the october spooky movie series

i love movies that get you in the halloween mood, so much that last year, alex (pictured above in our paris studio, 2012) and i started a spooky movie series every october sunday evening. i get to pick two, and he gets to pick two. (you can see what movies we chose for our first incarnation here)
i love doing this because we get to see new films that we’ve been meaning to for awhile, it gets you in the halloween mood, and it’s such a nice way to enjoy a sunday night instead of those usual stressed “oh no, weekend is ending” feelings. here is what our series has been like this year, just in time for you to pick some interesting spooky favorites to watch yourself!

week one: dial m for murder (1954), alfred hitchcock. my pick.

you can never go wrong with a hitchcock in october. as last year we saw the fabulous rear window, this year dial m for murder was just the thing; a film about an ex-tennis player who carries out a plot to murder his beautiful, cheating wife played by the effervescent grace kelly. really loved this one– i kept thinking about the story for days afterwards! one of my favorite hitchcocks and highly recommended. halloween factor: 3/5 ghosts

week two: beetlejuice (1988), tim burton. my pick.

i only vaguely remember watching this as a kid and felt like it would be a wonderful time to rewatch it. yes yes yes, this movie is fantastically halloweeny in the same vein as hocus pocus… exactly what i was going for and was probably my favorite of the four because i like those silly funny sorts of halloween films rather than horror. worth it for the “dayo” song scene, teenage winona ryder’s awesomely goth wardrobe, and michael keaton’s nasty beetlejuice. halloween factor: 5/5 ghosts

week three: the host (2006), joon-ho bong. alex’s pick. 

a slick black monster emerges one sunny seoul day from the han river, threatening the human population. the film focuses particularly on one family’s story and struggle. if the director’s name sounds familiar, it’s probably because you remember him from the much buzzed about snowpiercer (2013). if you are in the mood for a modern day monster movie, then give this one a try. another plus is that you get to see loads of the city of seoul and it will make you crave ramen like no other. halloween factor: 2/5 ghosts

week four: the omen (1976), richard donner. alex’s pick.

gregory peck in rome… twenty years after starring in roman holiday! as we watched rosemary’s baby last year, this film is the next natural progression: the american embassador and his wife slowly realize they just may be raising the anti-christ. pay no mind to the recent remake (even though it looked well done), this is the original and reminds us why the mid-70’s was such a good time for hollywood cinema. halloween factor: 4/5 ghosts, especially because there are multiple really great graveyard scenes.

on halloween: the mummy (1932), karl freund.

we love watching old monster films on halloween, specifically those starring boris karloff! looking forward to this one. i mean, just look at that poster!

what are your favorite kinds of halloween movies? will you be snuggling up with one this year? if you’re an expat, how do you celebrate halloween?