Sweet dreams, that is if you can fall asleep!
Scary movies have always been a welcome addition to anyone’s Halloween. Here are a few that are sure to scare and entertain.
By Eric Bost & Jeff Postelwait

If you prefer spending Halloween curled up on a couch as opposed to trick-or-treating, here are some picks for movies that have the appropriate feel and content to awaken the Halloween spirit from its annual slumber.

“HALLOWEEN”
This 1978 classic puts Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) against Michael Myers, easily one of the creepiest slasher movie villains of all time. Myers is a psychopath who, after spending years in a mental institution for killing his sister, escapes and returns to his hometown to wreak havoc on sexually promiscuous teens. Yeah, it’s that fun. It’s truly creepy and tense, with plenty of scares to give anyone who hasn’t seen it over 50 times goose bumps. The movie also stars Donald Pleasence, easily one of the best character actors of all time.

“A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET” PARTS 1 AND 2
One of the biggest pop culture icons of the early 1980s, Freddy Krueger, was born in these two movies. Watching horror sequels can be a risky prospect, especially when the original was a big hit, like the first “Nightmare” was. All too often, producers will trot out a clone of the first movie that offers nothing new to the storyline. “Elm Street Part II” is an exception, though. The sequel produces every bit as much skillful gore-slinging as the first, and builds considerably on the legend of Freddy. Budding young superstars with bad ’80s haircuts being butchered by Robert Englund in the role he’s most notorious for — what’s not to like?

“THE RING”
“The Ring,” a modern sleeper hit, was adapted from Japan's “Ringu.” In this movie, the mystery of a little girl who disappeared unfolds with building shock and suspense.

The plot focuses on a strange videocassette that kills everyone who watches it. If this sounds lame, don’t be fooled. This movie will have you looking around corners for weeks. The creep factor is off the scales with this movie. After watching it, you won’t look at your TV screen the same way ever again.

“THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE” (1974)
Tobe Hooper took horror movie making to a place it hasn’t returned from when the story of Leatherface first hit the box office. Although the violence is relatively tame by today's standards, “Chainsaw” was scary enough in its day to make people leave theaters en masse. Even today, this film is one of the most intense movies any genre has yet to produce. Plus, the movie has spawned two sequels, two remakes (one will be released this month) and a song by the Ramones. You can’t lose with this one.

“THE LOST BOYS”
This may seem like a “no duh” listing, but there is a surprising number of people who don’t really appreciate it’s value as a vampire movie.

The plot is simple, with teens in a weird California town battling teens of the vampire variety.

This movie, starring Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Patric, Dianne Wiest, Corey Haim, Corey Feldman and Jami Gertz showed that vampires can be cool, dangerous and still have a bit of a sense of humor. Vampires also love The Doors, but who doesn’t?

Add the creepy theme music, and this is instantly a horror/supernatural classic.

“YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN”
OK, this 1974 movie doesn’t fit into any real horror category except for the nature of the material spoofed. Based on Mary Shelly’s “Frankenstein” and all the other movies based on the novel, Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder take the audience on a funny ride through an old genre. As Mel Brooks said during the trailers for the movie, it is “filmed in black and white, no offense.”

“AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON”
Directed by John Landis, this werewolf movie is funny, slightly romantic and has the best werewolf-changing scene ever, to be honest. Yeah, it does take some of those old tales o’ the Moor a bit too comically, but there is plenty to make this movie enjoyable for people with a variety of tastes.

This article was from the Daily O’Collegian at Oklahoma State University.
It was distributed by U-Wire.