Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books/Movies To Read Or Watch To Get In The Halloween Spirit

From the Broke and Bookish

This week's theme: Top Ten Books/Movies To Read Or Watch To Get In The Halloween Spirit OR Top Ten Characters Who I Would Totally Want To Be For Halloween. I'm not a huge horror reader or watcher, so I decided to go with a bit of a mixture: 5 books, 3 movies and 2 TV series to get in that Halloween spirit!

Top 5 Books to Get in the Halloween Spirit

It by Stephen King

Choosing one Stephen King book was too hard, so I picked one novel and one collection. Out of his novels, I chose It because for me it is probably the most horror filled of them - although I prefer The Stand, I feel that It, with its small town setting, secret evil and creepy clown is sure to get you nicely freaked out! 

House of Small Shadows by Adam Nevill

A British author, Nevill has written quite a few scary novels but House of Small Shadows, with its dolls, creeped me out the most! 

Swan Song by Robert McCammon

Although there are some who - with good reason - look on McCammon as a Stephen King wannabe, he is a great author who has some amazing books. Swan Song is his take on the post apocalyptic world, but where King took us into a world devastated by a virus, McCammon uses nuclear war. Tapping into a very real fear of the time (Swan Song came out in '87) could have dated this novel but instead it creates a very particular ambiance that serves the story well.

Wildwood Road by Christopher Golden

Golden wrote Buffy the Vampire Slayer tie-ins before creating his own vampire saga. After a few books in that series, he wrote a handful of stand alones, of which Wildwood Road is probably the creepiest. A haunted house story, possession and child ghosts combine to create lots and lots of chills! 

Night Shift by Stephen King

Although Night Shift isn't my favourite of King's short story collections - I preferred the stories in Skeleton Crew - the stories in Night Shift, from earlier in his career, are definitely scarier. From the giant rats in Graveyard Shift to the terrifying kids of Children of the Corn, the stories here are guaranteed to keep you awake until Halloween is far behind you! 

Top 3 Movies to Get in the Halloween Spirit

ILS

This is a French film that was released abroad and is probably the scariest movie I have ever seen. A French couple move to Eastern Europe where their house is invaded by unknown assailants. According to the film's final scene, this is based on real events, which only serves to make this all the scarier. Great stuff! 


The Cabin in the Woods

Joss Whedon's deconstruction of every horror movie released in the last 50 years is funny, scary, gory, smart and mind-bending. So many fantastic shots, but the monsters in cages has to be the best to my mind. 


The Shining

I know this one is controversial, but it is spooky as anything and Jack Nicholson is great.  

Top 2 TV Shows to Get in the Halloween Spirit

Penny Dreadful

Penny Dreadful was released this year by Showtime and is also available through Netflix. A kind of horror-based League of Extraordinary Gentleman, the show starts relatively slowly but ramps up to an amazing finale. With some fantastic acting by Eva Green and Timothy Dalton (to name just two of the great actors in this series) it also has some pretty horrific scenes, sure to get your squirming in time for All Hallows Eve!


Buffy the Vampire Slayer

No Halloween list would be complete without Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I don't think it needs any particular introductions, but the handling of Halloween itself is really nicely done (the actual monsters find it tacky and avoid it like the plague) making for some excellent Halloween episodes. 

So, what will you be reading or watching in preparation for Halloween?

Please share in the comments! :)