Holy sweet god damn! It’s the most glorious time of the year. No need for a tree, though. Also no need to leave cookies and milk out for a stranger to devour after he breaks into your home. This ain’t Christmas season; it’s Spooky Season.
That’s right! September 1st kicks off the most glorious sixty-one days of the year. Shorter days and longer nights filled with family size bags of candy, gallons of pumpkin spiced Dunkin’, and horror action galore. Movies, shows, documentaries, and books. You name it. Along with my best friend-creature of the night, Count Binx, we are revved and ready to go. Nothing but sugar, adrenaline and sleeping with the lights on for the next two months. Insulin levels and electric bills be damned. We are ready to rock. Count Binx sits beside me at time of writing, patiently waiting and preparing to judge me for our first selection. I asked him to describe Spooky Season in one word; he licked himself and responded, “Meow.” He’s not wrong. And neither am I! Let’s go a quick rundown of the Spooky Season itinerary for anyone interested in playing along.
Killer Documentaries
Lisa Wilcox in a scene from “Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy.” (Photo: IMDb).
To kick off Spooky Season with a bang, I recommend watching Bravo’s “The 100 Scariest Movie Moments.” Released in 2004, the five-part docu-series feels very much of its time. Talking heads comprised of B and C List celebrities whose acting skills are actually scarier than some of the monsters in this list provide solid enough commentary throughout this gorefest. You also get a decent amount of dialogue from some of the stars, directors, and creators of the works. This is a great way to begin the festivities because it will give you the opportunity to pad your watch list to follow. You can find this gem on YouTube.
If you’re looking for a more specific documentary that is nonetheless glorious, give “Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy” a go. If you love Freddy Krueger — and are like Count Binx and think he was just a misunderstood fella who got a raw deal from a bunch of parents who were really to blame for all of their baby-yuppy’s problems — well then, you’ll want to stay wide awake for this one. Filled with behind the scenes fun and interviews with the stars and creative team behind all the films, it serves as a glorious gory trip down memory lane.
Spine-Tingling Television
A scene from “Tales from the Crypt.” (Photo: TV Line).
If you are a sucker for ’90s nostalgia and hilariously gross and spooky scary stories guaranteed to make the skin crawl right off of your frightened body, look no further than “Tales From the Crypt.” Now I know what you’re saying: “didn’t you used to date a crypt keeper?” And to that I’d argue she wasn’t as old as she looked or as fragile as she felt but that’s for another time. Let this Crypt Keeper take you down a rabbit hole of unfortunate tales. Everything from the horrifying into, the iconic Danny Elfman intro theme, and the who’s-who of great stars, you’ll find popping in and out of this classic series are worth their weight in Starburst and Skittles!
Even in life like the one we are living today, it might be hard to think that “The Twilight Zone” is an actual wonderful television program. And one worth revisiting this season. While not always so reliant on horror, it makes its stance on psychological spooks, unnerving characterizations, and some pretty damn down and out scenarios. “There’s something on the…oh wait that’s Count Binx pawing at the automatic feeder three hours before meal time. For the love! Any more snacks for my fluffy feline friend and he’s going to go as a bowling ball for Halloween.
Monster Movies are a Must This Halloween
You know who he is (Photo: Variety).
There is a method to my madness here; and if you’ve made it this far, you’re about to see the big payoff. In 2022, not everyone appreciates black-and-white. Like, granted I love it and actual prefer the black-and-white Snyder Cut of “Justice League,” but this isn’t about Batman! It’s about the Universal Monster Movies! And no! Not the recent Tom Cruise “Mummy” or the blah “Invisible Man.” I’m taking the classics. Frankenstein, Dracula, The Wolfman, The Bride, The Creature From the Black Lagoon. These OGs of horror have not lost a step nearly a century after their cinematic arrival.
This Spooky Season is all about enjoying where we came from and this is where it all started. These movies of this era rely far less on gore a gross out gags and just on great, creepy atmospheric suspense. I challenge anyone reading this to watch at least one classic Dracula and one classic Frankenstein film this spooky season. Count Binx and I promise you, you will absolutely love them and find yourself digging into the all the other Universal Classics.
Stick with The Movie Buff as we dive into everyone’s favorite time of year…if you dare!
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