One of my favorite things about Halloween is the plethora of scary movies to go with it. Here are the movies you must see to truly get into the Halloween spirit.
1. Nightmare on Elm Street
Wes Craven developed a cult classic with Freddy Krueger coming back in the dreams of five youths because of a dark secret their parents are holding.
2. Halloween
Michael Myers is committed after inexplicably murdering his sister on Halloween night 1963, and 15 years later he escapees from Smith's Grove Sanitarium to return home to kill again.
3. Friday the 13th
The first of the 12 franchise movies, Friday the 13th focuses on Jason Voorhees — a boy who drowned at Camp Crystal Lake due to negligence of camp staff. Cursed from such an occurrence, the lake becomes the scene of mass murders years later.
4. The Addams Family
How can you have Halloween without the lovely Wednesday Addams? When Uncle Fester returns home after a 25 year absence, the Addams Family becomes kookier than usual.
5. Addams Family Values
In the Addams Family sequel, teenage angst gives Wednesday Addams even better come back lines. While Wednesday and Pugsley spend the summer away at camp, the family's new nanny Debbie, known infamously as the Black Widow killer, marries and attempts to kill Uncle Fester.
6. Psycho
Alfred Hitchcock made mommy issues fearful through Norman Bates. Bates became the first slasher killer, knocking off guests of the Bates Motel. These women fell victim to "Mother" because of Norman's attraction toward them.
7. Vertigo
In this thriller, James Stewart plays John "Scottie" Ferguson, a former detective who was forced into retirement because of a fear of heights and vertigo. That proves to be an issue when Scottie is hired as a private investigator.
8. Rear Window
Another James Stewart thriller, L. B. "Jeff" Jefferies is confined to a wheelchair in his apartment, where he observes his neighbors through his rear window. If nothing else, this one will make you think your neighbors are normal.
9. The Exorcist
In the film that started the interest of possession and exorcism movies, Regan begins acting strangely after playing with an Ouija board and contacting an "imaginary" friend named Captain Howdy.
10. Amityville Horror
This 1979 movie is claimed to be based on the real-life experiences of a Long Island family. The previous homeowner, Ronald DeFeo, Jr., shot and killed six members of his family, and the Lutz family leaves the home after only 28 days of being terrorized by paranormal phenomena.
11. Poltergeist
This movie will make you afraid of children. Why are ghosts so attracted to them? We may never know.
12. The Awakening
This British horror film follows Florence Cathcart, an author who enjoys debunking supernatural phenomena. When a ghost child appears at a nearby boarding school, Florence learns something about herself that she had forgotten.
13. The Conjuring
Demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren are called in after a family experiences paranormal activity in their new Rhode Island home. Once the family dog is found dead in the backyard, it becomes apparent that a spirit wants the family dead.
14. Scream
"What's your favorite scary movie?" Partly based on the real-life events of the Gainesville Ripper, two high school students are killed after being asked that question on a phone call.
15. I Know What You Did Last Summer
In another 1990s slasher film, four high school students are terrorized a year after hitting and seemingly killing a pedestrian. Once a figure with a hook for a hand kills the group's main suspect for the notes, it becomes a fight for their life.
16. The Shining
"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." Being snowed in is enough to make anyone go crazy, but in the case of Jack Torrence stir crazy creates a recipe for murder.
17. Hocus Pocus
The Sanderson sisters return to Salem, Massachusetts 300 years after death when Max Dennison resurrects them. Max and his crush Allison work to save his sister Dani and defeat the sisters before the sunrise ends All Hallows Eve.
18. Beetlejuice
Also summoned from the dead, Betelgeuse offers to help recently dead couple Adam and Barbara scare off their home's new residents, but not without also serving himself.
19. Casper
Who didn't want to be friends with a friendly ghost after meeting Casper?
20. Young Frankenstein
Because who says Halloween movies have to be scary? This parody of the Frankenstein franchise is a fun movie for all ages.
