The time has come for an excuse to be scared: It is Halloween.
In honor of the Halloween season, here are five movies and television shows that will scratch that Halloween itch.
- American Horror Story
With eight seasons of horror fun, there is something for everyone who likes horror in this anthology series.
Whether it is a haunted house, insane asylum, coven of witches, freak show of weird performers or any of the other themes throughout the other seasons, this series is a menu of horror.
The best season to start with for Halloween is season one, Murder House, given that it has a two part episode called Halloween. It centers on the Harmon family who moves into a house that they quickly realize is haunted and then everything seemingly goes wrong as they figure out the secrets of this house of horror.
- Hotel Transylvania
What happens when monsters get tired of being scary and hide from humanity? They go to Count Dracula’s “Hotel Transylvania.”
In this movie, a human named Jonathan crashes a party for Dracula’s daughter Mavis, where a plethora of monsters ranging from Frankenstein to a Mummy gather. What follows is a story of hide and seek as Jonathan stays hidden from the other monsters and Count Dracula attempts to prevent Jonathan from falling in love with his daughter.
There are also two sequels to keep you busy during this Halloween season if the terror gets to be a little too much.
- Carrie
This story of destruction is spurred when Carrie White, a girl who is constantly bullied by her classmates, discovers that she has a gift: telekinesis.
When one prank goes too far, Carrie’s classmates vow to humiliate her one final time. However, now discovering her new gift, Carrie wreaks havoc on everyone who ever wronged her all in one bloody prom massacre.
“Carrie” is an excellent introduction to Stephen King’s style of horror. Although there are two different versions of the film, the best by far is the original, the 1976 version by Brian De Palma.
The original “Carrie” will make someone want to watch the many movie and tv show adaptations of Stephen King’s novels, and it will be worth the nightmares.
- The Walking Dead
This series follows Rick, Carl, Glenn, Maggie, Carol and other average people trying to survive a zombie apocalypse.
Whether it is an encounter with a doctor at the CDC, an encounter with an egomaniac named “The Governor” or the crazy leather studded Negan, “The Walking Dead” just never seems to go the way of the heroes.
That is why it is perfect for Halloween. To begin, start with season one or with the prison arc in seasons three and four to experience zombie horror at its finest. Then, with over eight seasons already out and the ninth season running there is plenty of material for plenty of late night “study sessions” on the art of horror.
- Halloween
It is in the name. “Halloween” cannot be missed on Halloween.
This series stars Michael Myers, a serial killer that dons a white mask more scary than the knife he kills with.
The series uses a variety of different plotlines and has over 11 installments. The most famous of these plotlines stars Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode who is targeted by Michael Myers while babysitting.
This series is even more relevant with the newest installment “Halloween” coming out Oct. 19 and taking place directly after the original 1978 film “Halloween,” by John Carpenter.
If 11 films seems a little intimidating, start with the 1978 version and then move onto the 2018 version. By then, you will be hooked.