Here’s my spooky Halloween movies list for 2016 — one for each night of October.
- Pirates Of The Caribbean, Curse Of The Black Pearl — A great ghost story inspired by Disney’s classic theme park ride.
- PBS Masterpiece Classic: Great Expectations, Episodes 1 through 3 (2012) — While not a ghost story and there’s nothing supernatural in the film, the creepy, specter-like Miss Havisham and her rotting, haunted-looking house will definitely set the proper spooky mood. The scary criminal Magwitch is an added fright.
- The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) — Tim Curry in his element as Dr. Frank-N-Furter.
- Clue (1985) — Tim Curry as the butler.
- Murder By Death (1976) — Truman Capote Entertains.
- House On Haunted Hill (1959) – Vincent Price stars in this thriller featuring a famouse Frank Lloyd Wright house — with a vat of acid in the basement. Don’t bother with the lame 1999 remake.
- Beetlejuice (1988) — Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton in a classic Tim Burton production.
- Halloweentown (2004) — Very light Disney channel fare but entertaining nonetheless. Debbie Reynolds.
- Casper (1995) — Bill Pullman being threatened by ghosts instead of aliens.
- Hotel Transylvania (2012) — More light fare, but completely watchable.
- Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988) — Camp fun with a macabre theme.
- Young Frankenstein (1974) — A true Mel Brooks classic in beautiful black and white with an incredibly talented cast.
- House of Dark Shadows (1970) — For those who are fans of the original Dark Shadows TV series.
- Night of Dark Shadows (1971) — More 70’s creepy camp with the Collins family from producer Dan Curtis, but no Barnabas.
- Dark Shadows (2012) — Fun remake by Tim Burton with a great 70’s soundtrack.
- Sleepy Hollow (1999) — Another Tim Burton production full of classic creepiness.
- Corpse Bride (2005) — While we’re on Tim Burton, might as well watch this one. Lots of famous voices: Joanna Lumley, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Emily Watson, Tracey Ullman, Christopher Lee, Jane Horrocks.
- Ghostbusters (1984) — The classic.
- Ghostbusters II (1989) — The classic, revisited.
- It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966) — Another autumn classic.
- The Witches (1990) — Anjelica Huston as the grand high witch.
- The Addams Family (1991) — More Anjelica Huston as Morticia.
- Addams Family Values (1993) — Even more Anjelica Huston.
- Halloweentown II (2001) — Because you already watched the first one on October 8.
- Pufnstuf, The Movie (1970) — Attend the annual witch convention at Witchiepoo’s castle. Groovy Mama Cass, and Martha Raye as Boss Witch.
- Mad Monster Party (1967) — Classic Rankin Bass stop motion animation. So bad, so tacky, so good. Voices by Boris Karloff and Phyllis Diller.
- The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) — Back to Tim Burton again.
- Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) — Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves.
- [The Fall of the] House of Usher (1960) — A Roger Corman/Vincent Price classic based on the tale by Edgar Allen Poe. Spooooky.
- The Pit and the Pendulum (1961) — Another Roger Corman/Vincent Price classic, also based on the writing of Edgar Allen Poe.
- Hocus Pocus (1993) — Enough said.