Holloween Films

[Mingus]

This is probably ask every year around this time. I having a group kids at my house for Holloween night and like to play some films during the night. Any reccomendations.

[alumpkin]

This is probably ask every year around this time. I having a group kids at my house for Holloween night and like to play some films during the night. Any reccomendations.

How old are the kids?

[markw]

"Something Wicked This Way Comes", from a Ray Bradbury story. It's the story of couple of kids and a rather bizarre traveling carnival that visits periodicaly. No great SFX, just a well done, riveting story told in the traditional sense. Jason Robards and Johnathan Pryce have lead roles, but the story is about the kids.

IMHSHO, this is a halloween equivalent of "A Christmas Story"

[Worf101]

Little Kids, show em the following:

1. Nightmare before Christmas

2. Teen Wolf

3. Casper and/or the sequel

4. Harry Potter et. al.

Older kids show em these.

1. Nosferatu - The silent version or the 80's version with Klaus Kinski.

2. Coppola's Dracula.

3. Lost Boys.

4. Hammer Films et. al.

5. Salems Lot - 1980's version.

Hope this helps...

Da Worfster

[Lexmark3200]

Man, this is gonna be an EXPENSIVE Halloween DVD season for me; I always have something at my place too, for older people obviously, and I need to still buy the following: The Friday the 13th Box Set (due in October), Van Helsing (due in October), Dawn of the Dead remake (due in October) and the actual Halloween films, from part 4 on....man, I just dont know where this money is gonna come from!

[_jackal_]

For adults, I would also recommend "28 Days Later". I thought this movie was very good... and without giving too much away, there is a great scene where some soldiers are defending a base and the sounds are very true to life.

[alumpkin]

Little Kids, show em the following:

1. Nightmare before Christmas

2. Teen Wolf

3. Casper and/or the sequel

4. Harry Potter et. al.

Older kids show em these.

1. Nosferatu - The silent version or the 80's version with Klaus Kinski.

2. Coppola's Dracula.

3. Lost Boys.

4. Hammer Films et. al.

5. Salems Lot - 1980's version.

Hope this helps...

Da Worfster

I totally agree Worf. The first three are excellent choices! If the kids are older maybe something alittle scarier like the old Night of the Living Dead.

[Dusty Chalk]

Nightmare Before Christmas and Lost Boys are classics. As is Something Wicked This Way Comes.

Good choices!

For the adult crowd: From Dusk Til Dawn (I never get tired of this film); Donnie Darko; ...?

[Kam]

um... say... Halloween!!

[Lexmark3200]

The ORIGINAL JOHN CARPENTER'S HALLOWEEN is the first and most important film I watch on All Hallow's Eve.....I have the 1999 reissued Anchor Bay DVD, which was THX certified, and includes a Dolby 5.1 track as well as pan and scan and widescreen versions of the film. Anchor Bay did a great job restoring this landmark film; it looks almost like it could have been made a year ago! Colors are spot on, and from what I have read, this 1999 DVD looks better and more accurate than last year's "20th Anniversary" re-issue Anchor Bay did of Halloween. According to the home theater community, Carpenter's vision of how the colors should look are accurate on the DVD I have rather than this new one; there are moments in shadows where Michael is stalking Laurie and blues actually look like blues and not whites, as they do in last year's DVD version.

Speaking of Carpenter and this Halloween season, does anyone know if the Special Edition of his "Christine" (released today) is going to include remastered audio and video from the original bare bones edition, which was horrible? I love Carpenter's work, and Christine I think was a good Stephen King adaptation, but Columbia's original release of this DVD was horrible, with a very grainy full and widescreen presentation and absolutely horrendous two-channel "Dolby Surround" audio. Watching this with a friend a couple of weeks back, I needed to crank my surround system to unbelievably high levels just in order to hear dialogue clearly. Awful.

I was wondering if Columbia was planning on giving Christine new audio and video for this Special Edition, as rumors say they arent; I cant get a straight answer on any of the home theater sites I visit. I believe its still getting the same carryover 2.0 stereo surround track, but MAY get a digitally enhanced video transfer. Columbia did this with "Boyz N The Hood" a few years back, releasing an Anniversary Edition in gold packaging with all kinds of extras, but keeping the same bad audio and video from the bare bones original release. Needless to say, I didnt re-buy.

[Mingus]

I am sorry I didn't respond earlier. The age group is between 6 and 13. Also some parents and friends may be hanging around. Besides movies for kids are there any reccommendations for adult Halloween movies.

[alumpkin]

I am sorry I didn't respond earlier. The age group is between 6 and 13. Also some parents and friends may be hanging around. Besides movies for kids are there any reccommendations for adult Halloween movies.

Thought of another one for the kids... what about Monsters, Inc.?

For the parents... I am assuming you have not seen any of these (I am sure you have some, if not most):

The Exorcist
Halloween Series (especially the 1st one)
Poltergeist
Physco
Rosemary's Baby
Carrie
House on Haunted Hill (original)
The Shining
Event Horizon

Some are better than others... just some to look into and maybe one will fit your fancy.

[topspeed]

One of the scariest movies I've ever seen is an oldie with George C. Scott called The Changling. This is a good 'ol ghost story without the slash n' gash gore and should scare the bejeezus out of everyone in the room, regardless of age. I used this movie in college to creep out my roommates and boy, did it work .
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0080516/

I can't believe you guys haven't mentioned The Exorcist! I practically needed therapy after that one.

Fun Halloween films would be Disney's Legend of Sleepy Hollow or Army of Darkness (Bruce Cambell as Ash is a riot).

[RGA]

Arachnophobia might not be too bad for younger kids while not being boring for the 13 yer olds.

It is a bit scary for the younger ones I should think.

Young Frankenstein - has some inuendo - but has some slapstick humour. Black and White though.

Garfield's Halloween - any of these cartoon like variants