Al Magliochetti’s Halloween Watch List

But, if I may interject a totally different perspective, what about tossing a few Classic films into the mix. And not the usual Frankenstein, Dracula fare you find on most historical lists; I’m talkin’ about the kind of films that fall through the cracks – the ones that don’t usually make a Halloween viewing list – the ones that were around before there was even a film rating board so theatergoers had no freakin’ Clue what they were in for when they sat down with the popcorn and jujubees . . .

Consider the following, if you will:

1 – The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh (1963)

Oh, I can hear the protests already. “A DISNEY FILM? And at the TOP of the List??!!” Yeah, well, lemme tell ya Gremlins, for a kiddie film this had some scaryass stuff in it. It’s basically a Robin Hood-type of adventure story with a band of smugglers being led by a Scarecrow, who gallops down the beach with black cloak whipping in the moonlight and cackling like the craziest witches of Hell. It’s now finally out on video (if you can find it, since the idiots at Disney released it as a Limited Edition in spite of the fact that it was one of their most requested titles EVER,) but do not mix this up with the previously released “Dr Syn, Alias the Scarecrow.” That title is hacked down by quite a bit as the original Scarecrow of Romney Marsh aired as three consecutive episodes of Disney’s Wonderful World of Color back in the mid 1960s. Patrick McGoohan as the Scarecrow is amazing.

If a creepy Disney movie is too much for you to wrap your head around I suggest the Hammer version of the same story released as “Night Creatures” in the US and “Captain Clegg” in England. Disney had bigger lawyers so Hammer couldn’t use the Scarecrow character but Hammer’s version tells the story better and is more faithful to the original novel “Dr. Syn.” Oh hell – watch em both . .

2 – Don’t Look Now (1973)

This is one of those films that’s just very unsettling and wrong. Beautifully directed by Nicholas Roeg, this film is just downright creepy in every frame. You get spooky psychics, a drowned child and weird premonitions all set against the moldy claustrophobia of Venice, Italy. I’m leaving out the good stuff so you’ll be just as freaked out as I was . .

3 – Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Ok, I lied – this one is on everybody’s Halloween list but come on, it spawned a Dynasty! You’ve all seen it so I don’t have to go into detail . . but just imagine wandering into a theater back in the late 60’s as a kid and having no idea what was coming when this picture started. I experienced that . . and it was freakin’ awesome . .

4 – The Black Cat (1934)

Don’t even speak to me if you haven’t seen this. Boris Karloff is the leader of a Satanic Cult (this is in the mid 30’s!) with enough torture, murder and revenge thrown in to make things really interesting. Beautiful art direction and amazingly shot. Wow . .

5 – Curse of the Werewolf (1961)

One of Hammer’s better entries – and one of the best Wolfman makeups ever. Lotsa blood, pretty scary imagery and a fresh take on the werewolf legend. Highly recommended.

6 – House on Haunted Hill (1959)

Note the year – and kindly don’t mix it up with the crappyass remake. Arguably one of William Castle’s best films. You’ve gotta love a movie where your host, Vincent Price, passes out coffin-shaped party favors which hold loaded .45 automatics. A little dated, a little cheesy but I still bet you’ll get a scare or two out of this one.

In fact, double-bill this with The Tingler (1959), another genius William Castle movie. Vincent Price (yes, again) experiments with the causes of Fear – you’re not a true horror fan if you pass this one by. My personal favorite of all the William Castle movies, bar none . .

7 – War of the Worlds (1953)

Yeah, ok, it’s a sci-fi film rather than horror – but don’t forget when this story was presented on radio on Halloween of 1938 it caused a nationwide panic, so I’d say that made it somewhat appropriate. Martians invade the earth and incinerate anything in their path with an amazingly cool heat-ray. Top notch special effects for the early ‘50s.

8 – Curse of the Demon (1957)

Oh man, I love this movie. Black magic in present day England and it’s kicking serious ass. The alternate (British) version is titled Night of the Demon and is actually a bit better than the US release, but it’s a lot harder to find (the alternate version included on the US DVD of Curse of the Demon is not even close to the actual cut – in the proper version certain scenes are both longer and, in some cases, edited together in a different order and the big rubber boogedy monster’s close ups are OMITTED ENTIRELY, making it a much cooler movie.)

9 – The Night Stalker (1972)

You may’ve heard that back in the pre-VCR stone age of the 1970s we had this really cool thing to look forward to called The Movie of the Week. What you may not know is that a whole buttload of those movies were horror flicks and Night Stalker was by far the best of the lot, getting the highest rating of ANY tv movie when it was first aired.

Up until this film vampires still ran around flapping their cape-wings and going “I vant to suck your blaaaahd!” so seeing Night Stalker’s bloodthirsty Las Vegas Vamp mopping up the floor with an entire police department was quite possibly the coolest thing on earth for all us Monster Kids.
Other M.O.W. titles I’d recommend (if you can find them) are Crowhaven Farm, Satan’s School for Girls, Bad Ronald, Daughter of the Mind, A Cold Night’s Death (that one is outstanding,) Killdozer, How Awful about Allen, The Deadly Dream and The House That Wouldn’t Die. Check out iOffer.com. . a lot of them are for sale there, dirt cheap.

10- Mad Monster Party (1967)

Ok, you know darn well you turn on those Rankin/Bass stop motion Rudolph specials at Christmas time, so why the heck should Halloween be any different? You get every classic Universal monster, Boris Karloff and a Peter Lorre-inspired character all in one neat little package. It’s Rankin/Bass, dammit – watch this and quit being a commie.

11- Horror Hotel (1960)

Probably the most American looking British movie ever made. Low budget witchcraft story but Creepy, Scary and Freakin Cool all at once. Great visuals.

12- The Uninvited (1944)

This is a really REALLY atmospheric ghost story and has nothing to do with the abomination released earlier this year with the same title. Takes a few minutes to get going but it’ll really grab you . . especially when they’re wise enough to use no music during some of the scariest moments.

13- I Walked With A Zombie (1943)

Val Lewton was the best producer of atmospheric horror ever. He was stuck with this semi-dumb title by a studio exec who purchased it from a magazine article and managed to carve it into THE best zombie movie of the time (in the pre-Romero world when zombies were still just mindless slaves and not flesh eating killers.)

Another really quiet movie where you hear more spooky wind than anything else . . except possibly for the voodoo drums that you will never get out of your head as long as you live . . Just damn spooky . .

Runners Up:

Return of the Living Dead (1985)

Hey, it’s Clu Gulager, Beverly Randolph, Don Calfa, Brains and Rabid Weasels – what more do you need.

Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951)

Really intense ghostly love story . . spellbindingly photographed by Jack Cardiff

The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941)

The old poor farmer making a deal with the Devil story . . very well done.

Re-Animator (1985)

If I have to explain this one to you, you have no business reading this list . .

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)

The Universal monsters end their saga in a hysterical blaze of glory . . Jack Pierce was gone, unfortunately, but the film was still beautifully put together.

Burn Witch Burn (1962)

Good witchcraft Vs Bad in this incarnation of Fritz Leiber’s “Conjure Wife.” Rocks!

Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

A Frank Capra black comedy of murder and mayhem on Halloween. Fun for all !