31 Days of Halloween: Day 31 - The Midnight Hour

When you want to watch the most magical Halloween movie ever made.

Release Date: November 1, 1985

Starring: Lee Montgomery, Shari Belafonte, LeVar Burton, Peter DeLuise, Jonna Lee, Dedee Pfeiffer, Dick Van Patten

Genre: Horror comedy

Plot Summary: On Halloween, a group of friends break into a museum to "borrow" costumes from some of the wax figures. Inside, they find a trunk containing a scroll, and they proceed to recite the curse written on it. The dead return and begin murdering people in the town and the only way to reverse the spell is to seal the scroll with the dust from the bones of a long-dead witch hunter before midnight.

Favorite Scene: The opening of the movie, because it feels so nostalgic and it's so perfectly reminiscent of fall.

Favorite Quote: "This night and forever, he who is touched by evil, shall become evil. He who has died, shall rise again. Life to the dead. Death to the living."

Notable Trivia: This was a made for TV movie that aired on ABC. And maybe notable trivia, but I'm 99% positive the town square in this movie is the same one from Back to the Future and The Monster Squad. I don't know for sure though.

Final Thoughts: I wrote an entire post about this movie last month. It's the greatest Halloween film of all time. It's nostalgic, fun, scary (but not too scary) and it perfectly captures the feeling of Halloween. This is the one movie that, no matter what, I will always make sure to watch on Halloween night.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 30 - WNUF Halloween Special

 

When you're feeling nostalgic.

Release Date: October 18, 2013

Starring: Paul Fahrenkopf, Aaron Henkin, Nicolette le Faye

Genre: This is its own thing, I wouldn't even know what to classify it as. (And I mean that in a good way.)

Plot Summary: On Halloween night, a reporter for WNUF investigates the Webber House, where two people were murdered. Because the house is rumored to be haunted, he brings two paranormal investigators along with him, as well as a priest.

Favorite Scene: It's not really a "scene," but I love the commercial for High Pike Farms. It makes me want to go pumpkin picking.

Favorite Quote: "Tonight the vortex of Hell opens. Witches, goblins and heathens are united to praise the prince of darkness." That's my kind of party.

Notable Trivia: This film had a $1500 budget.

Final Thoughts:  Okay, first of all. Spoiler again, the cat dies and it's terrible. As far as everything else goes, this was a really unique movie. It's filmed as if someone recorded a Halloween news broadcast straight from their TV, commercials and all. It definitely felt nostalgic for me because I have a VHS tape my dad recorded of all these old Halloween specials (Tom and Jerry's Halloween Special, Disney's Halloween Treat, DTV Monster Hits, The Halloween That Almost Wasn't, Witch's Night Out, Halloween is Grinch Night) and all the commercials are on there, too. So WNUF Halloween Special reminds me of that VHS tape. As for the movie itself, it's fun, until the cat dies (good thing I reread these posts before I hit "publish" because I forgot to add "until" to that sentence). I was done with it when that happened. The ending is pretty predictable, too. The movie was definitely imaginative though and it captured the feeling of that time period really well.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 29 - Arsenic and Old Lace

 

Good, old fashioned Halloween fun.

Release Date: September 23, 1944

Starring: Cary Grant, Priscilla Lane, Peter Lorre

Genre: Dark Comedy

Plot Summary: Newlyweds Mortimer Brewster and Elaine Harper return home to inform their families that they've been married. Upon their arrival, Mortimer learns that his aunts have been poisoning lonely men and burying their bodies in the basement. In addition to his aunts' hobby, he has to contend with Teddy, his brother who believes he's Teddy Roosevelt, and his other brother, Jonathan, a murderer who resembles Boris Karloff due to a plastic surgery performed while his doctor was drunk.

Favorite Scene: Mortimer listens in while his aunts debate whether or not they've buried 11 or 12 bodies so far.

Favorite Quote: "Here's $10. Go out and haunt yourself a hotel."

Notable Trivia: Boris Karloff played Jonathan Brewster on Broadway.

