5 Nostalgic Trick-or-Treat Halloween Movies for a Creepy, Cozy Night In
Halloween and nostalgia go together like peanut butter and jelly. They just fit. Many of us have memories of the spooky holiday that linger with us. And nothing captures that mood better than a good Halloween movie. As the season looms, we’re taking a look at five films that nail that nostalgic vibe.
Some of the most memorable Halloween movies have great trick-or-treating scenes
Some of the best Halloween movies are about the actual holiday. However, a Halloween theme, or a great trick-or-treating scene, often suffices.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) nailed Halloween in the ‘80s perfectly. As E.T. waddles around town in a ghost sheet passing children in costumes, we’re reminded of what trick or treating used to be. E.T, Elliott, (Henry Thomas), and Michael (Robert MacNaughton) memorably encounter a child in a Yoda mask. E.T. wanders toward him, croaking, “home, home.”
The nod from one legendary director to another (Spielberg to Lucas) in a nostalgic Halloween setting is enough to make this worth viewing during the season.
Similarly, John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978) features trick or treat scenes. 1970s trick or treating in daylight foretells the coming carnage. An eerie quiet settles over the street as kids travel wordlessly from door to door. Likewise, in the 2018 version of Halloween, Michael Myers himself openly wanders among costume-clad children. The irony, of course, is that his costume isn’t actually a costume and the “treat” he’s after isn’t candy.
Moreover, the Halloween franchise remains the spooky holiday gift that just keeps giving. Halloween Kills hits theaters on October 15, 2021.
There’s nothing more nostalgic than a ghost
The 1988 ghost movie Lady in White distinctly nails the hazy, childhood-Halloween-memory vibe. It has all the right elements of a classic ghost movie: firstly, a murdered child. Secondly, a mystery. And above all, actual ghosts.
But what set the Frank LaLoggia movie apart was its portrayal of Halloween and youth. Bullies lock Frankie Scarlotti (Lukas Haas) into a coat room at school on Halloween night. The poor kid misses trick or treating. However, what he gets instead is certainly the full Halloween night experience.
Frankie witnesses something in that upstate New York closet in 1962 that traumatizes the boy and turns him on to a years-old murder mystery. Consequently, the movie becomes a coming-of-age ghost adventure.
But the best part of the movie isn’t its terrifying supernatural presence. It’s Frankie in a retro vampire mask, huddling in the closet in terror. Further, it’s the skittering autumn leaves on the street and the glowing pumpkin on the desk.
It’s the delicious chill of real fear. Finally, it’s the sickly sweet memory of candy and vague anxiety that envelops us on Halloween at school.
Considering the ghost story and the Halloween theme, this nearly-forgotten ‘80s ghost movie is a perfect pick for a casual All Hallow’s Eve gathering.
‘Trick ‘r Treat’ is the ultimate Halloween movie
The perfect mixture of all these elements is on display in the 2008 horror-comedy anthology film Trick ‘r Treat (2008.) In the center of all four creepy stories is a little character named Sam. A little burlap-sack ghost who represents the power of occult Halloween traditions.
This Halloween movie is fun for so many reasons. Between colorful, traditional Halloween costumes, pervasive pumpkins and candy, and plenty of gruesome gore, you’ll want to fill your own bowl of treats and settle in for the final, inevitably terrifying, end.
You’ll also want to pass out pencils and paper to note all the horror Easter eggs that pop up throughout the movie. This movie is the best and most fun way to find out who is the horror aficionado among your friends.
To sum up, whether you’re looking for a fully Halloween-themed movie or just a nostalgic trip back to your own childhood trick or treating adventures, these movies are the perfect way to remember how trick or treating used to be.
