UNDERRATED HALLOWEEN MOVIES
BY AVERY ST. GEORGE PHOTO BY DISNEY STUDIOS
Halloween isn’t just a one-day event anymore; it has become a whole seasonal event with its own decorations, media, and culture surrounding it. Part of the so-called “spooky season” culture is Halloween movies — from the family-friendly “Halloweentown” to horror movies like “The Conjuring” — they’re a great way to get you in the mood for the fall. Watching a scary movie has become a crucial part of the Halloween festivities, but the sheer amount of options can be overwhelming. If you’ve already seen too many or are just looking for something new to watch, here are a few overlooked recommendations for your list.
A great part of any Halloween movie marathon is a classic vintage monster movie. While “Frankenstein” or “Dracula” might come to your mind first, “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror” might be a good alternative. The story of the bloodthirsty vampire who brings a plague with him as he follows and haunts a young couple. The black and white film has that eerie gothic feel, and the iconic monster is a staple in any horror lover’s rotation.
If you’re looking for something a little more wholesome, but still in the spooky genre, Tim Burton’s “Frankenweenie” could be a good watch. Not as famous as his other animated film, “Corpse Bride,” but “Frankenweenie” still has the feel of a classic Burton film. The movie combines the whimsical, imaginative elements of a children's animation with the spooky Halloween story to bring you a heartwarming ending that might have you shedding a few tears.
Nostalgic Halloween movies are also very popular around this time, as many Generation Z reminisce about their childhoods watching “Monstober” on Disney Channel. If you’ve already seen every Disney Channel original movie and are looking for something that reminds you of being a kid, I would recommend the Nickelodeon original movie “The Boy Who Cried Werewolf.” Featuring Victoria Justice and Brooke Shields, this movie is a heartwarming family drama about a girl who finds herself turning into a werewolf. “The Boy Who Cried Werewolf” has everything you could want in a Halloween movie — mystery, monsters, and magic — and sends you back to those good old days of being a kid.
A movie that isn’t considered a Halloween movie, but I would argue could be one is “I Know What You Did Last Summer.” This movie follows four friends as an accident they got into a year ago comes back to haunt them. The film, obviously, is set during the summer, however, the spooky coastal town full of fog and creepy fishing boats is an ideal place for plenty of scary moments. Slasher films like this one and “Friday the 13th” are often overlooked during the Halloween season because they’re set during the summer months, but I would argue this movie has plenty of ambience that makes it just as creepy as any other Halloween movies.
