Checking out classic Halloween flicks

Every Halloween brings many different ways of celebrating whether that comes in the form of trick or treating or going to haunted houses with friends. For me, a good scary movie is what I look forward to on Halloween night.

The horror genre of film has long been one of the most popular types of movies, especially this time of year. Over the decades many different scary movies have come and gone and several have made their mark and will remain pillars of this genre.

Personally, I am a big fan of horror movies, and some such as “Hereditary,” “Us” and “A Quiet Place” are just a few of the more recently released titles I have enjoyed.

I’ve seen many horror movies, but I’ve never seen the original scary films that kick-started the horror genre. With Halloween just around the corner, I’ve decided to watch five of these popular scary movies and see if they live up to their reputations.

“Halloween” –  I was actually really surprised to find “Halloween” was an enjoyable movie to watch. I thought “Halloween” was popular because it was an older movie, which is true, but I also think it definitely lives up to the hype it has generated over the years.

I love a good slasher film, and I think it has aged pretty well, considering there have been multiple movies created in this franchise and each has been successful. The simple storytelling was a refreshing watch. Also, who doesn’t like a good villain like Michael Myers?

“Scream” –  I had seen the most recent “Scream” sequel, but I had not seen the original of all the sequels. I admit that this was one of my favorite scary movies I have watched this October. I think it was so enjoyable because even if it’s a scary movie, it is a dark comedy and doesn’t take itself too seriously. I enjoy a classic teen slasher film, and I found myself very immersed watching the lives of the characters unfold into a plot twist of an ending. I am happy to say that I finally understand some of the Scream references and memes now.

“Child’s Play” – Was this movie fun to watch? Yes. Was it that scary? No. I would say the one thing that was scary was Chucky’s face. I wasn’t really expecting this movie to be frightening, but I can see why it could have been since it came out decades ago when graphics aren’t what they are now. Not to mention it was centered around a killer doll on a murder spree. I will admit however, there was some gore and violence that did surprise me a little. I would definitely recommend this flick for a good Halloween fright.

“The Shining” –  I prefer scary movies that are more suspenseful and psychological instead of paranormal, and I think “The Shining” is a perfect example of this kind of movie. There is so much symbolism in this movie which made figuring out the plot line even better. The cinematography amplified the unnerving atmosphere, and the music heightened the suspenseful setting. I would definitely say this movie left me on the edge of my seat.

“The Blair Witch Project” – This is such a good movie, and I’d definitely watch it again and again. I personally love found-footage scary movies and the cinematic techniques. This movie was so good and definitely takes the cake as a suspense movie. If you don’t like slower movies, this movie is not for you. But if you like a slow build up to the inevitable, then I definitely recommend this movie.

Overall, I had a lot of fun watching and discussing these movies. I’m glad I broadened my knowledge of scary films I’ve watched. I’d say many scary movies are classics for a reason whether because they are the first of its kind or simply because they were the pillars for the horror genre itself.

I would say the horror fan in me feels very fulfilled with these scary movies, and I’ll be sure to add them to my list of annual Halloween seasonal traditions.