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Super-Scary Halloween Movies for Die Hard Horror Fans

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Super-scary Halloween movies can help get everyone in the holiday spirit throughout the month of October or add appeal to any Halloween party for adults. There have been some classic horror movies over the decades, but horror flick enthusiasts will have only the best this time of year. For some, the gorier the better! Others though, prefer the thrill of the psychological fear. Possibly the best options for super-scary Halloween movies are the ones that manage to combine both.

Bloody Good Super-Scary Halloween Movies

If slasher films are your thing, than the gore factor has to be high. The two that seem to be in an ongoing competition for the best of the slasher flicks are Friday the 13th and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. This isn’t much of a surprise because the main fear element in both of these is a blood thirsty lead killer, one wielding an ax and the other a chainsaw. While Jason, from the Friday the 13th movies, keeps his identity hidden under a hockey mask, Leatherface from Texas Chainsaw has, well a “mask” made of the flesh of once living creatures.

Of course, almost all half decent zombie flicks are a “must see” among the super-scary Halloween movies. Even the more recent black comedy Zombieland has some truly grotesque scenes involving blood and guts. Possibly the goriest zombie flick to date is Day of the Dead, though Night of the Living Dead or Dawn of the Dead aren’t too far behind.

Though it doesn’t end up in as many of the top horror movie classics, the Hellraiser movies, especially the first one, are scary and have an elevated level of gore. The movie delves into some violent acts involving hooks, nails and flesh. That alone should give one an idea of the amount of blood and gore to expect. If you’re looking for something more recent, the Saw movies series is a gore-fest worthy of an entire evening of back-to-back viewing.

A Mental Scare-Fest

Some movies get more under your skin by getting inside your head. It’s one of the reasons flicks such as Silence of the Lambs remain classic psychological thrillers. For some, just knowing any of the super-scary Halloween movies are supposedly based on a true story is the epitome of fright. Also, movies that have the element of feeling like they could be real because they don’t involve fictional creatures to steal the show can be terrifying.

For that reason, The Blair Witch Project nailed the element of horror by the use of cinematography. Not to mention, the clever attempt to start an urban legend prior to the opening weekend on the film that it was true. Some reports were that the film contained original footage and others claimed that the original film had been studied and reenacted to tell the true tale. Either way, movie goers were curious. This seems to be a flick people either love or hate, but if you can really buy into the fear of these students documenting being tormented in the woods, it can be a great pick for a super-scary Halloween movie.

No information about super-scary Halloween movies would be complete without a mention of the 1973 classic The Exorcist. This movie was so horrific during the original theatrical release that a majority of movie goers reportedly left during the movie. Believe it or not, that was the edited version. A more recent re-release of the film included the scenes too disturbing to be left in the 1973 version.

The Best of Both 

Many super-scary Halloween movies include both gore and mental scares to some degree; some just do it better than others. The previously mentioned Texas Chainsaw Massacre is an example of this type of horror film. Many horror movie fanatics also feel Rob Zombie’s 2003 movie House of 1000 Corpses ties with Texas Chainsaw in the top of this category.

There are plenty more, though. The Omen, for instance, is a chilling tale of the devil incarnate as a young boy. No one is safe from this child’s evil ways, parents included, and there are some creative ways for people to die in this classic. Often movies that focus on haunted houses fall under this category since a person can relate to what it would be like to live in a spirit filled home. Flicks such as Poltergeist or The Amityville Horror are two examples of this genre of horror film.

While it may not always be agreed upon which horror movie is the best of all times, there are plenty to choose from that are in the running when searching for super-scary Halloween movies.

A Guide to Halloween Movies for “Wimps”

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Halloween movies for “wimps” is the sort of genre for those who want to get in the spirit of the holiday without too much lasting mental trauma. Not everyone likes to watch movies about things that go bump in the night. There are plenty of Halloween fanatics that can’t stomach a slasher flick in which a deranged and masked killer does away with an entire team of camp counselors, in just under two hours. While also opting to consider some of the family friendly Halloween movies, there are some that fall in between the two categories.

Dark Comedy Halloween Movies for Wimps

If you can stomach spoof comedies based on horror movies, the Scary Movie collection is a way to go. The only problem is that you may not get all the references to horror movies they make. Generally, they can be a mildly humorous way to laugh at scary movies without hiding behind your hands the whole time.

While it is hard to determine what category Rocky Horror Picture Show falls under, it does at least promise not to scare. It also is not a family friendly flick. It’s a little bit strange comedy and musical and all cult classic. You either get it or you don’t, and if you are going to give it a try, find a theater that does midnight showings with a live cast acting it out in front. If nothing else, it’s worth seeing for the younger versions of stars Susan Sarandon, Tim Curry and even rocker Meatloaf.

Another of the Halloween movies for wimps that falls into the comedic category is Shaun of the Dead. Again, a spoof of the zombie horror film, Dawn of the Dead, but this one holds its own for those who have not watched the scary movie version. Simon Pegg leads the crusade against the undead and that alone, makes this movie a must-see for Halloween or anytime.

Taking it up a Notch

While Tim Burton’s movie Sleepy Hollow does use the tag line “Heads Will Roll,” it just borders on scary. The imagery is beautiful and Johnny Depp plays a great Ichabod Crane – not to mention Christopher Walken’s impressive rendition of the Headless Horseman. If you cover your eyes during the decapitation scenes and side with a wimpy Ichabod, you’ll probably really enjoy this updated version of a holiday classic.

Tim Burton and Johnny Depp also work some cinematic magic perfect for Halloween with Edward Scissorhands. Though also not scary, the dark premise and setting adds a spooky feel. Anytime Vincent Price is playing the role of someone’s “creator” there is bound to be an element of scary, but this one goes in a different direction with it.

