Halloween has become a holiday for all ages to celebrate. From trick-or-treating to horror movie marathons, everyone can participate in spooky shenanigans this weekend. If you’re looking for something to do this Oct. 31, consider getting together with assisted living retirement personnel to plan a viewing of your favorite scary flick! The entire community can gather around to watch one of these classics:
‘The Shining’
Released in theaters in 1980, “The Shining” is an adaptation of Stephen King’s novel of the same title. However, if you haven’t seen the movie but have read the book, then note that the storyline is slightly different. Still, Rotten Tomatoes reports that Jack Nicholson’s character offers a chilling performance nonetheless.
‘Carrie’
Even if you saw the remake in 2013, you need to watch the 1976 original “Carrie” if you haven’t seen it before! Again, this movie is based on a Stephen King novel. However, this time, we follow the story of a high school girl who discovers her telekinesis at 17. Carrie is pushed to the brink at her senior prom and unleashes terror on her classmates.
‘The Blair Witch Project’
For a more recent haunting film, check out “The Blair Witch Project.” Released in 1999, this movie is made to look like a real-life documentary. The storyline: A group of film students take a trip out to Maryland to film their hunt for a child-killing witch in the woods. In an expected turn of events, the hunters become the hunted.
‘The Exorcist’
Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Linda Blair—these may not be names you recognize unless you’re a fan of the 1973 film The Exorcist. In this horror flick, the mother of a teenage girl seeks help for her possessed daughter. Two young and old priests come to help the family obtain freedom from the terrifying entity.
‘Jaws’
Far from your traditional Halloween film, “Jaws” will surely please the crowd. Steven Spielberg directed this movie. If you haven’t seen it yet, it tells the story of a killer, great white shark that stalks a small vacation community. Released in 1975, “Jaws” provides viewers with compelling storytelling, as the blockbuster is again the remake of a best-selling novel – this time written by Peter Benchley.
‘The Silence of the Lambs’
Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins both gave stunning performances in 1991’s “The Silence of the Lambs.” This horror film tells the story of an FBI trainee who is asked to help analyze a serial killer, Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Together, the two stars work to track down Buffalo Bill, a murderer on the loose. The movie combines mystery and suspense with the psychology behind murder for a compelling plot line.
‘Halloween’
The Halloween franchise has extended into modern cinema, but the original film was released in 1978. Tony Moran was the star behind the mask in the first rendition of Michael Myers’s Story; however, he wasn’t in any of the later films. On the other hand, Jamie Lee Curtis has been the face of the Halloween movies from the start. If your senior living community is up for it, consider a back-to-back movie night featuring the first two films in the franchise.
If these movies pack too high a fear factor for your blood or you’re looking for something appropriate to watch with the grandchildren, consider classics such as “Hocus Pocus,” “The Witches,” or “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” depending on the little one’s age. Of course, there are always more options on television, streaming via Netflix, or even for download online. You should be able to find all your favorite Halloween films online.
