Halloween: What is Your Favorite Scary Movie?

Halloween is the highlight of October for children, but adults love the holiday too. In addition to costumes and parties, scary movies are a major part of the celebration. What is your favorite scary movie?

"Frankenstein" (1931)

Larry Poupard
Warren, Mich.

My favorite horror movie of all time is "Frankenstein" as it was the first horror movie of the modern age of horror. Before "Frankenstein," horror had to be assumed through shadows or statement. Authors did what they could to translate how monsters looked, but had difficulty pulling it off. When Karloff first walked out as the Monster, people saw what horror looked like for the first time. People fainted or had heart attacks in the aisles when they realized that unnameable horror could finally be seen.

"The Exorcist" (1973)

Mia Pleasant
Arlington, Texas

My favorite scary movie is, without a doubt, "The Exorcist." The movie came out before my time as I was born in 1981, but I did see it in the theater. It was digitally re-mastered and re-released in 2000. I had never seen it and jumped at the chance to go. I saw it in a crowded theater on a Friday night. That was one of the best movie-going experiences of my life. I can't even begin to count how many times I screamed, jumped, and hid under my coat. I was completely blown away by this film. It was scary but realistic and believable. It wasn't over-the-top like many of today's horror movies, and it gave us moviegoers a real thrill. I think my generation gets too caught up in the gore factor and not enough into the scare factor when it comes to the horror genre, like with the "Saw" movie franchise or with the "Final Destination" movie franchise. One of things I appreciated about "The Exorcist" was the camera work. The camera zooms in and out at all the right parts. The scariest part of the movie for me was when Regan crawled down the stairs upside-down with blood dripping from her mouth. During the beginning of that scene, the shot is wide, and then it quickly zooms in on her body, then on her mouth. It made me scream right along with the rest of the moviegoers. The cinematography in this film was nothing short of perfect. The special effects were amazing and way ahead of their time. I absolutely loved the scenes in her bedroom when her body and bed were levitating. Even the projectile vomit and head-spinning was an incredible thing to witness. There's no question that "The Exorcist" forever changed the way movies are made.

"In The Mouth of Madness" (1995)

Tawanna Sullivan
Jersey City, N.J.

"In The Mouth of Madness" is a great horror movie about a detective on the trail of a bestselling horror writer and his new book. The idea behind the movie is that horror novels themselves are a gateway to the dark realm. All of those creatures with twisted limbs and an appetite for human flesh really do exist, and the mere acknowledgement of their existence in the written word can set them free. If words can open a door to their dimension, they can surely make the foundation crumble in ours.

"Hush ... Hush, Sweet Charlotte" (1964)

Kathleen Bradean
Los Angeles, Calif.

"Hush ... Hush, Sweet Charlotte." Bette Davis. Olivia de Havilland. A creepy southern Gothic house. Mysterious music at night. A head bumping down a grand staircase. A long lost relative and a long forgotten murder. What's not to love?

"The Exorcist" (1973)

Jolie du Pre
Chicago, Ill.

"The Exorcist," directed by William Friedkin and starring Ellen Burstyn and Linda Blair, remains one of the scariest movies ever made and the scariest movie I have ever seen. The story of a 12-year-old girl possessed by the devil excels on every level from the horrifying music, to the plot, to the acting. Premiering in 1973, I remember the long lines that formed to watch the film. "The Exorcist" has special effects that are more impressive and scary than any 21st century copy cat, and when Linda Blair, covered in blood, scratches and vomit, rotates her head around, the image frightens me even to this day.