Thursday, October 25, 2012

Top 5 Vintage Horror Movies You MUST Watch This Halloween

We're old and it sucks! No more screaming like caffeinated jackals down moonlit streets in quirky costumes. It hurts, but at least we still have our horror movies! Get into the Halloween spirit with me and relive your carefree childhood days. Take a break and watch one (or all!) of my earnest horror-geek recommendations. You'll love these movies, the sets are filled with drool-worthy vintage goodies!


A surreal black comedy set in 1950s suburbia. The sets will give you one eye-gasm after another! The over-the-top mod, kitschy props are outstanding and each quirky set nicely juxtaposes the thick, sinister atmosphere. A very unique watch.



A film that defies genre: it’s equal parts musical, horror flick, mystery, physiological thriller, and drama. You'll be glued to the screen following the tense twists and turns. This groovy 1970s piece exposes the dark underbelly of flower power. A MUST WATCH. (Avoid the 2006 remake!)


This is a moving, dark, psychological look at the destructive power of religion. It's a gritty, atmospheric flick that probes hard themes and even pulls at heart strings. It's the only horror movie that's made me cry! As a child I fearfully made my mom hide the creepy-ass VHS cover!


This movie's been satirized into the ground, yet I never feel secure after watching. Leave it to Kubric to craft an unforgettable horror film. Impeccable mod sets and cinematography help craft an extremely unsettling movie that's left an indelible mark on American pop culture.


Scariest. Movie. Ever. You’ve been warned. Others disagree, but this mysterious flick gets me every time. Subtle and eerie, this film lets your imagination fill in the explicit horrors, and that's always scarier than what any filmmaker could present. Extra points for the likable heroine Rosemary and her adorable home decorating scenes. I want all of the groovy 1960s swag!

I could yack at you into infinity with horror recommendations, so I'll stop here for now. These five films are outstanding entries in the genre and you won't regret settling down to watch them with a pumpkin ale and a big bowl of popcorn this Halloween season.

So let’s play a game…what’s your favorite scary movie?  How do you like to ring in the Halloween season?
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50 comments:

  1. I am SO glad that you did not put "Poultrygeist" on this list. ;)

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    1. Ooooh, but that one was so good. Maybe a top Troma films list later :D !

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  2. This is going way back, but you can't beat monsters and humor: "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein!"

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    1. Very vintage indeed! Great recommendation.

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    2. You beat me to the punch.The Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein..or the Mummy..or the Invisible Man are great to watch with the whole family.

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    3. I gotta check those out, I didn't grow up watching them. I skipped straight to the hard stuff!

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  3. I've been wanting to watch Rosemary's Baby for a long time now, so I've written all of these down to sit and watch! Yay! The Shining used to freak me out as a kid...haha.

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    1. You must! Scrabble will never be the same for you again! For as over-played as it is, The Shining still leaves me scared to walk down my hallways alone at night after a solo viewing!

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  4. As a kid of the 70's,Rosemary's Baby, The Excorcist, Carrie, and Jaws were the scariest movies. My FIL took my husband to see The Excorcist in the theater when it came out and my husband maintains that it scarred him for life,lol.I know that technically Jaws isn't a horror movie,but it still freaks me the hell out.Way to ruin the ocean for me Spielburg!

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    1. The Exorcist is the true winner of my scariest movies of all time list. I cannot look at stills from that movie without my blood running cold, guess it's that catholic upbringing. I didn't want to scar readers! I'd says Jaws counts as a horror flick with all the suspense and freaky plot. I wouldn't feel safe swimming ANYWHERE after watching!

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    2. I was going to say Abbot and Costello meet the Monster too - my favorite Halloween viewing tradition. I also like Young Frankenstein, the Treehouse of Horror Simpsons episodes, and Shawn of the Dead, so you can tell I like my scary with a halthy dose of funny to help me sleep at night. I'm going to have to see if Netflix carries The Parents. Dark comedy And vintage awesomeness? Score!

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    3. I was excited to see this one on Netflix. Definitely worth a watch, it's sinister and very subtle with its humor.

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  5. Good recommendations! I haven't seen the Alice one or Rosemary's Baby. Will have to check those out. We like to watch the classic Universal monster movies and Asian horror movies this time of year. Oh and It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown is a must. :)

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    1. I need to brush up on the Asian and Universal horror flicks, too. The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown special is a CLASSIC, I laugh every time.

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  6. Great list! This is a good idea for a Halloween movie night. I’m planning one with a few friends I work with at DISH, and I think I’ll bring a couple of these. The Shining is available from Blockbuster @Home, and should ship fast enough that I’ll have them it in time for the marathon, and I can pick up Parents from the nearest Blockbuster store. They’ll be a lot more unique than the overdone concepts of The Ring and Paranormal Activity. Thanks for the ideas!

