Watch These Three for Halloween 2021

The Halloween movie series made quite an impression on me as I watched the first Halloween at University Cinema in Orono, Maine, in October 1978. In case that sounds familiar, the University of Maine is where Stephen King went to school and the area where I grew up. Well, mostly, but that’s another story.

In my opinion, the first and this last were the best Halloween movies. I’m just happy they didn’t go back to that other BS where he was in a cult. What was that all about anyway? What makes Michael Myers so terrifying is that he doesn’t have a motive. If you’re in his way, he just kills you.

Rotten Apples summarizes that first movie like this:

“On a cold Halloween night in 1963, six year old Michael Myers brutally murdered his 17-year-old sister, Judith. He was sentenced and locked away for 15 years. But on October 30, 1978, while being transferred for a court date, a 21-year-old Michael Myers steals a car and escapes Smith's Grove. He returns to his quiet hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois, where he looks for his next victims.”

The movie starts with a clip of the 1978 movie. The night after Myers escapes the Smith’s Grove mental hospital. Then, it shifts to the present day.

Once again, Michael Myers escapes Smith’s Grove. He kidnaps his doctor and forces him to drive him to Laurie’s house to kill her. But she has been waiting for him.

Although he cuts a ten-inch hole in her belly, she traps him in the cellar, locks the door, and sets the house on fire. As the ambulance is taking her to the hospital with her daughter and granddaughter, the firetrucks are headed toward her house, and she yells, “Let it burn. Let it burn.”

Well, of course, the fire doesn’t kill Michael; instead, he kills 11 firefighters and police officers called to the scene. Later, in the hospital, Laurie says, “I’m coming for you, Michael.” Yet, she never leaves the hospital. Smart lady.

Halloween Kills — Official Trailer

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According to Universal Pictures, “Halloween Kills is in Theaters and Streaming Only on Peacock October 15.” More than 12.5 million have viewed this trailer.

Rotten Tomatoes says, “Halloween Kills should satisfy fans in search of brute slasher thrills, but in terms of advancing the franchise, it’s a bit less than the sum of its bloody parts.”

“Minutes after Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), her daughter Karen (Judy Greer) and granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) left masked monster Michael Myers caged and burning in Laurie’s basement, Laurie is rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, believing she finally killed her lifelong tormentor. But when Michael manages to free himself from Laurie’s trap, his ritual bloodbath resumes. As Laurie fights her pain and prepares to defend herself against him, she inspires all of Haddonfield to rise up against their unstoppable monster.” — Rotten Tomatoes.

Here’s a little bit of Halloween trivia & a bit of a spoiler (if you haven’t watched Halloween Kills and intend to, skip the trivia):

“Michael McDonald is the only person to be killed by Michael Myers and Mike Myers. In Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997), McDonald played the Doctor Evil henchman who slowly gets flattened by a steamroller.” — Screen Rant.

Michael McDonald plays Steve in Austin Powers and Little John in Halloween Kills.

I figured this would be an excellent way to start or finish your Halloween but check out these other two before deciding which order to watch.

For your consideration, The Boy Behind the Door

The Boy Behind the Door is an Amazon Prime video. Kevin and Bobby, two 11 or 12-year-olds, are kidnapped from the local park.

The kidnapper takes Kevin into the house and leaves bobby tied up in the trunk of the car in the garage. He escapes and starts to run away but hears Kevin’s screams and remembers their pact, “Friends till the end.”

So, he goes back to rescue Kevin. Ooh, you’re gonna love this one. Of course, you’ll hate some of the stupid “slasher” movie mistakes the boys make.

The Boy Behind the Door — Official Trailer

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IGN Movie Trailers says, “In The Boy Behind the Door, a night of unimaginable terror awaits twelve-year-old Bobby (Lonnie Chavis) and his best friend, Kevin (Ezra Dewey), when they are abducted on their way home from school. Managing to escape his confines, Bobby navigates the dark halls, praying his presence goes unnoticed as he avoids his captor at every turn. Even worse is the arrival of another stranger, whose mysterious arrangement with the kidnapper may spell certain doom for Kevin. With no means of calling for help and miles of dark country in every direction, Bobby embarks on a rescue mission, determined to get himself and Kevin out alive… or die trying.”

Kevin Carr, Fat Guy at the Movies, says, “It’s an intense, stalking cat-and-mouse game.”

Joe Lipsett, Horror Queers Podcast, says, “Featuring a star making child performance by Lonnie Chavis, filmmakers David Charbonier and Justin Powell have crafted an exceptionally tense thriller that pays loving homage to horror classics. A strong contender for best horror film of the year.”

Another Must-See Horror for Halloween is The Amusement Park

I normally would not recommend a film that was produced nearly 50 years ago. However, this is George A. Romero. For Romero, the title “Father of the Zombie Film” is apt as he surely started the zombie apocalypse.

He produced The Amusement Park in 1973, but the Lutheran Services who hired him to make the film were irate about the nature of the film and refused to release it. I seriously don’t know what they expected from a zombie filmmaker when they hired him, but The Amusement Park wasn’t it, so it wasn’t distributed until recently, nearly 50 years later.

To me, what’s so F-N scary about this Romero film is its brush with reality. It hits you smack in the face with how terrible we treat the elderly. Be patient, this takes a few minutes to get rolling.

The Amusement Park — Official Trailer [HD] | A Shudder Exclusive

#Shocktober #31DaysofHorror #GeorgeARomero #Shudder #TheAmusementPark #Horror #NowWatching

The Amusement Park is a George A. Romero film shot between Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead.

“…is a bleak, haunting allegory where the attractions and distractions of an amusement park stand-in for the many abuses that the elderly face in society. This 4K digital restoration was commissioned by the George A. Romero Foundation and carried out by IndieCollect.

An elderly gentleman goes for what he assumes will be an ordinary day at the amusement park, only to find himself in the middle of a hellish nightmare instead.” — Shudder.

If you’re a Romero fan, you’ll love this. But be forewarned, Romero’s work isn’t for everyone. Some will even find it boring. My wife said it was a complete waste of her time, and an hour of her time she will never get back. It is a classic produced by an iconic horror filmmaker.

Final thoughts

As we inch closer to All Hallows Eve and the Day of the Dead, hoard some of those treats for yourself and a significant other and add these three flicks to the menu for fright night.

If you enjoyed this, feel free to leave a tip so that I can continue contributing to this forum.

Stephen Dalton is a retired US Army First Sergeant with a degree in journalism from the University of Maryland and a Certified US English Chicago Manual of Style Editor. Also, a Top Writer in Nutrition, Travel, Fiction, Transportation, VR, NFL, Design, Creativity, and Short Story.

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