Welcome back! Last week, I shared 13 horror movies set on Halloween with the promise I’d be back today with even MORE Halloween horror movies for you to choose from. Twenty, to be exact!
Once again, in order to make sure everyone can get in on the spooky fun, I’ve organized these Halloween horror movies set on Halloween via age group. That doesn’t mean that you, presumably an adult, can’t enjoy the horror films appropriate for kids and tweens. Nor does it mean that every movie I’ve suggested in a certain category is good for YOUR kid/tween/teen. YOU know the youngster in your life best and what may or may not be too much for them!
The official HorrorFam.com stance on horror movies for kids is: Please don’t show ANY horror movies to children under five years old.
All good? Great! Here are 20 more horror movies set on Halloween (either for the entire movie or a significant chunk of their runtimes) for you to enjoy this October:
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Halloween Movies for Kids (Ages 5-9)
Muppets Haunted Mansion (2021)
I love the Muppets! Who’s your favorite? Gonzo – the star of Muppets Haunted Mansion – has always been mine. (My husband Frank likes Animal, Mom loves Rolf, and Dad has a soft spot for Beaker).
Although the Muppets have technically been around since 1955, Muppets Haunted Mansion was their first-ever Halloween special. And the very first line of dialogue is “HAPPY HALLOWEEN!” That, mixed with its supernatural spookiness and gentle scares makes it a perfect Halloween horror movie for kids.
“Just kids?” you may well ask. Yeah, pretty much. The Muppets, as always, are for everyone; however, while most Muppet movies are a 50/50 balance of things for adults and things for kids, Muppets Haunted Mansion – likely due to its very short runtime – focuses on pleasing children (and fans of Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion ride) above all else.
The plot involves Gonzo and his friend Pepe the prawn attempting to spend the Halloween night in the Haunted Mansion. What a triumph it’ll be for Gonzo the Great …if he can survive! Dun dun DUNNNNNNN!
The jump scare with Famous Person (John Stamos) is the biggest fright in this kid-friendly Halloween horror film, and the four songs (three originals and one cover) are pleasant and appropriately holiday-themed. Muppets Haunted Mansion will leave you with a smile.
Muppets Haunted Mansion | Rated PG | 0h 49m | Where Muppets Haunted Mansion is streaming now…
Casper (1995)
Kat (Christina Ricci) and her dad (Bill Pullman) move into a house haunted by Casper and his three evil uncles. Wackiness ensues!
The CGI in Casper still holds up surprisingly well! Some of the jokes & cameos will definitely go over your kids’ heads (and maybe even yours, depending on how old you are – I’m just shy of 40 and some of the references were dated even for me!), but that doesn’t effect the plot at all. Or the fun!
Casper has a little bit of mystery, a little bit of romance, along with a lot of adventure. It’s a safe supernatural pick for younger audiences, and the grand finale involves Kat throwing a Halloween party at the haunted house!
Kids will love the idea of having a ghost friend like Casper, and the “Up and At ‘Em” machine still looks like a really fun ride even as an adult!
Casper | Rated PG | Runtime 1h 40m | Where Casper is streaming now…
Monster House (2006)
A CGI animated period piece (it takes place in 1983), Monster House is the story of three friends/neighbors who decide to spend their Halloween checking out the local creepy house. Turns out, there isn’t a monster IN the house – the house IS the monster!!
I wasn’t sure whether to put Monster House in the Kids or Tweens section of my list as I think it would be fine – for the most part – for either age group. I’m going to reiterate something I said in a previous review, as I still feel its relevant for parents deciding if Monster House is okay for kids and/or tweens:
“My one beef with Monster House is that flashback scenes of an obese woman being tortured in a circus’ freak show are very difficult to watch, even when you acknowledge that things were different in ‘the good ol days.’ Since tweens are an especially vulnerable group when it comes to body image issues, I wanted to call that out ahead of time so you could prepare for it. You can decide if this horror film for kids is a good place to open up a dialogue about weight issues and attitudes, or if the fast forward button is a better option.”
Monster House | Rated PG | Runtime 1h 31m | Where Monster House is streaming now…
It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown (1966)
After decades of being publicly broadcast on ABC and CBS, Apple bought the rights to all of the Charlie Brown TV specials a few years ago and have guarded them from view behind their AppleTV+ streaming service. But, if you’re like I am and didn’t know that Apple even had a streaming service until it became a nuisance, you’ll be happy to know that they’re making It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown available for non AppleTV+ subscribers on October 19th & 20th.
