Captain Birdseye. Lurid old horror tales told by a flickering light are surely what this time of year is all about?
This is one of the all-time greats from when Carpenter was at the absolute height of his career. The bit where the fog approaches the house with the little kid and his grandmother inside...
Like all Carpenters films from this time, the atmosphere is incredible, so creepy, such a feeling of impending doom. And what better than to be sitting in your own home while watching this, wondering what might be coming for you in the night.
Into the rough stuff now. The faint of heart, the easily disturbed, they best bugger off to bed, because Candyman, based on a short story by the legendary Clive Barker, takes no prisoners. Depending on the length of your snack stops, it will be around 11PM by now, and this will take you right through the witching hour. Why this? The urban legend aspect is ideal Halloween fodder. It's like Bloody Mary cranked all the way up. Say his name in the mirror five times, and he's coming for you. Be warned, this one does get very gory, but it's got an ending I love.
Bonus Movie:
This one's for the last ghouls standing.
It'll be very late by now, and Candyman's a bit heavy to end the night on. Let's get back to the fun we were speaking of earlier, and perhaps the greatest horror-comedy ever made: Evil Dead 2. This is truly Sam Raimi at the peak of his gleeful inventiveness. It's just so much fun. Great monster designs, brilliant special effects, and a career-defining performance from Bruce Campbell. This is one of my all-time faves, and a definite go-to for Halloween. A cabin out in the woods, the demonic writings of the Necronomicon, incantations on old tape recorders, the terrible creature down in the basement... Brilliant.
That line-up, I promise you, will give you the perfect Halloween movie night in. All killer, no filler.
Laters.
