5 Spooky Movies to Get You Ready for the Halloween Season

Yes, the Disney cartoon, the musical short film that’s narrated by Bing Crosby and part of the anthology movie, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. And yes, it’s honestly held up so incredibly well despite being released over 75 years ago.

The ghostly vibes are on point with this one, and virtually every frame captures the fall spirit.

Unlike other Disney adaptations (I’m looking at you The Hunchback of Notre Dame), “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” stays close to Washington Irving’s source material, and while not every song is super memorable, the Brom Bones tune that he croons during the Halloween party is actually a lot of fun. Plus, that soiree alone exudes autumnal vibes.

Add in Mary Blair’s sumptuous animation and concept art, and you’ve got a fall celebration for the ages.

While only the final scene of the film takes place explicitly at Halloween, there’s something so spooky (and kooky) about the Addams Family that their lives feel rooted in the fall season year-round.

Like many of Charles Addams’ original New Yorker cartoons, the first film—released in 1991—often relies on macabre sight gags and ghoulish one-liners, but the unmatched cast makes it a journey you won’t soon forget.

If you really want to make it a party, then add in Addams Family Values, which might take place during the summer but manages to fit in an inexplicable Thanksgiving play that the Addams children make wholly their own.

And if you’re still in the mood for even more Addams Family fun, then the final half of Season 2 of Wednesday just premiered on Netflix.

So many creepy Addams Family vibes, so little time.

So this one isn’t exactly scary—although there is a seriously sinister boyfriend that comes back from the grave, not to mention a town filled with small-minded locals that seem like they’re straight out of a Shirley Jackson story.

But what really makes this particular film ideal for this time of year is the undeniable ambiance. Everywhere you look, there’s a sense of magic in the air.

Practical Magic is the cinematic equivalent of putting on an oversized sweater, brewing yourself a pot of pumpkin spice tea, and sitting out on your porch to watch the fall leaves tumbles from the trees.

It’s like autumn incarnate, and with the sequel in the works, we truly can’t wait to see what the Owens sisters are up to next.

I don’t talk about it nearly enough in my column here at The Lineup, but I’m a huge Ray Bradbury fan. His work embodies the spirit of fall better than almost any other author; you can practically smell the bonfires and crumpled leaves when you flip through the pages of his stories.

If you’re looking for something to read this autumn, then search no further than The October Country—even the title alone proves it’s clearly made for this time of year.

And if you’d like to add something new to your to-watch list, then the 1983 adaptation of Bradbury’s novel, Something Wicked This Way Comes, is a perfect way to go.

A strange carnival comes to town, and soon best friends Will and Jim start to suspect something is amiss. Jonathan Pryce gives a standout performance as the ominous Mr. Dark, and the ambiance of the film will stick with you long through the cold months of winter.

Just like the book, the film is an ode to childhood, growing up, and that spooky feeling in the air that comes every autumn.

A great movie and a great book to be sure, both of which are ideal for September, October, and beyond.

An oldie but goodie.

It almost seems too on-the-nose to suggest John Carpenter’s 1978 slasher masterpiece, but what the heck? It’s a long-time favorite for a reason.

While there had been a number of movies to follow the slasher formula before—Psycho, Peeping Tom, Black Christmas, and even 1932’s Thirteen Women come to mind—Halloween is widely credited for making the slasher killer part of horror’s popular lexicon. And we are all so much better for it.

Jamie Lee Curtis is the ultimate final girl as Laurie Strode, and Donald Pleasence gives a performance that helped to cement him as a horror legend, a role that he only got because both Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee turned down the chance to play Dr. Sam Loomis themselves.

And of course, Michael Myers is among the greatest slasher killers ever to grace the silver screen. Quite the accomplishment for a film with a tiny budget that was shot in only four weeks.

So grab a carving pumpkin—if you can find a ripe one in September—and sit down with Halloween for a festive evening. You’ll be in the mood for some spooky fall antics in no time.