SALT LAKE CITY — Not all horror movies involve masked murderers chasing teenagers through the haunted woods.
Film critic Josh Terry wrote recently for the Deseret News that better horror films exist than “Halloween” or bloody slashers flicks. His choice? “Something Wicked This Way Comes.”
We asked Deseret News readers to share their favorite Halloween movie and to explain why they like that film so much.
Here are the responses we received. They have been lightly edited for clarity and flow.
“Watcher in the Woods”
Rating: PG
“Creepy, intriguing and no gore.”
“Young Frankenstein”
Rating: PG
“The cast.”
“I don't know if I'd call it a Halloween movie, but I watch it every year. It's an homage to the classic Frankenstein movies and is Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder at their funniest. More quotable lines than almost any other movie. It's a classic!”
“Wait Until Dark”
Rating: NR, likely PG for intense moments
“This was the first movie I watched that scared the heck out of me. I love that there's no gore, no bad language and no explicit sex scenes, but still scares the heck out of you. Psychological thrillers are the only scary movies I watch.”
“Haunting of Hill House”
Rating: Common Sense media rates the Netflix series as appropriate for ages 16 and up
“Doesn't need gore to be scary.”
“It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown”
Rating: NR, likely G
“It's sweet and good for everyone.”
“Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein”
Rating: PG
“Scary and funny. Good old fashioned horror story but all make believe characters.”
“The Ghost Breakers”
Rating: NR, but likely G or PG
“Silly, politically incorrect, romp with a hilarious Bob Hope.”
"The Abominable Dr. Phibes" and "Dr. Phibes Rises Again"
Rating: PG-13 for adult situations/language, violence
“Vincent Price — the Patron Saint of Halloween!”
“The Haunting”
Rating: G, but likely more in the PG range
“The original has always scared the “weasels” out of me. The film emphasizes how powerful the brain is over what it is shown. Julie Harris’ Eleanor is incredibly powerful when her own demons meet at Hill House. The incessant knocking on the walls of the old house mirrors the knocking of her past. Fear driven and powerfully shot The Haunting remains my all-time Halloween favorite.”
“Hocus Pocus”
Rating: PG
“Have you seen this? It's amazing!”
“It was fun.”
“The Others”
Rating: PG-13 for thematic elements and frightening moments
“Suspenseful but not gory.”
“The Village”
Rating: PG-13 for a scene of violence and frightening situations
“Suspenseful but not gory.”
“The Ghost and Mr. Chicken”
Rating: G
“Wholesome movie the family can watch and laugh.”
“It is just a great family movie to watch. I think there are enough really terrible things in reality without inventing new such things.”
“Scary but not evil or immoral.”
“Signs"
Rating: PG-13 for some frightening moments
“A couple of scenes in it actually scare you right out of your seat. Good fun.”
“Tommy Boy”
Rating: PG-13 for sex-related humor, some drug content and nudity
“Why not?”
“Paranorman”
Rating: PG for scary action and images, thematic elements, some rude humor and language
“It's extremely funny.”
“Something Wicked This Way Comes”
Rating: PG
“Scared me just enough."
“Trick 'r Treat”
Rated: R for horror violence, some sexuality/nudity and language
“It’s actually about Halloween. There are basically four stories being told in a town that celebrates Halloween religiously. … These movies shouldn’t be too complicated.
“Burnt Offerings”
Rating: PG
“Karen Black, Bette Davis and Oliver Reed’s acting in this movie left indelible impressions on my memory. It provides for some serious creepiness without all the unnecessary jump scares that cheapen the experience. A good haunted house tale with a slower pace, great acting, and an unforgettable ending. And, with a PG rating, it’s suitable for most the family, although it scared the heck out of me when I was 8 years old. It will always be one of my favorites along the wonderful ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes.’"
"The Shining”
Rating: R for adult situations/language, nudity and violence
“For me, Stephen King is a true master of horror and scariness. My former wife hates this film because of the plot, but Jack Nicholson's amazing performance can still send goosebumps up my spine.”
Other mentions without explanations:
- “The Fly”
- “The Uninvited”