Consider this a handy streaming guide to pad out your Halloween watchlists beyond the core staples, from recent Halloween hits to deeper cuts to forgotten classics. Whether you’re in the mood for serious scares or silly fun, these fifteen Halloween-set horror movies offer something for all tastes.

Here’s where you can stream them this weekend.

Cobweb – Fandango at Home, Moviesphere+

It doesn’t get more seasonal than the feature directorial debut of Samuel Bodin, creator of Netflix’s “Marianne.” Lizzy Caplan (“Castle Rock”) and Antony Starr (“The Boys”) star as parents who seemingly can’t be trusted when their young son Peter (Woody Norman) gets tormented by mysterious knocking on his bedroom walls. Bodin and screenwriter Chris Thomas Devlin’s R-rated horror fairy tale massively embraces its Halloween atmosphere. If you want full throttle scares, watch “Marianne.” For gateway thrills that go big on Halloween, get cozy with Cobweb.

Dark Harvest – Prime Video, Shudder, Tubi

Director David Slade (30 Days of Night) and screenwriter Michael Gilio (Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves) adapt Norman Partridge’s 2006 Bram Stoker Award-winning novel Dark Harvest, unleashing Halloween carnage that upstages the barebones story. Every Halloween, the legendary Sawtooth Jack rises from the cornfields, where he must fight through a gauntlet of murderous teen boys, all eager to snuff him out lest he make his way to the town’s church by midnight. It’s kill or be killed, with the town awarding a hefty prize to the boy who takes out Sawtooth Jack to ensure the town’s survival. Dark Harvest combines folk horror with the slasher, unleashing a surprisingly gory bloodbath set on Halloween.

Dark Night of the Scarecrow – Criterion Channel, Fandango at Home, Fawesome, Kanopy, Midnight Pulp, Tubi

Don’t let the simplicity of this made-for-TV movie fool you; Dark Night of the Scarecrow is compelling storytelling. Set in a small Southern town over the Halloween season, a mentally challenged man is wrongfully murdered for a crime he didn’t commit. When his murderers evade justice, a mysterious scarecrow systematically takes them out one by one. Halloween décor, scarecrows, farmland, and a fantastic performance by horror stalwart Larry Drake make for one perfect Halloween season movie.

Deadstream – Hoopla, Shudder

The feature directorial debut from husband-and-wife filmmaking couple Vanessa and Joseph Winter follows a disgraced internet personality who attempts to win back his followers by livestreaming one night alone in a haunted house. It’s perfect for Halloween; YouTuber Shawn (Joseph Winter) gets decked out in holiday gear as he introduces his latest stunt as a Halloween event. Let’s just say that karma comes for Shawn in the form of mischievous and malevolent spirits. The Winters’ channel Sam Raimi in their delightfully gonzo horror-comedy full of bodily fluids, gore, and ghostly creatures.

Ghostwatch – Shudder

The initial airing of this made-for-TV movie stirred up controversy for the BBC, as the special Halloween event had viewers convinced that what they’d witnessed was real. It plays like a live TV special with a camera crew on-site attempting to investigate the truth behind the most haunted house in the country, one that borrows heavily from the Enfield Poltergeist. Neither they nor the viewer were prepared for the scares that would ensue—even the subtle ones. Pay close attention to every frame; Pipes hides in plain sight. Subtle chills build to a cacophony of terror. Don’t skip this one, as it’s a streaming rarity.

HeBGB TV – Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Screambox, Tubi

Similar to the effortlessly charming WNUF Halloween Special, HeBGB TV takes an experimental approach to spooky season fun through the lens of retro television viewing. Here, a multidimensional cable box installs itself into a neighborhood and, slowly, the world. A pair of young siblings get whisked away on a journey through various channels of comedic horror mayhem, leading to no shortage of creativity as viewers encounter infomercials, sketches, news reports, music clips, and more for an infectiously nostalgic and charming DIY feature. The singing candy corn quartet is a scene-stealer.

I Am Not a Serial Killer – Kanopy, Shudder, Tubi

John Wayne Cleaver (Max Records) adheres to a strict therapy regimen and rules to ward off his sociopathic, homicidal impulses. His darker nature makes him deeply curious when a string of murders ensues in his small Midwestern town, leaving behind traces of black goo. This adaptation of Dan Wells’ novel offers a unique blend of supernatural mystery and a sweet yet strange coming-of-age tale. While it doesn’t embrace Halloween throughout its entirety, the holiday does factor into the film’s events in important ways. Christopher Lloyd also stars.

Idle Hands – Pluto TV

If you’re in the mood for something that doesn’t take itself seriously at all and goes full-throttle on the Halloween fun, this is it. Devon Sawa stars as Anton Tobias, a high school slacker whose hand becomes possessed and homicidal. That proves problematic when it comes to wooing the girl of his dreams, though his undead friends have his back. Idle Hands offers plenty of splatstick, irreverent charm set around Halloween. It includes one prominent third act set at the Halloween high school dance. It even includes several music-based cameos.

Lady in White – MGM+, Pluto TV, Prime Video, Tubi

Based on the legend of “The Lady in White,” in which a ghost searches for her daughter in Rochester, New York, the film begins on Halloween in 1962, where 9-year-old Frankie (Lukas Haas) gets locked in the schoolroom closet by bullies and witnesses the ghost of a young girl getting murdered. This event sets off a murder mystery full of spirits that are spooky and entertaining enough for kids, yet layered with complex social themes for grown-ups. Paralleling Frankie’s journey, it’s the type of film that will teach budding horror fans that perhaps ghosts aren’t so scary after all.

Late Night with the Devil – Kanopy, Shudder, Tubi

Talk show host Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian) goes all in on a Halloween special that includes psychics, skeptics, and parapsychologists in a desperate bid to stave off cancellation. Coordinating all of the bold personalities and moving parts of live television becomes all the more unpredictably stressful when a demonic entity disrupts the event. Writers/Directors Colin Cairnes and Cameron Cairnes hit the ground running with a rapid-fire documentary-style setup introducing essential exposition and personal stakes for Jack a year before the ill-fated event. The gradual build from pastiche into full-blown nightmare comes fast like a freight train, making for a unique and fun Halloween romp through ’70s TV.

Livid – Moviesphere+

Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo’s follow-up to the brutal horror film Inside doesn’t pop up on streaming very often. Lucie is an at-home nurse, and the last stop on her roster is a remote mansion inhabited by bedridden recluse Mrs. Jessel. Mrs. Jessel is rumored to have a treasure hidden on the property, so Lucie and her friends sneak in on Halloween night to steal it. Instead, they find a night full of unexpected terror, and Maury and Bustillo deliver a fun entry into fantasy horror. Look for fun homages to Halloween III: Season of the Witch. It’s gorgeous and creepy and offers a unique take on a tried-and-true horror staple.

Murder Party – Fandango at Home, Hoopla, Prime Video

Before Slayground, filmmaker Jeremy Saulnier celebrated the thrills of Halloween with Murder Party. The horror comedy follows Christopher (Chris Sharp), a nice guy with no plans for Halloween, until he finds a mysterious party invitation on the way home. With a DIY costume assembled and a host gift baked, Christopher treks over to the costume party in a nondescript warehouse. There, he finds that the partygoers plan to murder him in the name of art, though everything that could go wrong does, to hilarious results. Hyper-violence and a glorious bloodbath make for one of the most fun final acts, with a satisfying conclusion to Christopher’s venture out on Halloween night. Look for Macon Blair as a lovesick werewolf.

