It's the month of October, which means it's the Halloween season! Out of all holidays, Halloween is my favorite of them all! Many people associate Halloween with horror, which is a big reason why I love it so much, but it's more than that. It's a holiday where people can express their creativity in various ways. Though most of it is played for chills, a good portion does not have to be, whether making friendly ghosts or Jack-o'-lanterns or dressing up as a non-horror-related fictional character. People are not even expected to be as cheerful when compared to Christmas; they can still be themselves, pretend to be someone else, or express their negative emotions with terror. The best part is that most traditions feel optional because there are so many different things to do; it is unnecessary to cover them all if one is not in the mood or not in a financial situation. To me, dressing up and trick-or-treating as a kid felt like an adventure; there was nothing like it. Although those days are long gone, I still find more ways of celebrating with the same amount of fun as an adult, whether it's partying or working at a haunted house attraction.
If there is one tradition that will always remain with me, it is watching various horror movies, shows, and Halloween specials all month long. I can watch a scary movie any time of the year, but Halloween gives me that particular urge to marathon through as many as possible, and while I can say I watch more horror movies than Halloween-related material, that does not mean I don't have plenty of Halloween media to watch. How could I celebrate the season without watching a few Halloween Specials? It would feel odd and unfulfilling. Horror movies simply keep me from repeating the same specials I love over and over, so it doesn't get as tiring as watching the same Christmas films on repeat each year despite there being so many. To honor the movies and specials that cater to the season, I will do a personal top twenty-five list dedicated to this kind of media. These will be Halloween specials that will mainly relate to my nostalgia and the ones I saw in my adult years that make me feel like a kid or happy to be an adult who is still celebrating Halloween. I'm even going to throw in a few horror movies that are not Halloween-themed but cater to my love for horror as a kid and why I associate them with the holiday. Please know that since most of these come from a place of nostalgia, that will mean there will be plenty of guilty pleasures on the list. This list is not objectively the best Halloween specials of all time; these are just my personal favorites. And do know that this list will contain spoilers.
Tyler's Top 25 Favorite Halloween Specials
Before I get to my first entry on the list, I have to give a brief honorable mention.
Honorable Mention: The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror Series
The Simpsons (up to a certain point) is one of my favorite TV shows, and for the last few years, I always pay a visit to Springfield around this time of year for the Treehouse of Horror episodes. Each episode is an anthology of three stories that used to be tied together, typically from the family telling stories to each other. As much as I miss the episodes having some narrative structure to connect the separate stories together, they are still just as strong without it. The episodes would fully exploit the Halloween season, the supernatural, animation, and darkness of the show's humor at its best, along with having some excellent parodies of horror movies. The reason is primarily that since these episodes have no continuity, it would allow the writers and animators the chance to go as dark and creative as possible without receiving an MA rating. This would mean we, the audience, get to see The Simpsons and the residents of Springfield turn into monsters (usually permanently) or get killed in horrific ways. As a special treat, most episodes would feature the aliens Kang and Kodos serving as the mascots of this series who appear commenting and laughing at the misery they see in Springfield and would have a few stories with them as the main monster. The reason why none of these episodes didn't make the list is because there are so many great ones that it would make more sense to give them a list of their own. However, since I watch at least one episode yearly, I had to give this series a special shout-out.
Number 25: The Great Bear Scare
This one is a complete guilty pleasure. The Special about bears conquering their fears against incompetent monsters, while cute for little kids, does not age well as I get older. The message about facing your fears is present but is all over the map with its delivery. The puns can get very corny. The whole monsters having a curfew makes no sense in their plan for world domination. And the animation is dreadfully lazy whenever the characters have to move their body (which even distracted me a bit as a kid). It's not something I really recommend, but what prevents me from not including it on the list is mainly my nostalgia. Similar to my thoughts on the movie version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, there's an all-around laid-back innocence with a sense of fun that prevents me from despising it despite so much working against it. Part of that mainly comes from the adorable characters like Ted E. Bear and Patti Bear, who have greatly improved since their Christmas Special. The villains, Dracula and his cackling assistant, Miss Witch, are very entertaining, even if they must deliver a few horrible puns. As painfully limited as the animation can be, the characters thankfully still appear alive when speaking and blinking. And their designs are not half bad, either. The bears look adorable, while the monsters appear colorful, silly, and, at times, demonic with various cool designs. Also, the theme song has a tuneful early retro 80's vibe that comes across as playfully spooky, which really touches my inner child every time I hear it. There are certainly better Halloween Specials that make me feel like a kid again, but I did not have the heart to leave this one out for how its cuteness, cheesy retro-eighties charm, neat designs, and relaxing tone still happily puts me at ease.
Number 24: Halloweentown
As a kid, Halloweentown was one of my favorite movies to watch on Disney Channel during the Halloween season. I loved the setting of a town filled with monsters and mystical creatures and found the characters lovable. As a kid, I loved the film so much that I wished it was an actual place. A few years ago, I revisited the movie after not seeing it since elementary school, and without my nostalgia, I still think it's cute—nothing great, but certainly nothing bad. Half of the time, the effects are laughably cheesy (how did my younger self not pick up on how evident that a good part of the Halloweentown population is people in rubber masks)? The villain is pathetic, along with giving him a corny defeat. And regrettably, the characters' personalities can get a little irritating at times, almost making them come across as one-note characters. If I had not grown up with this movie, I would have found it harmless for its target audience and thought nothing more of it.
However, nostalgia is one of the main factors in celebrating Halloween, which this film, to me, has plenty of. Even when taking away the nostalgia, as a Halloween fanatic, I still like a few things about the movie. I briefly mentioned how annoying the characters' personalities can be, but while not the strongest or most incredibly acted, they're still highly charming. For every time Marnie throws a naggy fit (not that I blame her, but my goodness, can it get a little much), her enthusiasm for the holiday and bright smile gets me invested in the fun and wonder she's having. Although Dylan's cynical attitude towards everything sometimes makes me wish to put duct tape over his mouth, it is sweet to see moments of him embrace his inner child and warlock self. And as annoyingly stubborn as the mom can get, I still feel her love for her children and understand her reasons (especially as an adult) while still siding with Marnie. There's not only a little more (if not a lot) to these characters than meets the eye, but everybody looks like they're having a great time playing their characters, especially Debbie Reynolds as the grandmother. Reynolds' whimsical personality can get a little over the top. Still, she's so passionate playing this eccentric, magical, and encouraging grandmother, along with having some gentle moments, that I can't help but love her every time she is on-screen.
When I was a kid, while enjoying the town, I was a little underwhelmed. The film was not as dark and gothic looking like Halloween Town from The Nightmare Before Christmas (especially when I am a massive fan of the movie). But I also liked how the town is like any other since the point of these creatures is to show that as different as they are, they're still as friendly and harmless as any regular human, making the town feel like a humble place to visit. As an adult, I still appreciate this unconventional, cheery, sunny, small-town setting filled with pleasant decorations and pumpkins for a Halloween world. The town still looks like a local town that was only decorated for Halloween, but I still find it invitingly pleasant (especially for the kids). Even the apparent fake effects for the residents have an innovative appeal to them through their designs and variety of effects. And that's not to say there aren't some good ones, particularly the puppetry for the expressions of the skeleton cab driver. Like The Great Bear Scare, the film may not hold up too well (though it is certainly so much better by comparison), but its inviting, innocent nature, sweet characters, and hokey yet creativity in effects and set designs establish its cute Halloween aesthetic, makes me want to revisit this town when I need something a little calmer and sunnier from the definitive Halloween Town. And it is incredible to know that the actual town St. Helens in Oregon holds Halloween events in honor of the movie, proving its legacy and fanbase is still as strong!
Number 23: Monster Mash
I credit the film for its commentary on monsters' popularity in film franchises and how they start out scary, become dated and are more associated with fun as time passes. In the end of it all, eventually people remember and appreciate why the classic monsters were so frightening in the first place, which brings them back into the mainstream. It does not handle it perfectly, given the film is biased to claiming Universal monsters are the real ones, while monsters outside the company are scary but have no staying power compared to the classics. And on top of that, the message is hypocritical since the overall film is a product of what the film shames. Still, I appreciate what the film is trying to convey and what it does accomplish when it could have simply been a generic kid's film with a message we've heard a dozen times from other films. And as far as giving the classic Universal monsters a campy charm for kids like the Halloween decorations we see of them, it is one of the most likable they've ever been portrayed for kids. And for all the goofy and sentimental moments these monsters have, they still have plenty of scenes to show their scare powers. Seeing them in their glory in the film is neat, but the highlight for me is the climax, when the monsters take on the new monsters (with mostly creative designs and unique abilities that combine the monsters of the era like Freddy Kreuger, Jason Voorhees, and Chucky) in glorious black and white, proving these monsters may be old, but are not out of fashion.
