The leaves are falling, temperatures are dropping and midterms are ending – which means it must be everyone’s favorite five consecutive days of the year: Halloweek. As one of the last viable weeks of fall quarter to go on a full outdoor rampage up north to the fraternity quad, Northwestern students take advantage of every opportunity they can get to dress up in an array of eclectic and ironic, clever costumes. With this freeing mentality of the possibility of a five-day stretch of nonstop fun, Halloweek might just get the better of you. Which may also happen after night one. Did you party too hard too fast and want a night in, but FOMO seems to creep out of every corner of your brain? Fear not, for I have created a guide to the top five Halloween movies that can serve as an alternative to obscene amounts of Skol and Natty Ice. Take your pick of these spooky classics, grab some candy corn and you’re good to go.
Halloween (1978)
For those of you who are looking for a legitimate scare on one of these late October nights, this one is for you. Quite literally dubbed a “slasher” movie, there is no limit to the thrill and gore of this classic killer-on-the-loose film. Michael Myers is an escaped convict who returns back to his hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois to continue wreaking havoc. Fun fact: Haddonfield is a fictional town, but Livingston County is real and you can visit it in just a measly two hours for that full horror experience.
Hocus Pocus (1993)
1993 was a great year because not only did it bring us the launch of Ty Warner USA’s Beanie Babies line, but also the comical theatrics of Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy. Taking the form of evil witches back from the dead, this trio tries to become immortal on Halloween night by stealing the youth of children. This fantasy film is sure to “put a spell on you” and lighten up the darkness surrounding this spooky time.
Halloweentown (1998)
I feel incredibly obliged to include this in my top five movie selections for Halloweek because what better way to forget college woes than going back to childhood and reliving the dream of having magical powers? This Disney Channel Original Movie follows the story of a young girl who discovers she is a witch and tries to save her town from many mysterious and supernatural happenings. It may sound a tad childish, but believe me, there will never be a shortage of people who are willing to enjoy this throwback with you.
Ghostbusters (1984)
Who you gonna call? Me when you decide to watch this movie. With one of the catchiest Halloween-themed songs out there, this film will never fail to put a smile on your face with its star-studded cast and classic lines. When a group of scientists discover a portal to a supernatural world that tries to destroy New York City, they work as a ghostbusting team to save it. Rotten Tomatoes gave this movie a 97% (which is insanely good), so I hope that score convince you, if I haven’t succeeded already.
Young Frankenstein (1974)
A classic Halloween film from the 70s, Young Frankenstein tells the tale of Dr. Frankenstein attempting to recreate his grandfather’s experiments – which leads to many complications, to say the least. You can’t go wrong with Gene Wilder and his kooky sidekicks, proving that this is just the type of movie to stay in and watch with friends for a good laugh. Why be frightened during your night in of Halloweek when you can watch the classic game of “Sedagive Charades"?