I'm celebrating Halloween with a alphabetical listing of my husbands and mine favorite Halloween films. Believe me... some of these Spooktaclar films, I can not watch alone.
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948). Film directed by Charles Barton and starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. It is the first of several films where the comedy duo meets Count Dracula, Frankenstein and the Wolf Man.
Please click here to read Gilby's double feature at loews Abbott review
The Birds (1963). Directed by Alfred Hitchcock based on the 1952 novel The Birds by Daphne du Maurier. It takes place in a small town called Bodega Bay, California in which is, suddenly and for no reason are attacked by birds.
The Blob (1958). Steve McQueen stars in this fun teen horror film about a blob that took over the town! Please click here to read movie review.
Bride of Frankenstein (1935). Maybe even better than the original, the movie showcases a fun performance by the very charming, Elsa Lanchester.
The Devil Doll (1936). Todd Browning's classic stars Barrymore, in drag as a prison escapee, who sends little "assassins" after his enemies...
Please click here to read movie review.
Doctor X (1932). A Halloween classic with Lionel, as a Long Island scientist suspected to be behind a series of gruesome slayings. Fay Wray co-stars.
Dracula (1931). Bela Lugosi's, well known performance as the vampire.
Please click here to read movie review.
The Fly (1958). Half man, half fly, with Vincent Price to scare you.
Frankenstein (1931). The king of horror films.
The Haunting (1963). One of the greatest of all haunted house movies without ever showing us a ghost.
Horror of Dracula (1958). With Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee together for the first time, one of the best vampire movies of the classic era.
House On Haunted Hill (1959). A sinister host, played by Vincent Price offers a group of people $10,000 each if they'll spend the night in his mansion, then makes sure that no one collects. Directed William Castle.
I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957). The best of the "teenage" movies, which starred Michael Landon.
The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957). Richard Matheson, wrote the novel and the screenplay for this film in which common cats and spiders become huge monsters, caused from nuclear radiation.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956). When I was growing up, this was the first horror/sci-fi film that I watched.
Island of Lost Souls (1933). The original version of H.G. Wells' novel, The Island of Dr. Moreau. Charles Laughton, makes the perfect Dr. Moreau, and Bela Lugosi, who also gives a perfectly scary performance.
The Invisible Man (1933). Directed by James Whale (Frankenstein), this original version of the H.G. Wells story stars Claude Rains, who is very scary, even though he is invisible.
King Kong (1933). Wonderful special effects for its era, with a beautiful girl, and a love sick monster.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1958). One of the scariest Disney animations ever made.
The Mummy (1932). Boris Karloff and the Mummy, make a pretty scary combination.
The Old Dark House (1932). Six travelers looking for shelter from a storm in a broken down mansion in Wales, they find a very eccentric family living there. You will find plenty of scares and laughs from Frankenstein director James Whale. With Charles Laughton, Melvyn Douglas, Ernest Thesiger, Gloria Stuart.
Psycho (1960). Hitchcock influenced many filmmakers, with this film.
The Return of Doctor X (1939). Humphrey Bogart's first and last horror film.
Rosemary's Baby (1968). A story of a woman, played by Mia Farrow, who gives birth to the Devil's child.
The Spiral Staircase (1946). Dorothy McGuire, is a servant left mute by a childhood trauma, taking care of invalid Ethel Barrymore in a scary Victorian New England mansion with a killer of handicapped women on the loose.
Please click here to read movie review.
The Uninvited (1944). Ray Milland and Ruth Hussey star in one of the classic haunted house films, set in an old house on the English coast that has a terrible secret.
Please click here to read movie review.
Dawn, I am a total chicken! I absolutely cannot do horror. When I was about 8, my parents took us to the drive-in. They wanted to see some Vincent Price horror flick...I think it was "The Fall of the House of Usher." I was supposed to be asleep, but all the noises were too distracting, so I kept looking up at the screen. From that night on, my fear started. And guess what, my bedroom, had the door that led to the attic! I was terrified to sleep after that.
ReplyDeleteFast forward to when I was 14...somehow, I got into the R-rated The Exorcist. OMG!!! The scariest movie I've ever seen in my life!! That movie shook me up horribly. I slept with my bedroom light on for 2 years!!
So, I have always been a wimp and absolutely will not get near horror again. (Though I did watch the Dark Shadows series when it was remade in the 80's...with Ben Cross as Barnabas Collins...but I was a bit frightened by it.)