And, of course, when delivering a visual representation of the song the film is named after, it does it justice! The whole sequence is literally a rollercoaster ride as we watch the film's skeleton dog Yorick sing while passing by our trio of monsters rocking out, the ghouls, Igor on chains backed by his baying hounds, the coffin bangers, and Dracula's son. Apart from stopping for narration, these sequences showcasing the song feel like a rush, putting you in a party frame of mind with the excitement of what to see next. Even after the film ends with the rollercoaster ride, with the last verse showing the fate of all the monsters, there's a credits sequence with different versions of the song and an annoyed record producer commenting on the changes. Thankfully, I have the VHS version, which not only contains most of the footage eliminated on DVD but also a Monster Mash music video with the original song playing to clips from the movie and the classic Universal monster films. As a kid, I thought this was one of the most incredible music videos I had ever seen. I used to play it repeatedly to hear the original song and see the juxtaposition between kid-friendly and classic horror imagery. Actually, this was the first time I heard the original song, when the song I used to listen to was the Hit Crew's version on the album Drew's Famous-Halloween Party Music, making me love it all the more! Come to think of it, I was able to memorize the song's lyrics thanks to the movie and its music video for how often I watched it growing up. With an iconic song, amusing designs, some clever commentary, and a welcoming, kid-friendly version of these monsters, Monster Mash, while far from great, is still, for me, a graveyard smash!
Number 22: Ernest Scared Stupid 
Though the film has a mainly weak supporting cast, moronic writing, and a ton of forced stupid jokes, it still brings back my crazy childhood innocence, despite myself never growing up with it. Jim Varney is still likable in the role of Ernest, with his cartoony expressions, animated movements, and childlike personality. Every time he is on-screen, he is very charismatic, putting in every bit of energy he has, even when most of the jokes don't work. I can't help but find him genuinely entertaining. And beside him is an equally eccentric Eartha Kitt, who perfectly feeds off of Varney's energy. Whenever these two beloved actors are on-screen together it is always a treat! And I will admit that out of all the Ernest films, this one has my favorite joke in the franchise, which involves Ernest mistaking the word milk (with a missing letter) for Miak.
What I particularly love about this film is how incredibly dark it is. For a kid's film starring the wacky Ernest P. Worrell, you'd expect the scares to be toned down, and it doesn't. As ridiculous as having a troll for a villain may sound in concept, where you think for the character to act as goofy and wisecracking as the lead, is the exact the opposite. The design is hideously grotesque (complete with dripping green snot), has an eerie gravelly voice that hardly speaks often and a no-nonsense bruting attitude. As adults can predict the scares and the story's outcome, it still amazes me that the film takes its time building tension and creating horrifying scares that will frighten its target audience. This troll can pop out where a child least suspects him, turns kids into lifeless wooden dolls while stealing their energy, has an army of monstrous trolls nearly as scary as him, and almost kills Ernest in gruesome ways. For me, the scenes that creep me out the most are whenever the troll mimics other people's voices to either lure children to him or taunt his prey. I have yet to see a troll as scary as this one, and it impresses me even more that this film has a body count. Half of it is temporary (though still disturbing for the time being), but the other half is seeing trolls melt away and, at one point, in a gory fashion. Who would ever expect to see gore in an Ernest film, even if it is in one shot?
As a Halloween movie, the film does not fall short, delivering the traditions and imagery associated with the holiday and season. There are plenty of handcraft and vintage nineties Halloween decorations. The scene when the town discovers the troll, learn his weakness, and contains the punchline of my favorite joke takes place at a Halloween party with a costume contest. And the fall atmosphere looks peaceful in the town while the woods with dead trees and fog has an old fashion Universal horror movie feel. One of my favorite traditions this film captures is the kids building their own walk-through haunted house at one point. I have always wanted to create one since I was a kid, and seeing kids nearly achieve it would make my inner child more jealous than seeing them hanging out and fighting off trolls and bullies in one of the most remarkable and zaniest treehouses ever on film. The opening credits sequence is the part I always get excited about that launches my love for the season. To have upbeat Halloween music play as Ernest mugs the camera reacting to monsters from old public domain horror films, where there'll be some occasional animated blood oozing a credit piece, always has me pumped up for the film and holiday. I know the kid in me would call this sequence as badass as the Monster Mash music video, and of course, making me want to check some of the films out. With two wildly entertaining leads, an underrated monster, genuinely frightening scenes for kids, and an all-around nostalgic Halloween aesthetic while capturing the excitement and fantasy of being a kid, though an overall stupid film, it is my kind of Halloween stupid, YouKnowWhatIMean?!
Number 21: The Halloween Tree
The film is showered with fabulous Halloween costumes, smiling Jack-o'-lanterns, and various activities celebrating the holiday; what makes it unique compared to most Halloween movies is its educational value. At times, the film's story, dialogue, and even animation can feel like an animated educational film a teacher would play in a classroom. However, the sense of adventure with heightened stakes is not only engaging, but for Halloween junkies, it is fascinating to see the origins of Halloween and the different ways it's celebrated. The characters visit four different periods which are in ancient Egypt during the Feast of the Ghosts, England's Stonehedge during the Dark Ages to witness rituals by witches and villagers, an unfinished Notre Dame in France, and engage in the Day of the Dead in Mexico, each with creative transitions with a sense of weight when traveling through time. I cannot say how accurate the film is regarding history (though I will take a wild guess and say that they sanitized some of it). Still, the awe in witnessing the various traditions from different periods in time is so intriguing, amusing, wonderous, and at times dark that it inspires me to look into these customs more, as any good educational film should do.
While the kids are likable enough, their mentor, Moundshroud, is the best character voiced by an unrecognizable Leonard Nimoy. In most educational animated films or shows, the mentors are mysterious, eccentric optimists who put their pupils in danger but have good intentions. Moundshroud is similar to this character archetype, except he is also the film's antagonist. Despite enthusiastically teaching the kids about Halloween and how much he values the holiday, what he wants is their sick friend's soul. He knows the kids don't stand a chance of stopping him, so he may as well have fun educating them and toying around with them. In the end, while the kids have gained plenty from their journey, they have also sacrificed a part of their life away to Moundshroud, giving this film a bittersweet ending. Unlike the others I mentioned, it's a shame that this one gets overlooked. It may look and sound like a run-of-the-mill after-school special. But, with better than usual animation from Hanna-Barbera, a chilling yet imaginative educational story written and narrated by the great Ray Bradbury, and a fun yet creepy Mr. Spock at the helm makes it a Halloween film that should not fade out of history like how most people do not know Halloween's origins.
Number 20: The Ghost and Mr. Chicken
I am forever grateful to my late grandmother for allowing me to rent the film in the good old days of Blockbuster when I was a kid, considering my babysitter clearly thinks any horror comedy starring Don Knotts would be marked as an R rating. Thanks to this film, I became a major Don Knotts fan as a kid, as I would mimic his movements and expressions and watch anything I could see him in (that wasn't The Love God?). To have a "keyed up" Don Knotts roam around the house, scaring himself silly, could not get any funnier. His reactions to everything are gold, whether looking in the mirror, hiding behind a tree, using karate, or shaking in his sleeping bag. Outside of the scenes of him getting petrified, he plays the ambitiously awkward coward just as naturally funny and lovable with a strong supporting cast.
The haunted house is one of my all-time favorites in films, with a classic gothic-looking exterior and cobwebs, shadows, and dust consuming the interiors as strange knocking noises and thunder are heard in the background. The things that can go bump in the night in this old mansion are spontaneous leading to a gag or terrifying moment, complete with a ghost playing the organ, and a blood-dripping portrait. To back up the scares is the legend of what happened to the people living in the house that involves domestic murder and suicide, which is undoubtedly darker than one would expect in a haunted house film starring Don Knotts. Just when you think Don Knotts spending one creepy night in the house is not enough, he returns to the house with people from the court. While gags and horrifying imagery happen quickly, the film takes its time to let the spooky atmosphere sync in as Knotts roams around the house, usually allowing the diegetic sounds to take over the score non-diegetic score.
However, picturing the film without Vic Mizzy's score is like watching JAWS, Psycho, or Halloween without their score. They would still succeed as good films but would hardly leave their haunting impact without the music that helps sell the terror. Mizzy's score gives the film a playful, sophisticated, and eerie tone, similar to Disney's soon-to-be classic ride, The Haunted Mansion. The film's theme music is so playfully spooky and groovy that it never leaves my head for how catchy it is, which should not be a surprise considering Mizzy wrote the theme to The Addams Family. The ghostly organ music played in the movie is so rich with chills and tension that it could have been used for a more serious haunted house film. The music is simply one of Mizzy's best works and one of the most underrated scores in horror-related cinema, which I hope will one day be as iconic as the music for the other horror classics for its masterful blend of fright and amusement. For influencing my humor and love for haunted house movies as a kid, The Ghost and Mr. Chicken is one of my nostalgic go-to's around this time of year. Whenever I hear the epically loud, dramatic opening music followed by creepy, jazzy finger-snapping music, I am instantly teleported into the film's sense of fun and terror before Don Knotts or the old Simon's mansion appears on the screen.
