Halloween Movies – TOP 20
Halloween has become a permanent fixture in Polish tradition. Pumpkins, masquerade balls, and costume parades have become a welcome diversion during the reflective month of November. Those who enjoy being scared will surely choose something from the horror genre on this autumn evening.
Halloween movies
1. “Halloween” (1978) – dir. John Carpenter
“Halloween”, directed by John Carpenter, started a whole series of films based on the theme of the Anglo-Saxon holiday of the dead. This famous slasher film tells the story of Michael Myers, who, at the age of six, murders his teenage sister on Halloween night and is then sent to a mental institution. Years later, he escapes from the hospital and returns to his hometown to commit another crime. The film stars Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Nancy Kyes. The film’s success led to numerous sequels. In 1998, the seventh installment was released: Halloween 20 Years Later, and in the last two decades, Halloween: Resurrection (2002) was filmed. In 2007, Rob Zombie made a remake of the original, and in 2009, its sequel.
2. “Night of the Living Dead” (1968) – dir. George A. Romero
“Night of the Living Dead” is another horror movie classic that started the zombie movie trend. As a result of radiation from a space rocket explosion, the dead are resurrected and turn into bloodthirsty zombies. A group of young people lock themselves in a house and try to survive the attack of the monsters. Romero also made sequels to the horror film: Dawn of the Dead (1978), Day of the Dead (1985), Land of the Dead (2005), and Diary of the Dead (2007).
3. “Nosferatu. A Symphony of Horror” (Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens, 1922) – dir. Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau
“Nosferatu” by F. W. Murnau is a silent horror film belonging to the German expressionist movement. The film is based on Bram Stoker’s novel “Dracula”. It tells the story of a young real estate agent (played by Alexander Granach) who unwittingly brings a bloodthirsty vampire hiding under the guise of the aristocrat Orlok to Europe. Max Schreck played the role of Nosferatu. The film continues to make a huge impression to this day.
4. “Rosemary’s Baby” (1968) – dir. Roman Polanski
“Rosemary’s Baby” is a classic of satanic horror. The film is set in New York. A young married couple, Rosemary (Mia Farrow) and Guy (John Cassavettes) Woodhouse, move into one of the apartment buildings. The couple soon meet their elderly, eccentric neighbors, Minnie (Ruth Gordon) and Roman (Sidney Blackmer) Castevet, and when the girl becomes pregnant, strange things begin to happen in their lives.
5. “Suspiria” (1977) – dir. Dario Argento
“Suspiria” is a famous Italian horror film by Dario Argento, belonging to the “giallo” genre, known for its scenes of violence and sex. The main character of the film is a young American woman (played by Jessica Harper) who begins studying at a German dance school. It soon turns out that the school is run by witches, and terrifying crimes take place there. In 2018, Luca Guadagnino made a remake of Dario Argento’s film under the same title. Dakota Johnson played the role of Susie.
6. “Scream” (1996) – dir. Wes Craven
“Scream” is Wes Craven’s famous horror film, which started the trend of self-referential horror films that play with the rules of the genre. A murderer is on the loose in a small town among teenagers. More and more people are dying, and the killer, hiding his identity behind a mask of the character from Edward Munch’s famous painting The Scream, is becoming increasingly bold. Neve Campbell starred in the lead role.
7. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993) – dir. Henry Selick
“The Nightmare Before Christmas” is an animated film that can be successfully watched with children. The action takes place in the eponymous town of horrors. The Pumpkin King, the leading figure of Halloween, is bored with the annual celebration, so he decides to swap places with Santa Claus. So he kidnaps the old man and decides to organize Christmas himself.
8. “The Conjuring” (2013) – dir. James Wan
“The Conjuring” is one of the scariest horror movies of recent years. Lorraine and Ed Warren are paranormal investigators. One day, they receive an invitation from a terrified family whose house is haunted by a dangerous demon. The couple does not expect what they will have to face. The film stars Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson.
9. “Corpse Bride” (2005) – dir. Tim Burton
Tim Burton’s “Corpse Bride” is a film that fits well with the Halloween atmosphere. The main character, Victor, is about to walk down the aisle with Victoria, which fills him with growing anxiety. One day, while practicing his wedding vows in the forest, he accidentally awakens a dead woman, Emily, and mistakenly pledges his love to her. The bride immediately kidnaps her beloved and takes him to the underworld.
