13 Movies Leading Up To Halloween But They Gradually Get Scarier
Ada Lambert | October 18, 2023
“Halloweentown”
The “Halloweentown” series is an all-time favorite of mine. Each year, no matter how old I get, I love to rewatch these movies. Everything about the series oozes nostalgia. If you watched these as a kid like me, I definitely recommend a binge-watch in honor of your inner child!
“Twitches”
“Twitches” is another Disney Channel movie that was on TV every October for most of my childhood. The movie is about twins who were given up at birth in hopes of protection from evil forces. They are separated at birth and adopted into different families. One day, they stumble across each other and are awestruck by the resemblance. Eventually, they put two and two together after talking to their parents, and they uncover the truth about their biological parents. Oh, and they are witches, of course. There are two movies in the series and they are both super fun in my opinion.
“Hocus Pocus”
It would not be a Halloween movie marathon without this classic. Set in Salem, Mass., a teenage boy releases a coven of witches when exploring an abandoned house. With the help of a magical cat, they are tasked with stealing their book of spells in order to keep them from becoming immortal. Personally, I have not seen the second one that came out last year, but it is worth checking out for those who are fans of the original!
“The Corpse Bride”
One of Tim Burton’s many animations, “The Corpse Bride” follows a shy groom who practices his vows before his wedding day in the presence of Emily, a ghost who was murdered on her wedding day by a man who was out to steal her family’s fortune. Emily, desperate for love and marriage, assumes he is attempting to marry her and whisks him off to the underworld. This is a film that can be enjoyed by any age group, as most Tim Burton films are in my opinion.
“Coraline”
Despite popular belief, “Coraline”, a popular dark fantasy film, is not a production of Tim Burton but the underrated Henry Selick. Coraline is visually appealing and has a unique storyline that is entertaining no matter how old you get. This is a must-watch for the Halloween season, especially if you are into weird, dreamscape-like films.
“The Addams Family” (1991)
The original Addams family is one of my top choices for the season. This film is comedically dark, one might say it's even a bit camp. I love the absurdity in this movie, it is hilarious and so far out yet still set in a modern-ish reality. When a man named Fester arrives on their doorstep claiming to be the missing brother of Gomez, the father of the family, they are thrilled, but all is not what it seems. This is a great Halloween movie with its dark humor and atmosphere. If you have not seen it, now is a great time.
“The Craft” (1996)
After transferring to an LA Catholic school, Sarah, who has telekinetic powers, is taken in by an outcast group of women who practice witchcraft. With their power, they grow power-hungry, using their black magic to do damage around them. I recommend this to people who like occult-witchy type films. The original is best in my opinion, but there is a newer version as well.
“Carrie”
The original 1976 “Carrie” holds a special place in my heart, especially as the leaves turn and the weather gets colder. This film is about a girl who is mercilessly bullied at school and at home, criticized for her outlandish behavior instilled by her extremely religious mother. At the beginning of the film, she is ridiculed when she discovers she is bleeding in the locker room showers and begins to scream and cry for help, thinking she is dying. Really, she is just getting her period for the first time. This is a result of her mother’s insanity and inability to accept the nature of women’s bodies, but nobody at school knows or cares about her home situation. As things begin to happen around her, Carrie realizes that she is different from others and suspects she has supernatural powers. When Tommy Ross, a sympathetic boy, asks Carrie to prom, she is ecstatic while a bit skeptical due to the horrible treatment of her peers. Despite Tommy’s pure intentions, things take a turn for the worse.
“Jennifer’s Body”
After a hungry demon takes possession of her, the popular high-schooler, Jennifer, is out for blood, with a craving for desperate, nerdy, teenage boys. Her best friend, Needy, suspects something is awry and has to step in to protect the young men of the town and her boyfriend, Chip. This film is witty and speaks to female empowerment in a hyperbolic manner. It also has Megan Fox in it, which sold me on it.
“Scream” (1996)
The original “Scream” is a great classic to rewatch before Halloween, even though it is cringy compared to today’s broad horror selection. This film tells the story of a masked man called Mr. Ghostface who stalks a group of high-school students in middle-class suburbia. This cheeky slasher film is a fan-favorite and an entertaining watch that falls in the center of spooky and scary.
“The Silence of the Lambs”
For those looking for scarier films, “The Silence of the Lambs” is a fun option. This psychological horror film begins with a top student at the FBI training academy, Clarice, who is sent out on a mission by her boss to interview Hannibal Lecter, a skilled psychiatrist as well as a violent psychopath, in prison for murder and cannibalism. Her boss suspects Lecter has knowledge of an unsolved case and virtually uses the young, beautiful Clarice as bait to uncover important information. I’ve watched this movie many times and I have to say, it never gets old. It truly is timeless, much like other films on this list. I am not too deep into the horror genre so this may be child's-play for some, but it definitely disturbed me the first time I saw it.
“X”
A more modern horror movie, “X”, is set in 1979 and is about a group of young adults who set out to a remote farmhouse to make an adult film. The property owners are an elderly couple who are slightly aggressive but not out-of-the-ordinary, at least that's how it seems at first. As the night continues, their film takes a bloody, unexpected turn. This campy-esc horror film is gritty, dark and dirty. I love this one because it is really nostalgic for the classic slasher films but takes a more intimate and strange approach with it.
“Pearl”
“Pearl” is the backstory of the grandmother from “X”, a prequel released just months after. I would say “Pearl” is scarier than “X”, but that is up to interpretation. “Pearl”, a young girl trapped on an isolated farm, is left responsible for her ailing father under the watch of her strict mother. She has aspirations of becoming a star, dreaming about Hollywood and glamor. As her life becomes more and more suffocating, her repressed anger and frustration lead her to snap. I love “Pearl” because it is a true female-rage film that does not demonize the main character and instead humanizes her in a visceral, almost relatable way. This is a great watch if you have not seen it yet.
