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Rewind: Flick or treat
Halloween-themed movies that will make you laugh, cry or just scream.
By STEVE PERSALL, Times Film Critic
© St. Petersburg Times
published October 31, 2002
Murderous Michael Myers isn't the only movie star working on Halloween, although the annual celebration inspired more cinematic tricks than treats over the years.
Some are scary, others silly and a few are serious. A few are even more deadly than Myers' rampages. Depending on your tastes, any of these video selections set around Halloween would be fine choices after the last costumed candy collector rings your door bell tonight:
Ironweed (1988) -- Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep were Oscar-nominated as drunken bums spending Halloween 1938 agonizing over their lost pasts and dismal futures. A depressing film, but well-acted and superbly adapted by William Kennedy from his novel.
The War of the Worlds (1953) -- Although not set on Halloween, Orson Welles forever connected H.G. Wells' story to the date with a too-convincing radio dramatization in 1938. This movie sticks to the plot, not the hoax, as Gene Barry leads a desperate defense against Martian invaders.
The Crow (1994) -- Brandon Lee was killed during production when a prop gun's charge misfired. That added another level of creepiness to a comic book-inspired tale of a murdered man returning from the grave to gain revenge on his killer.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) -- Henry Selick's experiment in stop-motion animation is still more impressive than most of the computer animation perfected since this film's release. Jack Skellington, the pumpkin king of Halloweentown, decides to turn Christmas into the same kind of scary holiday, kidnapping Santa Claus and stealing his gift route.
Hocus Pocus (1993) -- Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy are barely recognizable under their witch makeup, flying vacuum cleaners instead of brooms in an agreeably goofy Halloween comedy.
Spaced Invaders (1990) -- This is a dumb movie but small children seem to enjoy it. A gang of Martians invade Earth on the evening when Welles is terrorizing America with his radio broadcast. The Martians think the invasion is on, posing as trick-or-treaters and not being taken seriously.
The Hollywood Knights (1980) -- Tony Danza and Robert Wuhl were unknown actors when they co-starred in this drive-in theater favorite. Halloween night is just another excuse for the Hollywood Knights car club to careen around Beverly Hills pulling pranks. Watch for Michelle Pfeiffer in a hot-tomato role conspicuously missing from her resume these days.
Idle Hands (1999) -- I detested this movie when it arrived 10 days after the Columbine High School massacre. Releasing a horror comedy about a murderous student was a terrible idea at the time. Months later, a TV viewing showed it's a well-orchestrated sick joke with some nice physical comedy by Devon Sawa, who awakens on Halloween morning to discover his right hand has been possessed by the spirit of a mass murderer.
Scary Movie (2000) -- The Wayans brothers, Keenan Ivory, Shawn and Marlon, must have been off the hook on Halloween while growing up. Their brand of bawdy mischief probably extended beyond toilet paper on trees. This frisky spoof of slasher flicks is a riot. The original title was Scream If You Know What I Did Last Halloween.
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