Number 19: Transylvania Twist
As corny, forced, and eye-rolling as a good portion of the humor is, the film is firing so many other jokes so fast that the good or fair ones usually make up for the ones that don't land. Some of the highlights that still make me laugh are the showdown with the Tall Man, the characters on the Honeymooners set, some of the fourth wall jokes, the interaction with stock footage of Boris Karloff, the opening scene, the seance, and that's not even half of the good ones. The film's atmosphere is not as rich as Young Frankenstein's due to its low budget. However, it is still playfully chilling for having a spooky gothic environment reminiscent of Corman's Poe films and the Dracula Hammer movies. Though comedy plays a significant role, the sound design does have some small touches to help the atmosphere, like the sound of an eerie wind or thunder and lighting. However, in terms of sound, that stuff is basic when compared to its score, sounding grim, intense, and otherworldly, and yet it's played for some of the goofiest stuff imaginable, thus adding to the humor. While the score is excellent (almost too good for this movie), the few songs in the film has are a ton of fun.
The characters are what really hold the film together from not heading into the territory of the movie parody franchise. Nobody in the film feels like a generic parody character or feels embarrassed to be in the film; there's an extreme sense of the actors having a good time with their roles as they give their characters plenty of likability. As a kid, my favorite performance came from Steve Altman as Dexter Ward, the everyman who does impressions and humorously comments on the weird things he sees. But over the decades, while I love Altman, Ace Mask as Van Helsing nearly steals every scene he is in. The appeal comes from the amount of dignity he gives to his character and how knowledgeable and fierce he is with vampires, but he is far from immune to becoming a comedic foil or getting in on the humor as the other cast members do. He's honestly one of the best versions of Van Helsing I have ever seen in films, despite coming from a place of comedy. I also appreciate seeing Angus Scrimm joyfully play along with the comedy despite reprising the Tall Man, who is considered one of the scariest (yet overlooked) characters in the film. All this praise for these performances does not mean that Teri Copley, Howard Morris, Jay Robinson, and Robert Vaughn are not up to par. I watched this film on Halloween for a few years as a kid because of the atmosphere, humor, monsters, and characters. The film does not hold up as an underrated film in horror comedy. However, it is still enjoyable for those who want to be entertained this season with the endless gags that a Zucker Brothers film would have, the charm and energy of characters from a Mel Brooks film, and the self-aware low-quality appeal as The Toxic Avenger if meant to be in the style of an old Roger Corman film during his Poe series.
Number 18: The Evil Dead Trilogy
There's so much to say about Sam Raimi's Evil Dead Trilogy. In terms of horror trilogies, I would call them the Star Wars films of the horror genre from a filmmaking perspective, historical merit, and remaining iconic with a solid fanbase to this day. As a horror franchise, it has it all: atmosphere, suspense, heavy use of gore, fantastic camera work, innovative and unique creature effects, camp value, outrageous comedy, badass action, and a geek-turned-funny, badass lead at the helm. Despite being a trilogy, each film can function as a standalone with its own identity. The first film is extreme horror, the third film, Army of Darkness, plays on comedy and action, and Evil Dead II perfectly balances the tone of both movies. I used to consider Evil Dead II the one to watch around the Halloween season for all the qualities fans and critics associate with the genre. But as I let time pass, I find myself craving to watch the other films depending on my mood. I sometimes watch the first film when I'm not looking for intentional comedy and want to witness the grit in making the film and the relentless over-the-top sadism backed up by a foreboding atmosphere. Other times, I go to Army of Darkness when I'm looking for a toned-down horror comedy that ups the laughs and plays on action and adventure.
Despite these films having a significant difference in tone, if one thing is for sure, they each deliver elements I associate with the horror season, if not the traditions. The foggy woods with evil trees, a haunted old cabin filled with supernatural surprises, a graveyard filled with skeletons and killer magic books, and a creaky old mill surrounded by old branches and a full moon behind it are classic spooky locations that are heavy with atmosphere while having their unique twist. Part of the engagement of watching the trilogy is the effects for not just how admirable they are, but how also fake and clunky they can be, adding to the amusement factor (both intentionally and unintentionally) and appreciating their ingenuity given the budget these films had (like watching a Godzilla film). Because of the presentation for Deadites looking amazingly ghoulish and yet comically fake at the same time with taunting personalities, they have the appeal of horror animatronics you would see in a walkthrough haunted house or at Spirit of Halloween. It's apparent these creatures are not real and behave rather silly, but there's still a strong fondness towards the creativity, designs, and effort that went into making them. And need I say how much these films (at least the first two) love to exploit their gore and guts? As someone who scare acts around this time of year, watching all this exaggerated gore, helps prep myself to be covered with half as much fake blood before I scare. Not to mention, the sounds of the Deadites mocking, laughing, and speaking with demonic voices are similar to actors who scare at haunted houses as well.
From a nostalgia standpoint, if I had seen these films at a younger age, I would have been twice as obsessed with this franchise as I am now. Watching all this horror imagery merged with comedy and action was the ingredient I would especially love to see together in a horror film at that age. I also used to write a lot of horror fanfictions as a kid by inserting myself into horror movies and shows serving as a hero acting cool and comical at the same time and knowing that there's a hero in these films similar to my fictional version of myself would have undoubtedly inspired me further to elaborate more on those qualities. The more I think about it, Ash may very well be my favorite hero in a horror film for carrying all the qualities I love in a protagonist in such films. Regardless of my feelings for wishing to see these films a little earlier in my life (a little before my teen years), I am still grateful that I was able to see them when I did and have placed this trilogy in the company of Halloween movies I love to take out during this month. Whether I watch the whole trilogy or one of the films this month, if one thing is certain, I know that I will have a time that's one hundred percent "Groovy!"
Number 17: Creepshow
Right from the start, I find myself already relating to the film. My love for Halloween is replicated through a Jack-o'-lantern sitting on a windowsill as thunder crashes. A young boy is so obsessed with horror that he has a room full of horror figures and posters I wish I had as a kid. And the child has a father who aggressively disapproves of him reading horror comics, similar to how my mom felt about me sneaking in an occasional R-rated horror movie. But just like how the kid can access the comic through the comic's mascot, the Creep, my father was able to smuggle a few horror films for me. The beauty of it is that I am not five minutes in, and what I see is not even the tip of the iceberg.
Creepshow was the first R-rated horror movie I was allowed to see as a kid. You can say that this was The Evil Dead of my childhood before I knew about the franchise's existence, for playing out as a zany horror comedy only with an unconventional cast showing their skills in other fields of acting, legitimate scares, on-edge suspense, memorable monsters with terrific effects, and having plenty of blood, along with bugs and greenery to disgust viewers! The best part of the film for me as a kid was that it was a horror anthology film with five stories, complete with a prologue and epilogue, and there was not a single story I found myself disliking (even now) as they only get crazier as the film moves along. As a kid, it was like watching a cinematic version of a horror show like Are You Afraid of the Dark or Goosebumps for having the humor, camp, and horror, only with a hardcore adult edge, which made it sweeter. I could imagine myself having the same appreciation for the TV show Tales from the Crypt if I knew about it at the time.
The film also became my introduction to Stephen King, leading me to read some of his books and watch other film adaptations (the good, the bad, and the wild), making him one of my all-time favorite authors, if not my number 1 favorite. Furthermore, as a naive kid who thought comics were only for superhero fans, I was amazed to discover that horror comics also exist. I found the film's comic-book aesthetic visually appealing for its use of animation, exaggerated bright neon colorful lighting, and transitions that look like reading one. I still wish the comic itself were real. To this day, I occasionally pause the film during the scenes that briefly show the actual comic and read through the pages it displays, making it feel like I'm looking at a full-fledged comic. Because of this, I was inspired to create horror comics that pay tribute to the film, and eventually, I made my own fictional series as a kid and teenager. For the talents of Stephen King and George A. Romero creating the best and most unique horror anthology film of all time, having all the things I loved about horror as a kid, being my exposure to Stephen King, inspiring my creativity, and above all serving as my first total adult dose of horror, a visit from the Creep is always welcomed around this time of year.
Number 16: House on Haunted Hill
I always loved a good, haunted house story, film, or ride. The idea of finding oneself trapped in a dark, old, rotting house with all sorts of ghastly surprises lurking around every corner has endless possibilities for scares and imagination. William Castle's original 1959 B-movie horror classic House on Haunted Hill was my first exposure to an old haunted house movie and brought my attention to one of my favorite horror actors, Vincent Price. Despite not following the plot easily as a small kid, I was hooked on its chilling atmosphere, Vincent Price's performance, and various collections of "ghosts." I appreciated the film more from my last year in High School for its dialogue, psychological terror, historical impact, and creativity. But watching it again numerous more times over the years since then, the plot makes less and less sense. The plot holes this film has will certainly drive one into hysteria the more one tries to think about it. And while the film's plot holes can get very frustrating, the overall experience is still spooky fun.
One essential thing that went over my head as a kid and teenager is the film's tongue-in-cheek humor regarding haunted house films. One would think when going into the movie that this is a pure example of a serious haunted house film from the 50s when in actuality, the film has a subtle sense of humor poking fun at haunted house cliches. Plenty of it is expressed through the dialogue and playfully creepy performances from Elisha Cook Jr, Carol Ohmart, and especially Price! Whether it's watching Cook tell the audience about the ghosts coming, Price elegantly joking around about ghosts and murder, or the guests casually commenting about haunted houses, there's a self-awareness that this film is not meant to be taken too seriously. After all, the general concept is about strangers having a party at a house they know is haunted, complete with transportation through funeral cars and little coffins containing lethal "party favors."