Night of the Demons – Fawesome, Midnight Pulp, Pluto TV, Screambox, Tubi

In this Halloween horror cult classic, Angela Franklin (Amelia Kinkade) and her best bud Suzanne (Linnea Quigley) decide to throw their Halloween party at Hull House, an abandoned mortuary with a dark past. A party séance reawakens a dormant evil, leaving the partygoers trapped inside Hull House while demonic spirits pick them off. Night of the Demons offers a cool animated title sequence, great demon effects and design, a memorable villainess, and a wide embrace of horror iconography- right down to a bookended trick-or-treating tale. It’s a holiday cult classic that embraces Halloween at every turn.

Sleepy Hollow – Paramount+, Pluto TV

Fallen leaves, gnarled trees, and a constant roll of fog leave the small town of Sleepy Hollow steeped in the autumn air. That’s where police constable Ichabod Crane (Johnny Depp) winds up on an assignment to investigate a series of beheadings. The culprit, of course, is the legendary Headless Horseman. Based on Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” Tim Burton’s Gothic tale is intertwined with Halloween and the Fall season. Look for new twists and updates to the iconic story, with a witchy take on the iconic headless foe.

Terrifier 2 – Hoopla, Kanopy, Peacock, Pluto TV, Screambox, Tubi

Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) might’ve moved on to terrorize Christmas with Terrifier 3 now in theaters, but the horror icon tends to be synonymous with Halloween. The Halloween slasher sequel Terrifier 2 introduced an epic new final girl in Sienna (Lauren LaVera), expanding the lore and set pieces in the process, with gore aplenty and grisly deaths to match. It’s a Halloween-set slasher of the goriest order.

The post 15 Halloween Horror Movies to Stream This Weekend appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Vinegar Syndrome’s Lady in White 4K release is available now and shipping now!

Watch the trailer below and grab your copy from Vinegar Syndrome today.

This limited edition 4-disc 4K UHD/Blu-ray x 3 set comes with a spot gloss hard slipcase + slipcover combo (designed by Dylan Haley), includes a 40-page perfect bound book and is limited to 8,000 units. It is only available on their website and at select indie retailers.

The full Special Features package includes…

• 4-disc Set: 1x 4K Ultra HD (High Bitrate BD100) / 3x Region A Blu-ray
• 4K UHD presented in Dolby Vision High-Dynamic-Range
• Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative
• Presented in three versions: 126-min Pre-Release Director’s Cut (UHD+BD), the 118-min Extended Home Video Cut (BD), and the 113-min Theatrical Cut (BD)
• New group commentary track with writer/director Frank LaLoggia, alongside actors Lukas Haas, Joelle Jacobi, and Len Cariou for the Pre-Release Director’s Cut
• New commentary track with Frank LaLoggia, moderated by Scott Neumyer for the Extended Home Video Cut
• New commentary track with authors Emma Westwood and Stephen A. Russell for the Extended Home Video Cut
• Archival commentary track with Frank LaLoggia for the Extended Home Video Cut
• “Learning How to Fly” (10 min) – an interview with actress Karen Powell
• “A Snapshot in Time” (9 min) – an interview with actress Lisa Taylor
• “Human Touches” (6 min) – an interview with actress Lucy Lee Flippin
• “Still Relevant” (16 min) – an interview with actress Rose Weaver
• “75% Listening, 25% Editing” (9 min) – an interview with editor Steve Mann
• “Welcome to Willowpoint Falls” (6 min) – a location featurette hosted by Benjamin Scrivens, founder of Fright-Rags
• “Dream Talking: Looking Back” – a visual group commentary for the Pre-Release Director’s Cut with Frank LaLoggia, and actors Lukas Haas, Joelle Jacobi, and Len Cariou (103 min)
• Deleted Scenes with introduction and optional commentary by writer/director Frank LaLoggia (36 min)
• Behind-the-scenes footage with introduction and optional commentary by writer/director Frank LaLoggia (16 min)
• Extended behind-the-scenes footage (73 min)
• Introduction from the 20th anniversary dvd release
• Promotional ‘industry sales’ trailer (7 min)
• 40-page perfect bound book with essays by film historians Molly Henery, Mark H. Harris, and Heidi Honeycutt (limited edition only)
• Multiple radio spots
• Theatrical trailer
• Multiple TV spots
• Workprint trailers (7 min)
• Still gallery
• Reversible sleeve artwork
• English SDH subtitles

1962. Nine-year-old Frankie Scarlatti enjoys a homespun childhood in a rustic Western New York town. The entire community gets into the spirit of Halloween, but then two bullies prank Frankie by locking him in his school cloakroom, leaving him trapped for the night. Alone and afraid, his slumber is interrupted when the ghost of a little girl appears, and Frankie witnesses the specter of her murder by an unseen assailant. Later, while recovering at home, the girl’s ghost appears to him again. With help from his older brother, Frankie begins investigating the circumstances of her death. He soon discovers that her murder was one of several unsolved crimes connected to a local child-killer. As the town’s bucolic veneer fades and long-buried secrets and tensions bubble to the surface, all of the clues to the mystery seem to point towards a huge mansion inhabited by a reclusive woman known as “The Lady in White.”

A nostalgia-driven ghost story wrapped within an intricate murder mystery and coming-of-age drama, writer-director-composer Frank LaLoggia’s passion project Lady in White remains one of the most beautiful and original American horror films of the 1980s. Featuring acclaimed actors Alex Rocco (The Godfather), Len Cariou (Executive Decision), and Sydney Lassick (Carrie, The Unseen), it boasts the first starring role by Lukas Haas (Mars Attacks, Inception) as well as breathtaking photography by Academy Award® winner Russell Carpenter (True Lies, The Lawnmower Man). Vinegar Syndrome is honored to bring this genre masterpiece to 4K UHD, newly restored from its original 35mm camera negative and presented in three versions: its pre-release director’s cut, its extended home-video version, and its original theatrical version, along with an abundance of both new and archival extras.

Paul Lê wrote here on Bloody Disgusting back in 2023, “Over the years, fans have described this film as gateway horror, but they liken it more to The Watcher in the Woods than, say, Hocus Pocus or Casper. There are chilling moments that warrant its PG-13 rating.”

The post Halloween Classic ‘Lady in White’ Now Available on 4K Ultra HD from Vinegar Syndrome appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Previously released on Blu-Ray from the Warner Archive Collection, Night School will receive a 4K UHD upgrade for the first time. Retailing for $42.99, the two-disc set will include a new 4K scan from the original camera negative, and features a special limited edition spot gloss slipcover designed by Ben Marra.

• 2-disc Set: 4K Ultra HD / Region A Blu-ray
• 4K UHD presented in Dolby Vision High-Dynamic-Range
• Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative
• New commentary track with associate producer Leon Williams, stuntman Jeffrey Leavitt, and film historian Bryan Thomas Norton
• New commentary track with director of photography Mark Irwin and film historian Bryan Thomas Norton
• “Head Hunter” (22 min) – an interview with actor Leonard Mann
• “Street Born” (28 min) – an interview with actor Joseph R. Sicari
• “Stunt Killer” (9 min) – an interview with stuntman Jeffrey Leavitt
• Trailer
• Reversible sleeve artwork

Meanwhile, also previously released on Blu-Ray from the Warner Archive Collection, Body Snatchers is also getting a 4K upgrade. Retailing for $46.99, this two-disc set will also sport a new 4K scan, and comes with a spot gloss hard slipcase + slipcover combo (designed by Adam Maida), as well as including a 40-page perfect bound book.

