Halloween: it is the time of year in fall when the leaves have turned colors, the apple cider is flowing and there is a cold chill in the air. Some may spend the night partying in an interesting — to say the least — variety of costumes. If you ask me, there is nothing better than heating up that apple cider, curling up in a warm blanket and watching the countless Halloween movies on T.V. In my opinion, there are five movies that stand out as the classic spooky films to watch this time of year.
“It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” (1966)
There is nothing quite like a Charlie Brown movie on any holiday. The Halloween Peanuts special is full of love, laughter and trick-or-treating spirit for all ages. Linus, ignoring the teasing of his friends, is convinced the Great Pumpkin will appear in the pumpkin patch on Oct. 31. His friends, on the other hand, are wrapped up in various Halloween activities while he sits in the cold awaiting the arrival of the mysterious Great Pumpkin. Will the big vegetable ever arrive? Or will Linus be disappointed that his letters went unanswered? Watch this famous cartoon to find out.
“The Little Vampire” (2000)
A nerdy little boy is bullied at his new school when his family moves to a new country. All seems hopeless until he befriends another boy his age. The twist? His new playmate is a vampire! In this cult classic, the young boy, Tony, must help his new vegetarian blood-sucking friend Rudolph and his family retrieve an amulet that will make them human again. Perhaps one of the cutest Halloween movies ever made, “The Little Vampire” is sure to warm your heart this year.
“Night of the Living Dead” (1968)
Are you into zombies, horror and black and white films? Then “Night of the Living Dead” is definitely the Halloween film for you! Barbara and her brother Johnny have traveled from Pittsburgh to the seemingly calm countryside to visit the grave site of their father when out of nowhere a zombie attacks! Johnny is killed, and Barbara flees to an isolated farmhouse where she and other survivors band together to fight off a plague of the original walking dead. This old horror film is sure to give chills this Halloween.
“Halloweentown” (All four of them, of course)
We loved the first “Halloweentown” so much that Disney had no choice but to make three more! “Halloweentown” is the ultimate story of a young girl who discovers she’s a witch just in time to save the world from dark forces. This movie is jam-packed with talking skeletons, spooky villains, crazy grandmothers and so much more.
“Hocus Pocus” (1993)
A young boy in love accidentally reincarnates three 300-year-old, child-eating witches in Salem, Mass. With the help of a black cat and a surprisingly friendly zombie, Max Dennison must protect his sister Dani from being killed by three ugly, unfashionable and hilariously evil women. This family-friendly Disney film is full of ridiculous acting, funny characters and a guaranteed night of fun.