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    1. The halloween movie night sounds like fun! Let me know how you like the movies.

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    2. Sorry it’s been so long since Halloween, I just wanted to let you know that my friends and I loved The Shining. I can definitely see why it’s considered a classic. Jack Nicholson sticking his head through the door was really creepy.

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  7. OMG you put my all-time fav "The Wicker Man"! The original is *so* creepy... although your description needs a little clarification. It has nothing to do with the dark underbelly of flower power, it has to do with Pagan rituals. Every single scene alludes to or outright shows an ancient fertility ritual (many of which are still performed today, such as the maypole dance.) The ancient Celts did indeed build a wicker man and set it aflame with live people inside. Something that's lost is that the victim must be willing (as the detective was) and they would also save up all the criminals and put them in there too. The ancient Celts believed in justice, and thought by doing this they would appease their gods, and ensure a bountiful harvest. THat last scene makes a little more sense after knowing this! But then again they were a very remote island that kept the old traditions alive, so it all makes more sense knowing the origins. Def bother with the new one, it was so lame. Loved your list! XXX

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    1. It really is an amazing film. I wanted to be as vague as possible to avoid spoilers in the description and used the fluffy "flower power" term to tie this movie in with the retro theme of this list. The ending has such empact and I didn't want to diminish it. The movie has many themes and I love the pagan vs christian elements, love the history you've shared on it. I read that the director is working on a sequel to the original! Gotta check that one out.

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  8. The original Wicker Man is so, so good. I almost cried when I heard they were remaking it. Then I laughed my ass off when I saw that remake. Nicholas Cage, really!? Ugh.

    And Alice Sweet Alice is an under-rated thriller sure sure, very creepy.

    I'll be on a week long paid stay-cation come Sunday and plan on filling my days with J-horror movies and decorating for Halloween. Woo woo!

    <3 Jackie @ Let's Go Thrifting!

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    1. The remake works really well as a horror comedy- outlandishly hilarious. It failed on every level as a decent thriller or whatever the hell they were marketing it as! Your horror filled vacation sounds wonderful! Have fun!

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  9. Well my keyboard went wonky...but that was supposed to read that Alice Sweet Alice is an under-rated thriller *for sure*

    I had this on VHS incidentally and it was a frightening cover image...gotta get this one on DVD eventually.

    <3 Jackie

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  10. I have not seen any of those movies in full. I may have seen The Parents, but probably not.

    I liked The House of the Devil.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_House_of_the_Devil

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    1. If you plan on seeing the movie, don't read the plot.

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    2. I liked that one too. I was shocked to discover it was painstakngly crafted to look like an 80s movie and that it wasn't the genuine article.

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  11. The Ring. I can't even watch it. Once was enough. I have no desire to see the original, Japanese version...'cause the watered-down American version (so I've heard) was too scary!

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    1. I will not be watching that one again anytime soon either. Damn scary one.

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  12. The Shining will always be one of my favorite movies. Stanley Kubrick was a genius. I've always heard good things about The Wicker Man, so this may have to be my Halloween evening film!

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    1. Agreed on Kubrick, each frame of his movies is perfection. I wanted to include "A Clockwork Orange" on this list too but went with his straight-up, more traditional horror effort. You won't regret watching The Wicker Man! They don't make movies like it anymore!

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  13. Ooh I managed to PVR Rosemary's Baby - for viewing Saturday night. I have never seen it - looking forward to it! The shining is pretty freaky. We watched it again last year.

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  14. OMG The Wicker Man!!! I'm so glad you put that on your list. It is truly one of the most bizarre movies I've ever seen! My number one fave is The Shining...I've seen it a bazillion times and I would happily watch it again right now! One movie that scarred me for many years: "The Entity"...have you seen it? I couldn't take a bath for years (thankfully, showers exist).

    xox
    www.VintageAdvantage.blogspot.com

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    1. Oh, this I must see! I haven't seen it or heard of it, but it looks like a good one. I made the mistake of watching Psycho when I lived alone. I showered with the curtain open for weeks, then started to embrace baths...

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  15. Believe it or not, I haven't seen any of these. My favorite scary movies are the campy ones, starting with the Scream franchise. I also love Saw. Bad, I know!

    Hope you're having fun on your trip. Your grandparents' home is beautiful!

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    1. I love the scream series and uber campy films. This list was edited down from 12 and originally had some camp classics :) I looove bad movies of all kinds.

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  16. Oh, I don't want to watch the SHINING movie again. It just creeps me out so much that I am seeing things after watching the movie and would not want to sleep without the lights on. hahahaha...

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    1. If I was alone at my apartment at night I wouldn't feel secure after watching it, either!

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