So, wow, Rosemary's Baby and Psycho...you are MUCH braver than I am, my dear. I would be too terrifed to get near those...or several of the other ones you mentioned. (I am wondering, though, if I could do the 1931 Dracula.)
The Spiral Staircase wasn't too scary for me. I DID manage that one.
Have a great day,
Patti
Me again...I forgot to say that I did try horror one final time...in my very late teens. I went to see "The Shining" at the drive-in with a friend, her boyfriend, and his out-of-town cousin (my blind date). I was totally terrified!! I made them leave before the movie was over (and long before the 2nd show started). In fact, we left so early that we had to leave through the entrance, because the exit was never opened until the second show began.
ReplyDeleteNeedless to say, that out-of-town cousin was totally not impressed with me. I never saw him again!
And I haven't done horror since! But the memories of the horror films I had seen, plus my own wild imagination, had me quite the fraidy cat for years. Believe it or not, I used to sleep with a huge metal meat mallet by my bed (I am totally serious!!). And when I got married and my husband had to go out of town, I would have my friend Suzette come spend the night with me...we called it "Patti sitting."
Cool list.
ReplyDeleteLast year around this time I jotted down a list of 10 favourite Hallowe'en flicks. We have a few titles in common:
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1949)
The Wolf Man (1941)
The Mummy (1932)
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Isle of the Dead (1945)
The Haunting (1963)
The Black Castle (1952)
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
The Ghost Breakers (1940)
The Uninvited (1944)
I kept the list to 10 because, like my Christmas favourites, it could very easily get out of control - and the one thing you don't want is Hallowe'en movies getting out of control!!
PS: Betty looks darn cute in that witch outfit.
Very nice list, Dawn! Enjoyed this post very much! Have fun watching some classic Horror films, love!
ReplyDeletePatti, I totally understand, When my husband took me on our first date, he took me to see a horror movie. I wanted to go home after the first 10 min. I thought.. well, I will never see him again. We ere married a couple of months after that..
ReplyDeleteAs a child, I was not allowed to watch horror films, so.. I do not have any bad memories to over come.
My all time favorite Halloween movie is, Hocus Pocus(1993). Have you ever seen it?
Also, if you click on Betty Boop Witch, located on the side bar, you will find a list of my milder Halloween favs.
After reading some wonderful horror film reviews over at the Cafe, I thought I would give Horror films another try.. I'm finding I can watch some, "classic horror" films.
Caftan Woman, Thank you for your list.. I saw a couple of "new to me" Horror films, that I would like to see.
ReplyDeleteIrene Palfy, I dropped by your blog yesterday and had a little trouble leaving a comment.. I will head over now and see if I have better luck.
Dawn,
ReplyDeleteI really like your Halloween movie list. Hmmm, where to start?
I haven't seen the Uninvited but after reading Eve's review I'll be taping it when it airs this weekend on TCM.
I really like Doctor X but then again I adore Lionel Atwill and I think he makes the best early movie monster without even being made up. I don't care for The Birds because I'm terrified of birds. (That seems silly to admit) Of Hitchcock's scary films I'll replace The Birds with The Lodger (1944) Ivor Novello scares my pants off.
I like Bela a lot although I give him a lot of guff in my reviews but I like Nosferatu over Dracula. The original Haunted House and The Body Snatchers are great choices too.
I haven't seen The Wolf Man but I hope to rectify that soon.
Halloween month is so much fun! I love seeing what everyone is watching and writing about.
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Oh, and Betty Boop makes an adorable witch!
Page, I'm suprised to read that you do not like the film the, Birds. I have not yet seen the film, The Lodger. I will add it to my list of "gotta see" films..
ReplyDeleteDawn,
ReplyDeleteOOPS! The Lodger I meant was the 1927 silent original. There was a 1944 remake and most recently I saw yet ANOTHER remake starring Simon Baker that really wasn't that bad.
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Hey, Dawn! Hope you're able to leave some comments now.. Have a nice weekend!
ReplyDeleteIrene
Marvelous list, Dawn -- all favorites of mine, especially "The Haunting", which I consider the best true horror movie ever made. All of these are on my Halloween marathon list!
ReplyDeleteBecky, Thank you. I have been watching a horror film here and there. Quickly, followed by a Doris Day or Esther Williams film. :)
ReplyDeleteSo glad to see Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein on your list! I LOVE IT! In fact, I going to see it tonight on the big screen.
ReplyDeleteGilby, You lucky girl!! I wish I were going with you. If you write a trip/movie report, I will add it to this post.
ReplyDelete