Look, I know this seems like a really lazy final pic, but I chose the 80s Trick or Treat to start with this year, so consider this a thematic bookend! It’s been ten years now since Michael Dougherty’s horror anthology Trick r’ Treat was released, and at this point I feel comfortably labeling it a Halloween classic. By taking the Pulp Fiction approach to interweaving his five short horror stores, Dougherty captures the feel of beloved 80s anthologies like Creepshow and Tales from the Darkside while still giving his Trick r’ Treat its own unique flavor. The cast – full of notables like Brian Cox, Anna Paquin and Dylan Baker – are all clearly having a blast and the stories, while not terribly involved, are a whole lotta spooky R-rated fun. But the real star here is the perfectly captured Halloween atmosphere; this has got to be the most Halloweeny movie of all time, out Halloweening even John Carpenter’s Halloween. Even if you aren’t in love with this movie (and you should be in love with it) you can’t deny that at the very least it’s the perfect movie to have on in the background of your yearly Halloween party. That alone makes this low-hanging pumpkin pic worthy, and besides, what do you want, I’ve been doing this for four years! Just relax, throw on Trick r’ Treat and have a happy Halloween, OK?

Prom Night is a night to remember, especially when it involves a glittery ski mask wearing killer wreaking vengeance on horny high schoolers! Jamie Lee Curtis was well on her way to becoming a scream queen legend when she starred in this disco-infused horror gem directed by Paul Lynch, and while no one would likely proclaim it a classic, it’s a fun, solid entry in the early 80s slasher canon. An early example of the “conspiracy of silence” trope that would be reused in I Know What You Did Last Summer and the like, Prom Night follows a handful of students who are hiding a dark secret that comes back to haunt them during – you guessed it – their much anticipated high school prom. Jamie Lee is looking perky in a short, permed hairdo, and while her character is no Laurie Strode, her impressive disco moves – on display in a nearly endless dance sequence – more than make up for it. There are a lot of good kills, Leslie Nielsen in a surprisingly non-comedic role and a ridiculous sequence involving a pimped out shaggin wagon, amounting to a viewing experience that’s hopefully more enjoyable than your actual prom! If you enjoy this one you might also want to check out the fun but completely unrelated Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II – but stay far, far away from the tepid 2008 remake.

I considered doing Hideo Nakata’s original Ringu to prove what a culturally sophisticated guy I am, but what can I say – I prefer Gore Verbinski’s stylish 2002 white person remake, The Ring. What I really appreciate about Verbinski’s take is how effectively it gets under your skin, taking the premise of a cursed video tape and layering on the dread so heavily that you forget how absurd the whole thing is. Also effective are the visuals; while the look of TV-emerging, black hair-draped ghost girl Samara is lifted directly from the Japanese, the foggy location photography and arresting yet beautiful imagery is top shelf eye candy, arguably some of the best ghost story atmosphere since Kubrick’s The Shining. The cast is great too – Naomi Watts is typically strong in the lead, David Dorfman is minimally annoying in the kid role and Brian Cox puts in a small but memorable appearance – but the real star of The Ring is Samara, an unforgettable horror villain that deserves her place among the great movie monster icons and has gone to inspire nightmares in perpetuity. This Halloween bust out the old VCR and pop in that creepy VHS tape that’s been lying around – or maybe just watch The Ring. (Watching Ringu is also acceptable). 

I’ve chosen a lot of non-diverse, insensitive, triggering films this year, so I offer a corrective (or at least a flimsy appeal) with the inclusion of this year’s superb Get Out. Not many would have predicted that Jordan Peele of the comedy duo Key and Peele would deliver the surprise horror hit of the year, but the timing couldn’t have been more perfect for a Stepford Wives-influenced take on white appropriation of black culture. While there is some comedy around the edges, Peele keeps things focused on suspense, discomfort, and smartly gauging the way his bizzaro mystery unfolds, so when the reveals start happening – reveals that are batshit crazy but undeniably clever – they land with an impact. The cast is uniformly great; Daniel Kaluuya ably handles the suspicious protagonist role, Allison Williams builds on her “Girls” persona in interesting ways, and the pairing of Bradley Whitford and Catherine Keener are perfect as the liberal intellectual parents who seem painfully unaware of their own racial entitlement. Yes, it’s a message movie for sure, but what makes Get Out so great is that despite its painfully on-point social commentary it’s also a fun, crazy horror movie, and roundly deserving of being this year’s much-hyped horror hit.