• 2-disc Set: 4K Ultra HD / Region A Blu-ray
• 4K UHD presented in Dolby Vision High-Dynamic-Range
• Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative
• New commentary track with author & critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
• “Who Are the Good Guys?” (13 min) – an interview with director Abel Ferrara
• “The First Cut is Mine” (17 min) – an interview with editor Anthony Redman
• “Adults in the Room” (13 min) – an interview with second unit director Phil Neilson
• “The Brass Ring” (25 min) – an interview with composer Joe Delia
• 40-page perfect bound book with essays by film historians Elena Lazic, Willow Catelyn MaClay, and Glenn Kenny (limited edition only)
• Theatrical trailer
• Still gallery
• Reversible sleeve artwork

Lastly, Lady in White, which Scream Factory first released on Blu-Ray back in 2016, will receive a whopping 4-disc set. Retailing for $46.99, the set features a new 4K scan from the original negative, and will come with a spot gloss hard slipcase + slipcover combo (designed by Dylan Haley), and includes a 40-page perfect bound book. In addition, Vinegar Syndrome is including three versions of the film, with the Director’s Cut on 4K UHD.

• 4-disc Set: 1x 4K Ultra HD (High Bitrate BD100) / 3x Region A Blu-ray
• 4K UHD presented in Dolby Vision High-Dynamic-Range
• Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative
• Presented in three versions: 126-min Pre-Release Director’s Cut (UHD+BD), the 118-min Extended Home Video Cut (BD), and the 113-min Theatrical Cut (BD)
• New group commentary track with writer/director Frank LaLoggia, alongside actors Lukas Haas, Joelle Jacobi, and Len Cariou for the Pre-Release Director’s Cut
• New commentary track with Frank LaLoggia, moderated by Scott Neumyer for the Extended Home Video Cut
• New commentary track with authors Emma Westwood and Stephen A. Russell for the Extended Home Video Cut
• Archival commentary track with Frank LaLoggia for the Extended Home Video Cut
• “Learning How to Fly” (10 min) – an interview with actress Karen Powell
• “A Snapshot in Time” (9 min) – an interview with actress Lisa Taylor
• “Human Touches” (6 min) – an interview with actress Lucy Lee Flippin
• “Still Relevant” (16 min) – an interview with actress Rose Weaver
• “75% Listening, 25% Editing” (9 min) – an interview with editor Steve Mann
• “Welcome to Willowpoint Falls” (6 min) – a location featurette hosted by Benjamin Scrivens, founder of Fright-Rags
• “Dream Talking: Looking Back” – a visual group commentary for the Pre-Release Director’s Cut with Frank LaLoggia, and actors Lukas Haas, Joelle Jacobi, and Len Cariou (103 min)
• Deleted Scenes with introduction and optional commentary by writer/director Frank LaLoggia (36 min)
• Behind-the-scenes footage with introduction and optional commentary by writer/director Frank LaLoggia (16 min)
• Extended behind-the-scenes footage (73 min)
• Introduction from the 20th anniversary dvd release
• Promotional ‘industry sales’ trailer (7 min)
• 40-page perfect bound book with essays by film historians Molly Henery, Mark H. Harris, and Heidi Honeycutt (limited edition only)
• Multiple radio spots
• Theatrical trailer
• Multiple TV spots
• Workprint trailers (7 min)
• Still gallery
• Reversible sleeve artwork

The post Vinegar Syndrome Announces New 4K Releases, Including ‘Night School’, ‘Body Snatchers’, and ‘Lady in White’ [Trailer] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The cooler weather, the turning leaves, and classic Fall imagery have all become synonymous with Halloween, and this week’s streaming picks aim to immerse you further in those vibes with atmospheric Halloween horror movies that fully embrace the holiday theme.

Because it’s Halloween, we’re doubling up on selections this week. Here’s where to stream these ten atmospheric Halloween horror movies.

For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.

Cobweb – Netflix

It doesn’t get more seasonal than the feature directorial debut of Samuel Bodin, creator of Netflix’s “Marianne.” Lizzy Caplan (“Castle Rock”) and Antony Starr (“The Boys”) star as parents who seemingly can’t be trusted when their young son Peter (Woody Norman) gets tormented by mysterious knocking on his bedroom walls. Bodin and screenwriter Chris Thomas Devlin’s R-rated horror fairy tale massively embraces its Halloween atmosphere. If you want full throttle scares, watch “Marianne.” For gateway thrills that go big on Halloween, get cozy with Cobweb.

Dark Night of the Scarecrow – Fandango at Home, Fawesome, Kanopy, Midnight Pulp, Night Flight+, Pluto TV, Roku Channel, Screambox 

Don’t let the simplicity of this made-for-TV movie fool you; Dark Night of the Scarecrow is compelling storytelling. Set in a small Southern town over the Halloween season, a mentally challenged man is wrongfully murdered for a crime he didn’t commit. When his murderers evade justice, a mysterious scarecrow systematically takes them out. Halloween décor, scarecrows, farmland, and a fantastic performance by horror stalwart Larry Drake make for one perfect Halloween season movie. It’s a Southern type of Fall-set horror movie, with distinct Halloween flair.

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers – AMC+, Shudder

After sitting out the previous entry, Halloween III: Season of the Witch, Michael Myers returns to Haddonfield once more on All Hallow’s Eve with murder on his mind. This time, the Boogeyman targets his telepathically linked niece, Jamie Lloyd (Danielle Harris). Not only does the fourth entry have a great final girl in Rachel (Ellie Cornell), but its Autumnal atmosphere grabs you from the opening credits and never lets go. What’s a Fall horror list without a Halloween entry, anyway?

Lady in White – MGM+, Prime Video, Roku Channel

Based on the legend of “The Lady in White,” in which a ghost searches for her daughter in Rochester, New York, the film begins on Halloween in 1962, where 9-year-old Frankie (Lukas Haas) gets locked in the schoolroom closet by bullies and witnesses the ghost of a young girl getting murdered. This event sets off a murder mystery full of spirits that are spooky and entertaining enough for kids yet layered with complex social themes for grown-ups. Paralleling Frankie’s journey, it’s the type of film that will teach budding horror fans that perhaps ghosts aren’t so scary after all.

Late Night with the Devil – AMC+, Hulu, Kanopy, Shudder

Talk show host Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian) goes all in on a Halloween special that includes psychics, skeptics, and parapsychologists in a desperate bid to stave off cancellation. Coordinating all of the bold personalities and moving parts of live television becomes all the more unpredictably stressful when a demonic entity disrupts the event. Writers/Directors Colin Cairnes and Cameron Cairnes hit the ground running with a rapid-fire documentary-style setup introducing essential exposition and personal stakes for Jack a year before the ill-fated event. The gradual build from pastiche into full-blown nightmare comes fast like a freight train, making for a unique and fun Halloween romp through ’70s TV.

