Yes I know that many guides like this are already in existence. They claim to tell you what the best halloween films, music and books are but, sadly, some of them give bad opinions. However, they can not be held accountable simply for stating their beliefs so the only answer seemed to be to create another Halloween guide. This does not deal with costumes or crafts for I have never gotten into that. I'm sure that I mught if I just give it try but that's a different story. I have listed here Halloween movies, soundtracks, and books that would get the true lover of Halloween into the festive spirit. So, hang those plastic black and orange skeleton lights, serve "blood" in a punch bowl, and glide across the dance floor to the wonderful and eerie melodies.
~Music~ These are full soundtracks to give you an idea of which one would be best for you--
Beetlejuice: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack BeetleJuice - Danny Elfman (Who doesn't recognize B. J.'s theme song?)
Music for a Darkened Theatre, Vol. 1: Film & Television MusicMusic for a Darkened Theatre Vol. 1 - Danny Elfman (A wonderful compliation of songs including the music he did for Scrooged. It's weird because you can't find any of his songs on the Scrooged cd).
Interview With The Vampire: Original Motion Picture SoundtrackInterview with the Vampire - Elliot Goldenthal (An elegantly done score that mixes sorrow (Libera Me) with humor at times (Santiago's Waltz & Guns and Roses cover of Sympathy for the Devil)
Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before ChristmasThe Nightmare Before Christmas (horror mixed with candy)
Buffy The Vampire Slayer: The Album (1999 Television Series)Buffy the Vampire Slayer (There are 3 soundtracks to the television show that I know of - one of them being the musical episode Once More With Feeling - but the first one is the best one. Featured bands include Garbage, Rasputina, and Nerf Herder - the band who did the theme song).
The Lost Boys: Original Motion Picture SoundtrackLost Boys (definitely from the 80s but still fun. Lost in the Shadows is a great vampire song).
Queen of the DamnedQueen of the Damned (A truly spectacular rock soundtrack even if the movie did massacre the book. There is also a cd with only the instrumental score from the movie but, alas, I have not had the pleasure of listening to that)
Hellsing: RaidHellsing cd(s) Raid and Ruins - Yasushi Ishii (Wonderful cds but if you're not a Hellsing fan, it might not be as great. The intro song (World without Logos) is always a favorite.
Rocky Horror Picture Show: 25 Years of Absolute PleasureRocky Horror Picture Show (What Halloween is complete without singing along with Dr. Frank-N-Furter? Not only a great stage show, movie, and soundtrack, a wonderful way to hang out with friends.
OTHER GREAT SOUNDTRACKS INCLUDE THE ADDAMS FAMILY (FILM VERSION), PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE, PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, AND SLEEPYHOLLOW. ANYTHING BY DANNY ELFMAN WILL SET THE MOOD.
Word of advice: Do NOT buy a soundtrack or cd without listening to it first. Yes it seems like common sense but I myself am at fault too. I recently picked up the Underworld Evolution soundtrack without hearing it before and I feel so annoyed.
These are just themes or separate songs that you might want but you don't want the whole soundtrack. You can often find these songs on the internet by themselves.
A Nightmare on Elm Street theme
Friday the 13th theme
Halloween theme
Exorcist theme
Tales from the Crypt Theme
Love Song for A Vampire - Annie Lennox (used in Bram Stokers Dracula)
Monster Mash (naturally)
Thriller
Beetlejuice theme
Addams Family theme
Munsters theme
They're Coming to Take Me Away Ha HA!
Purple People Eater (usually found on most novelty cds)
Ghostbusters theme
Love Potion #9
Spooky
Witchy Woman
Werewolves of London
Horror Movies:
STICK WITH THE FIRST MOVIE IN A HORROR SERIES IF YOU HAVEN'T VIEWED ANY OF THEM YET. SOME OF THE FRANCHISES TEND TO GET A BIT....WELL, CORNY AFTER AWHILE AND AS MUCH AS I ENJOY FREDDY'S WISECRACKS, HE COULD BE SO MUCH SCARIER.