Summer camp seems to be on my mind this Halloween, so it seems only natural that I bring the sleaziest of all summer camp horror movies into the mix, Robert Hitzlik’s incomparable Sleepaway Camp. Now Hitzlik isn’t exactly a household name, and as a director the guy is no great shakes, but one thing he really does right is capture what it was like to attend an overnight summer camp in early 80s New Jersey; the laughable fashions are spot-on, the causally cruel dynamic between campers and counselors is perfectly captured and the whole presentation just feels totally authentic. The “story” is a flimsy whodunnit centered around Angela, a shy new camp-goer and the gruesome – but well-deserved – deaths that befall those who creep on her, and there sure does seem to be a lot of creeps at ol’ Camp Arawak. The ick factor here – like the Burning – is pretty heavy, but it’s at least in the service of setting up bloody vengeance, that is if you don’t take into account the not-exactly-progressive psychology that drives the shock ending. But man, that ending! It’s virtually impossible to walk away from Sleepaway Camp without having those final frames seared into your brain forever, and for that reason alone it deserves a spot on your Halloween – or scary summer camp – watch list.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086320/

Yes, Roman Polanski is a horrible creep that should rot in exile forever, but that doesn’t mean that we as a culture should throw Rosemary’s Baby out with the bathwater. Adapted from Ira Levin’s somewhat satirical novel, the film (as if you didn’t know already) follows a young New York City woman (Mia Farrow in her signature role and look) who, after becoming pregnant under unsettling circumstances, suspects that she and her unborn child have become the target of witches. Aside from being a cracking bit of mystery and suspense, the film is a fantastic snapshot of 60s New York, Polanski contrasting the hip modernity of his main couple (who includes a deliciously oily John Cassavettes) against the old world apartment building they have recently inhabited. Adding to the creepy fun are elderly neighbors Sidney Blackmer and Ruth Gordon, with Gordon her usual brassy, loveable self but with an added sinister edge. It’s the rare genre offering that is equal parts terror and delight, which makes it the perfect Halloween movie for those who enjoy a good scare but get squeamish around blood n’ guts. 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063522/

You probably think I’m trying to punish you by recommending John Boorman’s utterly despised Exorcist II: The Heretic, and maybe in some small way you’re right. But here’s the thing – I love John Boorman’s movies; his nutzo sci fi epic Zardoz is one of my all-time faves, and I feel that in many ways this entirely misguided sequel to the Exorcist occupies a similar, head-trippy place. Linda Blair returns the role of Regan MacNeil, now a full-on teen who has put her demonic possession behind her, only have it dredged back up by psychologist Louise Fletcher and a ridiculously implausible device that supposedly “synchronizes” brainwaves. Adding to the insanity is a likely inebriated Richard Burton, trying to fill Max Von Sydow’s priestly vestments and failing miserably. Also there’s tap-dancing, locust swarms, crazy mirror trick photography and best of all James Earl Jones wearing a locust hat. Look, this movie is a mess, but if you enjoy this kind of disaster and meet it where it lives – a town named Bonkersville – you’ll have a good time watching it. Oh, who am I kidding, you’re gonna hate this, so maybe just watch the trailer as it is inarguably the greatest piece of filmmaking ever, thanks in part to the incredible Ennio Morricone track “Magic and Ecstasy”. 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076009/

For some reason this year seems the right year to revisit David Cronenberg’s superb Stephen King adaptation The Dead Zone, but I can’t for the life of me think why. Maybe it’s Cronenberg’s assured direction, moving him out of the realm of Canadian B movie director and announcing him as a soon-to-be major Hollywood genre director. Perhaps it’s Christopher Walken in an atypically understated performance as Johnny, a man emerged from a 5 year coma to find that he has taken on psychic powers that, among other things, give him frightening visions of future events – events he has the power to stop. Maybe it’s King’s source story, written at the height of his powers and one of his most concise, ready-for-screen narratives. It’s probably a combination of all these things, that rare alchemy of rich character detail, skilled direction, compelling story, great performances and just enough skin-crawling creepiness to make it rewarding Halloween time viewing. Who knows? Oh right, there’s Martin Sheen as a narcissistic, insane politician who, if left unstopped, will lead us recklessly into a global nuclear war – but it’s not like that sort of thing is relevant right now or anything.

Seeing as it’s Sam Raimi’s birthday today, it only seems fitting to honor him by celebrating the film that started it all, his original 1981 The Evil Dead. Evil Dead 2 was the movie that brought me into the Raimi fold, but there’s an unnerving quality to the first film – itself a second take on the story of young horndogs vacationing at a remote cabin in the woods who unwittingly unleash demonic forces – that was never quite replicated either by Raimi or any of the film’s many imitators. Certainly the run-and-gun grindhouse grit is a factor, as are some scenes of questionable taste (ahem, tree rape), but mostly it’s because the original Evil Dead, while still possessing (pun intended) some of the humor of the later films, is downright scary. Geek god Bruce Campbell – yet to fully crystalize his iconic, sarcastic Ash character – does a good job anchoring the young cast of adequate unprofessionals, but its Raimi’s magnificently fearless and inventive camera work that makes the film stand out from the low and dirty slasher fare of the time. Oh, and the copious gore is great too. Raimi called his Three Stooges inspired style “splatstick”, unaware that he was creating a new language for genre cinema, minting himself as a star director, giving his loveably hammy buddy Bruce a career in show business, inspiring countless future filmmakers and ensuring a place for Evil Dead in the pantheon of essential horror franchises. For Halloween viewing, you can’t do better than the OG Evil Dead! Happy birthday Sam!