Night of the Demons – AMC+, Fawesome, Midnight Pulp, Night Flight+, Pluto TV, Prime Video, Roku Channel, Screambox, Shout TV

In what is arguably the quintessential Halloween creature feature, Angela Franklin (Amelia Kinkade) and her best bud Suzanne (Linnea Quigley) decide to throw their Halloween party at Hull House, an abandoned mortuary with a dark past. Sure enough, an evil presence awakens after a séance, and their group is trapped inside Hull House while demonic spirits prey on them. Night of the Demons offers a spooky, fun title sequence, cool demon FX, a memorable villainess, and a wide embrace of horror iconography- right down to a bookended trick-or-treating tale. It’s a holiday cult classic that embraces Halloween at every turn.

Pumpkinhead – AMC+, Tubi

Pumpkinhead captures the essence of Halloween well, despite its sunny Southern setting. After a tragic accident, a man seeks revenge against the teens involved by invoking a curse in the form of a demon. But the toll of vengeance will cost him his soul and others their lives. It’s a fable set against a Southern Gothic backdrop, full of witches, ghosts, and pumpkin patches. The eponymous Pumpkinhead might be the showpiece, but the swamp witch manages to terrify more than the demon.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark – Peacock

On Halloween 1968, Stella (Zoe Margaret Colletti) and her two friends meet drifter Ramon (Michael Garza) while fleeing bullies. They invite Ramon to explore a local haunted house, where Stella discovers a mysterious book containing horror stories that seem to write themselves in real-time. Director André Øvredal brings the nightmarish illustrations by Stephen Gammell and stories by Alvin Schwartz to life. Harold the scarecrow, the Pale Lady, the Big Toe corpse (Javier Botet), and the Jangly Man (Troy James) terrorize Mill Valley’s teens in this recent Halloween treat. It’s the perfect October movie full of chills for the older kid or kid at heart, with Mill Valley a picture-perfect vision of Fall.

Something Wicked This Way Comes – Disney+

This quintessential gateway horror movie has finally made its way to streaming, and it brings the Halloween atmosphere in spades. Based on Ray Bradbury’s novel of the same name, director Jack Clayton’s horror/dark fantasy film Something Wicked This Way Comes didn’t shy away from getting pretty dark. Set in late October, two young boys visit a traveling carnival, led by the mysterious and ominous Mr. Dark. Faustian offers of wishes granted curdle the boys’ fantasies into waking nightmares. A haunting carousel, a blind witch, autumnal vibes, and more ensure there’s enough Halloween tricks and treats here for all.

Trick ‘r Treat – AMC+, HBO Max

It’s near impossible to exclude Trick’ r Treat from any Halloween horror watchlist when it comes to immersive theming; it’s the perfect genre interpretation of the holiday in every way. Writer/Director Michael Dougherty seamlessly interweaves five tales of terror, all set on Halloween night, each representing a different rule or facet of the holiday. And then there’s Sam, the physical embodiment of Samhain, who’s crossed over from celluloid into reality to become a proper Halloween mascot, merch and all.

The post Ten Atmospheric Halloween Horror Movies to Stream This Week appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

With a story partly based on a well-known urban legend from the director’s neck of the woods, it was understandable when people assumed LaLoggia’s sophomore film was also of the horror persuasion. Unlike Fear No Evil, though, Lady in White can’t be boxed into a single genre. LaLoggia has taken issue with the “horror” label only because it doesn’t quite apply to his second film; he’s more comfortable with “thriller” or “ghost story.” Over the years, fans have described this film as gateway horror, but they liken it more to The Watcher in the Woods than, say, Hocus Pocus or Casper. There are chilling moments in Lady in White that warrant its PG-13 rating.

One major appeal of Lady in White is its appearance. Anyone craving autumnal comforts and atmosphere will instantly be drawn in by this period film’s first signs of worldbuilding. While this is a semi-autobiographical story, LaLoggia chose to shoot in areas around his old stomping grounds of Rochester; places like Lyons, Phelps and South Bristol were all used to form the fictional hamlet of Willowpoint Falls. This approach provides the film a storybook feel as well as makes the eventual horror elements more effective.

To make that small town charm even more persuasive, the film is set in picturesque 1962. Lukas Haas’ character’s morning rush to school on Halloween gives the audience a quick but informative snapshot of everyday life in Willowpoint Falls, only now with an October twist. A pharmacist sweeps crispy fall leaves off the steps of an old-fashioned apothecary, a woman adds candy corn to an already well festooned display window, and a sassy server struggles to keep up at a bustling diner. As the viewers soon learn, it’s a cozy routine on the cusp of ruin.

Nine-year-old Frankie Scarlatti (Haas), whose typical wardrobe is adorned with a homemade Bela Lugosi Dracula mask and cape at the film’s start, is largely based on LaLoggia’s own childhood self. Even the short piece of creative writing Frankie reads aloud to his class is inspired by something the director wrote when he was younger. That insight into life back then is channeled with a degree of accuracy, but the cinematic sheen provided by Russell Carpenter makes everything come across as more expressive. The warm colors and soft lighting of the classroom scene alone are sure to stoke nostalgia even for those who didn’t experience this kind of life.

The idyllic quality of Willowpoint Falls gradually fades following the events of that Halloween. Upon being locked in the coatroom by his classmates after school, Frankie witnesses not only a young girl’s ghost but also the attempt of someone trying to cover up an old crime. Several, in fact. A serial child murderer, dubbed the Cliffside Killer, returns after years of inactivity and nearly makes Frankie his next victim. This horrifying encounter leads to the film’s first significant demonstration of its dated but potent cocktail of visual effects. As Frankie almost succumbs to his mysterious attacker, he experiences a string of memories of both a painful past and a possible future.

The black screen and blue screen techniques in the coatroom scene, respectively used for the apparition and Frankie’s surreal near-death experience, don’t look at all realistic, and from a modern standpoint, they definitely have an ‘80s timestamp on them. However, the intention of those and the film’s other effects isn’t necessarily realism. Death is an undeniable part of everyone’s life, but that doesn’t make it any less confusing. Especially to a kid like Frankie. And Lady in White’s own reading of death, one told through a child’s eyes, is a compelling meeting of actuality and fantasy.

Death is inevitable, but as Lady in White shows, it’s often unnatural. Society will then do bad things to make sense of something as senseless as the murder of children. Frankie’s Halloween ordeal causes a furor as the school janitor, a Black man named Harold (Henry Harris), is scapegoated as the Cliffside Killer. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time is all Harold is guilty of, though. The film’s initial romanticization of ‘60s America is shaken by the unavoidable truth of systemic racism inherent to that era. As easy as it would have been to exclude this subplot in the vein of To Kill a Mockingbird, cherry-picking the past can have consequences not just for filmmaking but society as a whole.

Although Lady in White is bookmarked as essential Halloween viewing, the story goes beyond October and enters the winter holidays. LaLoggia temporarily dials back the film’s warm complexion before bringing it back for the fiery finale. Doing so makes sense given how intense the emotions are in the first and last acts. In the meantime, the mystery of the Cliffside Killer’s true identity goes on as Harold’s legal case is dragged out, and the film’s namesake (played by Karen Powell and, to a slight extent, Katherine Helmond) comes into unquestionable view. Anyone expecting a tale about the titular phantom will be surprised to learn how little the otherworldly character is shown on screen. Her appearances are indeed limited, yet she has a profound effect on the characters and story. She proves to be a ghost not worthy of people’s fear, but rather of their pity.