I should make something clear really quickly though: It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown isn’t a horror movie. Unless you, too, struggle with ADHD and equate feeling bored with the feeling of being slowly boiled alive. (Then It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown could well be the most horrifying film on this list for you!).
The main reason I wanted to include it is because it’s a film that’s safe for everyone. It’s a Halloween-themed film for children that’s not at ALL scary, and it’s veeeeeerrryyyyyy melllloooooowwwwww which could be extremely helpful for getting over-sugared kiddos to wind down for sleep, or to lower fear levels if your attempts to introduce your child to one of the other films on this list went sideways.
Maybe the availability of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown will improve next year! But if you don’t already own it on DVD, you miss the two-day streaming window, and you’re still in need of a not-at-all-scary Halloween movie for kids: I recommend Treasure Trackers!
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown | Rated G | Runtime 0h 25m | Where It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown is streaming now…
Ernest Scared Stupid (1991)
In my list of “35+ MORE Kid & Tween-Friendly Horror Movies” (for year-round horror fun, not necessarily set on Halloween specifically like this current list), I mentioned that I hadn’t watched Ernest Scared Stupid since I was six years old, but that I remembered it well. That’s since changed. I watched it again earlier this week!
I was shocked that I remembered nearly all of it! The only thing that I’m changing from my previous thoughts/review was that Ernest Scared Stupid would probably be fine for kids eight and up (if your 8-year-old is chill with how the trolls look). The humor definitely skews young. But, as I said last time, it was scarring for the younger kids and a favorite for the 4th, 5th, and 6th graders of the era. Use your best judgement re: your 2020’s kid’s preferences!
Ernest Scared Stupid | Rated PG | Runtime 1h 32m | Where Ernest Scared Stupid is streaming now…
Halloween Movies for Tweens (Ages 10-13)
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Last year, I publicly vowed to watch E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial as one of my 2024 New Year’s Resolutions. It took me a while (it’s been one hell of a year), but I achieved that goal on Sunday, October 6th. I have thoughts:
1. Why didn’t anyone tell me that Elliot meets E.T. in a cornfield?! I could’ve included that in my article on horror movies with significant cornfield scenes! 😛
2. I’d been told for years that “E.T. is overrated” and so I just ignored it and watched a bunch of E.T.-inspired movies instead. I’d seen Xtro, Super 8, and gosh-darned Mac and Me before I finally got to watch E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial!
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is NOT overrated. It’s actually really good! And that’s coming from a very recent first-time watcher.
3. I thought I knew the gist of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and that it would “feel” like I’d already seen it, even though I was a first-time watcher. I was wrong. There was so much in the film that I had no idea about. And even though the three people I watched it with had all seen it before, all three of them remembered the adorable, iconic first half of the film (the scenes everyone has seen even if they’ve never watched the film!) and completely forgot nearly all of the much-more-intense, sometimes downright disturbing second half (which is why I’ve put E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in the Halloween Horror Movies for TWEENS section!).
4. Slight spoilers for a 40+ year old movie: During the second half of the movie, E.T. and Elliot (who share a psychic connection) both start dying. And they don’t hold back on showing everything, especially when it comes to E.T. wasting away… Watching Elliot scream and sob for his beloved little friend was emotionally excruciating to watch, especially after we’d just lost our darling cat daughter Flex to breast cancer less than a week earlier (again – hell of a year).
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial isn’t the movie you want to watch if you’ve recently experienced the painful loss of a pet/family member/close friend. I also put it into the Tween category because anyone watching needs to be old/mature enough to understand that love alone won’t bring someone back from death (E.T. dies – to the point he’s zipped up in a body bag – and is brought back by Elliot saying “I love you”).
5. That famous silhouette of Elliot and E.T. on a bicycle flying in front of the moon? That scene happens on Halloween night! They’re in costumes!! Who knew?
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial | Rated PG | Runtime 2h 0m | Where E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is streaming now…
Hocus Pocus (1993)
On Halloween in 1693, three witches are hanged for their crimes against children. Unfortunately, before their deaths, one casts a failsafe: If a virgin lights a candle in their cottage on Halloween during a full moon, then they get to come back and wreak havoc once again.
Guess what happens in 1993.
If you like the original Hocus Pocus, I’ve been told the 2022 sequel also takes place on Halloween!
Hocus Pocus fans are why, if you meet a black cat, there’s a better than average chance its name is Binx.
