Another October Friday means another installment in the 20 horror movies to help you prepare for Halloween. This week’s five films take a more educational approach, each offering a unique lesson in life. Watch these and you’ll know to stay out of creepy castles and motels, never accept a call from God you aren’t willing to fulfill, clowns are always out to kill you and remember to shop smart- shop S-MART!.

Essential

“Army of Darkness” (1992)
Alright you primitive screw heads, listen up. Bruce Campbell is back as Ash in this third installment in the Evil Dead series. The vortex at the end of Evil Dead 2 has transported him back to medieval times along with his trusty chainsaw and sawed off shotgun (AKA his “boomstick”). Ash is sent by a kingdom to retrieve the Necronomicon which will provide him with a way back to his home time. Can he get “The Book of the Dead,” defeat his undead clone, help Lord Arthur bring down Evil Ash’s army of hundreds of skeletons, save the girl and get back to the early ‘90s? Well, it all depends on which version of the film you watch.
Tricky Trivia: Ash’s Oldsmobile was director Sam Raimi’s own car. The stuff inside the car (including the issue of Fangoria magazine in the trunk) is Raimi’s junk that he just left in there.



Essential

“Psycho” (1960)
This is arguably the best horror movie ever made. Janet Leigh plays Marion Crane, who steals a large sum of cash from her employer, flees, and checks in to the Bates Motel for a night. She never checks out. Anthony Perkins delivers an absolutely perfect performance as Norman Bates in this Alfred Hitchcock classic, and Janet Leigh shows us where her daughter got her famous scream in “Halloween.” It is imperative to do everything you can not to watch the 1998 remake, which will forever hold top spot on my “Worst Remake” list, starring comedian Vince Vaughn as Bates. Stock up on deodorant; you’ll be wanting to stay out of the shower.
Tricky Trivia: For the film’s original theatrical release, there was no admission allowed after the film had started to roll.


So Bad It’s (maybe) Good

“Killer Klowns From Outer Space” (1988)
This is the quintessential bad ‘80s movie. As the title suggests, clowns come to Earth from outer space and start to kill. That’s about it, really. They kill with guns that shoot popcorn at their victims. They kill by wrapping people up in cotton candy cocoons. They kill by chasing an innocent person through a hall of mirrors. I honestly had to make sure that this movie wasn’t made as a joke when I first saw it. It’s just that horrible. Flimsy plot, d-rate acting, annoying soundtrack and a cheese factor that is appalling. So why can’t I stop watching?
Tricky Trivia: This film somehow had a budget of two million dollars. Seriously.


From The Vault

“Dracula” (1931)
The legendary Bela Lugosi brings the count to life in a way no one else ever has (except maybe Al Lewis). Dracula arrives in London and is on the prowl for a fine-looking lady to turn into his undead mistress. It doesn’t take long for his hypnotic gaze to set upon Mina, but her fiancé Jonathan will have none of that. If you are renting this flick, be sure to pick up a copy that has the music rescored by Philip Glass. To get the most use out of the Hollywood set, a Spanish version of the movie was filmed at night. This version, simply titled Drácula, is worth checking out if you haven’t, especially if you have already seen the Universal classic.
Tricky Trivia: Lon Chaney (Universal’s “Phantom of the Opera”) was originally slated to play the title role, but died in 1930.


You May Have Missed

“Frailty” (2001)
I’m not sure which is more horrifying; this thriller starring Matthew McConaughey or the fact that I’m recommending a movie starring Matthew McConaughey. The movie is a flashback on Fenton Meiks’ (McConaughey) childhood spent with his brother and father. His father (played by Bill Paxton) claimed to had been visited by an angel and given a mission by God: to destroy demons. It doesn’t take long for his dad to bring home a bound and gagged young woman for him to “destroy.” The list of demons keeps growing, and things just get more and more out of control, especially when young Fenton starts to speak out against the murders. McConaughey stays true to his form and is lounging around without a shirt for no reason whatsoever within minutes of the movie’s start. Despite this, Stephen King, James Cameron and Sam Raimi still said this was one of the best horror movies of 2001.

Tricky Trivia: The actors who played young Fenton and Adam are riding scooters across the street in the film’s final scene, which takes place in present day.

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