Halloween movie reviews – Part 1

Every year at Halloween we all gather around the campfire, or the warm glow of our televisions in hope to have the life scared out of us. There are several excellent movies to wet the appetite of any horror movie buff, but I tend to gravitate toward the good ole classics, rather than the high tech, and over budgeted movies of this genre.

1. The Changeling: A magnificent masterpiece example of a true classic ghost story, with a tasty twist that will have you all covered in goosebumps in no time. George C Scott does an excellent job in his role as John Russell, along side of Trish Van Dere. The story is about a haunted mansion that is inhabited by a very vengeful specter who begins to drive John to the brink of madness, but later you find there is much more than meets the eye. There have not been many movies that actually gave me a fright, but The Changeling actually delivered so well it gave me a few good nightmares.

2. The Entity: This is movie is based on a true story about a woman who is attacked repeatedly by a malevolent spirit. Barbara Hershey is the perfect woman to play the victim, and even though I have seen the movie over a dozen times, her blood curdling screams still give me the creeps. This movie is not for the light hearted, and it makes the movie Poltergeist look like a comedy in comparison.

3. Halloween: Micheal Myers, hacking, slashing, and Jamie Lee Curtis; do I need to say much more. The story about an escaped psychotic killer who goes back to where he murdered his family, while his doctor tries desperately to re-capture his escaped patient. John Carpenter is a master at what he does, and the chilling music of Michael Myers is just one of his trade marks of his Macabre tale that will have you from start to finish at the edge of your seat.

4. The Serpent and the Rainbow: I chose this movie because of the dark undertones related to the underworld of Voodoo and other black magic. Wes Craven spins a tale about an anthropologist who goes to Haiti after hearing rumors about a mystical drug used by a local Witch Doctor who can turn people into real-life zombies. The characters and cast of the movie really bring this movie to life, and I am sure you will get the same chill after when you hear: “Don’t bury me, I’m not dead!”

There are a couple more mentions like Nightmare on Elmstreet, Candyman, Emily Rose, and even The Exorcist, that deserve a rent if you are planning a spook-fest. I think movies these days have become too much about the special effects, and less emphasis has been put into the ambiance or story line. Fear is one of the most powerful emotions a human can experience, it increases blood-flow, can spike adrenalin levels, and even cause an elevation in sexual arousal in some. I hope all of you have an awesome and safe Halloween, and by the way: Boo!