- Hocus Pocus (1993) | Rated PG | Runtime 1h 36m
- Hocus Pocus 2 (2022) | Rated PG | Runtime 1h 44m
Where Hocus Pocus is streaming now…
Goosebumps (2015)
If your tween has recently gotten into YA horror novels, and R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps series in particular, then Goosebumps (2015) will likely be a treat!
New teen in town, Zach, gets a crush on his neighbor, Hannah, and heads over to her house to ask her to the Halloween dance. But, while he’s there, he gets a little too nosy about her dad’s book collection – a shelf filled with original Goosebumps manuscripts – and opens one… releasing the Abominable Snowman of Pasadena! Oops.
Turns out Hannah’s dad is R.L. Stine (Jack Black) and every terrifying creature he’s written about is real and trapped within those manuscripts. And the Abominable Snowman isn’t the only monster Zach released when he was poking about: Slappy the Dummy was set loose as well. And Slappy is ALL about causing problems! So, the evil dummy releases a bunch of other Goosebumps’ monsters from their stories to wreak havoc on the town.
I liked that they didn’t change the Goosebumps’ monster designs too much from Tim Jacobus’ cover illustrations, so they were easily recognizable for fans of the series.
Halloween is a bit of an afterthought in this first movie; however, I’ve been told Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (2018) leans more heavily into the holiday.
If you can find it, “The Haunted Mask” double-length/43-minute episode of the 1990’s Goosebumps TV series is a fantastic Halloween special for tweens. It’s basically Halloween III for youngsters! (But instead of the Halloween masks killing children, they turn the kids into monsters).
- Goosebumps (2015) | Rated PG | Runtime 1h 43m
- Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (2018) | Rated PG | Runtime 1h 30m
Where Goosebumps is streaming now…
Boo! A Madea Halloween (2016)
My best friend is a huge Tyler Perry/Madea fan and has even caught some of his live stage performances. Her kids grew up loving the films in the Madea franchise as well. She recommends the franchise for ages 11 and up.
I was first introduced to Tyler Perry’s films (and his character, Madea) during a hospital stay. There was a Madea marathon being shown on the TV in my room. Drama isn’t my favorite genre, but I thought they were pretty good! They felt like stage plays (which made sense, given most of the films were adapted from plays), and that gave them that kind of comforting intimate/closeness that comes from watching live theater.
So, when Boo! A Madea Halloween came out a couple years later, I decided to watch it. And it’s a little bit more awkward (it’s not an adapted play, and it’s a little shaky for it – it doesn’t have the “we’ve done these scenes thousands of times in front of every audience imaginable” confidence/polish), but if you’ve enjoyed a Tyler Perry/Madea film in the past, you’ll probably like Boo! A Madea Halloween.
It’s primarily a family drama (about a tween/teen girl learning to love/respect her father – who she sees as a spineless loser – and not turn into a juvenile delinquent) with a Halloween overlay. There are mild horror elements, in the form of spooky-themed pranks in a Halloween Night “war” between Madea and her elderly gang versus a local frat house.
Critics hated it (and it was even nominated for several Golden Razzberries!), but audiences loved it! So much so that it earned more than triple its budget back in box office profits and they made a sequel the following year. Which means, if you end up loving it, you have a second one you can watch!
- Boo! A Madea Halloween (2016) | Rated PG-13 | Runtime 1h 43m
- Boo 2! A Madea Halloween (2017) | Rated PG-13 | Runtime 1h 41m
Where Boo! A Madea Halloween is streaming now…
Scary Stories to Tell In the Dark (2019)
You’re going to want to keep Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark for the 12 & 13 end of the Tween spectrum rather than the 10 & 11-year-olds. Just like the books on which this movie is based, the story/stories are simple but the visual horror imagery is INTENSE.
A 1968 period piece, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark follows four teenagers who find a cursed storybook inside a haunted house on Halloween night. The book, blank at first, begins writing stories about each of them – along with other side characters in town – meeting terrible fates.
Basically, if your tween is chill with Stephen Gammell’s illustrations in the original editions of Alvin Schwartz’s Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark trilogy, then they’ll be fine with this one. If not? You’re going to need to find a gentle “palate cleanser” film to watch afterwards to avoid nightmares.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark | Rated PG-13 | Runtime 1h 48m | Where Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is streaming now…
Halloween Movies for Teens (Ages 14-17)
Ginger Snaps (2000)
I’ve put Ginger Snaps in the Teens section, but I’d recommend it more for teens who are 16+. Teen girls, in particular, will get a lot from it, I think as it’s primarily about the bodily and emotional changes teenage girls experience when they go through puberty.