There is a great deal of loss seen in the film. It’s overwhelming how much pain these many characters have endured in such a short amount of time (at least from the audience’s point of view). In the end, though, relief comes in huge and unmistakable waves. That sense of heartwarming catharsis also extends to the filmmaker, whose fierce efforts to make Lady in White — as he originally envisioned and without the same kind of studio meddling that affected his first film — paid off in the long run.

Horror contemplates in great detail how young people handle inordinate situations and all of life’s unexpected challenges. While the genre forces characters of every age to face their fears, it is especially interested in how youths might fare in life-or-death scenarios.

The column Young Blood is dedicated to horror stories for and about teenagers, as well as other young folks on the brink of terror.

The post ‘Lady in White’ – This Halloween Viewing Staple Is a Timeless and Cathartic Ghost Story appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

For starters, Scare Flair Records just released Mark Fox’s score to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Shocking Truth as an expanded edition with new artwork by Ghoulish Gary Pullin.

On the way from Scare Flair are vinyl records for…

• George A. Romero’s Knightriders
• Never Hike Alone
• The Furies
• The Grand Duel (Il Grande Duello)
• Lady in White
• Wyvern Hill / Hollow
• The Battery 

“All of these have never been on vinyl in the format that we are releasing them,” Scare Flair tells us. They add, “Mondo just had an exclusive of our Lady in White by Frank LaLoggia, and it sold out in under 2 minutes. And they’ll have an exclusive for Chainsaw as well. We are growing at a really cool rate and building a reputation for cool titles and quality.”

Head over to Scare Flair Records to learn more!

The post Scare Flair Records – New Vinyl Label Releasing ‘Lady in White’, ‘Knightriders’ and More Soundtracks! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

For that, there are a number of terrific movies that take place on and around the holiday that are not out of the question for the squeamish. Some fit comfortably into the horror genre and some are far from it, but all beautifully capture the essence of the season.

So, here are a few of our favorite family Halloween movies to get you and the scaredy cat in your life into the Halloween mood for spooky season…

Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

Right from the opening title cards this film bares its Halloween-loving heart. Starring Cary Grant, directed by Frank Capra from a script by the Epstein brothers of Casablanca fame, and based on a popular Broadway play, Arsenic and Old Lace is the gold standard for classic Hollywood Halloween films.

Drama critic Mortimer Brewster (Grant) stops by the home of his aunts on his wedding day and is unwittingly brought into their scheme—poisoning lonely old men with arsenic (and strychnine with “just a pinch of cyanide”)-laced wine, which they view as an act of compassion. They also run afoul of a pair of criminals on the lam. One a plastic surgeon played by Peter Lorre and the other, Mortimer’s brother Joseph, who due to multiple surgeries, now looks like Boris Karloff. The part was originally written for Karloff, but he was unavailable to appear in the film as he was performing the role on Broadway during production, leaving it in the capable hands of Raymond Massey. With its dark humor, just enough of the macabre to suit its calendar date, and a touch of romance, Arsenic and Old Lace is essential Halloween viewing and the Criterion disc available this month is a timely and welcome addition to any classic film collection.

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1948)

This Walt Disney film is two stories lasting about thirty-five minutes each. The first is perfectly enjoyable, but it is the second half, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, that is an unforgettable Halloween masterpiece. There is little that needs to be said about this film except that it is thirty-five minutes of cinematic perfection. The final section in which Ichabod Crane is pursued through the woods by the Headless Horseman is masterful and the flaming jack-o-lantern hurtling through the covered bridge nothing short of iconic. It is an absolute must-watch for the Halloween season, though even this might be a bit too scary for the youngest scaredy cats in your life.

Kenny & Company (1976)

This pre-Phantasm charmer from Don Coscarelli is one of my favorite recent discoveries. An episodic childhood adventure, Kenny & Company follows Kenny (Dan McCann), his best friend Doug (A. Michael Baldwin), their eccentric young neighbor Sherman (Jeff Roth), and those in their orbit in the southern California suburbs in the mid-1970s. Flag football games, bullies, soapbox racers, homemade costumes, garage-based haunted houses, childhood pranks, and more fill this excellent coming-of-age story. It all culminates with a Halloween night adventure that Kenny and his friends will never forget. A lot has changed in the more than forty-five years since Kenny & Company was released, but kids are kids and still face many of the same deeper challenges of growing up. This film is a fantastic exploration of the ups and downs of those awkward, trying, and magical years.

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

I never realized just how deeply embedded in the Halloween season this movie is until seeing it this past summer in a 40th anniversary IMAX screening. Decorations, candy (Reece’s Pieces, specifically), costumes, and eerie atmosphere (think of that sequence with Henry Thomas as Elliott searching for “the goblin” with his flashlight) permeate the film even before Halloween night and the iconic flying scene. Great Halloween moments include E.T. dressed as a ghost encountering a child costumed as Yoda, the diminutive alien attempting to heal the “wound” from a fake knife on the head of Elliot’s older brother Michael (Robert MacNaughton), and Dee Wallace as the kids’ mother attempting to extinguish a candle with her wand. Ironically, it is after Halloween has ended that the most frightening elements of the film occur as government agents invade the family’s home.

In some ways, the movie itself is about fear. Fear of “the other” before learning to understand and, in the process, creating a deep emotional connection. As the years go by, it becomes clearer to me that Halloween is absolutely essential to what makes E.T. such a remarkable film.

Lady in White (1988)

Another gauzy and sentimental look at childhood, Lady in White is something of a forgotten gem. It stars a very young Lucas Haas as Frankie Scarlatti who is locked inside his school’s cloakroom by a pair of bullies on Halloween. During the night, he has a vision of the ghostly apparition of a young girl who is strangled by an unseen force. Soon after, a man enters and catches Frankie, choking him to within inches of his life. We soon learn of a series of child killings and the Black janitor of the school is arrested for the crimes. It feels something akin to To Kill A Mockingbird by way of a Ray Bradbury childhood epic like Something Wicked This Way Comes or Dandelion Wine with a touch of The Turn of the Screw. There are some intense moments sprinkled throughout but, like E.T., generally tempered by its childlike perspective.

Though Lady in White continues on into other times of the year, it somehow maintains the Halloween feeling throughout as a constant reminder of Frankie’s first encounter with the ghostly presence of Melissa. The film slowly and deliberately unravels the mystery of the Lady in White along with a few others in the process, making for a very engaging experience.

The Halloween Tree (1993)

While trick-or-treating at a giant, dark manor, a group of children are offered a “trick” by Mr. Moundshroud, voiced by Leonard Nimoy, who whisks them away through time and space to the roots of Halloween. From ancient Egypt to the time of the druids, medieval Europe to a modern Dia De Los Muertos celebration in South America, the children are treated to the best history lesson ever as they race against time to save their ailing friend. With narration by the author of the original novel Ray Bradbury, The Halloween Tree remains one of the very best animated Halloween specials ever produced and well worth seeking out.

Hocus Pocus (1993)

This is probably the most obvious inclusion on any list of family Halloween movies, but it seems incomplete without it. Hocus Pocus is a celebration of Halloween through and through. Salem, the Sanderson Sisters, that crazy adult party, Binx, Billy Butcherson, and much more all instantly evoke the seasonal spirit. Perhaps my favorite moment is the Sanderson Sisters mistaking Garry Marshall dressed as a devil for their actual dark master and encountering his wife, played by Garry’s sister Penny Marshall. Stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy are clearly having the time of their life throughout and their joy is contagious. The enjoyment of this film is often attributed to childhood nostalgia, but I came to this movie well into adulthood and find it to be a delightful story of familial bonds, particularly between siblings, and just a lot of fun to watch.

