It’s that time of year. Scary movies are rented. Here is a list of my top Halloween movies. A pumpkin scale is placed, five being the best while one pumpkin is the worst in the best possible way. 

Trick ‘r Treat

This is a movie that is made to be watched at Halloween. It’s not about jump scares or blood and guts, it’s about what Halloween is, what it means to people and what it used to be. It follows a number of characters all in their own storylines but all taking place in the same town, on the same Halloween night, occasionally intersecting. The acting is great, the writing is sharp, and the atmosphere is amazing. I can watch this movie a dozen times and find new things every time. Now, this isn’t a movie that’s jump out of your seat scary. It’s more like a series of campfire stories, or something your cousin swears happened to a friend of his. It’s just a great time had by all.

5 pumpkins

Halloween (original)

The less said about the endless remakes and sequels and spin-off material the better. This year, just take a look at the original 1978 film, and remember what made this movie (and its infamous killer) so scary in the first place. While the movie was made in the ’70s, it feels timeless, going beyond weird lighting and bad ’70s hair to tell a really great story. What struck me looking at it again was how it relayed so much on suspense, and so little on gore. Compared to today’s movies, it’s almost tame. But the atmosphere of dread, and the feeling of being watched, is much scarier than blood. Check it out again, and get chills every time that music starts…

4 pumpkins

Sleepy Hallow

Normally, a literature dork like me would be crying foul on how this Time Burton film changes just about everything from Washington Irving’s original story except the basic “guy with no head and horse runs amok.”  But I just love this movie, for its otherworldly atmosphere, lyrical dialogue, and macabre visuals. It has an interesting story, and memorable characters. It’s not a perfect film, but it just perfectly captures the feeling of fall, and it does throw a few nice bones at the literary crowd.  We have Johnny Depp in another weird but likable role, creepy visuals, violence, secrets and murder. Really, what more could you want?

3 pumpkins

Dracula

Before “True Blood,” before “The Vampire Diaries” and before “Twilight,” there was Dracula. The original vampire, the story that would go on to set up the mythos for years to come. And this 1931 film is what helped launch it all into pop culture forever. Much of the movie is well known, even to people who have never seen the film. But actually take a look at it. While it’s not horribly scary by modern standards, its still entertaining shot with great skill for atmosphere and dialogue. And Bela Lugosi’s performance, parodied endlessly, can still fascinate and haunt. If you’re looking at getting into old school horror (Wolfman, Frankenstein, etc.), this is a great place to start and see where it all began.

4 pumpkins

Plan Nine from Outer Space

This would be Bela Lugosi’s last film, from an… odd part of his career. This is the movie that many consider the worst movie ever made. Ever. It just gets everything imaginable wrong. The special effects are pathetic, even by 1956 standards, the acting is hilariously awful, and we are treated to such dialogue as “Greetings, my friend. We are all interested in the future, for that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives”. And that’s just the start. And yet, it’s just so wonderful to watch. The ever enthusiastic but utterly untalented Ed Wood put his heart and soul into this, and it just shines through. The making of this movie can be seen in Tim Burtons excellent Ed Wood, which is great to watch as a companion to this. But for now, enjoy Plan Nine as the utter train wreck of a horror movie that it is.

1 pumpkin