The haunted house has a classic old-fashioned horror design, but it also looks a bit like a haunted funhouse, with its numerous doors and secret passageways (the exterior of the house itself seems unlike any other haunted house for how modern and distorted it looks). The sounds of shrieks, moans, whaling, maniacal laughing, and creaky doors come across as the sounds you'd hear from a haunted house ride (the film opens up in total darkness, just playing those sounds to set the tone). Even the so-called "ghosts" appear more like Halloween decorations or animatronics from a rundown haunted house ride than specters. Part of that is because the ghosts are not real in this universe; it's the husband and wife using dummies, costumes, and near soulless creepy caretakers to cause hysteria as part of their murder scheme to kill one another for the fortune. Castle himself would play a trick of his own in theaters to have a glow-in-the-dark plastic skeleton fly over audiences' heads on a pulley during the climax, a gimmick he would call Emergo. Since we associate this time of year with parties, haunted house attractions, tricks to frighten people, and stories about ghosts, a party at the House on Haunted Hill with Vincent Price as the host is almost an annual celebration for me.
Number 15: The Monsters Crash the Pajama Party DVD
This will be a different choice because, for this slot, it is not so much the feature film that made it on the list; it's the DVD itself. I know that's a weird thing to say, considering when one buys a piece of physical media, the feature film should be the primary reason to purchase it, but this is one of those strange and unusual cases where there's more emphasis on the bonus features than the main attraction. This is not to imply the actual film itself should be overlooked. Monsters Crash Pajama Party is precisely what the title suggests. A bunch of sorority women have a sleepover in a haunted house, and a mad scientist in the basement sends his monsters (mainly a gorilla) to capture the women for his experiments. The film is overall cheaply made with awkward acting, masks that look like they were bought at a dime store, has a corny self-awareness of how dumb the story is, and it's a ton of fun because of its low quality. The film's real significance happens during the climax. When shown in theaters at the time, after the mad doctor on-screen would order his monsters to grab a woman from the audience, there would be actors dressed as the monsters from the film who would run around the theater to grab an actress planted in the audience and bring her back into the film, as if the characters literally leaped off the screen. Low-budget horror films offering such theatre gimmicks would primarily be known as the Midnight Ghost Show (also known as Ghost Shows or Spook Shows).
Outside of two commentary tracks and having a few promos, the special features hardly ever mention the main film. The whole purpose of the DVD is to pay tribute to the bygone era of Ghost Shows and exhibit obscure cheesy vintage clips or short films relating to horror and Halloween. There's about an hour of commercials, still galleries, and radio spots promoting the Midnight Ghost Shows, which make for the perfect background while carving pumpkins or hosting a Halloween party. There are also tips on how to create specific effects and gimmicks designed for Spook Shows. Retro black and white Halloween music videos. Some old silent home movies either featuring stories about monsters, kids trick-or-treating or are shot in primitive 3-D. A corny but cute PSA entitled Don't Be Afraid, which was shown in classrooms in the fifties to teach kids about facing their fears. There is a hypnosis wheel at the very beginning of the DVD that messes with your eyes, where you'll find a black hole in the center of the room, enlarging whatever you see when looking away (a couple of friends of mine noticed this, too). A random clip from Dracula (the Dirty Old Man) of a (laughably dubbed) man at a drive-in is turning into a werewolf. An old, haunted house ride with animatronics pointing their props against the screen. And all kinds of other randomness.
The DVD itself is just as unpredictable. Commentaries aside, none of the content is labeled. The DVD requires viewers to use their remote to scroll through graveyards, haunted houses, and a crypt and click on various icons such as bats, tombstones, ghosts, skeletons, a corpse, and much more to activate a clip. Usually, I find the absence of not labeling content as needlessly annoying and confusing, and in some respects, it is here. However, the unpredictability of what's to come is part of the fun and adventure of navigating through the DVD. Around this time of year, I would spend a day fooling around with the DVD and watching the features. The only content I find myself skipping is the additional film Tormented!, which is an okay movie but feels slapped on just for the DVD to have a film that is over an hour, unlike the main movie, which is only a half hour. The material is cheap and laughable, but it has the vibe of going through a light-hearted Halloween store or a museum with a special touch of nostalgic innocence and a hint of an adult edge to make it intriguing. If you're fascinated by Midnight Ghost Shows, old-fashioned 20th-century Halloween media, or innovatively hokey old homemade horror movies, this DVD is a sweet treat!
Number 14: George's Island
This obscure independent kid's film from Canada was always one of my favorites growing up. My dad bought the movie at a kid's store my brother's godmother used to own, given how the film's content has to do with pirates, ghosts, and Halloween, three of the things I deeply loved as a kid. Though the film offers some ghostly tales about a pirate crew led by Captain Kidd and a few Halloween decorations in a pleasant fall environment, it does not fully embrace the holiday and the supernatural during the first two acts. That is still not to say it's not a good movie during the first two halves, filled with likable and over-the-top characters, enough drama, humor, and subtle coming-of-age moments to make it compelling, and a sweet score capturing the innocence and hardships of youth, as well as the terror and epic scale during the pirate stories. The film has some weak dialogue, moves at a bit of a slow pace with moments of filler, and gets needlessly a little too silly or over dramatic at points, but as a whole is still a nice movie during the first halves.
Like The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the film fully emphasizes the supernatural and Halloween imagery during the last third. The kids try to escape from a nasty foster home on Halloween as they go trick-or-treating under supervision. During those five or so minutes, the film does as much as it can shower itself with Halloween imagery, including spooky decorations, a loud and festive party complete with apple bobbing, and a sequence of the film showing off numerous extras wearing all kinds of neat and (literally) gigantic Halloween costumes. In fact, the kids meet up with the lead's grandpa, who uses an electric wheelchair in an incredible giant eyeball costume to make their escape. The costumes were all amazing to me, but to a kid who loved dressing up as a pirate, the most fantastic concept was wearing an authentic pirate hat from a notorious captain, which the main character, George, planned to do so when receiving one earlier in the film.
Things get good once the characters go to hideout on a haunted, uninhabited island. All kinds of paranormal activity happen on the island, even before the characters encounter the ghostly pirates. The island slowly reverts to how it was centuries ago; spirits cause things to move on their own, and a friend of George's grandpa, who died near the island, gives them a hand. When the pirates do appear, it is nothing but non-stop chaos as they scare, harass, drink, demonstrate their supernatural powers (through pleasing effects given the budget), and dance the night away. The ghosts are not anything scary but never once have a dull moment of how humorously sadistic, dimwitted, and fun-loving they are. In many ways, the film functions like an extended Are You Afraid of the Dark episode. It is a scary kid's film made in Canada on a low budget. Stars the actor who played Midnight Society member David in the show's first two seasons. Actors playing strict authority figures or ghosts who are just yucking it up. And the movie contains a campy quality with a sweet story underneath it, supported by a chilling atmosphere, moments of terror, and visually pleasing imagery. Aside from the length, just picture an episode of the show if it had child protective services as the conflict, alcoholism, occasional swearing, and jolly lustful pirates committing murder. Though not as perfect as Glittering Gold, this Halloween film is indeed a hidden treasure for kids or nostalgic adults who love pirates and horror shows for kids in the nineties.
I don't normally do this when I create lists, but I have to take a moment to give a dishonorable mention to a popular Halloween film that will not be making list, that may disappoint or anger most you.
Dishonorable Mention: Hocus Pocus
I'm sorry, but I think Hocus Pocus is the most annoyingly overrated Halloween movie I ever saw! The characters are all bland, dumb, and devoid of charm, and without the proper investment, the typical nineties cliches that the film plays on are generically dull and, at times, cringy. The witches are the opposite of boring; they are so obnoxiously unfunny that I'm praying for them to die sooner or for the film to cut to a boring scene without them. And it makes me sad too because very fine actresses play them. The logic in the movie can get quite confusing. And some of the characters and subplots are annoyingly pointless, like the goofy bullies and the zombie. Let's not forget the pointless filler involving the witches as well. I probably wouldn't hate the film so much if the film weren't so perverted and meanspirited. I know a lot of kids' movies and shows have a dirty sense of humor, but this is on the same level of being mindlessly perverted as The Cat in the Hat with Mike Myers. The awkward scene with the mom dressed as Madonna, the little girl making a breast innuendo, and the bus driver willing to have kids with three complete strangers makes me feel dirty. But they are nothing compared to the whole virgin running gag. Not only does the film love to overuse the word where it's not subtle but apparently, whenever people find out that this underage boy is a virgin, people (including grown adults) cruelly shame him for it. I could see humor like that working fine in a teenage film directed by John Hughes, but for a kid's film designed by Disney, it disgusts me.
With all my bashing and hatred towards the film, that is not to say I don't get why people enjoy it. I know many people have a nostalgia appeal for it, but taking that away, it does have impressive special effects, an atmosphere nicely consumed with the Halloween season, and as excruciatingly annoying the witches are, I can see why people find them entertaining. Also, I admit that I like the song Sarah Jessica Parker sings to lure the children because of how chilling and other worldly it is. The primary reason why I bring this film up is because I, too, have a Halloween film that I love for similar reasons as the people who love Hocus Pocus do that also contains identical problems the film has, which is in the next slot on my list.