Oddly enough, it was one of the last movies I saw before I had to have a hysterectomy in July of 2021. It was featured on season three of The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs in May of 2021. Although my own journey with my uterus was coming to an end, I couldn’t help but think how teenage and 20’s me would’ve loved to blame/laugh off the years of painful trauma as a side-effect of lycanthropy.
Ginger starts her first period and the smell of the blood leads to her being attacked by a werewolf. From there, there’s a fine line between puberty and wolfy transformation as explanations for her actions…
As always, you’ll want to screen this before you show it to your teen – and I wouldn’t recommend Ginger Snaps as a first-time horror watch as it gets pretty rowdy and has a tragic conclusion – but it’s a good teen girl horror film in the vein of Jennifer’s Body and The Craft. Plus, it has a significant scene at a Halloween party!
Ginger Snaps | Not Rated | Runtime 1h 48m | Where Ginger Snaps is streaming now…
Idle Hands (1999)
Leading up to this article, I watched Muppets Haunted Mansion and Idle Hands on the same night and was very amused that their morals/messages were in direct conflict with each other. Whereas Muppets Haunted Mansion’s message is “you’re loved for who you are, not for what you do;” Idle Hands teaches us that “if you don’t keep yourself productive at all times, you leave yourself open for demon possession!”
I originally watched Idle Hands with my dad when I was 15 (a Blockbuster rental, a year after its initial release) and we both loved it. It’s a hoot. The bulk of the film takes place on Halloween and has Devon Sawa (Casper!) going full Bruce-Campbell-in-Evil-Dead-II as he battles with his own hand.
I’ve tentatively put Idle Hands in the Halloween horror movies for teens section because, even after my recent rewatch, I think most horror loving teens would love it! But I did notice something this time around that completely went over my head when I was in high school: Idle Hands is a horror STONER comedy.
It’s also very gory and, at times, pretty inappropriate. But I think that fits well with the characters – three teen boy stoners – as well as the intended audience. It’s not meant to be taken seriously! And, if you go into it knowing it’s a goof, you’ll be fine.
Devon Sawa’s eulogy for his parents as well as Vivica A. Fox’s announcement that she has the “cure” for his possession were two scenes that made me literally laugh out loud.
Idle Hands | Rated R | Runtime 1h 45m | Where Idle Hands is streaming now…
Totally Killer (2023)
Totally Killer was one of my favorite movies of 2023. My entire family – my mom in particular – love this one! Christi Bandy included it on her list of the Best Horror Movies of 2023 as well.
It was advertised as “Back to the Future meets Scream” and it lives up to that premise. If that sounds good to you, then you’re going to have a great time.
The film starts on Halloween night in the present day, a tragedy occurs, and Kiernan Shipka is sent back in time to 1987 where Halloween serves as the ticking clock for her to set everything right before all the characters’ fates are sealed for good. I don’t want to say much more than that because I want you to actually watch it for yourself.
Totally Killer should be fine for most teens because it’s very tense at times, but not TOO scary. There’s some talk of sex (mostly for laughs) but no nudity, and the killer does a lot of stabbings but bloodshed/gore is minimal. Depending on how you feel about swearing, Totally Killer might even be okay for 13+ year-olds.
It’s very sweet. Go watch it. I think mother/daughter horror fans will be especially enamored with it. (Perhaps a double-feature of Totally Killer and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice?).
Totally Killer | Rated R | Runtime 1h 46m | Where Totally Killer is streaming now…
Halloween Movies for Older Teens & Adults
Candy Corn (2019)
Although they never explicitly say Candy Corn is set in the 1970s, you can tell it’s set in the 1970s. I’d wager, since it was released in 2019, they went for a nice even 40 years back and set it in 1979. You can tell that it’s the 1970s because of the decor, the vehicles, the clothes, the hairstyles, the general griminess, and the fact that Candy Corn starts with the camera very…slowly…panning…in…on…a…diner…for…one…full…minute…before…anything…is…said…
This is as good a time as any to say: With very rare exceptions, I don’t like films (of any genre) from the 1970s. And I don’t like films that emulate that era either. I don’t like sleaze (a trademark of the era as a whole) and pacing is almost always an issue. The memory that stands out MOST to me about watching Halloween (1979) with my family is that Mom had to get up to use the bathroom when Laurie Strode was crossing the street, she did her business, came back, and Laurie was STILL crossing the street. Mom didn’t miss a single thing by leaving the room!