A Nightmare on Elm StreetA Nightmare On Elm Street (Freddy is the man)
Friday the 13thFriday the 13th (I'm not a big Jason fan but it doesn't seem right to not include him here)
HalloweenHalloween (bit of trivia: due to its shoestring budget, the prop department had to use the cheapest mask that they could find in the costume store: a Captain Kirk (William Shatner) mask. They later spray-painted the face white, teased out the hair, and reshaped the eye holes.)
HellraiserHellraiser (gory but a great film. The 2nd and the 3rd are also good and then it goes downhill. Cheesy acting but a wonderful story).
The Nightmare Before Christmas (Special Edition)The Nightmare Before Christmas (my absolute favorite movie of all time. Might creep out younger children but nothing too scary. I made a small mistake in showing it to a kids at a summer camp - they said they were going to have nightmares. I found it funny but I hope I don't get in trouble. It builds character.)
BeetlejuiceBeetlejuice (The ghost with the most)
Sleepy HollowSleepy Hollow (different telling of Washington Irving's classic story. Definitely not for young ones unless you want to give them nightmares).
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (25th Anniversary Edition)Rocky Horror Picture Show (The movie of Halloween. Posters and costumes of Frank-N-Furter line the malls and stores every year because this is such a cult classic. If you haven't seen it, go get it and watch it. Well worth it.
See also: Shock Treatment; Phantom of the Paradise.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2-Disc Ultimate Edition)Texas Chainsaw Massacre (original - I am almost always promoting the originals rather than the remakes. A very good movie though slow movie in the beginning because of the natural absence of a certain psycho killer, this movie is so much better than the remake. Tobe Hooper had originally wanted the movie to be PG but the censors wouldn't let it pass without an R rating.- In order to get a PG rating, Hooper didn't show some things on screen, just "implied" them and also cut back language. Entertainment Weekly voted this the the 2nd scariest film ever made, making it a runner-up to The Exorcist (1973).
Edward Scissorhands (Widescreen Anniversary Edition)Edward Scissorhands (While it's not a scary movie or Halloween film, Tim Burton made this film eerie enough to have it on this list. Burton is my hero.
Resident Evil (Deluxe Edition)Resident Evil (For zombie fans or for video game fans...or both. Not true to the games very much, these movies are just so-so. The first is the best, providing excellent jumps, thrills and feelings of dread. The second....not so much.
Blade (New Line Platinum Series)Blade (My personal favorite in the vampire Blade series, probably because of Deacon Frost. Considered by many to be very gory, I never really noticed until they pointed this out. Still can't see it as much as they do though.)
The Lost Boys (Two-Disc Special Edition)The Lost Boys (Who would have known that Kiefer Sutherland could be such a good vampire? Made in the 80's but not a bad movie at all. Second installment will be direct to video when it arrives. Not sure about that yet....)
Harry Potter Years 1-4 (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone / Chamber of Secrets / Prisoner of Azkaban / Goblet of Fire) (Widescreen Edition)Harry Potter movies (Yes, not technically horror films but still have the element of Halloween. Witches aren't merely for this holiday but these movies have that feel to them especially when they are feasting in the great hall with all of the pretty floating Jack O' Lanterns.
Near DarkNear Dark (Possibly the best vampire movie out there. Mixes vampires and cowboys but with a great result. Lance Henrickson as Jesse and Bill Paxton as Severen are the best part of the film. A sequel was long rumored but nothing new yet).
The Omen (Widescreen Edition)The Omen (not the best horror film out there but cannot be missed when compiling a horror film list for Halloween. Just be cautious which one you choose. I recommend the first because even though Sam Neil is in the 3rd, the others after the first, fall short.)
Interview with the VampireInterview with the Vampire (Such a sad, exciting and very long movie. Pretty faithful to the book with a few things were deleted like Babette and Louis's insane brother. Still, if you can watch a slow and very long film, put this in and enjoy. Watch out for my personal favorite vampire of all time (movies, books, and other forms of media taken into account) the trickster Santiago.
Starring: Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Antonio Bandera, Kirsten Dunst, and Stephen Rea.
