Released in 1978, Halloween chronicles the murders of serial killer Michael Myers after he escapes from a hospital.
There are 15 days left until Halloween. The countdown is on to the best day of the year—at least according to candy-craving kids and filmmakers with a Tim Burton aesthetic.
On this list, the films will be creepy and creepy or light-hearted and nostalgic. These seven items have something for everyone.
“It’s the Big Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” (1966)
This is the only Halloween TV show on the list, but it’s so classic it can’t be overlooked. The show is only 25 minutes long, so if a student has a little time to relax and watch the show in between assignments, classes, and other activities, they can easily watch this show and get their Halloween fix.
Unfortunately, this show is only available on Apple TV. However, if a person doesn’t have an Apple TV, they will be able to watch It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown for free on the app on October 21-22, 2023.
“Beetlejuice” (1988)
Beetlejuice is one of those creepy and funny movies that a lot of people love and a lot of people hate. This is Tim Burton at his core.
The film follows a recently deceased couple as they try to rid their home of its new owners. They call in Beetlejuice to help with this, and as expected, since this is a movie, things go awry.
The film is funny, theatrical, with incredible costume and set design, and an all-star cast. With some of the main characters played by the likes of Michael Keaton, Catherine O’Hara and Winona Ryder, the viewer may find something enjoyable in the performance.
“Hocus Pocus” (1993)
Hocus Pocus is a Disney Channel original classic film directed by Kenny Ortega, the same man who directed another DCOM classic, High School Musical 3: Senior Year.
Hocus Pocus can be considered a cult classic because it did not make as much money as Disney expected when it was first released.
The film follows a boy from Salem, Massachusetts, who accidentally resurrects three witches from the Salem Witch Trials. The local children fight the witches, who of course want to suck the life out of the children so they can live forever, and although the children win, the film ends on a cliffhanger that implies the witches may return. This actually happens in Hocus Pocus 2, released September 30, 2022.
“Halloweentown” (1998)
Halloweentown is another Disney Channel original movie featuring witches.
The main character, Marnie, discovers that she is a witch on her 13th Halloween and goes to Halloweentown with her grandmother Aggie to train. Witches aren’t the only supernatural creatures in this film: there are werewolves, ghosts, vampires, goblins and many more.
This is another cult classic that reminds people of their childhood. It also spawned a number of sequels, so if one movie isn’t enough, he can also check out Halloweentown 2: Revenge of Kalabar, Halloweentown High, and Return to Halloweentown.
“A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984)
Like Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street is laugh-out-loud funny. It’s meant to be a scary movie, but it’s not as scary as it used to be.
There are seven films in the franchise, but the best one is the first. A Nightmare on Elm Street follows several teenagers who become victims of Freddy Krueger, a killer who can kill people in their sleep.
This is also Johnny Depp’s film debut. The film was even inducted into the US National Film Registry in 2021, so if that doesn’t prove its importance, it’s hard to decide what is.
“Scream” (1996)
Scream is one of the most classic slasher films, and if one hasn’t seen it, one is missing out. Like many of the films on this list, it inspired numerous sequels.
The film was intended as a critique of the cliched actions of horror movie characters and became so popular that it eventually grossed nearly $175 million. This is the film where David Arquette and Courteney Cox met, where Matthew Lillard and Skeet Ulrich became one of the industry’s most beloved duos, and where Drew Barrymore’s brief performance became one of the most iconic film opening scenes ever.
“Halloween” (1978)
Finally, the film that has become synonymous with the holiday is the film debut and longest running role of Jamie Lee Curtis, and perhaps John Carpenter’s most famous film.
The film inspired 12 sequels, a book, a video game and a comic book series. It’s probably one of the most influential horror films ever made, and Michael Myers is one of the most iconic killers of all time.
If a person is going to watch a movie this Halloween, it might as well be the holiday’s namesake.