movies Archives

Halloween Movies (part 2): Must-See Classics

October 12, 2018April 2, 2022 Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

Here are six classic horror films that are must-sees in my opinion. I always pick out one or two of these and rewatch them during the month of October. This year I will probably do The Wolf Man and The Mummy.

Category: Sci-fi

Frankenstein (1931)

It’s hard not to have compassion for the Frankenstein monster. Boris Karloff does an amazing job working with his platform shoes and makeup. A scene that will always stick out for me is when he throws the little girl in the water. Heart-wrenching yet still terrifying, there will always be a special spot for Frankenstein for years to come.

Category: Vampires

Dracula (1931)

The vampire movie that started it all, well the most popular early vampire movie that influenced a lot of stuff later. This classic Tod Browning film cemented the sexy vampire in horror films. Bela Lugosi with his mysterious eyes and foreign accent drew the audience in and never let them go. Still today we feel the wrath of the ‘sexy’ vampires in cinema. It has become so customary that vampires are regarded as sexually alluring in movies that it’s hard to find any truly terrifying (and not ‘woe is me’) vampires. Regardless of the legacy, nothing compares to the creepy castle Dracula and of course Dracula’s assistant Renfield.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7C7pX17aDs

Category: Supernatural/Curses

The Mummy (1932)

I love The Mummy, what a truly strange and scary movie. There is something alluring and yet disturbing about this story. To see a Mummy come to life, to know that curses have real power. The Mummy can be wrapped up with westerners fascination with Ancient Egypt and the mysterious Curse of King Tut’s Tomb 1923.

Category: Werewolves

The Wolf Man (1941)

One of my all-time favorite stories is The Wolf Man. I adore all things werewolf, they are one of my favorite creepy creatures. I really enjoy watching The Wolf Man and The Wolfman (2010) close to each other so I can analyze their similarities. It strikes me how each movie tells the story in their own way and of course in the style of their time. All in all, definitely prefer the complicated character of the werewolf to Dracula any day.

Compare to The Wolfman (2010)

Category: Creatures

Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)

Oh yes, I bet some of the people who saw The Shape of Water (2017) last year decided to watch the 1954 Creature from the Black Lagoon. This creature is a whole lot of weird and I think has been unfairly neglected until last year. This water creature, mannish looking and frightening, pops up here and there (Hellboy’s Abe) but has never truly gotten a good amount of spotlight until now. What I do love about Creature from the Black Lagoon is that he is not afraid of coming aboard.

Category: Sci-fi/Aliens

The Blob (1958)

I probably watch this movie about three or five times a year. I love this one because I think it is truly frightening, plus the Steve McQueen/Car stuff is pretty cool. What’s creepy about the blob is how it looks, not a monster with fangs, fur or glowing eyes but a mass of goo that will swallow you whole. The Blob’s blobbiness makes it an unsettling fright that is both entertaining and disturbing.

Thanks for reading, please feel free to leave comments/suggestions below!

Coming up next: Review of Haunted Nights (A Horror Writers Association Anthology)

Halloween Movies (part 1): My Favorite Yearly Re-Watches

October 8, 2018April 2, 2022 Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

During the month of October, I watch as many Halloween movies as I can. Here are six of my favorite movies that I love to rewatch.

Category: Zombies

28 Days Later (2002)

A modern classic, 28 Days Later is about Jim (Cillian Murphy) waking up in the hospital only to discover the UK in a full apocalypse-like state after a virus outbreak. I consider this movie a modern classic for a number of reasons but the main two are the acting and the cinematography. I would recommend this movie to anyone who loves a good zombie film.

Category: Witches

The VVitch: A New-England Folktale (2015) — imdb.com

The Witch (2015)

What a thriller, this movie gets down into the bloody, gritty works of witches in the great era of settling protestants hundreds of years ago. The synopsis: A young girl finds herself under the inevitable sway of evil forces after her family moves to a desolate area near the edge of a creepy forest. I love this movie because I felt like it took those strange stories about witchcraft and the devil from this time in history and made them a literal “what if?” scenario. Yeah, what if the devil does take the shape of a black goat and recruits young girls into witchcraft? what if there were actual witches who that stole babies? A great scary movie and it will keep you on your toes. The only recommendation that I can think of that has a similar witchy vein would be The Witches (1990) but this one is actually kid-friendly…kinda.

Category: Psycho Killers

Halloween (1978)

The beginning of one of the most iconic classic horror movies, the first Halloween is a treat worthy of having over and over again. It’s a great family film that gets into the disturbing relationship between Michael and his sister. The story continues still to this day (40 years later) Halloween 2018 and I am stoked! I recommend this movie to those that love a good slasher flick, nothing’s scarier than a psychopath on a killing frenzy.

Category: Psychological Suspense/Thriller

Split (2016)

I was initially surprised by this movie because it was actually good. I kept waiting for the cheesiness to creep in and take over the film but it didn’t happen (for me). I think this has to do with the A+ acting of James McAvoy who plays a man with multiple personalities (9 in total). The synopsis: A young girl and her friends are abducted by a stranger who is more terrifying than he actually seems. I thought this movie was a great ‘scary’ movie because it remained suspenseful throughout and kept my attention the entire time. If you like the classic Psyscho (1960) you should love this.

Category: Sci-fi

Annihilation (2018)

A great freaky sci-fi movie that is definitely disturbing enough to watch as a Halloween flick. The synopsis: Lena, played by Natalie Portman, signs up for a suicide mission after her husband returns strangely messed up after a secret mission he disappeared on. The ways in which reality is torn apart and mushed back together again is truly unsettling. I would recommend this film to anyone that loves a gory sci-fi movie. Note: I felt like Annihilation was the exact opposite of Arrival (2016) but with a similar feel.

