October has finally come, and what better way to celebrate this ghoulish time of year than by snuggling up on the couch and watching some classic Halloween and fall movies to get in the spooky spirit? Credit: Courtesy of Ally Boyd | For The Lantern
October has finally come, and what better way to celebrate this ghoulish time of year than by snuggling up on the couch and watching some classic Halloween and fall movies to get in the spooky spirit? To best understand what movies the Ohio State community is craving this season, The Lantern posted an online survey on its Facebook, Instagram and Twitter that asked participants what their favorite Halloween and fall movies are. Below are the results, along with the number of votes received and a short summary of the film. Did yours make the list?
Hocus Pocus — 1993 (7)
- Overview: A young boy accidentally awakens a trio of comical 17th-century witches on Halloween after moving to Salem.
- “It’s a family movie but has spooky vibes and is funny. And I love binx the cat,” Kiley Grilliot, a second-year in civil engineering, said.
Halloweentown — 1998 (4)
- Overview: Marnie Piper and her siblings discover, upon following their grandmother back to her hometown, that they come from a family of witches.
- “I grew up with it and it always puts a smile on my face. Marnie’s family reminded me a lot of my family. I lost my mom when I was young just like she lost her dad. And she has two younger siblings which have the same age gap as me and my siblings. It was also a movie my whole family enjoyed even my grandma,” Kaylee Sabo, a third-year in food, agriculture and biological engineering, said.
- “I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve seen each of these movies at least 10 times each because there’s something so nostalgic about them. They are just the pinnacle of Halloween and take me back to a time where I waited until Disney Channel would bust out ‘Spooktober’ themed shows and movies, and Halloweentown was always a go-to,” Bailey Culp, a third-year in philosophy, politics and economics, said.
The Nightmare Before Christmas — 1993 (2)
- Overview: The musical and terrifying residents of a town that spends all year preparing for Halloween discover a new holiday to conquer: Christmas.
- “It reminds me so much of my childhood that I can’t help but to watch it every Halloween!” Kathleen Jones, a third-year in journalism, said.
Practical Magic — 1998 (2)
- Overview: Two witch sisters face a curse that might prevent them from finding true love.
- “It’s such a cute little Halloween rom-com about magic and finding love. It’s sweet and funny and has a bunch of quotable moments,” Chloe McGowan, a third-year in journalism, said.
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown — 1966 (1)
- Overview: The Peanuts kids get ready to celebrate Halloween while Linus awaits the arrival of the Great Pumpkin.
- “It embodies to me the childlike wonder that we can always use but especially right now,” Colin Flanagan, a fourth-year in political science, said.
Young Frankenstein — 1974 (1)
- Overview: The grandson of a scientist tries to clear his grandfather’s name, but discovers how to reanimate a corpse in the process.
- “The old timey cinematography paired with the hilarity of Gene Wilder just can’t be beat. It was my favorite Halloween movie when I was little and still is today!” Christina Boehm, a fifth-year in environmental science, said.
The Halloween Tree — 1993 (1)
- Overview: As a young group of friends get ready for an epic Halloween night, they find that something mysterious has happened to one of them. Their quest to find him takes them on a time-traveling, globe-trotting journey through the history of Halloween.
- “It is educational about the history of Halloween and explains the significance behind classic costumes while still expressing a touching narrative. It really puts you in the Halloween spirit while getting you back in touch with the meaning behind it all,” Jordan Raudins, a first-year in environmental policy and decision making, said.
The Blair Witch Project — 1999 (1)
- Overview: Three student filmmakers hike into the Black Hills in search of local legend the Blair Witch, but they go missing. The film is their “recovered” footage.
- “This is a great starter horror movie, you never necessarily see anything terrifying but the way it is filmed makes it into a classic horror film. Love this movie and is a great Halloween movie date choice — you get them scared enough to cuddle but neither of you are too scared to take it further,” Gabriella Rincon, a fourth-year in environmental engineering, said.
Saw IV — 2007 (1)
- Overview: The autopsy of serial killer Jigsaw reveals a cassette tape in his body that suggests his “games” will continue.
- “It’s my tradition to watch all the ‘Saw’ movies in October,” Noah Levine, a second-year in electrical engineering, said.
Coraline — 2009 (1)
- Overview: After moving into a new apartment with her parents, a young girl discovers a portal to another dimension where her life with her “other” parents and neighbors seems like a dream come true…until they want her to stay forever.
- “Evile, spooky, amazing soundtrack, always leaves me a little more unsettled than I expect,” Morgan Amonett, a third-year in classics, said.
Scared Shrekless — 2010 (1)
- Overview: The beloved characters from the “Shrek” franchise compete in a scary story competition to determine the King of Halloween.
- “I consistently watch it every year with my family and it’s become a fall tradition for us. We love Mike Myers as Shreck. Who wouldn’t!!” Gabe Kornick, a third-year in computer science and engineering, said.
Halloween — 2018 (1)
- Overview: A sequel to the original 1978 “Halloween” that pairs the main character Laurie Strode against Michael Myers.
- “Michael Myers is more of an aggressive killer. He spends less time stalking the victims and actually is scary in this movie. Plus the opening ‘Say Something!’ Title card scene is fantastic!” Caleb Spinner, a first-year in journalism, said.
Honorable mentions:
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein — 1948 (1)
- Overview: Two baggage clerks unknowingly deliver crates containing the remains of Count Dracula and Frankenstein to a horror wax museum.
Halloween — 1978 (1)
- Overview: A murderer escapes a sanitarium 15 years after killing his sister on Halloween night to return to his hometown while being tracked down by his psychiatrist.
Gremlins — 1984 (1)
- Overview: A salesman purchases a strange pet as a gift that spawns and creates evil little monsters.
Beetlejuice — 1988 (1)
- Overview: A recently deceased couple haunts their country home and tries to scare away its new inhabitants.
Good Will Hunting — 1997 (1)
- Overview: Will, a misguided youth and janitor at MIT, has his genius discovered when he solves a difficult mathematical problem but needs the help of a therapist to reach his potential.
Halloweentown High — 2004 (1)
- Overview: In an effort to create more unity between Halloweentown and the mortal world, Marnie Piper persuades the Halloweentown Council to allow a group of Halloweentown students to attend her mortal high school.
House of Wax — 2005 (1)
- Overview: A group of teens fight for their lives after getting stranded near an unconventional wax museum.
Monster House — 2006 (1)
- Overview: A few teenage friends find out that their neighbor’s house is an actual monster.
Clue — 1985 (1)
- Overview: A group of people are invited to a mansion, and after the host is killed, they must work together to identify the murderer.
Sinister — 2012 (1)
- Overview: A crime writer and his family move to a house where they discover a box of graphic homemade movies that capture numerous families being murdered.
