Ghost movies perfect for Halloween: Here are our recommendations
GuguuGhost!
That was the normal reaction to Casper, the friendly ghost, albeit a spluttering one. Ghosts scare people. Even if they just want to be your friend, like Casper in the old cartoons.
In fact, ghosts often have more on their mind than just saying “boo!”
Sometimes they return to scold, warn, or prod, as in “Macbeth,” “Julius Caesar,” and “Hamlet.” Sometimes, like in “A Christmas Carol,” they stage an intervention.
And sometimes, like in “Ghostbusters,” ghosts just want to have fun.
They always occupy a place of honor at Halloween, the annual festival of horror. Even if only because their costumes are gifts for lazy people. White sheet, 2 holes, done. Coincidentally, the ghost is one of the simplest special effects in Hollywood. Double exposure is as old as film itself.
Maybe that’s why ghosts have continued to haunt movie theaters for 120 years, ever since Georges Méliès filmed The Revenant in 1903. Halloween is the perfect time to see the best of ghosts. Here are some of our favorites.
Never be afraid!North Jersey has over 100 spooky Halloween activities, reads, and things to do
However, Hollywood ghosts, like all ghosts, have a variety of motivations. Not all ghost movies are meant to scare.
Some of the movie’s ghosts are pensive. Or romantic. Or interesting. Or even make you think.
But what about others? be careful!!!!!!
Ghost Story (2017)
Just like there are sad clowns, there are also sad ghosts. For example, Casey Affleck, who died in an accident, returns to her old home to haunt her grieving wife Rooney Mara. Comically, wistfully, he looks exactly like a trick-or-treating ghost, a sheet with two eyes on him. Writer/director David Lowery’s minimalistic meditation on time, grief, and memory is slow and unsettling. In short, unforgettable. Vudu, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google, Apple.
“Others” (2001)
the other one is what? The moody story of a woman (Nicole Kidman), her photo-sensitive children, and the servants in a secluded house on the Channel Islands is certainly not human. It turns out they aren’t so alone after all. Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, Vudu.
The Sixth Sense (1999)
“I see dead people.” There’s a reason for that. M. Night Shyamalan’s much-talked-about thriller features a psychologist (Bruce Willis), a disturbed child (Haley Joel Osment), and a famously “shock” ending, but spoilers ahead. I don’t. You probably already know. Peacock, Apple TV, Vudu, Amazon Prime.
Ghost (1990)
Ghost: Patrick Swayze. Widow: Demi Moore. Medium: Whoopi Goldberg. Revelation: Pottery. Who knew that was sexy? This iconic 90’s film of his may or may not be a classic of supernatural love. But this is certainly Hollywood’s biggest pottery class ad. Max, Roku, Spectrum TV, Prime Video, Vudu, Apple TV, Redbox.
“Beetlejuice” (1988)
Leave it to Tim Burton to tell a ghost story from the ghost’s point of view. In the film, a ghostly couple (Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis) hire an ectoplasm exterminator (Michael Keaton) to rid their home of human pests. Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice! So we said it. Amazon Prime, Vudu, Apple TV.
Ghostbusters (1984)
Who can resist Slimer, Zulu, and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man? Apparently it’s just Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd. That’s why they had to be called in the first place. This monster hit has gone down in comedy history, but in a heretical opinion, we’re introduced to the demonic spirit Vigo (Norbert Grupe), a kind of ectoplasmic Vlad the Impaler, and his I prefer Ghostbusters II (1989) with its insane enabler Dr. János Poha. (Peter MacNicol borrows the Polish accent from his “Sophie’s Choice” co-star Meryl Streep) warns the protagonists against Vigo, “You’re like buzzing flies!” USA Network, OXYGEN, SYFY, Bravo, E!, Prime Video, ROW8, Apple TV, Vudu.
“Poltergeist” (1982)
This Tobe Hooper and Steven Spielberg shocker goes a little too far in its final act. But the early scenes involving a nice suburban dad (Craig T. Nelson), his nice normal family, and his cute daughter (Heather O’Rourke) who gets sucked into the TV are especially creepy, and the scenes that involve Zelda’s Reuben Stein will never be forgotten as a vehicle for conveying the happy message, “Welcome everyone into the light!” You can watch him on Max, Philo, Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu, Redbox, or TCM on October 18th at 12:30am.
The Shining (1980)
Just because you die doesn’t mean you no longer need to make a living. The Shining, Stanley Kubrick’s epic adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, features ghosts such as butler Grady (Philip Stone), bartender Lloyd (Joe Turkel), and murderer Jack Torrance ( Jack Nicholson) does his best to make his plans easier. His wife and child are murdered in an empty hotel covered in snow. Kubrick brought a new twist to ghost movies. All terrible things happen in broad daylight.It can be done bad. Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu.
“Fog” (1980)
“That’s not fog. What is that?” in Carcinogen? No, it’s the ghost of an evil ship’s crew that lurks in the eerie fog that hangs over Point Reyes, California. Directed by John Carpenter’s Flashlight Ghost Yarn, starring the inevitable Adrienne Barbeau and Jamie Lee Curtis, Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu, and more, there’s plenty of spooky fun to be had.
The Haunting (1963)
Ghosts must live somewhere. Therefore, haunted houses are one of Hollywood’s favorite properties. It’s particularly troublesome here, with late-night thumping sounds, cold spots, and a memorably unstable spiral staircase. Unsurprisingly, the 1999 remake (both based on Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House) is even more shocking, and understandably, no one talks about it. Starting Oct. 21 at 1:30 a.m. on Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, Apple TV, or TCM.
“Carnival of Souls” (1962)
This unique budget chiller features a haunted amusement park pier and has a twist beyond M. Night Shyamalan’s. Recommendation. Amazon Video, Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, Microsoft Store, Apple TV.
“Innocent” (1961)
Two cute children. A healthy tutor. But this isn’t “The Sound of Music.” Because these children are possessed by evil spirits. Otherwise, the tutor will lose his mind. Either way, this beautifully shot and subtly eerie take on Henry James’s The Turn of the Screw is perhaps the best ghost movie ever made. Deborah Kerr’s performance is amazing. Netflix, Amazon, Vudu.
“The Ghost and Mrs. Muir” (1947)
Is a ghost your ideal partner? eHarmony may not think so. But Hollywood has thought differently from time to time. This is perhaps the best out-of-this-world love story. The story is about an independent widow (Gene Tierney), circa 1900, who falls in love with the grumpy ghost of a ship’s captain (Rex Harrison). It may sound cliché, but this film has an unforgettable depth and pathos. Much of this has to do with the seaside setting and Bernard Herrmann’s exquisite music. Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu, or TCM Oct. 20 at 8 p.m.
Dead of Night (1945)
This spooky omnibus movie is like a dry run for “The Twilight Zone,” with a few ghost stories included. Best of all is the convalescent patient and the ghostly hearse driver who calls out to him, “There’s room for just one person inside!” A week later, I wonder who will be driving the bus that takes him home from the hospital. iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu.
“The Uninvited” (1944)
It seems like there’s a problem for Mr. Manners. But that’s a real problem for Ray Milland and Ruth Hussey. Their beautiful seaside home on the Cornish coast is haunted by ghostly sobs, unexplained cold drafts, and the scent of mimosa reminiscent of the murderer who lived there all those years ago. . Hollywood’s first attempt at a “serious” ghost movie, while tame by today’s standards, still holds up well. Chinese Medicine, Oct. 20, 11:45 p.m.