Category: Vampires

Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (1922) — imdb.com

Nosferatu (1922)

This is an oldie but in my opinion, it really could never be replaced. The gist of it, Nosferatu is a German retelling of Dracula. It is actually scary, compared to the 1931 American version, and contains the most disturbing vampire I have ever encountered in cinema to this day. Count Orlok has pointy ears, two huge fangs instead of buck teeth, and fingers than taper off into six-inch-ish looking talons. Same as Dracula, Count Orlok decides to move and leaves a path of destruction and death on his journey. Truly disturbing, I doubt anyone could forget the imagery from this movie even if they tried. I recommend this movie to anyone who loves the type of vampires along the lines of 30 Days of Night (2007).

Thanks for reading! If you like this list or think it’s lacking or have a suggestion please feel free to leave a comment below!

Coming up next: Halloween Movies (part 2): The Classics

Halloween Favorites : ‘Kid’ Movies

October 9, 2017April 2, 2022 Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

Here are a few more of my favorite Halloween movies! These ones are considered more appropriate for younger audiences.

The Little Vampire

The Little Vampire (2000) is a fun one for kids about a boy and his parents that move into a very old mansion in another country that is infested with vampires. These vampires are more along the classical Dracula line, only given a little more human characteristics (manners, children vampires that want to play, vampire parents etc.) making them seem just like a ‘strange’ neighbor family. The story revolves around the boy making friends with a kid vampire whose family is being hunted by a vampire killer. It is a fun family comedy with just enough spooky darkness to be a Halloween favorite.

Hocus Pocus

This is classic that is still extremely popular today. Hocus Pocus (1993) centers around a family that moves to Salem, Massachusettes the hometown of the Sanderson sisters (fictional) who were witches hanged a few hundred years prior. On Halloween night the sisters are resurrected accidentally and then continue to wreak havoc on the Salem, chasing the kids who want to stop them. This movie is amazing in detail, effects, and humor! The comedy is to die for with plenty of laughs for parents and kids.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

A classic Tim Burton film The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) has redefined the genre of Halloween films since its release. This film is about Jack Skellington and his discovery of Christmas and the horror that ensues after. It is a very dark Halloween movie and might frighten some kids. The characters are vivid, disturbing, and often horrifying but endearingly so. Tim Burton is known for his unique style and the gothic impressions of his film, The Nightmare Before Christmas could arguably be considered the best (if not most popular) of his work.

Why I love these movies in particular,

The Little Vampire is fascinating for its interpretation of vampires and vampire children while exploring familial issues. The costumes are very detailed and beautiful while the storyline is remarkably complex for a children’s movie. Hocus Pocus is a hilarious story of three witch sisters who are adults but act like bickering children making them terrifyingly funny. Again, the costumes and details within the sets and characters (‘Billy’ the zombie and Binx ‘the talking cat’) are amazing. The Nightmare Before Christmas was created through clay figurines and stop motion! I personally love how dark this movie is and how scary and sweet the characters are.

Thank you for taking time out of your day to read my writing! I hope that you will return in the future!

-Alina

Reflection: Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

A Few Favorites: Halloween Movies…

September 30, 2017April 2, 2022 Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

Here are a few of my favorite Halloween movies that I love!

Trick 'r Treat Poster — source: imdb.com

Trick ‘r Treat is a classic! Released in 2007 and featuring an array of actors that many will be able to recognize since they have gained popularity. The movie is made up of a few stories that connect to each other by Halloween, murder, monsters, and children. The tone of the film fluctuates from classic horror elements to cause fear-induced goosebumps and humor for the over-the-top gore, silliness (sometimes), and style of each story. I have a great love for the amazing werewolf (wolves) scene and the origin story behind the bus of kids. I would recommend this movie to anyone that wants to get their full Halloween kicks in one package.

Drag Me to Hell Poster — source: imdb.com

Drag Me To Hell is a Raimi brothers movie. The Sam Raimi is responsible for the classic ‘Evil Dead‘ movies that reshaped and influence horror in the 1980’s. ‘Drag Me To Hell’ is a darkly humored horror film about a woman cursed by a gypsy. The acting is superb by the lead actress Alison Loham. There is darkness, mystery, and scares for every scene that are disgusting and halarious. This movie is for those with a bold taste for scary and grotesque humor when it comes to Horror films making it a perfect go-to for Halloween.

Jeepers Creepers Poster — source: imdb.com

Jeepers Creepers (the first one) came out in 2001. It can be considered a cheesy-horror film but honestly I think it is amazing. A brother and sister find themselves the prey of a creature that is pretty ‘creepy’. I’ve always seen Jeepers Creepers (the creature) as a mix between the Mothman and Jersey Devil urban legends. This movie has a trademark theme and ending which I believe contributed to the massive amount of sequels that were made after (like Final Destination). A good film for those ready to be really ‘creeped’ out and fear the open night sky.

Thank you for reading my writing and reflections!

I plan on posting another list of my favorite Halloween movies soon!

-Alina

Reflection: Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

Announcement: What to expect this month and next…

September 5, 2017April 2, 2022 Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

Here’s what I’ve been thinking about doing during September,

One to three short stories (expect Horror and Mystery, Halloween is upon us!).
Short reviews/reflections of a handful of newly released movies (right now I am thinking, Ingrid Goes West)
A compilation list of my favorite Halloween movies!
A review/reflection of a select Musician.

Basically through September and all of October Halloween and related themes (Horror, Mystery, Thrillers, select Sci-Fi) will be the main subject of my posts. Halloween is my favorite holiday out of the entire year and I would love to take this opportunity as the first Halloween with my blog to show my love for it.

Any suggestions, and/or comments are welcome!

-Alina

Featured Image is Original Artwork by Drazen Kozjan