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Not Your Usual Halloween Movies

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Not Your Usual Halloween Movies WHEN YOU CRAVE SOMETHING DIFFERENT By Adam Groves, The Bedlam Files 1. MS. 45 (1981) An easy pick, given that I consider Abel Ferrara’s MS. 45 the highlight of the rape-revenge grindhouse movie cycle, and that the film’s climax, involving a massacre at a Halloween party, is MS. 45’s undoubted highlight. 2. THE NIGHT THAT PANICKED AMERICA (1975) This one’s a bit of a cheat (as the night in question is actually October 30) but a worthwhile choice nonetheless, a reality-based horror story that effectively dramatizes Orson Welles’ 1936 WAR OF THE WORLDS radio broadcast and the widespread chaos that resulted. 3. THE AMERICAN SCREAM (2012) A most interesting documentary portrayal of the DIY Halloween haunted house craze, as seen through the attempts of several Massachusetts residents at scaring the Hell out of their neighbors. 4. GINGER SNAPS (2001) The finest werewolf movie of the 00s, and much it takes place on Halloween. 5. HELL HOUSE (2002) Another Halloween haunted house doco, this one focusing on a Christian run attraction designed to scare people straight. A film that’s both hilarious and appalling in equal measure. 6. THE OCTOBER GARDEN (1983) A ten minute short marked by skilled and precise horror filmmaking that, to add to the superlatives, was accomplished entirely without dialogue. 7. RIDING THE BULLET (2004) A puzzlingly underrated Stephen King adaptation that’s scary, thoughtful and even touching in its evocation of Halloween night, 1969, haunted by a very real ghost. 8. TERRIFIER (2011) I’m referring here to the twenty minute TERRIFIER short and not the misguided 2016 feature version, as in short film format the highly minimalistic narrative, consisting of a young woman being chased around by a clown faced manic on Halloween, works quite well. © Adam Groves 2021, The Bedlam Files 9. DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW (1981) An overrated film IMO but an effective one, containing what is undoubtedly the screen’s most haunting depiction of a scarecrow. 10. TRICK ‘R’ TREAT (2007) This five-parter was instrumental in resurrecting the horror anthology film format, and it remains a good (though not great) CREEPSHOW inspired time-passer. 11. TRICK OR TREAT (1986) A rarity: a film that actually seems better now than when it was first released. Back in ’86 it was just another mediocre slasher flick, but TRICK OF TREAT now stands as an irresistibly nostalgic flashback to the late eighties heavy metal scene. 12. HELLBENT (2004) Another film that’s improved with age, a stalk ‘n’ slash no-budgeter notable primarily for its setting: a gay-themed Halloween parade in West Hollywood, which makes for a head-spinning contrast to the cozy suburban locales of most slasher flicks. 13. THE PAUL LYNDE HALLOWEEN SPECIAL (1976) A fun change of pace for horror fans, although in truth this TV special, which gives THE STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL a serious run for its money in terms of seventies cheese, is scarier in its way (in that such nonsense was once considered mainstream entertainment) than the previous twelve films combined. From Adam Thanks for subscribing. I appreciate your interest. We’re keeping it pretty simple — no more than one email a month (sometimes less) with updates, subscriber-only info, and links to some of my latest posts. Enjoy the list. Adam The Bedlam Files Page 2 of 2 © Adam Groves 2021 .
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