Queen of the Damned (Widescreen Edition)Queen of the Damned: As a vampire movie without any ties to Anne Rice or her Vampire Chronicles, it's a decent and even fun movie with pretty good acting though rocky at times by certain people. When you take into account that it's a movie based on the book of the same name by Anne Rice, then it's the most atrocious piece of garbage ever to grace the television/movie screen. Completely unfaithful to the big, except for the names and some occurences) it meshes the books Vampire Lestat and Queen of the Damned together while messing with it along the way. While I got very mad that they said the Marius was the one who created Lestat (Magnus really did) I did continue watching it out of sheer curiosity. Not a bad movie when you shut out all that was said above, just horrible when comparing it to the book. Vincent Perez is marvelous as Marius although he did not look the part and Armand played a small small role and was...blonde. A vampire love movie of sorts, actually. Still not a horrible film and Aaliyah is pretty good.
Taste the Blood of DraculaTaste the Blood of Dracula (Yes, I love my Hammer films and Christopher Lee. While I will always and forever adore Bela as Dracula, Lee comes in 2nd.)
Casper (Widescreen Special Edition)Casper (Yes, I love everyone's favorite friendly ghost but I adore the trio of uncles more. Great for all ages, this is such a fun film to watch with others or by yourself. I never got some of the jokes when I was younger but I recently saw it again and was surprised at how much I understood now).
Alfred Hitchcock - The Masterpiece Collection (Psycho / Vertigo / Rear Window / The Birds / Shadow of a Doubt / Family Plot / Frenzy / The Man Who Knew Too Much / Marnie / Rope / Saboteur / Topaz / Torn Curtain / The Trouble with Harry)Psycho (Another great Hitchcock movie and very unforgettable as well. Often said to be Hitchcocks best movie in existence. Upon viewing, it's no wonder why they would say this.
Frankenstein - The Legacy Collection (Frankenstein / Bride of / Son of / Ghost of / House of)Frankenstein (There are certain names in the horror genre that will never be forgotten. These of course include Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney, and Boris Karloff. Horror classic in which an obsessed scientist assembles a living being from parts of exhumed corpses.
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie BrownIt's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown! (Something for the younger viewers and for the older ones who grew up with the Peanuts gang.)
Alfred Hitchcock - The Masterpiece Collection (Psycho / Vertigo / Rear Window / The Birds / Shadow of a Doubt / Family Plot / Frenzy / The Man Who Knew Too Much / Marnie / Rope / Saboteur / Topaz / Torn Curtain / The Trouble with Harry)The Birds: (Yes, a Halloween list of movies cannot be complete with Mr. Hitchcock. While corny at times this classic nightmare of a movie still haunts younger and older viewers. Knowing me, I would go and try to hug the birds even though they're killing people).
Dracula - The Legacy Collection (Dracula / Dracula (1931 Spanish Version) / Dracula's Daughter / Son of Dracula / House of Dracula)Dracula (Bela Lugosi made Count Dracula the symbol he is today. The long cape, the deep mesmerizing stare, and the Hungarian accent are all parts of the classic character and usually what people think of when they think of Dracula.)
Dracula 2000Dracula 2000 (Definitely not the best movie but it has Gerard Butler in it and he plays a very sexy Count. While the acting and most of the story is stupid, a few things stand out. Especially Dracula's origin. Christopher Plummer as Van Helsing which I thought was pretty good. The odd thing is Vitamin C is also in it. She's not bad but nothing really stood out. To any and all Buffy the Vampire Slayer tv show fans: the man who plays the insane priest in season 7, Caleb (Nathan Fillion), he is in this film too as a ....priest. Not insane.
Young FrankensteinYoung Frankenstein (A wonderful and laugh out loud riot. Mel Brooks's best. Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, Madeline Kahn, and Terri Garr are amazing in this comedic masterpiece.
Hocus PocusHocus Pocus (Oh look, another glorious morning. Makes me SICK! A wonderful movie and often THE movie for Halloween movie bashes on college campuses). No soundtrack available but I found Bette Midler singing I Put A Spell on You taken from the actual movie with characters voices in it too ("cover your ears!") so it is possible to get it from the net.
Bram Stoker's DraculaBram Stokers Dracula (another longer vampire movie and also sad - I cried at the end.Gary Oldman is utterly amazing in this film but the whole scene with Lucy was a bit disturbing. I think they showed poor taste when filming that part and that it didn't have to be so blatantly obvious what they were doing. There were a couple other things in the movie like the kiss between Mina and Lucy that made me scratch my head because I don't remember that in the story. Perhaps I just forgot. Still one of the best vampire movies. (Notice how the Count is able to walk in daylight. He didn't burst inito flames in the movie or the book whenever the sun hit him. He just didn't like it very much.