10. “A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984) – dir. Wes Craven
A Nightmare on Elm Street and its sequels are cult classics of 1990s teen cinema. The story of Freddy Krueger, a cruel demonic murderer who, after his death, attacks children by entering their dreams, gained extraordinary popularity. Robert Englund played the role of Freddy. The film spawned sequels, comics, a TV series, and merchandise related to the cult horror film.
11. “It” (2017) – dir. Andy Muschietti
“It” is a film adaptation of Stephen King’s popular 1986 novel. When a cruel child murderer disguised as a clown appears in a small town, a group of friends form a club to deal with the terrifying killer. It is a story about the power of friendship as the strongest remedy for ghosts that, if left unconquered, can take over adulthood.
12. “Child’s Play” (1988) – dir. Tom Holland
“Child’s Play” is another horror film set among child characters. Andy (Alex Vincent) receives a doll as a gift, which is inhabited by the spirit of a psychopathic murderer. Soon, the toy reveals its true nature: it uses the boy to commit further crimes and eventually becomes dangerous to its owner as well. This terrifying horror film can be interpreted as a metaphor for a world in which children become victims, are exploited by adults, and must atone for their sins. Child’s Play has had numerous sequels.
13. “The Sixth Sense” (1999) – dir. M. Night Shyamalan
“The Sixth Sense” is an extraordinary film about a boy who has the gift of communicating with the dead. One day, a psychologist arrives at his home to try to help the protagonist cope with his extraordinary abilities. However, the man is unaware that he himself is in dire need of his “patient’s” help. The film stars Haley Joel Osment and Bruce Willis.
14. “House of Usher” (1960) – dir. Roger Corman
“House of Usher” is a famous film adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s prose. Madeleine Usher (Myrna Fahey) and her brother Roderick (Vincent Price) live together in a huge family mansion. The woman is about to get married. However, when her fiancé Phillip Wintrop (Mark Damon) arrives at the house, her brother wants to break off the engagement at all costs. To this end, he tells his guest the terrifying story of his ancestors.
15. “Dracula” (1992) – dir. Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola’s “Dracula” is an original, three-time Oscar-winning reinterpretation of Bram Stoker’s book. The main character of the story is the vampire Dracula, hiding under the guise of a Romanian prince. The aristocrat travels to London to possess a woman in whom he sees his tragically deceased beloved. The film features a whole host of stars: Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins, and Keanu Reeves. Coppola’s film uses various meanings of vampirism and blood, referring in particular to the HIV epidemic. The wonderful music for the film was composed by Wojciech Kilar.
16. “The Amityville Horror” (2005) – dir. Andre Douglas
“Amityville from 2005 is a remake of Stuart Rosenberg’s famous film, belonging to the genre of horror films based on real events. It is the story of a family who moves into a new house without knowing its terrifying history. Years ago, a man killed his family there. It turns out that unexplained things begin to happen in the house. The film stars Ryan Reynolds and Melissa George.
17. “Scary Movie” (2000) – dir. Keenen Ivory Wayans
“Scary Movie” is a great comedy that parodies various themes from popular movies. The entire series began with the 2000 film, in which the main characters are a group of teenagers stalked by a psychopathic killer. Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and The Blair Witch Project are the most important references for the comedy gags. So far, the last installment in the series is Scary Movie 5 from 2013.
18. “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (1997) – dir. Jim Gillespie
“I Know What You Did Last Summer” is a cult horror film from the 1990s, particularly popular among teenagers. A group of young people hit a man while traveling by car. Convinced that the victim is dead and frightened by the driver’s intoxication, the teenagers throw her body into the sea. A year later, one of the participants in the incident receives a mysterious letter saying, “I know what you did last summer,” which marks the beginning of tragic events. The film stars Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, and Freddie Prinze Jr.
19. “Mary Reilly” (1996) – dir. Stephen Frears
“Mary Reilly” is a good horror film starring Julia Roberts, who created one of the most original characters of her career. The film is set in 19th-century England. The actress plays Mary, a maid working for the mysterious Dr. Jekyll (John Malkovich). One day, her employer hires an assistant, Mr. Hyde, who turns out to be his complete opposite.
20. “Blair Witch Project” (1999) – dir. Daniel Myrick
“Blair Witch Project” is a story, stylized as a realistic documentary, about three students who, due to local legends, set off into the woods to capture a witch who is said to be prowling there. However, the expedition turns out to be more dangerous than it might have seemed at first. The young people’s lives are in danger. The Blair Witch Project started a series of horror films with a videotape theme.
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