Giggle or Gasp: Our Ultimate Halloween Movie Picks, by Redhawk Radio writers

Regardless of what calendars say, Halloween is more than one day. It's longer than just Halloweekend, actually. To us, Halloween spans the entirety of October, and there are still two entire weeks of festivities left! If you're like us and want to tune into some movies in the spirit of Halloween, look no further! Halloween can look like a lot of things...gore, ghouls, or sometimes maybe just some giggles. Whether you live for the horror aspect of Halloween or just the tricks and hijinks, there's a movie for you here.

Freaks (1932) | Tod Browning

pick by Cassidy Gordon

Freaks is a 1932 drama/horror movie about circus performers. It’s not the horror that you would immediately think of, as in making the disabled circus performers the villains. It’s much deeper than that. It was way ahead of its time because of the overall moral of the story. Tod Browning also hired actual disabled people who worked in the circus, something we hardly see anymore. Everyone should watch it to become “one of us, one of us!”

Creepshow (1982) | George A. Romero

pick by Braeden Pelko

If you want a goofy horror movie with great special effects and memorable characters, then this one is for you. George A. Romero directs so you can expect plenty of gory goodness as the director of Night of the Living Dead (1968) and Dawn of the Dead (1978). The screenwriting debut for Stephen King is showcased with King as a supporting actor in an incredibly noteworthy performance. I mean, this anthology film has everything: cockroaches, an evil monkey-like creature, zombies, daddy issues; what’s not to love? If you want to laugh, get scared, or creeped out, this one’s for you.

Halloweentown (1998) | Duwayne Dunham

pick by Victoria Marx

Halloweentown is a perfect mix of nostalgia, whimsy, and mindlessness. I can’t say there’s much to offer here in terms of horror. This is more of a comfort watch than anything. Regardless, this movie has found its way into the depths of my psyche somehow. There are scenes in this film that I can remember more clearly than my own childhood. For instance, the skeleton taxi driver named Benny cracking jokes with Marnie in the backseat.

Coco (2017) | Lee Unkrich

pick by Karla Garcia

Did you know that some Halloween traditions began with handing out bread and praying for the faithfully departed? Around the world, many celebrate All Hallows' Eve/Day to remember their loved ones and pay respects to the spiritual. In keeping with tradition, I'm going to be family friendly and recommend Coco, though Coraline (2009) is also a fall favorite! Coco, however, sheds light on The Day of the Dead and has a frighteningly good soundtrack. If you love skeletons, autumn, and vibrant themes, add Coco to your October watch list!

The Shining (1980) | Stanley Kubrick

pick by Gwen Englehart

Iconic, surreal, and endlessly rewatchable. The Shining is a perennial October favorite.

The Labyrinth (1986) | Jim Henson

pick by Jocelyn Gale

The Labyrinth is dreamlike and cozy, the puppets are creepy and cutesy and so very fun! Its fantastical whimsy fits perfectly with a rain-dropped window, apple cinnamon candle, and a sleepy time tea. There’s nothing quite like the classic puppeted cast of The Labyrinth and the spooky coming of age quest a young woman embarks on. Not to mention, David Bowie as the star. I mean come on!

Hereditary (2018) | Ari Aster

pick by Emma Rudkin

Ari Aster cemented himself as one of the biggest up-and-coming names in horror with his feature-length directorial debut Hereditary. It has all the horror tropes you've seen played out a thousand times before — but it executes them to perfection. This is textbook horror, and while its genre is the only thing tying it to Halloween, that's good enough for me. It's one of my top four on Letterboxd so I'm physically incapable of recommending anything before I recommend this.