Top 5 Films to See on Halloween

Since today is Halloween, in lieu of the Horror Film of the Week, I'm posting a list of the top 5 films to watch tonight.

1. Halloween (1978)

Director: John Carpenter

Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasance

There is a reason why Halloween is one of the most iconic Halloween films of all time, and it's not just because of the title; the film follows the classic slasher formula, with a slow, creeping killer in the form of Michael Meyers, infamous theme music that is simple yet terrifying, and lots of teenage girls dying. If you are planning a horror movie-fest for the holiday, Halloween should be at the top of your list.

Fun Fact: The mask Michael Meyers wears was actually a William Shatner mask. It was modified to give it that iconic blank and frightening look.

2. The Exorcist (1973)

Director: William Friedkin

Starring: Linda Blair, Ellen Burstyn

What is truly more frightening than the thought a person being possessed by the devil himself? Many films deal with this kind of story, but none are as infamous or do it as well as The Exorcist. The film has many scenes that resonated with audiences over the years, such as the scene when Regan's (Linda Blair) head twists around on the neck to face backwards. At the time The Exorcist came out, audiences in the theaters were so terrified by the film that many ran out.

Fun Fact: The dig site in the beginning of the film is actually the site of the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh in present-day Iraq.

3. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Director: Wes Craven

Starring: Heather Langenkamp, Robert Englund

Freddy Kreuger is another elite horror villain. With just a simple description of him, anyone can recognize him and recognize just how frightening he is: knives on his fingers, scarred and burned face, and torn and ragged red and green striped-sweater. The fact that he can kill you in your dreams will be enough to keep you up at night.

Fun Fact: Nancy watches The Evil Dead on television while trying to stay awake.

4. Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Director: George A. Romero

Starring: Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea

Night of the Living Dead is one of the most prolific zombie films of all time and the one that started legendary filmmaker George A. Romero's "dead" series. There are many great scares and tons of suspense in Night of the Living Dead, as well as gore, which are all the things you want in the typical horror film.

Fun Fact: The zombies in the film are actually eating roast ham covered in chocolate.

5. The Shining (1980)

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Starring: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall

With the winning combination of director Stanley Kubrick, star Jack Nicholson, and the fact that the film was based on a Stephen King novel, it would be pretty hard for The Shining to go wrong. The fact alone that it is based on a novel by the Master of Horror himself should make anyone want to see it. Also, Jack Nicholson's performance is chilling.

Fun Fact: Jack Nicholson actually ad-libbed the infamous line from the film, "Here's Johnny!" This is Ed McMahon's introduction for Johnny Carson on NBC's The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.