If you like horror films of the mid-to-late 1970s, and the original Halloween in particular, then you’re going to love Candy Corn! And if you love 1980’s slashers and find a way to watch Candy Corn at 1.5x speed – you’ll probably love Candy Corn! It’s a VERY simple plot and it LOOKS great (although I’ve had a lifelong distaste for the time period, I totally respect their dedication to really GOING FOR IT and bringing that look fully to life!).
The night before Halloween, three local no good A-holes (who all do a GREAT job of making you yearn for their demise!), their drug dealer, and a girlfriend character head to the local sideshow to “prank” the mute janitor with a savage beating that includes ramming candy corn (bleh!) down his throat. Oops. He dead. Now what?
Well, Dr. Death (the sideshow’s charismatic leader) revives his employee through dark magic, giving the murdered janitor a chance to avenge himself by slaughtering his murderers one-by-one on Halloween night.
Candy Corn is 1970’s aesthetics, pacing, and torture of the innocent (the janitor); but with 1980’s over-the-top kills, including a spine getting ripped out Sub Zero-style! I also appreciated that they avoided the typical 1970’s Feel Bad ending and went for a more EC Comics’ karmic justice “yeah, a really bad thing happened but the balance has now been restored” angle.
Candy Corn | Not Rated | Runtime 1h 24m | Where Candy Corn is streaming now…
The Return of Count Yorga (1971)
The first 2-3 years of any decade tend to still have the vibe of the preceding decade; therefore, although The Return of Count Yorga is technically from 1971, it “feels” like a late 1960’s horror film.
This one came as a recommendation from my dad, who remembered a humorous scene within the first seven minutes where Count Yorga loses a Halloween costume contest to someone dressed as Dracula. This essentially groups Count Yorga with Charlie Chaplin, Hugh Jackman/Wolverine, and Dolly Parton as a Real Deal who loses to a Lookalike! 😉
I think The Return of Count Yorga would probably be fine for most audiences 13-14 and up (if they’re okay with fake blood and a mildly Feel Bad ending), but I didn’t put it in the Halloween Movies for Teens section because I have my doubts it would be able to hold modern teens’ interests. It takes a full 20 minutes until first on-screen kill, and much of Count Yorga’s deadpan sassiness (which had me snort laugh more than once!) would likely go over younger audience’s heads. But feel free to let me know if I’m wrong!
I’d also be interested to know if the multiple references to the Santa Ana Winds are of interest to anyone outside of my homeland of Southern California.
Dad wanted me to note that he prefers Count Yorga, Vampire (1970) – which I believe is a household favorite of my friend Heather’s as well! – and that it’s the better movie overall… but that it doesn’t have anything to do with Halloween, so that’s why The Return of Count Yorga is the better fit when it comes to Halloween horror movies actually set ON Halloween. (Maybe do a double-feature??).
Also, if you share my painful tinnitus triggered by shrill EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE sounds, you’re going to want to hit your Mute button for one full minute at each of these time stamps while watching The Return of Count Yorga: 50 minutes, 1 hour 9 minutes, and 1 hour 34 minutes.
The Return of Count Yorga | Rated R | Runtime 1h 37m | Where The Return of Count Yorga is streaming now…
Bad Candy (2020)
If you watched Tales of Halloween last week and thought, “What if this had ZERO redeeming qualities instead of Some with waaaaay less star power – but I also want the stars who WERE cast to look absolutely miserable to be a part of this!” while simultaneously thinking, “the sex scenes in American Horror Story are far too classy and not at all depraved enough!” then Bad Candy is for you.
Tasteless and miserable, I quit 40 minutes from the finish line. Kinda wondering if Gremlins‘ Zach Galligan needs us to set up a GoFundMe for him if he was cash desperate enough to star in this… Or maybe start an investigation into what kind of blackmail was being held against him?
But hey! Bad Candy DOES take place entirely on Halloween. So, there’s that, I guess! And I like the posters that were made for it. Very colorful.
Bad Candy | Not Rated | Runtime 1h 40m | Where Bad Candy is streaming now…
Late Night with the Devil (2023)
I haven’t watched Late Night with the Devil yet. I really like David Dastmalchian and my dad watched it and said it was good, but I just haven’t. It takes place in the 1970’s and has a loved-one-dying-from-cancer sub-plot and my heart just can’t handle all that right now.