The aughts were a shaky time for mainstream American horror – things were either torture-porny with your Saws and your Hostels, or they were Asian ghost movie remakes, or they were found footage – rare was the Hollywood horror movie that went in an unexpected direction, which is why I have always appreciated Iain Softley’s 2005 supernatural thriller The Skeleton Key. Kate Hudson stars as a hospice nurse assigned to help (the great) Gena Rowlands deal with her dying husband (John Hurt) in their creepy Louisiana plantation home, only to find herself tangled in a mystery related to the house’s dark past. What starts off seeming like a voodoo-infused ghost story goes into some genuinely surprising direction, with the game cast (also featuring Peter Sarsgaard in a satisfyingly slimy role) and well-realized southern gothic atmosphere really selling the chills. Thanks to the Sixth Sense all supernatural thrillers released during this time were required to have a big twist ending, and while The Skeleton Key definitely falls into that category, the twist here is actually pretty great and hard to see coming. My wife is a big fan of this movie and it’s one of her favorite movies to relax with at home – what can I say, we’re weirdos. This Halloween, the Skeleton Key is your key to Cajun-style terror!

Every year demands its Dracula, and this year we head to the arthouse with Werner Herzog’s Nosferatu the Vampyre. A reasonably faithful adaptation of the Bram Stoker novel – and by proxy a remake of the 1922 silent classic Nosferatu – Herzog imbues the story with his unique concerns and preoccupations, the most obvious being his obsession with both the beauty and cruelty of nature. He also brings along his best fiend and infant terrible Klaus Kinski to take on the Dracula role, and Kinski does not disappoint. Using the bald, rodent-like “Count Orlock” (here reinstated as Count Dracula) look from the 20s film as a jumping off point, Kinski, terrifying in the make-up and icky long fingernails, also gives the character a sense of haunted loneliness and a stillness that matches the film’s languid pace. Also great is Isabelle Adjani as Lucy, the object of Dracula’s obsession, her pallid beauty evoking silent era screen sirens, effortlessly conveying wide-eyed terror. Herzog proves himself a master of mood, melding images of beauty and death – as well as an alternately chilling and joyous Popol Vuh score – into a haunting, impressionistic tone poem. Class up your Halloween with this impeccably crafted Kinski creepfest.

Until recently, I had not been initiated to Larry Stewart’s odd little 1984 gem The Initiation, but now that I have been initiated my life will never be the same. On the surface The Initiation looks like your standard sorority house being stalked by a killer fare, and while it does satisfy that particular genre itch, this movie is way stranger than that, its plot constantly veering into unpredictable directions and odd story cul-de-sacs. Daphne Zuninga, one role away from her breakout in Spaceballs, plays a sorority sister whose strange nightmares are the subject of a highly inappropriate on-campus study and may connect her to the campus killer, who seems to be targeting her and her fellow pledges. Thanks to her wealthy father (character great Clu Gulager, partnered with onscreen wife Vera Miles), the sorority is able to gain access to a massive department store, where they settle in for a long night of being stalked and murdered, leading to a shocking double-twist ending that even had my jaded brain fooled. If you like your sorority houses dripping with blood and have somehow haven’t been initiated, it’s high time you treated yourself to the Initiation!

Thanks to the now late Tobe Hooper’s seminal classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, horror is rife with stories about young people running afoul of creepy, murderous families in remote locations, and one of the most underseen and underappreciated of this subgenre has to be John Hough’s 1988 American Gothic. Set on a small island of the coast of the Pacific Northwest, the story concerns a group of young people whose sea plane is forced to land, leaving them stranded as the unwitting guests of a bizarro nuclear family led by the Munsters’ Yvonne De Carlo and world-class scenery chewer Rod Steiger. Things are plenty awkward at first, but quickly devolve into deeply unsettling when the couples’ “children” surface – full grown, middle-aged adults who act and dress like grade school kids. This is a horror movie, so I don’t feel that it’s spoiler territory to say that things do not go particularly well for our youthful city slickers. Hough does a great job of bringing out the disturbed psychology of his characters, aided by a game cast that also includes character actors Michael J Pollard, Janet Wright and William “Porkins” Hootkins, allowing their gleefully performances to really sell the creep factor. A great skin-crawling deep cut for those who love hillbilly horror but are looking for something a little off the beaten path – this Halloween, treat yourself to some down home horror with American Gothic!