Number 13: Casper
As people get tons of kicks and entertainment value from the witches in Hocus Pocus, I get the same joy by watching the Ghostly Trio (hence why I placed a picture of them instead of the title character). Let me clarify: their humor is no better than that of the witches. The trio is loud and obnoxious, most of the humor is unfunny, and they are responsible for most of the filler in the movie. I should be annoyed with them as much as I do the witches, but I can't help but love them every single second they're on screen. While the jokes aren't typically funny, their personalities make them so much fun to watch. The trio's unbreakable brotherly bond they have together while containing so much pride and joy for scaring people through their unpredictable powers created with such awesome special effects is so contagious that it's difficult not to enjoy or laugh along with the fun, they're having on-screen. And I particularly love that while mean, careless, and goofy on the outside, they have hearts as they are willing to help out their "fleshy" friend after all the other times they pick on him, giving them more dimension to their character. I can watch these ghosts for ages, and a near main reason why I occasionally visit the low-brow sequels, or the fine Fox animated series based on the movie is to see them do their thing!
Beyond everything I praise about the film, what really keeps me from hating it like Hocus Pocus is that it has a heart. Despite sharing so many similar problems that can efficiently work against the film from being good, you can tell a lot of effort and passion was put into it, even if it doesn't work as a whole. This movie could've easily been as generic as the Casper sequels, except the film gives emotional depth to the characters, who are all very charming and relatable (though I do have some issues with Casper). The film has plenty of carefree fun but many quiet scenes that build on a magical sense of awe. James Horner (who I could swear can do no wrong) provides one of the most haunting scores in his career that sells the film's sense of terror, wonder, sweetness, sentiments, and inviting fun without ever sounding like its overkill. And I have to give the film credit that the film goes the extra mile to examine Casper's life as a lonely ghost and how he died, which is more than one would think when going into a Casper move (even though there are plenty of holes in the logic). Hocus Pocus on the other hand feels like watching a typical Disney Channel original, just on a bigger budget with all style and no real substance. I am not saying that more than plenty of people who love Hocus Pocus don't enjoy Casper either. I am just saying as I strongly dislike putting up with Hocus Pocus' popularity, Casper is a friendly Halloween reminder for me that I can still like films as flawed as Hocus Pocus for the same reasons as others. In other words, Casper is my personal Hocus Pocus of the season!
Number 12: South Park: Pink Eye
South Park certainly has its fair share of Halloween Specials, just as they do Christmas Specials. My favorites include Hell on Earth 2006, A Nightmare on FaceTime, and Spookyfish. But out of all their Halloween Specials, their first Halloween outing, Pink Eye, is the one I revisit the most. The holiday is usually captured well in most of their specials, but this episode embraces almost everything about Halloween as much as possible. From the new spooky intro to the costumes, the parties, the decorating, trick-or-treating, and having actual monsters attack South Park. The Special, to me, tackles Halloween the best compared to the others on the show.
Since this episode is not focused on a message, anything goes regarding humor, surprises, and giving their spin on holiday traditions. There are so many gags and visuals happening everywhere that I still spot some new ones that are not always displayed in the foreground. My favorite running gag in the episode is the various costumes Cartman wears and the reactions he gets. He goes from dressing like Adolf Hitler, but when forced to change his costume to a scary ghost, he winds up looking like a KKK member, and the beauty of it is that he doesn't know it. One of the many highlights of scenes in the episode is seeing Chef turn into a zombie and perform his own version of Thriller with dancing zombies. To listen to the incredible singing voice of the legendary Issac Hayes sing a parody of a song by a giant in pop singing Michael Jackson with similar visuals is one of the best scenes to involve my favorite resident in South Park. But the scene that captures my love and enthusiasm for Halloween is when Cartman's mom decorates the house while joyfully singing It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, which is the most wonderful time of the year.
The plot itself plays itself as a satire of zombie movies. Usually, when Kenny dies on the show, it's a gag, but here, his death plays a significant role in the plot. The episode opens up with him getting killed, only for him to be resurrected as a flesh-eating zombie who goes around turning the residents into zombies after biting them. The funny part is the town doctor believes they have pink eye because their eyes irritate them, and the zombies who roam around still think they have it. Watching the people and some of the kids become zombies certainly raises the stakes, especially when knowing they can't just die and come back to life in the next episode like Kenny. And all this contamination eventually leads to a gruesome battle against the zombies involving chainsaws, with a hilarious pay-off after the fight has won. Having my favorite character of the leading kids, Kenny, as the primary monster makes the episode, along with the action, comedy, and visuals, sweeter than candy, and with the simple animation and having various scenes focusing on the joys of the holiday in a sense makes it feel like an extreme satirical version of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown for adults!
Number 11: Michael Jackson's Thriller
Like the Monster Mash, the song Thriller is one of the essential songs I play for the season, and supporting it is a music video that's just as iconic as the song. Usually, I don't include music videos on lists that cover mainly movies and television; still, given how the video functions primarily as a short film instead of a conventional five-minute or less music video, I had to make an exception. The music video is drenched to the bone with awesome horror imagery. In many ways, the video has two parts acting as their own separate short film starring Michael Jackson. Since John Landis directed the video, the first half feels like a John Landis movie with its humor on horror B movies, having special effects for the werecat done by Rich Baker (who previously worked with Landis on An American Werewolf in London), and Landis' recurring gag for a fictional movie in his films entitled See You Next Wednesday. The second half is a music video version of Night of the Living Dead, with Jackson mockingly singing about zombies getting his girlfriend only for him to become one, having grotesque imagery for the flesh-hungry zombies, and capturing the claustrophobia and helplessness when surrounded by zombies in an old house. What bridges these shorts together is the exterior of the movie theater, with posters of the works from Landis and Vincent Price (who's heard in the second half of the movie). With a dark sense of humor, time to build on atmosphere and suspense, some of the best choreography you'll ever see, outstanding special effects, a playfully ominous off-screen Vincent Price rapping (my favorite part of the song along with his evil laugh), and Michael Jackson performing one of the greatest Halloween songs ever is plenty for me not to "resist the evil of the thriller."
Number 10: The Rocky Horror Picture Show
With how much the film has influenced me, I sometimes question what made me love it so much. It could be because since it was "forbidden fruit" for me as a kid, smuggling clips and getting a chance to watch the whole thing will always be a thrill at that age, good or bad. Having a collection of wild characters, each of whom gives their distinctive performance with so much heart, plays another significant part. There's not a single character I find myself forgetting or not enjoying. My favorites, however, certainly go to Columbia, Riff Raff, Eddie, and especially Frank N Furter, with Tim Curry giving the ultimate performance of his on-screen career (an actor who was one of my favorites as a kid and still is). Like the performances, there's not a single song I dislike, nor do I find myself bored. Whether fast-paced, slow, loud, or quiet, I always have the time of my life hearing them or singing along. My Halloween playlist would undoubtedly contain all the songs from the movie. Also have visuals that are bright, gothic, tacky, old fashioned, and strange that pay homage to older horror movies and film studios in their own outlandish way; a loose plot to let the film go wild; and Charles Gray as the narrator, and you can see how one would find this film became so iconic and non-stop entertaining.
What made my love for the film sweeter is the strong cult following it has. To this very day, people come to midnight showings in theaters where people dress up as the characters, have props to throw around, talk back to the screen, and watch people on stage mime the movie as it plays in the background. Even knowing the film, you never know for sure what shadow casts will do with the liberties they take, leaving plenty of room for creativity. One show I did had a Charles Grey puppet; there was a pre-show with Tim Burton characters playing the roles from the film; and all sorts of "Virgin" games are played with newcomers where the winner would get a special prize. Living after the bygone days of Midnight Ghost Shows, the shadow casts of Rocky Horror are the closest we will ever get to having one in current times, and it is the perfect film for it and is the best horror film to use gimmicks given its long run. The film is like one big adult-themed Halloween party, playing heavily on eroticism and weird nature, with hit after-hit songs, lively performances, and colorfully odd visuals to get audiences in the mood. And when it's over, though ending on a sad note, not only do the memories of the fun I had remain, but I know I'll be back soon to do the "Time Warp again," either at home, at a party, or in a theater!
Number 9: Halloween
Though, I noticed some of the film's minor flaws in recent viewings regarding the dialogue (the bit where they think a skunk killed a dog), minor plot holes (like Dr. Loomis suddenly noticing Michael's car despite hanging out at the house for hours) and some of the effects (like the obvious breakable glass), this low budget slasher film is still incredibly made, even after taking away historical impact to the slasher genre! The iconic shot compositions, nightmarish lighting, and creative camera movements are all something to feast on for the eyes. The suspense is always present, hardly ever slowing down since the anticipation revolves around questioning what the film's killer, plans to do. While cool, the death scenes rely more on suspense than exploiting gore. The film further contains an intense climax once the main character, Laurie, enters her neighbor's house. Selling the believability of the horrors are the strong performances from Jaime Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence. And, without doubt, the movie has one of the scariest slasher villains to exist, Michael Myers.