John Carpenter's Vampires(John Carpenters) Vampires (Pretty good movie. James Woods is a wisecracking vampire slayer with his team of not as funny nor very important cohorts. Ian Thomas plays the master vampire Valek. Not the best vamp movie but certainly not the worst.
The Exorcist (The Version You've Never Seen)Exorcist (While the whole notion of demon possession terrifies me to death, this movie also sends chills through me due to the act, effects, and music. A classic horror film perfect for a Halloween sleep-over. Just not alone...
House on Haunted HillHouse on Haunted Hill (Even though the remake had the wonderful and very talented Geoffrey Rush, the original is and will always be the best. Vincent Price is the master of horror and even though some of the effects are cheesy (the strings holding the plastic "real" skeleton up are visible) the mood that the film casts is unforgettable, especially in a dark room at night. One scene actually made my sister, her friend, and myself jump out of out seats because it was done so well.)
Child's PlayChilds Play (Who can or wants to forget the Good Guy doll who stabbed people and laughed while doing so? While cheesy and hokey at times, Chucky is still one of those classic characters that can't and refuses to leave.)
Night of the Living Dead (Millennium Edition)Night of the Living Dead (While I'm not a fan of anything to do with zombies, I do watch the movies out of sheer boredom. A black and white movie that caused quite a ruckus due to some disturbing scenes. Go to imdb for some interesting trivia. A classic movie on the all time favorite list.)
OTHER MOVIES INCLUDE CANDYMAN, SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (THRILLER), AMERICAN PYSCHO, WAXWORKS, NOSFERATU, THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI, DAWN OF THE DEAD, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (MOVIE AND TELEVISION EPISODES), ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (LON CHANEY), LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT, PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (NEWER MUSICAL), PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE, THE LAST MAN ON EARTH, ANY MOVIE BASED ON AN EDGAR ALLAN POE STORY, ANY HITCHCOCK, ANY TIM BURTON, ANY STEPHEN KING, FREDDY VS JASON, ALIEN, SCROOGED (YES, IT'S A CHRISTMAS MOVIE BUT IT STILL HAS GHOSTS IN IT), WISHMASTER, THRILLER, ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN, JAWS, KING KONG, POLTERGEIST, THE OTHERS, THE TWILIGHT ZONE MOVIE, THE SHINING (ORIGINAL), THE WOLF MAN, INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, THE THING, EVIL DEAD. MANY MORE BUT IT'S GETTING LATE.
Books~
The Poe ReaderThe Poe Reader (collection of Edgar Allan Poe)
Interview with the Vampire: Anniversary edition (The vampire chronicles)Interview with the Vampire (the wonderful book by Anne Rice. Follows the lives of Louis, Lestat and Claudia with appearances by Armand, Santiago and Daniel Malloy - the reporter)
The Vampire Lestat (Vampire Chronicles, Book II)The Vampire Lestat (This time Lestat tells his story)
The Queen of the Damned (Vampire Chronicles)Queen of the Damned (Preferably read it first before viewing the movie of the same name. Those Who Must Be Kept (or at least one in particular causes some bad things to happen. So many vampires in this book that if you don't know the vampire families and their lineage, it can become confusing at times.
The Vampire BookThe Vampire Encyclopedia (Some vampire history but mostly chronicles vampires from movies and books. Nothing very groundbreaking but still not a bad book).
The Vampire CompanionAnne Rice Vampire Companion (Not a story book but more like a glossary of terms, names, places, and items all mentioned (perhaps even once) in all of the Vampire Chronicles. Very handy indeed).
The Hellbound HeartHellbound Heart (Clive Barker's story that influenced the movie Hellraiser. All those who can't get enough of the cenobites should read it.)
ANYTHING BY H.P. LOVECRAFT, EDGAR ALLAN POE, CLIVE BARKER, OR ANNE RICE SHOULD BE CHECKED OUT IF YOU WISH TO READ MORE HORROR/THRILLER STORIES.
|
Cart