Casper (1995)

Recently widowed psychologists to ghosts Dr. James Harvey (Bill Pullman) is hired by a greedy gold-digger to expel ghosts from a house she has inherited that supposedly holds a buried treasure. James has an ulterior motive in that he hopes that the ghosts he encounters will be able to reconnect him with his deceased wife. Dragging his daughter Kat (Christina Ricci) along with him, they encounter three antagonistic spirits and their friendly ghostly nephew Casper, whom Kat befriends. Meanwhile, she struggles her way through the obstacles of her young teenage life and volunteers her current residence for her new Junior High School’s Halloween dance, where the film eventually reaches its resolution. Filled with charm, humor, and heart, Casper is one of those terrific family Halloween movies that all ages can enjoy together.

Monster House (2006)

Most neighborhoods seem to have that one house that people just stay away from. But Monster House takes this to a new level. Outsider buddies DJ (Michael Musso) and Chowder (Sam Lerner) discover that the house across the street occupied by local “get off my lawn guy” Mr. Nebbercracker (voiced by the great Steve Buscemi) comes to life and attempts to lure neighborhood children inside itself to an unknown fate. They soon team up with one of the house’s would-be victims Jenny (Spencer Locke) to discover the secrets of the Monster House, making the neighborhood safe for the trick-or-treaters who will soon flood the streets. Featuring a voice cast that includes Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jon Heder, Kevin James, Nick Cannon, Jason Lee, Catherine O’Hara, Fred Willard, and Kathleen Turner, Monster House is perhaps the best example of the “motion capture” form of animation. It avoids some of the pitfalls of other films of this subgenre by keeping its character designs as far out of the uncanny valley as possible, imbuing the film with a great deal of energy and life.

Fun Size (2012)

Fun Size follows a group of teens in the suburbs of Cleveland on the day and night of Halloween. Primarily, it is the story of Wren DeSantis (Victoria Justice), her mother (Chelsea Handler), and her silent but mischievous little brother Albert (Jackson Nicoll). Though this is a Nickelodeon film, it has some surprising edge, especially in how it deals with the loss of Wren’s father and the ways the family members contend with that loss in their own unique ways. It also has its fair share of dirty jokes and teenage misadventure to earn its PG-13 rating. Parties, costumes, pranks, and everything that makes Halloween great is on full display from beginning to end in this film that is ultimately a “one crazy night” movie for teens. But even as an adult, I find Fun Size to be on the silly side for sure, but still a lot of fun to watch.

Coco (2017)

This celebration of the Mexican celebration of Dia De Los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) is one of Pixar’s finest. Young Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez), a talented young guitarist, seeks to connect with his past and discover why his family forbids the playing of music. He finds himself crossing the veil into the Land of the Dead where he encounters Hector (Gael Garcia Bernal) who takes him on a quest to meet his idol Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt), one of the greatest musicians of all time. In the process, Miguel learns of his family’s history and makes unexpected connections with generations past both living and dead. Coco is bright, complex, beautiful, and extremely moving. Though sometimes overlooked because it is not specifically about the Halloween celebration, it is a perfect addition to any seasonal watchlist of family Halloween movies.

Hubie Halloween (2020)

Adam Sandler gathered together all his regular collaborators for this return-to-form, over the top comedy set in Halloween-town, USA: Salem, Massachusetts. Sandler plays Hubie Dubois a Halloween crazy scaredy cat determined to protect his town from even the slightest dangers the townspeople may face on the big night. As it turns out, there are several very real dangers lurking this particular Halloween. Armed with his self-made “Swiss Army Thermos” Hubie keeps watch over the town full of colorful characters that come in and out of his life throughout the day and night. Sandler’s humor may not be for everyone but when Hubie Halloween hit Netflix in the spooky season of 2020 after months of seemingly endless lockdowns, it was a welcome diversion for many and remains a chuckle-inducing and sometimes even heartwarming way to set the seasonal mood.

Honorable Mentions

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944). This classic musical takes place over the course of a year and gives us the greatest Christmas song of all time (in my opinion at least) with Judy Garland singing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” But it also features one of the greatest Halloween scenes ever and is absolutely worth checking out.

“It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown” (1966). The only reason this is not in the main list is because it is not a feature film, but no television special puts me in the Halloween spirit quite like this one.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). Is it a Halloween movie? Or is it a Christmas movie? The answer is…yes. This beautiful blending of the two holidays is one of the great animated films, but because it is a blend, I’ll leave it up to you to decide whether it belongs in October or December, or if you’re like me, both.

Of course, there are many more options worth adding to this list, I just happen to be particularly fond of these. And for those of you who wonder why I didn’t include Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)—call me a scaredy cat if you’d like, but that movie is terrifying!

What are some of your favorite family Halloween movies?

The post Spooky Fun for the Family: 15 Great Halloween Movies for Scaredy Cats appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

This week’s streaming picks are dedicated to 1980s horror movies set on or around Halloween, excluding the Halloween franchise.

Here’s where you can stream these five 1980s Halloween titles this week, from kitchen sink cult gems to made-for-TV chillers!

Cemetery of Terror – AMC+, Shudder, Tubi

Rubén Galindo Jr.’s most prominent horror feature is the American-influenced Don’t Panic (available on Shudder), but the Halloween-centric Cemetery of Terror offers the most fun. A trio of college kids decides to impress their ladies by stealing a body from a morgue for a Halloween prank and party in an abandoned house. It happens to be the body of a serial killer, and reading an incantation from a book revives it. This supernatural slasher brings bloody mayhem in the vein of Lucio Fulci and features legendary character actor Hugo Stiglitz as the occult expert.

The Changeling – AMC+, Arrow, Plex, Shudder, Tubi, Vudu

George C. Scott stars in this seminal haunted classic as a music professor attempting to start fresh after his wife and child’s death. He relocates to Seattle and moves into a historic Victorian mansion with plans to work on his music, but he experiences strange phenomena immediately. The more the paranormal activity increases, the more he’s drawn into a decades-long mystery involving a child. The Changeling is a quiet chiller grounded by a fantastic lead performance and an intriguing murder mystery. Mostly, though, it’s full of dread and creepy moments – no other horror movie will make you afraid of bouncing balls quite like this one.

Dark Night of the Scarecrow – Roku, Screambox, Tubi, Vudu

Don’t let the simplicity of this made-for-TV movie fool you; Dark Night of the Scarecrow is compelling storytelling. Set in a small Southern town over the Halloween season, a mentally challenged man is wrongfully murdered for a crime he didn’t commit. When his murderers evade justice, a mysterious scarecrow systematically takes them out. Halloween décor, scarecrows, farmland, and a fantastic performance by horror stalwart Larry Drake make for one perfect Halloween season movie. It’s streaming on Bloody Disgusting’s SCREAMBOX now!

Lady in White – AMC+, Shudder, Tubi

Based on the legend of “The Lady in White,” in which a ghost searches for her daughter in Rochester, New York, the film begins on Halloween in 1962, where 9-year-old Frankie (Lukas Haas) gets locked in the schoolroom closet by bullies and witnesses the ghost of a young girl getting murdered. This event sets off a murder mystery full of spirits that are spooky and entertaining enough for kids yet layered with complex social themes for grown-ups. Paralleling Frankie’s journey, it’s the type of film that will teach budding horror fans that perhaps ghosts aren’t so scary after all.