Final Thoughts: Cary Grant may have thought his performance in Arsenic and Old Lace was over the top, but I think his reaction to Mortimer's aunts poisoning people was completely justified. This is a classic film that you can enjoy with your entire family.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 28 - The Monster Squad

 

One last chance to traumatize your children.

Release Date: August 14, 1987

Starring: Andre Gower, Duncan Regehr

Genre: Horror comedy

Plot Summary: After obtaining Van Helsing's diary, a group of kids discover that Count Dracula is searching for an amulet that will open a hole between dimensions and send the world into darkness. With the help of Frankenstein's monster, they'll need to defeat Dracula, the Wolf Man, the Mummy and Gill-man to save the universe.

Favorite Scene: When the kids are leaving Scary German Guy's house and Horace comments that he knows a lot about monsters. It's an extremely serious, emotional scene and it's a standout for me.

Favorite Quote: "You sure know a lot about monsters."

"Now that you mention it, I suppose I do."

Notable Trivia: There's a scene where Frankenstein's monster approaches Phoebe, who is sitting by the water. This was inspired by a scene in Frankenstein, although the outcomes are very different.

Final Thoughts: This is a very 80's movie and it's definitely not politically correct. If you're going to let your children watch it, maybe have a talk with them afterwards about why some of the things in this movie aren't okay to say. Also, the movie could potentially be very frightening to some kids, so if your children scare easily, this may not be the best movie for them. I've posted about the movie before if you want to know a little more about it.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 27 - Us

 

When you're not sure if you want to be scared or if you want to laugh.

Release Date: March 22, 2019

Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke

Genre: Horror. Deeply unsettling horror.

Plot Summary: Years after a traumatizing experience at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Adelaide returns there on a trip with her husband and children. One night, the family notices a group of people outside the house they're staying in...And they look exactly like them.

Favorite Scene: Red's ballet scene, when "Pas De Deux" is playing.

Favorite Quote: "Once upon a time, there was a girl. And the girl had a shadow. The two were connected, tethered together. When the girl ate, her food was given to her warm and tasty. But when the shadow was hungry, she had to eat rabbit, raw and bloody. On Christmas, the girl received wonderful toys, soft and cushy. But the shadow's toys were so sharp and cold, they sliced through her fingers when she tried to play with them. The girl met a handsome prince and fell in love. But the shadow, at that same time, met Abraham. It didn't matter if she loved him or not. He was tethered to the girl's prince, after all. Then the girl had her first child, a beautiful baby girl. But the shadow, she gave birth to a little monster. Umbrae was born laughing. The girl had a second child, a boy this time. They had to cut her open and take him from her belly. The shadow had to do it all herself. She named him Pluto, he was born to love fire. So you see, the shadow hated the girl so much for so long. Until one day, the shadow realized she was being tested by God."

Notable Trivia: There actually is a tunnel system under the boardwalk.

Final Thoughts: I saw this movie in a Times Square theater when it first came out (I posted about it here) and I remember a LOT of people laughing and I just kept thinking...You would not be laughing if this were happening to you right now. Yes, parts of the movie are genuinely funny. But other parts are downright scary. On the train ride home that night, I bought the soundtrack on iTunes and listened to "Pas De Deux" on repeat for an hour until I got to my station.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 26 - Teen Witch

 

When you just want something cute for a change.

Release Date: April 23, 1989

Starring: Robyn Lively, Zelda Rubinstein, Dan Gauthier, Dick Sargent

Genre: Romance/fantasy

Plot Summary: On her 16th birthday, Louise receives magical powers that she uses to make herself the most popular girl in school, as well as making her crush fall for her. But it turns out popularity isn't everything she thought it would be.

Favorite Scene: "Popular Girl" because I wanted Louise's hair and wardrobe. I wanted to be her (I still do). I wanted to be every redhead, honestly.

Favorite Quote: "My life is a walking, talking tragedy."

Notable Trivia: There's a musical version of Teen Witch!

