by Daniel Lucas
Whether you’re looking for something to binge-watch, enjoy all month, or maybe you’re wanting to host a Halloween movie night, there’s plenty of choices this October.
Halloween (1978) – 1hr 31mins, 15 – Netflix
After being locked away for fifteen years for the murder of his sister, Michael Myers escapes prison and is loose in his hometown of Haddonfield where he begins a killing spree and all on Halloween night. Directed by John Carpenter and starring a young Jamie Lee Curtis, this classic was the first of the slashers, and to this day the ‘Boogeyman’ remains as one of horror’s best villains.
Hubie Halloween (2020) – 1hr 43mins, 12 – Netflix
Hubie Dubois is always the butt of the joke in Salem, Massachusetts, but when he becomes wrapped up in a murder investigation he gets the chance to prove he’s more than just the village idiot. Directed by Steven Brillstarring Adam Sandler and many of his usual Hollywood buddies. It’s a goofy Halloween romp and is one of the few things ‘Salem, Massachusetts’ that has nothing to do with witches.
Gremlins (1984) – 1hr 46mins, 12A – NowTV
There are three rules to keeping a ‘mogwai’: don’t expose it to bright light, don’t give it water, and never feed it after midnight. When a gadget salesman buys one for his son, however, all three rules are broken, and a gang of mischievous Gremlins are unleashed on their town. Joe Dante directs and Zach Galligan stars, Gremlins is an everything-80s Halloween staple and an absolute must-see.
Frankenweenie (2012) – 1hr 27mins, PG – Disney Plus
Victor Frankenstein’s only friend, his dog Sparky, is struck by a car and dies. A distraught Victor resolves to bring his companion back to life. But when his classmates find out what he’s done, and bring back their own dead pets, the consequences are dire. Tim Burton directs a stop-motion remake of his first ever film from back in 1984, and with his usual style and flare, Frankenweenie doesn’t disappoint.
Event Horizon (1997) – 1hr 36mins, 18 – Netflix
The lost spaceship named Event Horizon reappears after several years, and the team of the Lewis and Clark is sent to investigate what happened there. What they discover is that whatever horrors befell the Event Horizon before, never left. Paul W S Anderson’s sci-fi-horror, starring Sam Neill and Lawrence Fishburne, is a dark and atmospheric take on the mysteries and horrors of space, half Alien and half Hellraiser.
The Witches (1990) – 1hr 28mins, PG – Amazon Prime Video
Luke Eveshim accidentally spies on a convention of witches whilst at a hotel, and overhears their plans to turn all children into mice with a secret formula, which they decide to test on Luke himself. Nicolas Roeg adapts Roald Dahl’s classic 1983 book, and starring Anjelica Huston and Rowan Atkinson, The Witches is an absolute necessity on Halloween.
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018-2020) – 4 Parts, 36 Episodes, 15 – Netflix
Sabrina Spellman must deal with her dual-identity as both half mortal and half witch, all whilst fighting off the evil forces that threaten her and the daylight world. Created by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and starring Kiernan Shipka as the titular Sabrina, this modern live-action take on the character is a strikingly full-of-life story about a young witch and a town of horrors.
Goosebumps (1995-1998) – 13 Episodes, PG – Netflix
Based on R. L. Stine’s best-selling book series of the same name, Goosebumps is an anthology children’s horror series that tells the stories of tweens and teens that find themselves wrapped up in strange and unnerving situations, where often the occult and the supernatural are bound to make an appearance. This series was an instant Halloween must upon release and has remained as unusual and unique ever since.