Night of the Demons – AMC+, Freevee, Pluto TV, Shudder

Angela Franklin (Amelia Kinkade) and her best bud Suzanne (Linnea Quigley) decide to throw their Halloween party at Hull House, an abandoned mortuary with a dark past. Sure enough, an evil presence awakens after a séance, and their group is trapped inside Hull House while demonic spirits prey on them one by one. Night of the Demons offers a spooky, fun title sequence, cool demon FX, a memorable villainess, and a wide embrace of horror iconography- right down to a bookended trick-or-treating tale. It’s a holiday cult classic.

The post Five 1980s Halloween Horror Movies to Stream This Week appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

These five ’80s horror movies embrace the Halfway to Halloween spirit, deliver unexpected left turns into the bizarre, and blend genres. As always, here’s where you can watch them this week.

For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.

Siege – AMC+, Shudder

Siege‘s fictional story draws from the 1981 police strike in Halifax, Nova Scotia, resulting in a tense survive-the-night thriller similar in tone and style to Assault on Precinct 13. Also known as Self Defense, the story kicks off with an intense introduction to the villains, a fascist group that uses the strike to create their form of lawless order. When they attempt to scare patrons at a gay bar, the owner gets killed accidentally. The New Order members decide to cover their tracks by slaughtering all witnesses; only one escapes and finds refuge in a nearby apartment building. The New Order descends upon the building with murderous intent, but they didn’t expect the residents to fight back. It’s a lean, mean thriller with reprehensible villains and endearing protagonists.

Lady in White – HBO Max

April marks the halfway point to Halloween, so this pick is for the budding horror fan looking to get a head start on holiday celebrations. Based on the legend of “The Lady in White,” in which a ghost searches for her daughter in Rochester, New York, the film begins on Halloween in 1962, where 9-year-old Frankie (Lukas Haas) gets locked in the schoolroom closet by bullies and witnesses the ghost of a young girl getting murdered. This event sets off a murder mystery full of spirits that are spooky and entertaining enough for kids yet layered with complex social themes for grown-ups. Paralleling Frankie’s journey, it’s the type of film that will teach budding horror fans that perhaps ghosts aren’t so scary after all.

Cemetery of Terror – Tubi

Rubén Galindo Jr.’s most prominent horror feature is the American-influenced Don’t Panic (available on Shudder), but the Halloween-centric Cemetery of Terror offers the most fun. A trio of college kids decides to impress their ladies by stealing a body from a morgue for a Halloween prank and party in an abandoned house. It happens to be the body of a serial killer, and reading an incantation from a book revives it. This supernatural slasher brings bloody mayhem in the vein of Lucio Fulci and features legendary character actor Hugo Stiglitz as the occult expert.

The Caller – Tubi

On a cold winter’s night, a woman (Madolyn Smith Osborne) living alone in the woods receives an unexpected knock at the door from a man (Malcolm McDowell) asking to use her phone due to car troubles. She reluctantly lets him in, beginning a series of mind games between the pair that blurs the lines between predator and prey. Occasionally, a horror movie delivers something so unexpected that it must be seen to be believed. Nothing about the enigmatic and twisty cat and mouse game can prepare you for the wild ending. It’s the type of ending that takes up permanent residence in your skull, leaving you wondering how the narrative events led to that sharp detour in the first place.

Vamp – Arrow, Plex, Tubi

This highly entertaining horror-comedy features a vampire that doesn’t get near enough attention as she should; Grace Jones exudes raw power as vamp Katrina. Robert Rusler and Chris Makepeace star as two fraternity pledges that venture into the city to hire a stripper. All to impress their frat brothers. They find themselves in a shady part of town, unaware that the dive bar they’ve entered is full of vampires. Naturally, they find themselves in an all-night battle for survival. The neon haze-soaked urban setting makes for a refreshing change of pace. The bromance between the leads is as sweet as it is funny. Most of all, though, watch for Jones’ riveting performance.

The post Five More Underseen ‘80s Horror Movies to Stream This Week appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

If Scary Stories left your kids salivating for more horror, or you want to get a jump start on your Halloween watch lists with the burgeoning horror fan in your life, we made it easy.

These great gateway horror movies are currently available to stream!

Netflix

Gremlins

Sure, it might be a little early to break out the Christmas horror, but it is a classic for a reason. Directed by Joe Dante, the plot sees Billy Peltzer immediately break all the conditions that comes with his new pet, a Mogwai named Gizmo. As a result, their town is inundated with mischievous little green monsters with a penchant for destruction. There are moments of suspense and horror, but it’s balanced with heart, humor, and one cute little furball with a personality.

Goosebumps

Like Scary Stories, Goosebumps is based on a popular kids’ book series and forgoes an anthology format in favor of a new story centered around original teen protagonists. After setting free a horde of monsters from author R.L. Stine’s magic book, a teen teams up with the author’s daughter to right their mistake before it’s too late. This plays like Goosebumps greatest hits, featuring all sorts of monsters big and small. Even better? The sequel, Goosebumps 2, is also available to stream on Netflix.

Little Monsters

The ideal movie for those afraid of potential monsters lurking beneath their beds, this ‘80s comedy sees its protagonist discovering a whole world of monsters under his. Fred Savage’s Brian finds himself striking up a close friendship with one of them; Maurice (Howie Mandel). From pranking his school bullies to playing baseball with a team of monsters, Little Monsters favors fun above all else. But it does dip its toe into horror during the climax, with a more-intense-than-expected climax courtesy of creepy villains.

Eight Legged Freaks

This PG-13 horror-comedy is best for the older kid, as it does feature some sexual content and a ton of spider violence and character deaths. All within the bounds of its rating, of course. And then there are the spiders themselves, which might be a lot for the arachnophobe. However, the emphasis is on the comedy. This playful horror-comedy is an ode to the radioactive horror of the ‘50s as it sees venomous spiders grow to behemoth size after being exposed to a chemical. They wreak havoc on the town, which includes residents played by notable actors David Arquette and Scarlett Johansson.

The Sixth Sense

High on atmosphere, loaded up on jump scares, and heavy on tragic themes of life and death, this one is PG-13 for intense thematic material and violent images. Meaning this might be a little too intense for kids who scare easily. For those who don’t, though, they’ll gravitate toward Haley Joel Osment’s sad yet brave Cole, the poor kid struggling with his ability to see ghosts. M. Night Shyamalan’s breakout hit may have induced chills, but it also brought on a ton of feels as Cole navigated bullying, his strained relationship with a single working mother, and the harsh lessons of life. As sweet as it is scary, The Sixth Sense also makes for a great lesson on a beloved cinematic trope; the twist ending.

Tubi

Lady in White  

Based on a legend of “The Lady in White”, in which a ghost searches for her daughter in Rochester, New York, the film begins on Halloween in 1962, where 9-year old Frankie (Lukas Haas) gets locked in the schoolroom closet by bullies and witnesses the ghost of a young girl getting murdered. This event sets off a murder mystery full of ghosts that are spooky and entertaining enough for kids, yet layered with complex social themes for grown-ups. Paralleling Frankie’s journey, it’s the type of film that will teach budding horror fans that perhaps ghosts aren’t so scary after all.