I’ve been neglecting the Universal monsters so far this year – I dunno, maybe I’m mad over that new Mummy movie – so it’s high time I correct that by revisiting Universal’s greatest monster: The Creature From the Black Lagoon. Now, I enjoy all 3 Creature movies, but I have to give John Sherwood’s 1956 The Creature Walks Among Us props for being the strangest of the lot, which for me carries a lot of weight. It starts with the bonkers plot: a scientist captures the Gill Man (something that happens in all of the movies), and this time, rather than put him on display at Sea World as they did in Revenge of the Creature, decides that he’s going to turn our green-flippered friend into a normal, air-breathing man, or at least as close as he can get. The results are bizarre to say the least; the formerly lithe, amphibious creature becomes a hulking, fish-lipped brute in a pair of pajamas, forced to stay in a cage at the scientist’s beach-adjacent lab. To make matters worse the no-longer-gilled man is forced to witness the endless bickering of a couple whose marriage is on the skids, making you wonder if screenwriter Arthur A. Ross had just taken an old unsold domestic drama script and clumsily retrofitted it to make a monster sequel. The whole thing is both heartbreaking and hilarious, and while not exactly a thrill-ride into terror, I do feel that this is a must-watch for Creature completists and lovers of franchise oddities. A great one to have on in the background of your Halloween party for the purpose of baffling your guests!

There were a few body-swapping themed horror movies in the late 80s/early 90s, but none match the dizzying heights of Jack “A Nightmare on Elm Street 2” Sholder’s The Hidden. It’s a bugnuts bughunt through Los Angeles circa 1987, following cop Michael Nouri and the mysterious FBI agent shadowing him (Kyle MacLachlan, clearly prepping to be Agent Dale Cooper on Twin Peaks) as they track down a body-hopping alien menace who is wreaking havoc and death on the city of angels. What makes the Hidden such a, ahem, hidden gem – aside from Sholder’s skill in taking the action into consistently crazy territory – are the performances of the alien inhabited actors, most notably character actor William Boyett, who really sells the idea of an alien wearing some poor worn-out schlub as a skin suit. More sci-fi action than straight horror, there is nonetheless some effectively gooey moments of body horror, and enough violence and mayhem to keep any Halloween genre hound happy. Featuring B-movie all-stars Clu Gulager, Chris Mulkey, Lin Shaye, Richard Brooks and an awesome soundtrack of inexpensive to license 80s pop and metal songs that sound like popular 80s pop and metal songs!

Of the early 80s slasher movies that starred Jamie Lee Curtis, the one that usually gets overlooked is Roger Spottiswoode’s 1980 whodunnit Terror Train – and that’s a cryin’ shame because it’s good! Like most slashers of the time,  the story involves a killer seeking revenge on a group of teens that wronged her (or him) some years before, but this is different because it’s on a train, see? Jamie does a fine job, though I wouldn’t say it’s her most memorable role, and the other teens (really actors in their 20s and 30s but let’s not split hairs) are a cut above the usual fare, especially Die Hard’s Hart Bochner playing the sort of odious Lothario he specializes in. The train setting does add to the claustrophobia, and the killer takes the unusual approach of wearing several different masks (the teens are throwing a New Year’s Eve costume party on the train, as you do) so the kills have a nice visual variety to them. Best of all, a young David Copperfield – playing himself – performs magic tricks for the captive crowd, and even rates as a suspect.  Spottiswoode’s direction is solid if not mind blowing; he would go on to have a respectable Hollywood career, directing one of the later Pierce Brosnan Bond films. Ultimately it’s a highly enjoyable trip into familiar gory territory, so if you like a good early 80s slasher I say all aboard the Terror Train!

It will probably affect my horror credibility rating to say that I kind of prefer Tony Randel (British director, not the hilariously fastidious half of the Odd Couple)’s Hellbound: Hellraiser II to Clive Barker’s original Hellraiser, but oh well. For one thing, Hellbound is the Hellraiser entry that pulls out all the stops and actually takes you to hell, plus it gives you a healthier dose of horror icon Pinhead and his groovy Cenobite pals. It also ups the ante on the first film’s gore factor, no small feat considering that the original Hellraiser is shockingly gruesome even by today’s standards. But best of all, Hellbound: Hellraiser II has got hella imagination, sporting the visual panache of the best films in the Nightmare on Elm Street series (it seems to take a few cues from the excellent Nightmare 3, Dream Warriors), especially in the hallucinatory hell sequences. Last but surely not least, it brings back the first film’s questionable seductress Julia, here with much better hair, and teams her with a great new villain, the sadistic Dr. Channard, who even gets to rock it as a penis-domed Cenobite. Way to go Dr. C! I say if you only have time for one pass at the Lament Configuration (that’s the Cenobite’s puzzle box, in case you aren’t a hopeless horror geek) this Halloween, make it Hellbound: Hellraiser II!