File Under Family or Wimps

While on the topic of Tim Burton and Halloween, a great movie for wimps and families at Halloween is the magical Nightmare Before Christmas. This animated classic dabbles in the spooky but sticks closer to the love story and moral journey of the main character, Jack Skellington. The beauty of this one is it can be watched to get in the spirit of Halloween or Christmas, and can be enjoyed all year round.

Another movie that could appeal for families or “scaredy cats” is The Addams Family, either the first one or really any of them. Based on the 1960s TV show, this version from the ‘90s pokes fun at the lives of a family of monsters and freaks. It’s a fun, feel good series that can leave you in the holiday mind frame without keeping you awake at night in terror.

And finally, a great family friendly or good for wimps Halloween movie is the classic It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. This has practically become a holiday necessity along with carving pumpkins and eating candy. Most adults can recall growing up with this being a TV special at some time during the month of October, and this is a tradition that is sure to last for generations to come.

The End, My Friend

There is no need to be ashamed if gore flicks, slasher films or horror movies in general are not your cup of tea. There also isn’t any reason to subject yourself to scary movies that may be too much to handle. At Halloween, movies are a fine method to use to get in the mood for the holiday and to have as background noise while carving jack-o’-lanterns or having a Halloween party. The idea is to keep it user-friendly for what your limits are. Halloween movies for wimps may not be a genre yet, but there are plenty of suitable ones for the category when it does happen.

Family Friendly Halloween Movies

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Many families celebrate Halloween in a more traditional fashion — they opt for an in-home party and movie night, rather than trick or treating, which can run like a scary movie itself.  How do you know which movies are family-suitable?  Sure, there are lots of reviews out there, but it depends on who is writing them.  Other than watching every movie beforehand, it’s hard to know what children may like, yet be safe watching.  We’ve rounded up a few of the good movies to watch on Halloween night.

Hocus Pocus

When three witches were sentenced to die over three hundred years ago in Salem Massachusetts, and a boy was turned into a black cat, who knew that the witches would return and that this time they use vacuum cleaners to get around!  The three have turned their wrath onto trick or treaters and it’s up to the very old cat (boy) to save the day.

Corpse Bride

Victor Van Dort starts to fret when his arranged marriage with Victoria Everglot reaches the rehearsal stage.  He practices rehearsing the wedding by himself, in the forest.  By accident, he slips the ring onto a corpse’s finger instead and is transported to the land of the dead, where he learns he has actually married the corpse.  Victoria, still in the land of the living, wonders who she will marry, while Victor struggles to get back to her.

Casper

Carrigan Crittendon worries that her father willed her his old mansion instead of a pile of money.  She’s about to torch the house when she finds a treasure map in it.  Wicked waves of ghosts scare her away from the house.  She hires an afterlife expert, Dr. James Harvey, so he can get rid of the annoying mansion ghosts.  Harvey and his daughter move in, the better to exorcise the spirits, when they meet a friendly ghost — Casper.  This is the ghost of a young boy and turns out to be the very friendliest ghost anyone could know.

Monsters Inc.

James P. Sullivan and Mike Wazowski work for Monsters Inc. which is  a power company for a nervous and quite paranoid city of monsters.   The power is produced when children who are sleeping, scream.  Naturally, the monsters do their best to accomplish this.  Sully uncovers a plot to rid Monster City of its power problems — but not in a good way.  Both monsters fight to protect the innocent children which they have been scaring every night.  This is a terrific little interactive show at Disneyworld, as well as having the characters there for children to get autographs from.   See the movie then the show and the kids will have a wonderful time.

The Witches

A recently orphaned boy is taken over to England by his grandmother.  At the hotel where they are, a group of witches plot to rid the world of children.  Roald Dahl wrote the book and the film is one that’s definitely for kids.  Jim Henson of the Muppets fame produced the movie.

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Taken from the wonderful Ray Bradbury story, two boys enjoy the waning autumn days.  A strange lightning rod salesman tell them about a quirky traveling carnival so they go to check it out.  When Mr. Dark, the Illustrated Man, sets up his carnival after midnight, and in mere seconds, the boys are terrified and thrilled at the same time.  This is a wonderful film.

Pufnstuf

First a TV show, the movie is great and has long outlived the series.  Mama Cass stars as Witch Hazel.  There are colors which are bright, sped-up film, fast edits, pop culture in-jokes, and musical segments.  Both young adults and kids loved the movie.  Young Jimmy is at the center of the movie with his magic flute, and a group of witches want the flute for themselves.  A friendly dragon called Puff (hence Puff the Magic Dragon), is  a key figure.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Jack Skellington (naturally he looks like  skeleton) is the pumpkin king of Halloween Town.  This was a big movie for Disney and Tim Burton, and rightly so.  Jack gets bored with Halloween and stumbles into Christmas Town.  He finds out that he loves Christmas so he does his best to get the residents to put on Christmas instead of Halloween.  These residents are the local ghouls, bats, and goblins.  They just can’t get it right…

Beetlejuice

Two people, killed in a car crash, are trapped inside of their old house in New England.  A yuppie family, along with their daughter, buy the house.  The ghost family are just too nice to scare away the new residents.  Beetlejuice, another ghost, is roped in to help.  The dinner scene, with shrimp cocktails, is a riot.

Ghost Busters

Three occult studies scientists get booted out of a university in NYC.  They start a business in an old firehouse and name it Ghostbusters.  It’s good money trapping pesky spirits, haunts, ghosts and poltergeists.  After stumbling on a gateway to another dimension, an evil one, the ghost busters are called upon to save the Big City.  This movie is timeless, and a cult classic.