When the trick-or-treaters have returned to their respective homes to sort through their goodies, it is time to dim the lights and watch Halloween movies. Many will choose from among the scariest films ever made. John Carpenter’s HALLOWEEN, an influential slasher film from 1978, and its seven sequels will light up the screens of many of our television sets. Other celebrants might choose a splatter film, such as Herschell Gordon Lewis’s BLOOD FEAST.
Not me. I’m from that group of film enthusiasts called the faint of heart. Film images that ooze blood and guts or make me think bad thoughts every time I pick up one of our kitchen knives have never been my entertainment of choice.
So… here are a few film recommendations to make your Halloween festive without leaving you shivering and tossing in your bed sheets.
If little children are sitting with you on the couch, take a look at IT’S THE GREAT PUMPKIN, CHARLIE BROWN. This minor comedy gem from the mid-1960s exudes innocence and offers viewers the best of the Peanuts gang. Lucy is her usual self-centered self, but with an occasional nod towards decency. Linus is a study in blind faith. I could go on about this sweet animated film, but, as Linus says, “There are three things never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin.”
Another family film for Halloween is THE LITTLE VAMPIRE starring cute-as-a-button child actor Jonathan Lipnicki as an American boy living out of his element in rural Scotland who befriends a family of vampires who are determined to become mortals. And who is the villain of the piece? Not the vampires, but the cruel and grizzly vampire hunter, an ugly fellow named Rookery who is played with great dynamism by Dan Carter. Yes, British character actor Dan Carter whom most will recognize as the staid Mr. Carson on DOWNTON ABBEY.
And finally, a double bill of traditional 1930s Hollywood films. Start with BelaLugosi in DRACULA. No matter how many times you have seen this stylish seminal vampire film, it never fades in atmosphere and excitement. While the younger generation may balk at its slow pace, this 1931 classic Universal horror film is a must-see for Halloween.
The second feature on this double bill is a new release on Blu-Ray and DVD from Kino Classics. THE DEATH KISS, from 1932, was mastered in HD from archival 35mm elements preserved by the Library of Congress. As in DRACULA, THE DEATH KISS features BelaLugosi and David Manners—this time in a pre-code, low-budget whodunit about a murder at a movie studio. It was shot at the real-life Tiffany studios on Sunset Blvd.
In addition to being a lightweight fun entertainment, the viewer gets to see how early sound films were created within Hollywood studios, and has the added treat of viewing a black-and-white film that has splashes of color. While the film appears to have been produced on a budget of about a dollar fifty, the actors and the ambiance are worth your time. THE DEATH KISS may seem absurd, and you may not always be laughing WITH it, but—like the cherry Tootsie Roll pop at the bottom of the bag, it’s a solid Halloween treat!
Audrey Kupferberg is a film and video archivist and appraiser. She teaches film studies at the University at Albany and has co-authored several entertainment biographies with her husband and creative partner, Rob Edelman.
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