If we’re going to consider the Halloween movie its own genre, like the Christmas movie, we have to consider what it is that makes a film worthy of the distinction beyond scares. By the same token, not all beloved Halloween movies are scary - my college students often tell me that their favorite fall films are childhood favorites like Halloweentown (1998) or Casper (1995).
For instance, the Joel Schumacher vampire classic The Lost Boys (1987) takes place in a beach town during summer break, and Stanley Kubrick’s horror masterpiece The Shining (1980) reaches its climax in the depths of winter. Of course, the two often overlap (as in the slasher genre granddaddy Halloween), but many horror favorites are actually rooted in a time of year other than spooky season. But while I would never want to take away from the joy of watching horror in October, I do think it’s worth recognizing that a horror movie and a Halloween movie are not always the same thing. What is it that makes a great Halloween movie? There’s no doubt that in October the horror genre takes center stage and gets an opportunity to bask in fan appreciation.
