West weighs in on Halloween horror favorites
With the Halloween season coming to a close, the “spook”-tacular films that haunt our screens will once again go back into the grave until they’re resurrected next year. In a survey sent out to the student body of West, here were your favorite Halloween movies:
Honorable Mentions: Spongebob Squarepants- S11, E5 “The Legend of Boo-kini Bottom”, The Addams Family (1991), Spookley the Square Pumpkin, and The Conjuring (2013)
5. Terrifier franchise
Originally beginning with Terrifier in 2016, this horror gore-fest circles around Art the Clown, a demonic killer who slays the residents of Miles County, New York. Throughout the three films, victims are brutally murdered on-screen, each installment upping the ante for the use of practical effects to depict violence. With the newest release, Terrifier 3, Art the Clown’s antics seep into not only the good grace’s of the number 5 spot, but also the horror movie zeitgeist as a whole.
4. Hocus Pocus (1993, dir. Kenny Ortega):
Sisters! The now-classic Disney flick, Hocus Pocus, explores the resurrection of the Sanderson Sisters enacting their revenge upon the town of Salem, Massachusetts. The film centers around teenager Max Dennison, his sister Dani, as well as their friend Allison after they light the Black Flame candle, setting the plot into motion. Along the way, they are led by one of the previous victims of the Sanderson sisters, Thackery Binx, in order to send the trio back to where they came from.
3. Halloween (1978, dir. John Carpenter):
The movie that started it all; Michael Myers slashed down the stigma around horror thrillers, popularizing the genre to what fans have come to love and cherish. Oscar-winning actress Jamie Lee Curtis stars in the series as the protagonist fending off against the ruthless blood-seeking Myers, inspired by the facemask of William Shatner (Star Trek). Myers has the best of both worlds, insensitive murder and timeless effects. The renowned Halloween series has the best merit of classic horror movies.
2. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993, dir. Henry Selick):
What’s this? This stop motion extravaganza, The Nightmare Before Christmas, features Jack Skellington, a ghoulish skeleton who discovers the world of Christmas. Fascinated by this world, Jack decides to investigate what the world is all about. Skellington then decides that he wants to bring the spirit of Halloween to this world, so he kidnaps Santa Claus and takes his place. This film is one of the most cherished Halloween movies of all time, recognized for its interesting combination of whimsical and macabre moments.
1. Scream (1996, dir. Wes Craven):
The original Scream movie slashes its way into the number one spot among the student body, with the infamous killers under the Ghostface moniker attempting to murder young teen Sidney Prescott. Spawning a series of films that still continue to this day, the influence in which this horror classic holds on super-fans and casual enjoyers of the slasher genre as a whole is undeniable.
Least Favorite Halloween Films:Hocus Pocus 2, Winnie the Pooh: Blood & Honey, Freddy v. Jason, Leprechaun, and My Bloody Valentine
by Evan Parfitt
Published November 4th, 2024
Oshkosh West Index Volume 121 Issue II