Invaders from Mars

Written by Dan O’Bannon (Alien) and directed by Tobe Hooper, this is a sci-fi special effects bonanza. The plot tasks young David Gardner as the hero to save the world from alien invasion. His team up with the school nurse (horror vet Karen Black) and the military to save the world gives a bigger scope to kids’ horror than usual. In true Tobe Hooper style, he didn’t shy away from creating an eerie, ambiguous ending either. This is a great introduction to creatures, and particularly imaginative monster design.

The Toxic Crusaders Movie

If you’re a huge fan of Toxie and Troma’s output, this is the gentlest way to ease a budding fan into this particular brand of horror. This movie stitched together numerous eps of the 1991 cartoon to tell of Toxie’s battle against the evil Dr. Killemoff and his henchmen. He’s got to prevent radioactive waste from taking over the world. Bonus: If your kids love this cartoon, Tubi also has all episodes of Tales from the Cryptkeeper available to stream.

Amazon Prime Video

Teen Wolf

I can’t help it; I’m a sucker for werewolves. So, while Teen Wolf isn’t a horror at all, it is a fun way to ease someone into movies with werewolves. Plus, it stars Michael J. Fox as the teen dealing with more than just puberty- he finds himself coping with lycanthropy as well. Hijinks ensue! Aside from being in no way threatening, the introduction of Fox to a beginner means they can be upgraded to The Frighteners later.

The Monster Squad

A horror movie featuring a group of pre-teens taking on the classic Universal movie monsters is a must for any budding horror fan. Full of memorable quotes, the best set production, amazing make-up effects, and nods to the genre that the grown-ups will appreciate, The Monster Squad is one for the ages. Phoebe’s friendship will Frankenstein’s monster will leave both kids and adults in tears, and lines like “Wolfman’s got nards!” will forever stick in your memory.

The Gate

What happens when kids are left at home alone for the weekend while parents travel out of town? If you’re teenager Al, you throw a party. If you’re her twelve-year-old brother Glen (a young Stephen Dorff), you invite your best friend Terry over and accidentally unleash a group of pint-sized demons from a gaping hole in your backyard. Death metal and a Dark Book that demands human sacrifice unleashes a lot of demonic trouble for Glen and Terry. Intense sequences and some light gore, including a character getting stabbed in the eye and hand, makes for a worthy horror introduction. Yet Glen’s bond with his sister, Al, keeps things from getting too scary and offers a nice counterbalance to the underlying satanic themes.

The post The Best Gateway Horror Movies Currently Available for Streaming appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

CREEPY wraps up his 31 Days of Horror and we’ve picked 5 of his best episodes to check out.

Please note that listener discretion is advised.

Day 14 – The Tall Man | Day 17 – Why Babies Are Born Screaming | Day 22 – Room Zero 

Day 24 – Parchment | Day 26 – The Smiling Man

The Horror Show takes a look at Boo! A Madea Halloween to find out if it’s scary good or frightfully bad.

Forever Midnight does a Linnea Quigley Double Feature on two great halloween Movies. Night of the Demons and The Barn.

Women in Caskets sit down and talk to director Jon Schnitzer and legendary Haunt actor Shar Mayer to discuss their movie Haunters: The Art of the Scare.

Test Pattern look at two ghost movies that terrified them as children, The Changeling and Lady in White.

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When it comes to horror fans and Halloween, two things are a given. One, we will most certainly increase our horror movie viewing habits in the month of October. Two, in that timeframe we will watch at least one of the following, Trick r’ Treat or John Carpenter’s original Halloween (or one of the myriad of sequels). Outside of those two stone cold classics, the subgenre of fright films celebrating All Hallow’s Eve is surprisingly light. Given my passion for dusting off obscure titles from the past that may have gone unseen or forgotten, I decided this a great opportunity to highlight some Halloween titles you might have missed.

Trick or Treat (1986)

No, this carries no relation to the previously mentioned anthology classic from writer/director Michael Dougherty. Trick or Treat is a rock n’ roll slasher that attempts to launch a new Freddy Krueger -esque franchise villain in the form of Sammi Curr. Curr is the wisecracking lead singer of a metal band who dies and is resurrected by what else? A record being played backwards, of course. With cameos by rock legends Ozzy Osbourne and Gene Simmon, Trick or Treat is well worth a blu ray re-release here in the states.

Satan’s Little Helper (2004)

Genre vet, Jeff Lieberman (Squirm, Just Before Dawn), directs this subversive Halloween tale. The story revolves around a kid named Dougie, apparently not the brightest bulb, who mistakes a sadistic serial killer in a Satan mask as the real life personification of his favorite video game character. He basically tags along as ya know…Satan’s Little Helper, aiding and abetting this madman as he slices and dices his way through their small town on Halloween night. Dougie thinks it’s all a game until it’s much too late. This is a fun one off from a director who hasn’t been that active in the genre since the 80s. Not enough people have seen this gem, and they need to get on it.

Hellbent (2004)

When it comes to gay-centric horror films we haven’t got a lot to be proud of. Most titles that fall under the sub-genre are just piss poor excuses to have some muscle bound dude take his shirt off while his eyes glow or something. Seriously, DeCoteau, you can do better. That said, it’s not like a homosexual horror film has to carry with it the weight of an entire civil rights movement on its back. It does, however, need to be entertaining. In 2004, a film entitled Hellbent started making its way across the festival circuit. It was a slasher film about a hulking beast of a man in a devil costume slicing up a group of friends out celebrating on Halloween night. Sounds pretty generic, right? Exactly! That’s why it works. Yes, the characters are mostly gay men in West Hollywood, but the focus of the film isn’t their sexuality (like most LGBTQ cinema in general). At the end of the day, this is a well made, fairly suspenseful slice n’ dice.

Lady in White (1988)

Lady in White exudes the exact type of Amblin riffing, nostalgia fueled entertainment that has driven It and Stranger Things to the top of  pop culture notoriety. Nostalgia before nostalgia was cool, I suppose. Lady in White is almost overwhelmingly genuine, crossing the line into schmaltz at times. That’s part of the charm, though, and you’ll quickly find yourself remembering that feeling of being a kid when everything supernatural seemed natural and ghosts were always chilling outside your window…or under your bed.

Cemetery of Terror (1985)

An insano Mexican horror film from the director of the equally bonkers Don’t Panic, Cemetery of Terror is a boatload of fun. You’ve got a creepy old graveyard, a crap ton of zombies, the corpse of a recently deceased serial killer, and a group of randy kids looking to have fun with the occult on Halloween night. What could go wrong? A lot, naturally. For those who love their seasonal spooks with a full plate of cheese, Cemetery of Terror is a true undiscovered gem.

That’s just a sampling of Halloween horror b-sides. There’s several more, the quality of which I can’t speak on, that I’m hoping to dig into by October 31st. Any lesser known Halloween flicks you wish more people knew about?

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“Test Pattern” is made in the spirit of the old hosted monster movie shows of our youth – a little bit spooky, a little bit silly, but always informative! Jacob and Tab have a new topic each week, with a focus on old school macabre films, favorite creature features, and B-movies.

You can interact with Tab and Jacob on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Test Pattern can also be heard on 103.5 FM in Wisconsin

The Bloody Disgusting Podcast Network consists of The Horror Show, Women in Caskets, Forever Midnight, Test Pattern, and Virtual Pros. All of these shows can be found on our iTunes Provider Page as well as the Bloody Disgusting App on all iOS and Android devices.

The post [Podcasts] Test Pattern – Episode 49: Childhood Ghosts – The Changeling & Lady in White appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.