As a film on Halloween, it honestly didn't have to, as this story could work outside the holiday. But to have the holiday present during the story does add plenty to the atmosphere. What's scarier than celebrating Halloween when the boogeyman is killing people you know by your home to come after you eventually? The Halloween aesthetic does feel a bit lacking in some areas. The biggest problem is that the neighborhood has no decorations for the holiday, most likely due to budgetary reasons. However, I do like how this supposed friendly suburban town looks more like a ghost town, with hardly anyone around, dead leaves covering the lawns and sidewalks, and neighbors who would ignore your pleas for help, which only adds to the creepy atmosphere. And while the lack of decorations feels slightly disappointing, plenty of Halloween activities are displayed in the film to associate with the holiday. There are Jack-o'-lanterns displayed or carved, kids on the streets trick-or-treating, people daring others or pulling pranks on each other, a killer wearing a Halloween mask, and Laurie and the kids she babysits watching horror movie marathons on TV. Many people will notice the characters watching the original version of The Thing, foreshadowing the John Carpenter remake. But what others overlook is how Carpenters borrow the film's use of suspense and unstoppable nature for the monster to create this film.
The fundamental ingredient that caters to the film's suspense and Halloween atmosphere is Carpenter's own score. Every time I hear it, it sends shivers down my spine, keeping me in suspense while getting me into the Halloween mood. Nothing in the score sounds pleasant; it is either ominous, eerie, haunting, dramatic, intensely grim, or screeching in your ears. The sound effects also play an important role, and they are filled with shrieks or Michael's heavy breathing. I particularly love the sounds of young trick-or-treaters singing to set up the nostalgia of the holiday and its unsettling tone as if they sound like they're from a cult chanting. Usually, the overuse of music or loud sound effects feel forced as if to compensate for the scares not being good enough. But while the music is noticeable (especially since this film loves to reuse tracks), it feels invisible, naturally fitting the scene rather than taking over. And the use of sound effects is subtle instead of loud and noisy, which is what makes them so creepy. When I wish to see a Halloween movie that makes my skin crawl for most of the viewing, John Carpenter's groundbreaking horror classic Halloween is TOTALLY the perfect film to watch!
Number 8: Trick 'r Treat
If you are looking for a horror film for adults that exploits Halloween in nearly every frame, Trick 'r Treat is the best film to watch. Don't get me wrong, the film is not a game changer to horror as John Carpenter's Halloween, but it still stands tall as a visual love letter to everything about Halloween. Naughty trick-or-treaters walk the streets for candy or pumpkins while the adults party at a festival or privately while dressed in erotic costumes. Every house is glowing with Halloween lights, lit Jack-o'-lanterns, and tons of eye candy decorations. Scary movies are played (including House on Haunted Hill) as families carve Jack-o'-lanterns. And killers, werewolves, ghosts, and demons are thirsty for blood. The film nails Halloween even to the smallest of details, like mentioning Charlie Brown or UNICEF, or having stories taking folklore and traditions in the modern time, with a classic dark fairytale look and feel, while other times resembling TV specials and shows like The Great Pumpkin or an episode from Goosebumps, or Tales from the Crypt. On a personal note, it's nice to see that one of the decorations I used to own was a head of Dracula located behind the cash register, adding to my love for the film.
With all the Halloween visuals, it is fitting that the film created an original monster serving as the mascot for the film and the holiday named Sam. If Jack Skellington is the King of Halloween, Sam is the holiday prince waiting anxiously to take the throne, violently if necessary. His designs are very original and have become iconic in recent years. For most of the film, he appears as an innocent yet ominous trick-or-treater wearing orange pajamas with patches and a burlap mask with a stitched grin and button eyes. Without the mask, he appears as a mischievous demonic creature with a sinister smile, a pumpkin for a head, and a face resembling a skeleton. What's intriguing about him is that he can be a real cutie who loves the holiday, but also serves as the holiday's guardian. Anyone he sees hating Halloween or breaking tradition he will kill or maim the person in some of the most unique ways possible. And the scary part of this monster is he's supposed to resemble a child. Actually, as much as the film loves to highlight the joys of Halloween youth as a kid, the film takes serious guts to kill-off kids. And when the kids are not getting slaughtered, the survivors are psychotic killers in training. It's rare for a horror film, let alone a Halloween movie, to have such a high body count involving kids, which is highly disturbing.
In terms of story, the film functions as an anthology film, with four stories and a prologue, as each story's characters would sometimes cross each other's path. I particularly enjoy the film's opening credits showing the pages of the stories in comic-book form, like Creepshow. I appreciate the stories the film offers, but the storytelling, while not confusing by any means, is all over the map. It seems to have a hard time deciding whether it wants to tell these stories individually or all simultaneously. Some stories would be self-contained, like the prologue and the fourth. But then you'd have three different stories meshed together when they could've easily been separated, making the storytelling feel a little too packed, although I admire the attempt. As for the payoffs for the stories, they go from interesting to scary but predictable to having some unpredictable twists once the second to last story happens. Clunky storytelling aside, the film is the perfect Halloween movie for adults! It has the gruesome, dark, festive, and eroticism of the holiday for adults while still capturing the wonder, innocence, and freedom of Halloween as a kid with an edge. And representing the best of both worlds is Sam, who's begging to be the official mascot of Halloween.
Number 7: Goosebumps: The Haunted Mask
and The Haunted Mask II
Although A Night in Terror Tower is my favorite Goosebumps episode, both Haunted Mask episodes are, for me, the best ones to watch around Halloween! I couldn't choose which one I liked better because they are both top-quality episodes from the show. Unlike how characters on the show are bland, one-dimensional stereotypes that are awkwardly performed, these characters are relatable, likable, and powerfully performed, and when counting the sequel, you see them evolve. The main character, Carly Beth, goes from a scaredy cat misfit to a confident and brave heroine while still trying to get over her experience with the haunted mask. The bullies in the first one were secondary antagonists, but we see them grow in the second. The lead bully, Chuck, grows out of his immature mindset when finding Halloween and scaring Carly Beth is not as fun as it used to be, who is now ready for new things, whereas Steve (who was so forgettable in the first episode) is still clinging onto the past wishing to continue with his childish antiques and yet does not wish to be babied. There are characters who remain the same in both episodes but still maintain the charisma they had in the first one. Carly Beth's best friend Sabrina is always supportive of her friend but not immune to calling her out on her behaviors, and the mask maker is eccentrically creepy, as well as subtle with his wisdom, and sympathetic backstory.
The make-up design for the masks is also some of the show's scariest. The central haunted mask looks mischievously demonic in the first episode. In the second episode, when it takes over, the mask maker's face has a soulless, domineering presence, each with an appropriate voice that matches the personality. The old man mask Steve gets imprisoned in is frail, wild, and disgusting, and he has an older voice that sounds inhuman and strangely helpless. The other haunted masks shown in the first one have their own incredible freaky design, going from heavy and monstrous to looking like shapeshifting or tortured demons from hell. What sells the scare factor to these masks is the overall concept of having it be a part of you for life. Putting on a Halloween mask that covers your entire head while cool looking can also feel claustrophobic, sweaty, and hard to breathe, and to see Carly Beth have an uncomfortable mask be part of her skin serving as her new face is disturbing. Steve has that problem, too; only the stakes are raised, where the mask ages him to be too old and weak to run about, a concept kids fear when getting older, which is still relevant to adults. The mask further changes Steve's hands to look long, pruney, and grotesque, and spiders randomly crawl over his head and face.
What truly makes these two episodes some of my absolute favorites around October is the whole nostalgic nineties Halloween aesthetic. The colorful, friendly, and spooky decorations all scream the nineties in the best way possible. Some of these are things that I even recognized from my youth. My favorite is the talking Jack-o'-lantern since I used to have a different model with the same voice box my father loved taking out. The wonder of browsing through a Halloween store is captured quite effectively by having classic decorations and various inventive masks, but not as traumatizing as the masks hidden in the back room. And above all, out of all Halloween media that showcases trick-or-treating, this is my favorite for how much it captures the thrill and innocence of participating in this tradition as a kid. There's nothing like dressing up, hanging with your friends, and wandering around a beautifully decorated neighborhood at night to go to a complete stranger's house to stock up on candy, which each episode portrays so perfectly, not to mention the joy of causing some mischief during the holiday. Making the portrayal of it more fascinating is how each episode captures different stages of Halloween as a kid. The first episode captures the child-like fear and excitement of the holiday, while the second episode showcases the end of trick-or-treating due to age and maturity. Personally, the best parts when portraying nostalgic Halloween fun always involved Chuck, who would either dress up in costumes I loved wearing as a kid, such as a pirate (which is fantastic that he has a fake parrot to go with it) or a gangster (with a funny Godfather reference). Plus, Chuck has the guts to sneak into a foggy cemetery to eat his candy while giving his friend a good scare, which is one of the best ideas the child in me wished I could do. Both episodes have the perfect capture of what it's like to be a kid trick-or-treating on Halloween, backed by a chilling story, delightful characters, and masks that will remind viewers young and old of the author's R.L. Stine's warning that they're in for a scare.
