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13 Scary Movies for Halloween
13 Scary Movies for Halloween ' |
Halloween
and Horror movies go together perfectly. As DVD became popular, more and
more studios began releasing their catalog of horror movies to the format.
The following list of 13 films is by no means a complete list or a countdown
of favorites (although they are 13 of my personal favorites). It’s
meant as a sttaring point, a DVD-a-day until Halloween festival of sorts
for the month of October. So turn off the lights, turn up the sound and
enjoy! |
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Night of the
Living Dead – George Romero’s low budget success about
zombies mysteriously walking around a northern town remains one of the most
disturbing depictions of what is wrong with society today. His attitude
toward the media and discrimination are subtly revealed in this powerful,
low-key film that paints a disturbing portrait of American life. When looking
for this film on DVD, the only version to pick up is the Millenium Special
Edition, unless you find a copy of the old Elite version around. It has
two good commentaries and trailers, but does not change the film in any
way. It’s pretty hard to find, but still lurking around. There was
a 30th Anniversary edition released in 1999 by Anchor Bay that mutilated
the film beyond belief. That version can be found extremely cheap, avoid
it. If you must pick up a cheap version, several abound that present the
film only with a bad transfer that is still better than VHS. [Full
Review] |
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The Exorcist
– This is truly one of the most disturbing films ever. Brilliantly
directed by William Friedkin, this adaptation of William Peter Blatty’s
novel maintains its scare factor by not relying on makeup or gore, but instead
delivering the chills with atmosphere and emotionally disturbing scenes.
The 25th Anniversary Edition of the DVD packs in several great features.
The deleted scenes recently restored in theaters are included, as well as
a great 75min documentary that offers a fascinating look behind the scenes.
Also included are the standard trailers and TV commercials. When shopping,
look for the older disc, which is a better version of the film. The so-called
Version You’ve Never Seen isn’t quite as good story wise. [Full
Review] |
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Jaws
– Steven Spielberg’s ocean based, realistic horror story worked
so well because it was a believable story that dealt with primal fears.
His exploitation of the fear of water and fear of the unknown has ruined
the beach for many scared moviegoers; just the next film did for the shower.
This is still one of the best films I’ve seen and was the first movie
I remember scaring me as a child. The DVD for the film does a nice job of
providing extra info, but it lacks in more ways than one. There is a great
documentary, but little else is provided other than the standard trailers
and deleted scenes. Perhaps Steven Spielberg will stop being scared and
do a commentary track. [Full
Review] |
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Psycho
– While not as scary as some of the other films, it has to be listed
for a perfect combination of camera work, story, shock ending, score, and
acting. Hitchcock’s adaptation of Robert Bloch’s novel based
on Wisconsin serial killer Ed Gein fathered modern slasher horror and influenced
movies for years to come. This film shows how Hitchcock was the master manipulator.
He made audiences think and see exactly what he wanted them to see. Another
great DVD, with an excellent documentary that revisits nearly every key
player involved in the original. Also included is Hitchcock’s original,
shocking trailer. |
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The Texas Chainsaw
Massacre – This more faithful adaptation of serial killer
Ed Gein played upon America’s inner fears following the Viet Nam war.
Dissolution of family values, lack of gas, and the hash brutality of the
country and media at the time are all touched upon by this disturbing film.
A great commentary and deleted scenes help this DVD as well. Cast and crew
put aside years of differences and a long feud to come together and record
one of the best commentaries on DVD. Other Chainsaw series trailers are
included, as well as a blooper reel and alternate footage. [Full
Review] |
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Bride of Frankenstein
– One of the classics from the Universal Studios period of films in
the 30;s that still holds up today. James Whale’s clever tale of love,
death and betrayal works on so many levels it remains the perfect combination
of sci-fi, horror, and slapstick. The care and features that Universal puts
upon this classic series is amazing. Each DVD has commentaries by noted
film scholars as well as behind the scenes documentaries, and this one is
no exception. To learn more about this film, pick up the 1998 Academy Award
winning film Gods and Monsters [review]
by director Bill Condon. It is a semi-autobiographical account of Frankenstein
director James Whale that details the events leading up to his death. |
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Nosferatu
– This 1922 vampire film by German director F.W. Murnau is still the
best and eeriest depiction of a vampire ever filmed. Visually stunning with
its gothic style, this reworking of the Dracula story was ahead of its time.
