Halloween is an incredibly huge industry and consumers were expected to spend $11.6 billion on the event in 2024. While a lot of the money goes toward decorations, candy and costumes, these purchases still motivate people to get seasonal.
When people think of Halloween, they often think of scary movies. Movies related to Halloween and horror often are big-budget films.
Reyna Mazur, a sophomore studying classics and religious studies, said scary movies do not affect her because she’s “usually only scared if (she’s) in a haunted house.” Mazur said she has seen a lot of Halloween movies and likes to rewatch many of them.
“If we’re going to talk about horror movies, we should probably talk about Coraline,” Mazur said. “I don’t think ‘Coraline’ is a scary movie, but everyone thinks it’s the most terrifying thing ever because they want to sew buttons onto her eyes and then take her soul to eat it.”
“Coraline” (2009) is considered one of the most traumatizing movies because of its use of claymation. However, Mazur said she rewatches the movie often and even reads the book it was adapted from.
“The book is probably ten times more scary than the claymation movie, which is interesting because claymation is also creepy,” Mazur said.
Mazur said there was one animated movie that scared her due to its animation.
“I won’t watch ‘The Corpse Bride’ because there’s a part in it that freaks me out through the animation and then the song that’s with it,” Mazur said. “It’s when they’re introducing her with the lovely corpse bride that freaks me out.”
Ben Trimboli, a junior studying English pre-law, shared a sentiment opposing Mazur’s ideas on Halloween.
“I think the whole community surrounding horror movies is purely for people to say that they’re not afraid of it, or that it’s bad,” Trimboli said. “No one who likes horror movies actually likes horror movies.”
Some horror movies are not meant to be as terrifying as others. Mazur said “Lisa Frankenstein” (2024) was a comedic horror movie.
“I feel like it doesn’t get the love it deserves,” Mazur said. “She falls in love with this man’s grave, and then he comes back to life and they both just start murdering people for his body parts, and then they fall in love … it’s really iconic.”
Trimboli said horror movies with “substance” are good, like Robert Eggers’ movies.
“Nothing’s even fun about it,” Trimboli said. “It is just uncomfortable all the way through, and Black Phillip is cool because it uses symbolism.”
Mazur said she likes to find movies with “a good plot,” sharing similar thoughts.
Psychologists have stated there is a sweet spot to horror and some movies are either too scary or not scary enough. Some people seek thrill and others cannot handle a lot of it, as well as the fact that some movies may not have an overly creative plot.
Movies are not the only form of media about Halloween, but they certainly are the biggest. The holiday’s biggestsong, “Monster Mash,” is an easily recognizable hit. “This is Halloween” from “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993) is also popular.
Neither of the interviewees discussed horror TV shows like “Wednesday” or American Horror Story,” but Mazur said she likes “Silence of the Lambs.”
“It's a really cool Appalachian story, but it’s almost a toned down version of a really messed up ‘Criminal Minds’ episode,” Mazur said.
While not everyone likes the same kinds of Halloween movies or media, there is something for everyone. Some students like horror movies more than others, but it is a consensus that the horror genre is associated with Halloween. There are so many different kinds of horror movies, TV shows, books and songs that even people who hate the idea of thrillers can find something they like.