Number 6: The Rugrats: Candy Bar Creep Show
Regarding channels aimed at kids, Nickelodeon was my favorite without contest. I certainly have my share of memories watching Halloween specials on Nickelodeon from the nineties to the mid-two thousand. While there are plenty of Halloween Nicktoons specials, I could have chosen to fill up the list, there is one that marks as my favorite that resonates with me as an adult just as much as it did when I was kid, and that was the first Rugrats Halloween episode. As a kid, I admired how much this episode loved to show off its Halloween visuals. Part of the reason is the costumes the kids and "grown-ups" wear. As a fan of apes at that age, it is neat to see Drew in a menacing ape mask and witness Stu put on a Frankenstein monster flattop, moving around and moaning like the monster. Out of the costume designs, the most original and most remarkable is the grandpa's wildly hideous creature mask with a pointy nose, yellow skin, big eyes, sharp teeth, and a long tongue complete with slobber. Upon a recent viewing when commenting on the episode's ' costume design, I did not notice until now that the first trio of trick-or-treaters are wearing identical costumes to Lock, Shock, and Barrell from The Nightmare Before Christmas, making me appreciate the visuals all the more. The episode further features one of the greatest fictional candies that made my mouth water as a kid wishing it was real: a Reptar Bar! A chocolate bar shaped after the Godzilla of the cartoon Reptar, with tasty-looking milk chocolate, and can make a person's tongue green. And in case some of you are wondering, yes, I did try the overpriced Reptar Bars disturbed in FYE in 2017, and it wasn't very tasty (they couldn't at least shape the bars after Reptar to make it feel authentic). Regardless of the cheap imitation bar tasting bland, it's still a cool fictional candy.
Above all, what I love about the episode is that the concept revolves around the "grown-ups" making a backyard haunted house. As I mentioned when I placed Ernest Scared Stupid on my list, I always dreamed of building a haunted house as a kid, and the idea for this dream actually came from this episode. With its strange music, colorful yet ghostly decorations all around, food made to look gross, and welcoming people in while dressed in a scary costume, it was something I always wished to do. Plus, watching the babies unintentionally frighten Angelica and a grown-up made me love this idea all the more (not to mention I enjoy seeing the spoiled brat Angelica get a taste of her own rotten candy). Though I have yet to build a spook house for Halloween, working at a haunted house in New York City was better than I dreamed of, causing me to reflect on this episode occasionally when I go out scaring.
Additionally, though the episode has brought me so much awe and wonder as a child, there were still elements in the episode I found myself relating to. The baby's curious and excited nature towards the holiday would sometimes mirror my own. Tommy's curiosity about a Jack-o'-lantern with his mom is similar to how I would feel when my father showed me some of our new decorations. In fact, despite knowing who was under the mask, my father and brother would wear an ugly Frankenstein monster mask to scare me both intentionally and unintentionally, like the grandpa and the babies. But what tops it all when connecting with how much I relate my nostalgia with the characters is how overprotective my mom was with me watching adult-rated horror movies, where I would find myself finding them awesome instead of scary, just like how the grown-ups felt about allowing the babies inside the haunted house versus how the babies felt when sneaking inside. However, while a little amazed when entering a haunted house attraction, I was more of a frightened Angelica when experiencing the terrors up close and in person. I didn't realize how much this episode meant to me until a couple of years ago when revisiting it. The episode gave me plenty of awe and wonder about the holiday as a kid through its cool designs and festive activities taking place while serving as a self-reflection in my adult years on what horror and Halloween meant to me as a kid and how I have applied some of those dreams and traditions I've always wanted to do as a "grown-up".
Number 5: Disney Sing Along Songs: Happy Haunting Party at Disneyland
In many ways, this video shouldn't be this high on the list. The sing-along video occurs inside The Haunted Mansion, yet there is not a ghost insight. We see plenty of monsters, but none of the nine-hundred-ninety-nine ghosts. This video could've taken place in any generic haunted house, and nothing would have changed. The only reason The Haunted Mansion name exists is to sell to those who love the ride. If I'm craving to watch something Haunted Mansion related this season, I don't watch the movies, more so the 1970 TV episode from the show The Wonderful World of Disney entitled Disneyland Showtime, or watch footage of the ride itself. I sometimes even play the video game or listen to the story narrated by Thurl Ravenscroft. The Haunted Mansion portion in the Sing-Along Song video Disneyland Fun caters more to the ride than the actual video taking place in Disney's spookiest ghost house. Throw in an annoying "mystery" plot that has no mystery, a version of Grim Grinning Ghost without Thurl Ravenscroft vocals, and not a ton of screen time for the Disney characters (aside from Goofy), and you have an underwhelming video.
You can guess why I placed this video on the list is for nostalgia, but even as a kid, I was disappointed in it, yet I still watched it countless times. Being a massive fan of The Haunted Mansion, why would I watch it so much, including now, if it doesn't do it justice? Well, since Halloween and Disney are two of my favorite things as a kid (even now), to see them combined into live action instantly made me happy. As short as the appearances of the costumed Disney characters are, they still leave their mark when they're singing, chatting, and dancing around. There were also plenty of unexpected appearances that I loved seeing, such as the Three Little Pigs, the Big Bad Wolf (in a cage), and the Fairy Godmother. But the most surprising were the Magic Mirror (played fantastically by known voice actor Corey Burton) and Merlin from The Sword in the Stone. And at the center of the video, you have a trio of kids, Sam, Sally, and Zach, wandering through the mansion, each so adorable, likable, and look to be having so much fun that I felt they made up for when Mickey and the gang are not on screen.
Most of my favorite Halloween traditions are celebrated here. It has the festive thrill of going to a Halloween party as a kid, just with monsters and Disney characters doing the Monster Mash. Kids pick pumpkins as they sing, with five animated little pumpkins sitting on a gate by the Bates' mansion (with Norman standing in the front silhouetted). Everyone enjoys decorating the mansion. The classic ghost story of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is shown, with a newly recorded version of The Headless Horseman song sounding as swingin' as Bing Crosby's. And kids trick-or-treat in Toontown meeting various characters. Seeing all this partying and activity while interacting with Disney characters was something I only dreamed of doing at that age, which is what made me enjoy it so much. While obviously filmed on a soundstage, some of the sets look neat. The editing for the clip shows for some of the songs perfectly match the rhythm and visuals. And the soundtrack is near perfect for kids getting into Halloween. As a Haunted Mansion-themed video, it falls flat, but as a Halloween video with kids and Disney characters celebrating, it is cute and amusing for its target audience. When I wish to relive the warm and carefree, younger nostalgic days of my life celebrating Halloween, this is the Halloween Special I often revisit.
Number 4: Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas
This was a hard film to place on the list because The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of my all-time favorite films, and to put it below number one feels weird to me. That does not mean at all that I don't love the film any less than I already do; there are just other Specials that get me into the spirit of Halloween a bit more. It could be because it's a part Christmas movie, and typically, I stay away from stuff relating to Christmas around Halloween, even the horror ones. I typically like to save those for when Christmas arrives to suit my darker taste. But that does not mean it's less of a Halloween movie. People always question whether the film is a Halloween or a Christmas movie. My answer is that it can be both, even as a November movie since a good chunk of the plot occurs between the holidays. The bottom line is that it's the perfect movie for the last three months of the year (though I can watch it anytime)!
As a Halloween movie, the film crawls with visuals relating to the holiday. As soon as the Halloween door opens and the song This is Halloween begins, I feel like I'm being teleported into this glorious world of Halloween, "waiting for the next surprise!" And the Halloween imagery does not lessen after the opening song, it only increases as the film goes on. There are tons of twisted buildings, a graveyard, and a treehouse to be explored in the German Expressionistic Halloween Town, as well as encountering its ghoulish residents, who mainly love scaring with no intent harm. Naturally, the Christmas visuals are present throughout the film, but we're witnessing a unique kind of Christmas, a Christmas when Halloween takes over, that turns out to be the most amazing mess in holiday history. Is Santa and his elves preparing for Christmas too cliched? How about spending most of the time witnessing the residents of Halloween Town making their own Christmas? Who wants generic toys when Halloween toys designed as Christmas toys pop out and cause mayhem? I love Jolly Old Saint Nick, but I love a skeleton in the Santa suit spreading what he thinks is holiday cheer! Despite Christmas' relevance to the story, Halloween is always present in a way that has never been seen before!
Come to think of it, the characters relating to Christmas don't have much screen time. The elves only appear in musical montages, Mrs. Claus gets a few seconds, and Santa is either hidden or mainly a hostage for most of the film, hardly doing a thing. It's the Halloween residents who get the most screen time, and of course, the protagonist is the Pumpkin King himself, Jack Skellington! I would have no problem if he were adopted as the official mascot for Halloween for his appealing skeleton design and well-rounded personality, which is what I find so engaging about him. Jack Skellington, in terms of story arc, is simple, but I still can't help but appreciate his various emotions and characteristics. He's sweet, kind, humble, and sometimes funny, but he can be an intimidating and scary badass. He's intelligent and elegant yet has the wonder and excited spirit of a child. He's heroic and a well-respected leader but is in despair. There's just so much to appreciate about him as a character, where the voice acting, music, body language, and numerous expressions help sell it all. Christmas is the key plot of the film, but in terms of characters and visuals, it is more robust with Halloween, and while I cringe at seeing retail stores having Christmas muscle in during this frightful time of year, Nightmare Before Christmas is one of the few exceptions!