Final Thoughts: This movie is so good. The best. It has great music and great outfits that I would still, to this day, sell my soul for. I wanted to be Robyn Lively in this movie. You can definitely watch this with your kids, although there are some questionable moments. Like Louise and Brad going into that abandoned house...I don't think they slept together, but some clothes came off and the whole scene was weird and awkward and I used to make fun of it with my cousin all the time.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 25 - Silver Bullet

 

If you want to see one of the greatest films ever made based on Stephen King's work.

Release Date: October 11, 1985

Starring: Corey Haim, Megan Follows, Gary Busey, Everett McGill

Genre: Horror

Plot Summary: After a series of murders in town, a young boy discovers a werewolf is responsible for the deaths. He and his sister have to convince their uncle to help them catch the werewolf before it comes after them next.

Favorite Scene: The church nightmare. It absolutely terrified me when I was younger.

Favorite Quote: "I understand that my niece and my nephew are sending little love notes to the local minister suggesting that he gargle with broken glass or eat a rat poison omelet."

Notable Trivia: Silver Bullet is based on Cycle of the Werewolf by Stephen King.

Final Thoughts: This is probably my favorite movie based on any of Stephen King's stories. There are scenes that are so scary, but it's balanced out by Gary Busey's comedic relief. 

31 Days of Halloween: Day 24 - The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

 

When you want to see a beautiful example of German Expressionism in cinema.

Release Date: February 26, 1920

Starring: Conrad Veidt, Werner Krauss

Genre: German Expressionism

Plot Summary: At the town fair, Dr. Caligari holds an exhibit for Cesare, the somnambulist, who will answer any question asked of him. At the same time, a series of murders are being investigated. Could they be connected to Caligari and Cesare?

Favorite Scene: All of them. Seriously. I love the sets in this film, they're a work of art.

Favorite Quote: "Ladies and gentlemen, Cesare the somnambulist will answer all your questions. Cesare knows every secret. Cesare knows the past and sees the future."

Notable Trivia: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is considered to be the first movie with a twist ending.

Final Thoughts: I really enjoy German Expressionism in film and I think The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is one of the best examples of it. The sets are so bent and bizarre, it gives the entire movie a very surreal feeling.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 23 - In the Mouth of Madness

 

When you don't want to sleep at night.

Release Date: February 3, 1995

Starring: Sam Neill, Julie Carmen, Jurgen Prochnow, David Warner

Genre: Lovecraftian horror

Plot Summary: John Trent, an insurance investigator, is hired to look into the disappearance of horror writer Sutter Cane. His investigation takes him to Hobb's End, a town that can't be found on any map and only appears to exist in Cane's books. Once he arrives, he realizes that Cane's novels may be more than just fiction.

Favorite Scene: Trent and Styles debate whether or not Sutter Cane's stories are scary on the drive up to Hobb's End.

Favorite Quote: "It's not real from your point of view and right now reality shares your point of view...A reality is just what we tell each other it is. Sane and insane could easily switch places, if the insane were to become the majority. You would find yourself locked in a padded cell, wondering what happened to the world."

Notable Trivia: In the Mouth of Madness is part of John Carpenter's Apocalypse Trilogy.

Final Thoughts: In my opinion, this is the best movie John Carpenter has ever made. I love that there isn't a clear ending and you're left to decide if the events in the movie really happened, or if John Trent has gone insane. If you'd like to hear more about the movie, I have a post about it here.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 22 - Corpse Party

 

When you're in the mood for something over the top.

Release Date: August 1, 2015

Starring: Ikeoka Ryosuke, Ikoma Rina, Yoko Kita

Genre: Video game/J-horror

Plot Summary: After performing a friendship ritual that goes horribly wrong, a group of students are transported to a school that was closed years ago due to a series of murders. To escape from the malevolent spirits that inhabit the building, they need to find a way to reverse the ritual.

Favorite Scene: The infirmary. But I think that's mostly because the infirmary was one of the creepiest parts of the game.

Favorite Quote: "Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look..." Again, related to one of the creepiest parts of the game.

Notable Trivia: The music from the game is used in the movie.