This silent classic has aged well and remains hauntingly simple and scary
to this day. Similar in style to the Universal series, Image treats fans
with a commentary by film scholars along with an explanation as to why this
film was almost lost completely 80 years ago. There are also several cheap
and alternative versions of this disc around. I’d recommend sticking
with the Image version. [Full
Review] |
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Evil Dead
2 / Dead Alive – It’s a tie between these two films.
They both blend splatter –horror with extreme humor, but vary a
little in style. A fan of the Three Stooges, Sam Raimi’s sequel
is full of slapstick and ironic humor. This slapstick horror film gave
rise to the popular splatter-punk style of horror, but the original remains
the one of the best by combining humor, attitude and horror perfectly.
The DVD comes packed with an entertaining commentary by both director
Raimi and actor Bruce Campbell. It also has the standard images and a
hilarious documentary included as well. See where the director of the
Spider-Man developed his style by looking at his roots. [Full
Review]
Another blockbuster
director rooted in a similar style is Peter Jackson. Before making a name
for himself with Lord of the Rings, Jackson produced several of the most
twisted and demented films to come out of New Zealand. Dead Alive is the
most professional looking of these and the blood and gore is extreme and
extremely funny. Unlike traditional Zombies, ones that have been bitten
by the Rat Monkey keep coming. Body parts and internal organs take on
a mind of their own until Jackson seeks to outdo Raimi’s chainsaw-on-a-hand
with his own version, a lawnmower. Basically devoid of features, here’s
hoping that Jackson’s newfound popularity will produce a special
edition of this title similar to his first feature Bad Taste. [Full
Review]
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Alien
– Much like the previous films, this one is important because it took
the slasher film and set it in another location, specifically outer space.
Directed by Ridley Scott, this organic look into sci-fi horror remains the
best of the popular series. It serves up a double dose of fear by endangering
the characters on several fronts and threatening them with the ultimate
killing machine. Included on the DVD are the standard director’s commentary
and a few deleted scenes. The highlight of this disc would have to be the
isolated score that can be listened to. [Full
Review] |
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Blair Witch
Project – Considered by many to be a letdown, it couldn’t
possibly live up to the hype. Aside from that, this film presented a fresh
and new take on horror and left audiences dangling, literally, with an ambiguous
ending that was missed by most. I still remember watching a bootleg copy
on video months before it arrived in the theaters. I was excited about it
before I had a chance to be hyped up beyond expectation. The highlight of
this disc would have to be the excellent documentary done by the Sci-Fi
Channel that treats the Blair Witch as if she were real. Extra footage and
other actors weave into this intricately created program that strengthens
the understanding of the film. [Full
Review] |
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The Devil’s
Backbone – Before Spanish director Guillermo Del Toro exploded
into Hollywood with Blade II, he created one of the best ghost stories ever
committed to film. Full of the most beautiful cinematography you’ll
see in a horror story, the film deals with the horror and lust within all
people as much as it does the story of a dead boy. This is the film that
should have everyone excited about him making a film of Mike Magnolia’s
Hellboy. The DVD is a Spanish language edition with English subtitles. Extra
features included a great set of interviews and a documentary, as well as
Del Toro’s first DVD commentary. [Full
Review] |
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The Wicker
Man – Another non-traditional film, this time from 1973,
The Wicker Man deals with religion in a unique fashion. Police Sergeant
Howie travels to a Scottish Isle looking for a missing girl and discovers
a Pagan society whose beliefs strongly disagree with his Christian ones.
This short (88 or 99 minutes, depending on your version) film isn’t
truly shocking until the final moments when Howie realizes that Lord Summerisle,
played fantastically by Christopher Lee, has been leading him on from the
beginning. The boxed set released in 2001 featured two cuts of the film,
rated and un-rated. Aside from a few interviews and a beautiful wooden box,
there’s little else on this great set. [Full
Review] |
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The Crow –
Technically not a horror movie, this gothic super-hero tale is included
for it’s wonderfully dark portrayal of revenge. Perhaps made all the
more chilling by the unfortunate and accidental death of the film’s
star (Brandon Lee) during a stunt, it’s filled with an eerie feeling
of dark and dread. Lee turned in a haunting performance as the boyfriend
back from the dead to avenge the death of his fiancé. A proper edition
was released last March that had a nice collection of deleted footage and
artwork. Most revealing is the interview with Crow creator, James O’Barr
and a haunting interview with star Brandon Lee. [Full
Review] |
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Don't limit
yourself to these few films this Halloween. There are hundreds more that
are worth exploring and every bit as scary. |
- Phillip
Duncan
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