10 Classic Halloween Movies To Watch This October 2021
They still stand the test of time.
Despite the fact there are countless zombie flicks, gory slashers, sci-fi B-movies, and alien invasion films, it can be hard to find a a genuinely great horror. Of all the genres, horror is the one where the bad outweighs the good by the biggest margin.
The reason why is simple: it's really hard to frighten people. Even when you're invested in the story and you want to be scared, a badly timed shot, an imperfect special effect, or a crummy set can remind you that what you're watching is just a piece of fiction.
But every once in a while, a film comes along and scares the living hell out of everybody. Some filmmakers managed to construct a story devoid of cliches or jump scares, allowing them to forge something truly haunting. Horror is tricky to do but when executed perfectly, it will never ever leave you. Whether it was The Exorcist, The Shining, or IT, you never forget the first time a movie scared you out of your skin.
So, which horror masterpieces should you watch to get into the Halloween spirit?
10. Poltergeist
Some people refer to Tobe Hooper's Poltergeist as the scariest film ever made where nobody dies. Despite lacking a single fatality, this classic retelling of 'the haunted house' story is responsible for giving millions of viewers sleepless nights.
The face-melting sequence, the imploding house, and the skeleton-filled pool are among many scenes etched into viewers' minds for life. (Also, the clown doll is one of the best jump scares of all time.)
But Poltergeist is so genuinely haunting, it's easy to forget what a technical marvel it is. As horrifying as it is to see screaming ghosts and child-eating trees, Hooper uses precise editing and camera shots to help elevate the terror, as is demonstrated in the iconic expanding hallway scene.
The script (co-written by some guy called Steven Spielberg) is tight as literal hell, constantly focusing on the family's dynamic, which makes the viewers care about them much more, especially when the children are in danger.
Some of the special effects haven't aged gracefully but Poltergeist has ten times the scares of the average modern horror (and that includes the diabolical 2015 remake).