Final Thoughts: This movie won't be for everyone. It's kind of campy. It's extremely gory. However, I think this is the best video game movie ever made. Movie adaptations of video games are known for being awful. (And yes, Silent Hill was pretty bad and the sequel was even worse, though they're still significantly better than the Resident Evil movies and whatever Uwe Boll has ever made.) This one was decent. And I love the game, so I was excited to see they made a movie based on it.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 21 - Werewolves Within

 

When you need something to psych you up for your first day at a new job.

Release Date: June 25, 2021

Starring: Sam Richardson, Milana Vayntrub, Cheyenne Jackson

Genre: Comedy

Plot Summary: When Finn Wheeler arrives in Beaverfield to settle into his job as a forest ranger, he gets more than he bargained for. A blizzard knocks the town's power out, the generators are all destroyed and the villagers are being murdered.

Favorite Scene: The first scene in the bar that apparently only plays 90's music.

Favorite Quote: "I don't know what men do, I try not to hang out with them too much."

Notable Trivia: Based on the game Werewolves Within (which is based on Werewolf, a Mafia-style social deduction game).

Final Thoughts: Okay, let's start with the most important thing because if you're anything like me, you'll want to know. The bad news is, the dog dies. The good news is, you don't see it happen. I also want to note that this movie replaced 1408 on my list. Not necessarily because it's a better movie, but because it's fun and sometimes I prefer that. Anyway, final thoughts. I love social deduction games and my favorite game is One Night Ultimate Werewolf. So I was really excited when I saw that this movie is based on Werewolf. I could see elements of Werewolf towards the end of the movie, but I was expecting...More. I don't know. I wanted a scene where everyone in town sat around a table arguing over who they thought the werewolf was and why. I guess they did that, to an extent, but to be totally honest, this could have been any werewolf movie. I would never have guessed it was inspired by the game if I didn't read that it was, you know? Still, it was cute and I enjoyed it.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 20 - Shaun of the Dead

 

When you need a good laugh.

Release Date: April 9, 2004

Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis, Bill Nighy, Dylan Moran, Penelope Wilton, Peter Serafinowicz

Genre: Horror comedy

Plot Summary: I mean...They pretty much summarize the entire plot for you in the movie. "Take car. Go to mum's. Kill Phil. Grab Liz. Go to the Winchester, have a nice cold pint and wait for all this to blow over."

Favorite Scene: Shaun and Ed go home after a night of drinking and blast music, which infuriates Pete and leads to the "Sort your fucking life out, mate" line that is my favorite quote in the entire movie.

Favorite Quote: "Sort your fucking life out, mate." (I say this to myself 12 times a day. And I really love Peter Serafinowicz because he's a huge Dark Souls fan.)

Notable Trivia: Shaun of the Dead is the first film in the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, which also includes Hot Fuzz and The World's End.

Final Thoguhts: I love Shaun of the Dead, it's brilliant. It isn't a campy horror comedy, this is a well written, smart film and I could watch it a million times and never get tired of it. I've said before that I'm not usually a fan of zombie films, but this is a great one.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 19 - Kairo

 

When you're feeling lonely because you spend all your time online.

Release Date: February 3, 2001

Starring: Haruhiko Kato, Kumiko Aso, Koyuki, Kurume Arisaka

Genre: Supernatural/J-horror

Plot Summary: I really can't do the plot justice, my understanding of it isn't great. Ghosts are invading our world through the internet, but I never really understood how. I know it doesn't sound like much, but this is a fantastic film. I'm not sure what the intentions were behind it, but 2001 was around the time when the internet became really popular and I always felt like maybe it was a metaphor about people withdrawing and spending a lot of time online (and I say this as an introvert who did exactly that).

Favorite Scene: Yobe enters the door sealed with red tape.

Favorite Quote: "Would you like to meet a ghost?" Okay, so it's not exactly a quote, but I'm counting it anyway.

Notable Trivia: Not at all notable, but there's an American remake of this film and I highly suggest skipping it because it doesn't capture the tone of the original at all.

Final Thoughts: I have a post about Kairo (and Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum) here, if you want to read a little more about my thoughts on the film. I'll be honest, I've seen this movie so many times and I still think I just barely understand it. The real reason I love it so much is because it does such a great job of getting the feelings of loneliness and despair across. It really left an impression on me the first time I saw it.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 18 - Suspiria

 

When you want to listen to a really unsettling soundtrack.