Number 3: It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
Unlike The Nightmare Before Christmas, I did not grow up with It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. I saw clips of it through promos and occasionally on television as a kid and wanted to see it, given the holiday it takes place on. But I did not see it until my adulthood in twenty-sixteen, and ever since then, I've played it around this time of year. Despite never growing up with it, it does make me feel like a kid again for how much the special embodies Halloween with these iconic characters. Nearly no stone is left unturned when presenting the spirit of the holiday! There's trick-or-treating in classic Halloween costumes, pumpkin picking and carving, and a Halloween party. Furthermore, the special also captures the beauty of the fall season, with its autumn colors and activities such as raking leaves (and jumping into them), eating apples, and playing football.
As the special captures the joy of the season, it portrays it in its own unique way, with the number of gags it has, many of which are iconic images from the franchise. Who could forget Lucy and Linus picking pumpkins as the theme music plays, with Linus rolling the pumpkin over and crying when his sister kills it as they are about to carve? Who does not get a kick from Snoopy wearing his World War II costume and pretending he's in the war? Does anyone who has seen the Special not feel pity for Charlie Brown wearing a ruined ghost costume, causing him only to get a rock (I, too, would've been one of the kids when the special aired to send Charlie Brown candy through the mail). And, of course, how could anyone not picture Linus waiting at the pumpkin patch for the Great Pumpkin whenever they think back to this Special? My personal favorite scene is the opening credits sequence with the kids chased by spooks. I have not seen all the Peanuts cartoons, but it is one of the most surreal and visually darkest sequences the series has ever brought. I love the opening with Linus and Lucy going Pumpkin picking, but this nightmare sequence playing up the spooky element of the holiday with ghosts at every corner keeps me hooked.
As many of us think back to the imagery, humor, and jazzy music, I appreciate that the special, while light-hearted, has a sad story to tell in the center, and the crazy part is it is not Charlie Brown who is the focus. We see Charlie Brown get mistreated, but the relationship between Linus and Lucy is the main focus. Linus believes in a pumpkin (who, for all we know, has made up himself) that acts like Santa and waits for him at the pumpkin patch all of Halloween. While played for humor, it is, in the end, depressing to see him wait for nothing due to his belief and miss out on all the fun as he sits there smiling with an optimistic attitude. Meanwhile, his sister Lucy antagonizes Linus for his foolish belief (along with others) and bullies Charle Brown. And while a character we'd like to see her suffer the same way she treats others, at her core, she does care for her brother, which is shown through her actions. Lucy is still willing to get candy for Linus (as embarrassed as she feels) and takes him home to his nice warm bed after finding him outside late at night, freezing in the cold, which is one of the sweetest scenes in the franchise. For incorporating the ingredients that made the Christmas Special a classic (the music, humor, simple animation, and stilted voice acting) with a story that's a little downbeat by comparison but is clever and bittersweet, along with memorable visuals showing the joys of the season, I have not yet missed a season spending the holiday with the peanuts since I've added the Special to my collection.
Number 2: Halloween is Grinch Night
I first heard about Halloween is Grinch Night from my brother Jesse, who saw it in one of his classes. When I heard there was a special involving the Grinch with spooks, I wanted to see it so badly. I couldn't rent it anywhere because neither of us knew the name. So, I just thought after a while that my brother was making up another story because I was into horror as a kid. By surprise, my father bought me a VHS copy of the Special. When I saw the box, I didn't think it was the Special Jesse mentioned. But when I saw the monsters in the opening credits, I knew I was watching the Special my brother described. And for falling off the radar and catering to my love for horror in Dr. Seuss form, it was one of my obsessions at the time. Now, every October first, I always start my Halloween and horror movie marathons with this Special!
I can't pretend this Special is as good as How the Grinch Stole Christmas. There's hardly a story, the little boy is bland, the dialogue is not Seuss' finest, and the moral does not have the same heart and passion as the previous Special starring the Grinch. Despite Halloween being in the title, Halloween is strangely not celebrated. The Special only exists for visual appeal with the Grinch as the bate, but as pointless as it is, my goodness, is it highly entertaining! Hans Conried takes Karloff's place after his passing, serving as the narrator and Grinch; though he is not better than Karloff, he's certainly enjoyable to listen to. As the Grinch, he is still sophisticated and playing up his villainy from the evil laughing, creepy taunts, and demanding attitude. And as the narrator, he is pleasant yet caters to the feeling that wicked things are about to come. As for the songs, while not as memorable as the songs from the Christmas special, they add plenty of atmosphere. Aside from the final song, all the songs build on dread, terror, and demented fun, and the score does the same justice.
The first half of the special is all build-up to the Grinch making his way down to Whoville to unleash his vicious spooks upon them when an eerie wind arrives during the fall season. As the anticipation for the reveal builds, viewers are treated to a grim fall atmosphere (with the colors of orange and green dominating the screen) full all sorts of strange and creepy animals with one foreboding song after another. After seeing a few samples of the Grinch's supernatural surprises, once he makes the steps to his Paraphernalia Wagon appear for the child to climb up, slowly increases the tension after getting so close to the reveal. Once the spooks are released, Dr. Seuss unleashes his darkest imagination for kids' entertainment. Left and right monsters of all shapes and sizes appear at a very fast-paced, in a disjointed environment that's part nightmare, part hell, and part art painting with ghostly sounds, intense music, and dramatic vocals (some provided by Thurl Ravenscroft and Paul Winchell). It's incredible how much energy, creativity, and spooky visuals this sequence has, never running out of steam but allowing audiences to breathe occasionally as the Grinch's voice echoes, asking if the child is "enjoying himself." For the special's atmosphere, lead performance, cryptic songs, build-up, and spectacular monstrous climax, no other Special gets me pumped and in the mood for the start of the season more than this one. For me, the Halloween season does not officially begin until the Grinch unlocks his Paraphernalia Wagon.
Number 1: Disney's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving is a timeless ghost story that has become the ultimate story to tell around Halloween. As a kid, I was obsessed with the story and the different adaptations of it in media. I occasionally watch Tim Burton's version of Sleepy Hollow and the uncanny Fox Kids' special Night of the Headless Horseman around this time of year, but out of all the adaptations, the Disney short film is the one I revisit annually every Halloween night. This was the first version I saw of the story as a kid, and I used to rewatch it constantly growing up, laughing along, loving every second of the scary imagery, and obsessively singing the song about The Headless Horseman. And I still love it just as much.
Unlike the short film packaged with the film when it was released entitled The Wind and the Willows, which is full of dialogue, Disney decided to tell the story mainly in mime, with Bing Crosby's narration and singing doing all the speaking. This form of storytelling allows the characters' actions, and the visuals do most of the expressions, while Crosby's laid-back yet, at times, chilling narration makes it sound like a story we hear around the campfire or fireplace. Further adding to the charm of the narration feeling personal is when we hear the characters speak or sing, Crosby voices them as well, like how someone would tell a story to their kid. I particularly enjoy how each act has a particular focus. The first act is observing Ichabod's life in the town, the second act shows him in a love triangle, and the third act is when the ghostly aspects of the story take their toll. Most people remember the third act more (otherwise, why watch it at all during Halloween), but I still remember the first two acts just as much. Disney surprisingly keeps the fascinating complexity of these unlikable characters and makes them more entertaining for kids by having hilarious slapstick comedy take place (at times, calling back to a Charlie Chaplin film). The songs are wonderful, with Crosby and the choir singing them so beautifully. And the town, supported by the fall atmosphere with its distinctive residents, makes it a character itself.
As solid and needed as the first two acts are, when Brom tells his story at the Halloween party, that's when the short becomes as remembered as it is. From here on out, all kinds of spooky imagery appear, whether during Brom's tale, Ichabod riding through the hollow, or Ichabod encountering the Headless Horseman himself. While allowing so much to happen, the short story still has time to build on the atmosphere and fit in humor that does not feel out of place. Ichabod's confrontation with The Horseman is a perfect example of effectively balancing horror and comedy in one scene without one upstaging the other. Ichabod gets into all kinds of comical situations. Still, the threat of his life being at stake is always present, of how horrifying the Horseman is (through his grim design and hellish laughter) as he never stops violently swinging his sword at Ichabod when he has the chance. What helps set the mood for this half is Brom's song about The Headless Horseman, which is bouncy but has a haunting overtone involving fear and dread for what is to come. Like Grim Grinning Ghost, Monster Mash, This is Halloween, and Thriller, it is a Halloween tune I never get tired of. When all the scares are through, the film ends on a chilling, ambiguous note of Ichabod's fate and goes as far as to make The Horseman a mystery, making it one of the few eras of Disney when they were allowed to show much more intense material for kids while keeping them entertained. Though I am sure there are adaptions of Sleepy Hollow closer to the book, none of them will ever be as iconic as the Disney version. It knows how much to keep and stray away from the source; has an interesting way of storytelling backed with grand narration by Crosby; intriguing characters who you have mixed emotions about; underrated song; some of Disney's funniest humor; and plenty of rich scary imagery to suit the holiday. Nothing in terms of media could ever end Halloween on a more spectacular note than seeing Ichabod get hit in the head by a flaming pumpkin in Disney's best Halloween movie!
