Return to Haddonfield: 5 Films to Rewatch for Halloween

With Halloween just around the corner, the time is now to indulge in as many horror movies as possible. While I always enjoy a new favorite, there’s just something about taking the time to rewatch all my old favorites before the witching hour strikes on Halloween night that really makes me happy this time of year. So with that, here are my top five favorite rewatches:

5. The Evil Dead (1981)

While Army of Darkness is my favorite film in the original Evil Dead franchise, there’s just something about the original that keeps me coming back every October. Maybe it’s the grittiness, or the original’s more serious look at the torment of a group of college students in the woods by themselves, but it’s a must-see every year.

4. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

One of my favorite horror movies, hands-down. Featuring one of the most iconic horror movie villains to ever grace the silver screen, Tobe Hooper’s original masterwork of suspense and terror still works just as intended in 2016. That’ll teach those teenagers to wander into a house in the backwoods of Texas that doesn’t belong to them.

3. The Thing (1982)

My favorite John Carpenter movie. Just the thought of being trapped in the Antarctic with a shapeshifting monster is enough to make my skin crawl. Carpenter’s remake of 1951’s The Thing from Another World ups the shock factor and gets real visceral real fast. A must-see for any fan of 1980’s horror.

2. Halloween (1978)

Thought this was going to be #1, huh? To follow up one Carpenter film with another seems weird, but Halloween is obviously going to be high up on a list of films to watch for Halloween. Carpenter’s seminal American slasher film has earned its reputation for being one of the all-time great horror films. I don’t even feel the need to recommend this any further than that.

1. The Shining (1981)

I can’t get enough of The Shining. If I could, I would watch it every day. Kubrick’s classic take on Stephen King’s classic novel is easily one of, if not the best, horror films ever made. This gripping tale of isolation and madness has stood the test of time like a fine wine. The story of Jack, Wendy, Danny, and the evils of the Overlook Hotel will always be my go-to movie on Halloween night, from now until the end of time. If you haven’t seen it, go watch it immediately. The Overlook  is waiting for you to check in.