Release Date: February 1, 1977

Starring: Jessica Harper

Genre: Supernatural horror

Plot Summary: Suzy Bannion goes abroad to Germany to study at a prestigious dance academy. When she arrives, there's a series of gruesome murders and Suzy takes it upon herself to investigate the school and its staff.

Favorite Scene: The opening of the film. It's suspenseful and extremely creepy.

Favorite Quote: One that will spoil the entire movie, so I'm not including it.

Notable Trivia: Sound was rarely recorded while filming, instead being dubbed afterwards.

Final Thoughts: For me, the main thing that makes Suspiria scary is Goblin's soundtrack. The movie itself is interesting, until you find out what's actually going on at the school. I was disappointed in that revelation and it took Suspiria from being a great movie to an okay movie. Still, I recommend watching it at least once for the soundtrack and the film's brilliant use of color.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 17 - The Whisperer in Darkness

 

When you're craving a black and white horror film that was actually made in 2011.

Release Date: May 19, 2011

Starring: Matt Foyer, Andrew Leman, Stephen Blackehart

Genre: Lovecraftian horror

Plot Summary:  Albert Wilmarth travels to Vermont to investigate the appearance of strange creatures in the water.

Favorite Scene: The debate over folklore vs. reality.

Favorite Quote: "The whole reason to study folklore is to help us understand how and why we create myths." 

Notable Trivia: The Whisperer in Darkness was filmed using "Mythoscope" to give it the appearance of a 1930's horror film.

Final Thoughts: You know...I think I'm a bigger fan of the work the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society does than I am of Lovecraft's actual work (on account of him being extremely racist, kind of ruins most of his stories). I'm a lifetime member of the HPLHS because they release so many fun adaptations of Lovecraft's work, from radio plays to movies. The Whisperer in Darkness isn't my favorite story, but I love how the HPLHS made it as if it were filmed in the 30's. It was such an imaginative way to go about adapting it into a movie and because of that, I really enjoyed it.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 16 - The Halloween Tree

 

If you secretly hate your kids and want to traumatize them.

Release Date: October 2, 1993

Starring: Ray Bradbury, Leonard Nimoy, Alex Greenwald

Genre: Animated fantasy

Plot Summary: On Halloween, in order to save their friend, Pip, four children have to travel across the world and through time, learning the origins of Halloween and the meaning behind each of their costumes.

Favorite Scene: When the children visit Stonehenge.

Favorite Quote: "All dressed up for All Hallow's Eve, but you don't know why, or what, or even from where!"

Notable Trivia: Ray Bradbury, who wrote The Halloween Tree, narrated the movie.

Final Thoughts: The Halloween Tree is a story of friendship and sacrifice. It's also a great way to educate children on the history of Halloween and the way it's celebrated around the world. Just be aware that there are some genuinely creepy moments that could scare your kids if they frighten easily.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 15 - 13 Ghosts

 

If Gonjiam was too scary for you, but you still want to watch a movie about ghosts.

Release Date: August 5, 1960

Starring: Rosemary DeCamp, Charles Herbert, Margaret Hamilton, Jo Morrow, Donald Woods, Martin Milner

Genre: Supernatural horror

Plot Summary: Cyrus Zorba inherits his occultist uncle's house, and all the ghosts that come with it, after he dies. Using a special pair of glasses, the family is able to see each of the 12 ghosts occupying their new home. The ghosts can't rest until they find a 13th ghost to join them.

Favorite Scene: Buck discovers the lion in the basement.

Favorite Quote: "You really are a witch, aren't you?"

"Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies."

Notable Trivia: Another William Castle gimmick, "Illusion-O," was used in theaters. Movie-goers were given a viewer to watch the movie through. The red side would allow them to see the ghosts, while the blue side would hide the ghosts, in case anyone was too frightened to watch.

