Rowdy's Top 10 Halloween films
A non-definitive ranking of our top ten favorite movies for the month of October
By: Savannah Sisk
My mom and sister think that I’m a big fat wuss. “What?” They laughed when I told them I was writing an article about Halloween movies. “But you don’t even like scary movies!” Yeah, yeah, whatever.
Personally, I think one could argue that scary movies ≠ Halloween movies. Halloween movies usually have something to do with Halloween and don’t always have to be scary. Scary movies, on the other hand, live or die by the jumpscare. All that is to say, if you’ve come here expecting a list stocked with "Saw" and "The Conjuring" sequels, you’re out of luck.
This listicle is for movie lovers who enjoy the cozy spirit of Halloween much more than they do jump scares. If you like Pumpkin Spice Lattes, stepping on crunchy fall leaves and/or bundling up in vintage sweaters, then this ranking of Halloween classics is for you.
#10: "Pearl"
I’ve only seen “Pearl” once. Personally, I didn’t love it. To be fair, I watched it under what can only be described as suboptimal movie-viewing conditions: alone during the middle of the day with a cold.
At the time, I thought a lot of the scenes felt kind of heavy-handed. “Pearl” is not a subtle film. Whether it’s titular protagonist is killing animals (to show that she’s a psychopath), simulating intercourse with a scarecrow (to show that she’s sexually and emotionally frustrated) or watching a stag film (to show that she’s aroused), the audience never has to question what Pearl is doing, why or what will happen next.
To be fair, I also haven’t been able to stop thinking about this movie since I saw it (like, “I’M MARRIED!!!” will never not be iconic).
Based on how popular “Pearl” still is on social media, I’m willing to bet that nobody else has, either. In my opinion, Pearl is definitely worth the re-watch.
#9: "Beetlejuice"
At this point, “Beetlejuice” is so popular and culturally significant that most people have probably already seen it way too many times — myself included. I guess you could say I’m suffering from Beetlejuice-fatigue. And yet, every time I watch this movie, I’m struck by how funny it is.
Tim Burton truly caught lightning in a bottle with this one. In my opinion, “Beetlejuice” is always worth a rewatch, even if it’s not your first choice.
#8: "Corpse Bride"
Don’t get me wrong, I love “Corpse Bride.” I also love movie musicals. But something about the songs in “Corpse Bride” feel a little unnecessary, if not forced. Some of them are great. Others, I couldn’t remember if I tried. I have no proof of this, but sometimes it feels like they took dialogue from an existing script and made it into lyrics because some producer said they had to.
My headcannon is that the decision to make “Corpse Bride” a musical went a little something like this:
INT. CONFERENCE ROOM– DAY
PRODUCER: So it’s claymation, like “A Nightmare Before Christmas?”
TIM BURTON: Yes.
PRODUCER: Okay, so it’s also a musical then, right?
TIM BURTON: Oh, no–
PRODUCER: ‘Cause kids love musicals. And this is a kids movie, right?
TIM BURTON: Yes, but–
PRODUCER: Okay, great, it’s settled. Looking forward to seeing those script re-writes!
TIM BURTON: Uh–
The End.
#7: "paranorman"
An underrated gem of a Halloween movie, it has all the wacky humor and heart of “Monster House” combined with the beautiful claymation of “Coraline.”
“Paranorman” follows Norman, a young, socially ostracised boy who can see dead people (yes, this movie came out thirteen years after “The Sixth Sense”). In order to save his town, Norman must confront a centuries-old witch curse. But everything in Blythe Hollow is not as it seems …
If you’ve already seen this movie, then you know it’s worth a rewatch. If you haven’t, what are you doing?! Grab some popcorn. Cozy up to whatever screen you use to watch movies. Whether that’s a TV or your iPhone, you’re bound to have a good time.
#6: "Monster House"
“Then that must be the uvula!”
“Oh, so it’s a girl house.”
“Where are your parents?”
“My dad’s at the pharmacy and my mom’s at the movies with her personal trainer.”
Enough said. “Monster House” doesn’t look great (it’s sort of a “Hoodwinked” situation), but it might just be one of the funniest Halloween movies ever made. If you haven’t seen it yet, definitely give it a try. (Note: viewing experience is vastly improved by friends who like to crack jokes and talk while watching movies).
#5: "Hocus Pocus"
Every year without fail, the first of October rolls around and I start daydreaming about this movie. Mostly just the town. I want to live there so bad it hurts. Max does not appreciate his bedroom enough. (While researching this article I learned that the weird little turret thing on top of his house is not actually a lighthouse, but a Widow’s Walk, a railed rooftop platform often found in 19th century coastal homes).
On an unrelated note, I’m still obsessed with the amount of what I like to call “dramatic falling down” that Thackery Binx does in the first five minutes of this film.
#4: "Coraline"
An excellent film all around. Beautifully made. The amount of effort that went into this movie is truly insane. The scene where the garden blooms is already impressive before you remember that it was filmed frame-by-frame.
The stop motion in this movie is so smooth that it’s easy to forget “Coraline” wasn’t animated, but strung together from thousands upon thousands of stills: hundreds of hands worked on this movie.
Perhaps because of this, “Coraline” manages to come across as warm and terrifying all at the same time. The Other Mother’s needle hands are scary, but less so when you remember that someone spent months making them.
This Halloween, do yourself a favor: Skip “Other Mommy” and rewatch “Coraline” instead.
#3: "It's the great pumpkin, charlie brown"
Okay, okay, hear me out. I grew up watching this movie every Halloween and I’ve never gotten tired of it. It’s a classic. The epitome of cozy fall vibes.
In my family, some films have become traditions in themselves. Every year my mom throws on “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!” while we carve pumpkins, then wash and toast the seeds. The pumpkin seeds are always salty, crunchy and delicious. This movie is always comforting and nostalgic.
#2: "Weapons"
In my opinion, “Weapons” is the horror movie of our time. It’s better than scary — it holds up a mirror to American society.
Much like in “Jaws,” the true villain of “Weapons” is so much more than just a killer shark or a creepy old witch. If you haven’t seen “Weapons,” definitely give it a watch. As someone who doesn’t typically enjoy horror but loved this movie, you’ll be fine.
#1: "The Shining"
Even though I’ve seen it several times, “The Shining” still creeps me out. What’s more, the film boasts excellent cinematography, great acting and a fantastic soundtrack. This story continues to age like fine wine, which is a pretty big achievement, considering that most ‘80s films have not aged well at all.
Even after 40 years, the premise of “The Shining” remains airtight: an egotistical, slimy, deadbeat father has a breakdown and attempts to annihilate his family. Honestly, even without all the supernatural haunted-hotel stuff, this film would still be scarily accurate.
Savannah Sisk is a sophomore Advertising major at University of Florida. This is her second semester at Rowdy. Her hobbies include reading, thrifting and writing about herself in the third person.
Comments