That said, back in April, Christi Bandy rushed out to watch it while it was still in theaters and wrote a full review of Late Night with the Devil here on HorrorFam.com! If you’re interested in watching this Shudder Exclusive Halloween horror movie, feel free to read her review (the link opens in a new tab so you won’t lose your place here).
Slight spoiler: Christi loved it!!
On Halloween night, talk show host Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian) summons the Devil live on the air in order to boost his show’s ratings. What could possibly go wrong?
Late Night with the Devil | Rated R | Runtime 1h 29m | Where Late Night with the Devil is streaming now…
Update (10/26/2024): I watched Late Night with the Devil last night. It’s great! -L*
Night of the Demons (1988)
Promiscuous late 1980’s teens throw a Halloween party — complete with a demon-summoning séance — in an abandoned mortuary…
…you know what happens next.
Night of the Demons | Rated R | Runtime 1h 30m | Where Night of the Demons is streaming now…
WNUF Halloween Special (2013)
WNUF Halloween Special came to me as a suggestion from Hunter of JacksGoldRoom.com as a candidate for my list of great Halloween horror movies set on Halloween!
At first, as I was watching it, I was toying with the idea of suggesting it for Tweens or Teens. It starts out as a very benign found footage horror film – presenting itself as a VHS taping of a 1987 news channel’s Halloween broadcast, complete with (fake) commercials in-between the segments.
They absolutely nailed the look and feel of TV of the era. What Gen X or Millennial didn’t have VHS tapes with long blocks of footage they recorded? Some of us managed to tape some pretty wild stuff! A family friend had a tape rolling when the R. Budd Dwyer incident occurred (if you know, you know), which is a great example of how benign-seeming VHS recordings of live broadcasts can go shockingly sideways at a moment’s notice.
That’s also why I’ve put the WNUF Halloween Special in the Halloween Horror Movies for Adults section: When it finally goes sideways, it goes really sideways. The last 10 minutes are NOT for younger audiences.
Oddly enough, it’s one of four movies on this particular list that has the extremely graphic removal of a character’s tongue. (Candy Corn, Night of the Demons, and Bad Candy were the other three). I’m not sure why that became a linking theme in the Halloween movies for adults, but life’s weird sometimes.
Anyway, once your eyes adjust to the blurry VHS look of the WNUF Halloween Special, it’s fun. I’ve been spoiled by HD so going back to the grubby-looking recordings of my youth made me a little woozy at first (beware of eyestrain/headaches!), but I just kept thinking what a blast it would be to have the WNUF Halloween Special playing on an old CRT TV during a 1980’s-themed Halloween party and/or in the background in a Haunted House walkthrough!
WNUF Halloween Special | Not Rated | Runtime 1h 23m | Where WNUF Halloween Special is streaming now…
Ghostwatch (1992)
I read that both Late Night with the Devil (2023) and the WNUF Halloween Special (2013) were inspired by Ghostwatch (1992), so I sought it out. The history of Ghostwatch is fascinating!
If you’re familiar with the Nationwide scare Orson Welle’s reading of The War of the Worlds had in the United States, then you have an inkling of the widespread panic/fear Ghostwatch caused in United Kingdom! Watching it, knowing that viewers at the time had no reason to believe it wasn’t a real live news broadcast, will leave you STUNNED.
It’s played completely straight and I can totally understand why UK viewers of the era were so thoroughly pranked. At the time, no indication was given that Ghostwatch wasn’t legit. (Credits and warnings of it being fiction were added later).
Over 30 years later, this Halloween special hasn’t been re-aired on television in the United Kingdom and probably never will be. But YOU can watch it on Shudder!
I’ve mentioned before that found footage isn’t one of my favorite horror subgenres, but Ghostwatch was mesmerizing. Especially if you watch it while putting yourself in the shoes/mindset of its original audience.
Ghostwatch | Not Rated | Runtime 1h 31m | Where Ghostwatch is streaming now…
Which Halloween Horror Movies Set ON October 31st Are YOUR Favorites?
Between last week’s list and this one, you have at least 33 horror movies set on Halloween to choose from!
Which Halloween horror movies are YOU watching first? Which one is your all-time favorite? Or do you prefer your Halloween horror films to just have a general “Fall” vibe and not literally set on October 31st…?
Let me know in the comments!
Images/movie posters were purchased via CineMaterial and used for review purposes.