Final Thoughts: I watched this movie when I was a kid...I watched a lot of these movies when I was a kid, because my dad liked them. I think it's a fun movie. Not too scary, not too campy. It's a unique ghost story, too.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 14 - Stay Alive

 

If you love video games, but you're tired of bad video game movie adaptations.

Release Date: March 24, 2006

Starring: Sophia Bush, Adam Goldberg, Milo Ventimiglia, Jon Foster, Samaire Armstrong, Frankie Muniz, Jimmi Simpson

Genre: Supernatural horror

Plot Summary: After the death of his friend, Loomis, Hutch receives the video game he was playing the night he died. A group of his friends come over to play the game, Stay Alive, and discover that before it will start, they have to recite an oath, which turns out to be a curse. If they die in the game, they'll die in real life. To survive, they need to find the body of Elizabeth Bathory and destroy it.

Favorite Scene: When the group of friends first start the game up and we get to see them play it. (The game is the most interesting part of the movie.)

Favorite Quote: "Bitch, that's cheating! I'm not dead yet!"

Notable Trivia: Steve Zahn was originally cast as Miller. (I love Steve Zahn, but I can't imagine anyone but Adam Goldberg playing that part.)

Final Thoughts: I love the edited version of Stay Alive. The uncut version is absolutely atrocious though. If I had seen that first, I would have hated the movie. Is this a great film? No. Is it a fun movie about a video game that would be awesome to play (assuming it didn't curse you)? Absolutely. It's also the reason I got into the Fatal Frame and Silent Hill series, they were both mentioned in Stay Alive. (Also, the only reason I knew who Elizabeth Bathory was is because I used to own a board game called Nightmare.)

31 Days of Halloween: Day 13 - My Boyfriend's Back

 

If you want to see what Matthew Fox, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Matthew McConaughey were up to in 1993.

Release Date: August 6, 1993

Starring: Andrew Lowry, Traci Lind, Edward Herrmann

Genre: Romance/dark comedy

Plot Summary: In a misguided attempt to win over the girl he has a crush on, Johnny stages a fake robbery at Missy's job. Not realizing an actual robber is holding the store up instead of his friend, Johnny is shot and killed. He revives as a zombie, a test to see what he'll do with a second chance at "life." Johnny wants to stay in one piece long enough to take Missy to the prom, but without eating human flesh, he'll begin falling apart.

Favorite Scene: SPOILER - Johnny and Missy dance to "Hanging On For Dear Life" by the MMC at the prom.

Favorite Quote: "You know, son, your mother and I and the ambulance driver and the coroner and the embalmer were all pretty much convinced that you were dead."

"I got better."

Notable Trivia: When Johnny and Missy are at the movie theater, the scene in the cemetery is from The Midnight Hour (the best Halloween movie ever made).

Final Thoughts: I love everything about this movie. I love Andrew Lowry. I love the plot. I love the script and the music. This is not one of those "it's so bad, it's good" movies, it's genuinely good and cute and fun.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 12 - Horror Hotel (aka City of the Dead)

 

If, for some reason, you're looking for a historically inaccurate film about witches in America.

Release Date: September 1960

Starring: Christopher Lee, Venetia Stevenson, Dennis Lotis, Patricia Jessel, Betta St. John, Valentine Dyall

Genre: Good old witchy horror

Plot Summary: When his sister, Nan, doesn't return home after going to the town of Whitewood to research its history of witchcraft, Richard travels there to investigate her disappearance.

Favorite Scene: Nan ventures outside in Whitewood, which is covered in fog, and all the townsfolk stop and stare at her. It's genuinely unsettling.

Favorite Quote: "Well, I don't believe that somebody in Chicago can die of a heart attack because some woman in New Orleans sticks a pin in a wax doll."

"Maybe you don't, but practitioners of voodoo claim otherwise."

Notable Trivia: No one was burned for witchcraft in the United States. I've always thought that because this was a British film (set in the U.S.), and witches were burned in Europe, that that was the reason for the error. But let's be real, how many movies/shows/books have you seen/read where this error was made? A lot.

Final Thoughts: Clearly, I'm bothered by the fact that they burn witches in this movie. But that aside, I love it. I think this is one of the darkest, creepiest older films I've seen.