Ghost/Haunted House Halloween Movie List

With a movie I'm in called The Legend of Seven Toe Maggie in that last stages of post-production, I thought a Halloween movie list of ghost stories seemed appropriate.

 But first...please watch the 7TM trailer. I'm at the pool party in the pink maxi dress

(1999)

Plot: When an eccentric millionaire offer a group of opposites $1,000,000 to spend the night in a so called "Haunted House" with a murderous past, they figure it is a quick way to get quick money and leave. All of them are sure it is some made up story just to mess with their heads a little and test their courage. But, once they stay in the house they start to think about the mistake they made in coming there when mysterious things start to happen.

My take: With great a turn by Geoffrey Rush, this remake is fun with some great use of CGI. 

1982

Ghosts invade suburbia in this 1982 horror film from director Tobe Hooper (TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE) and producer Steven Spielberg. Life in the Freeling family's tract home is comfortably bland, but frisky poltergeists soon put a little excitement into their daily routine--moving furniture and communicating with their youngest daughter, Carol Anne, through the television set. Unfortunately, harmless pranks quickly turn nasty and the previously friendly ghosts kidnap Carol Anne, trapping her in the spirit world. To win the child back, the family calls in a team of parapsychologists and a psychic. 

My take: Scary and smart, this movie makes me not have clowns in my bedroom, makes me scared of trees during a storm, and of a fuzzy TV. One of my all time favorite movies. Brilliant.

1999

Plot: In M. Night Shyamalan's THE SIXTH SENSE, Bruce Willis plays Dr. Malcolm Crowe, a successful Philadelphia child psychologist who is haunted by the sudden reappearance and suicide of a former patient. Months later Dr. Crowe encounters Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment), a troubled, withdrawn young boy who bears a striking similarity to his earlier patient. Dr. Crowe is compelled to help Cole, not only for the boy's sake, but for his own redemption. As Dr. Crowe struggles to determine what torments Cole, he must also come to terms with his increasingly distant relationship to his wife (Olivia Williams). Meanwhile, Cole is unable to describe the horrible things he sees even to his worried mother (Toni Collette). The film features Oscar-nominated performances by the startlingly intense Osment and the fiercely maternal Collette, as well as a subtle, subdued turn by Willis. Shyamalan directs his intriguing script with almost clinical precision, using carefully framed visuals to create the film's distinctly chilling atmosphere. On the strength of its pitch-perfect acting and direction, THE SIXTH SENSE has become the most successful thriller of all time.

My take: Ahh when M. Night was still brilliant. I still have hopes the man who brought us this fine film will come back. A ghost story seen from a child's eyes, this brilliant, scary, and intricately woven film pulls you in from the opening scene and doesn't let go. 

2001

Plot: A young woman and her two children reside in a secluded island mansion awaiting the return of her husband from the war. Her children have a mysterious disease that won't allow them to be near sunlight so she is vigilant about keeping the curtains and doors closed at all times.

My take: A period horror film that even non-horror lovers will like. Beautifully shot and acted, this film draws you in, scares the crap out of you, and has a heck of a twist ending. 

2002

In Gore Verbinski's remake of Hideo Nakata's chilling horror film, a group of teenagers all die suddenly and inexplicably exactly one week after watching a mysterious videotape at a remote cabin in the Pacific Northwest. Journalist Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts), a relative of one of the victims, begins an investigation that leads to a mountain resort where she discovers the tape, which contains footage of random and surreal images. After viewing the tape, Rachel receives a phone call stating that she, too, has seven days left to live. As the clock ticks away, Rachel enlists the help of her former boyfriend, Noah (Martin Henderson), who is the father of her startlingly serious young son, Aidan (David Dorfman). Assisted by the intuitive illustrations of Aidan and the initially reluctant research of Noah, Rachel attempts to discover the significance of the cryptic tape before her time is up. The original RING, based on a novel by Kôji Suzuki, was a cult phenomenon in Japan, spawning a sequel, a prequel, and other spin-offs. Although Verbinski's adaptation shares much in common with its Japanese counterpart, the director distinctly alters numerous plot elements and, in grandiose Hollywood style, employs a much larger budget. The beautiful cinematography is one of the more telling enhancements, along with added screen time for other characters, including the morose Richard Morgan (Brian Cox). However, the key to this RING is Watts, who shines through the creepy atmosphere in a role that follows her success in MULHOLLAND DRIVE. This would appear to be no coincidence, since the film comes across like a David Lynch version of an X-FILES episode that presents shockingly scary moments and makes the most out of the unknown. A clear cut above most contemporary horror films, THE RING offers genuine chills and will make viewers think twice before watching any unmarked videotapes.

My take: This was the first & best of all those Asian horror remakes. Also the first movie I saw Naomi Watts in. Leaves you with a foreboding feeling. 

2009

Plot Synopsis A haunted house makes no secret of the fact it's not pleased with its new tenants in this independent tale of supernatural horror. Katie (Katie Featherson) and Micah (Micah Sloat) are a twenty something couple who've just moved into a new home in San Diego, CA. Katie has an interest in the paranormal and believes that malevolent spirits have been following her since childhood, though Micah is not so easily convinced. However, after several nights of loud noises and strange happenings, Micah starts to agree with Katie that some sort of ghost may have followed them to the new home. After a paranormal researcher tells the couple he can't help them, Micah decides to take control of the situation and sets up a battery of video cameras so that if a spirit manifests itself, he can capture its behavior on tape. Once the surveillance cameras are in place, Katie and Micah bring in a Ouija board in an effort to talk to the spirits, a move that deeply offends the ghosts. Paranormal Activity was the first feature film from writer and director Oren Peli.

My take: Thin on plot, heavy on scares. This movie did so much with very little, and really knew how to use the little budget it had. Instead of bad CGI, it used good actors, camera tricks, and great editing to deliver a suspenseful, scary, and unique ride. 

2008

An ex-cop and his family are the target of an evil force that is using mirrors as a gateway into their home. (110 mins.)

Director: Alexandre Aja

Stars: Kiefer Sutherland, Paula Patton, Amy Smart, Cameron Boyce

My take: Gory and well-acted, with a great twist ended. The bath tub scene. Nuff said. 

2006

A woman goes in search for her daughter, within the confines of a strange, desolate town called Silent Hill. Based on the video game. 

Director: Christophe Gans

Stars: Radha Mitchell, Laurie Holden, Sean Bean, Deborah Kara Unger

My take: What starts off as an eerie ghost story turns into some pretty disturbing stuff. Great acting, cinematography, and very creepy creatures. 

1984

A Nightmare on Elm Street

 Freddy is particularly awful because of the way he targets children (both in life and in death) and teenagers, and his apparent total lack of any sympathetic qualities. Freddy is also one of the most iconic and recognizable of horror movie killers. 

My take: The cause of many bad dreams for me as a kid. 

2002

A grieving doctor is being contacted by his late wife through his patients near death experiences. 

Director: Tom Shadyac

Stars: Kevin Costner, Susanna Thompson, Joe Morton, Ron Rifkin

My take: I love this quiet film that had not only a surprising ending, but a tender performance by Kevin Costner, who, up until For The Love of the Game, I never liked much as an actor. This is one of those movies that turned it around for me. 

2011 TV Series

An anthology series that centers on different characters and locations, including a haunted house, an insane asylum, a witch coven and a freak show. 

Stars: Evan Peters, Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, Frances Conroy

My take: This show is a true original. I've never seen anything like it. The grotesqueness nor the fact that each season is an anthology series. Watch season 1 for the Haunted House.