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Comment on: Gray Ghost Country

My Five Favorite Halloween Movies

44 Comments
Wednesday, October, 21, 2009 6:12 PM Bobbie writes:

Tric or Treat to you too.

Saw Arsenic & Old Lace and signs. Don't recall the others. Guess I'm behind the times as Halloween movies goes. (:-
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Wednesday, October, 21, 2009 6:33 PM Saltwater writes:

It's just not Holloween

without "Godzilla, King of the Monsters"(1956).

This was a staple of my childhood. The local independent station would air it just after their 5:00 PM news every year. The show finished just in time for starting our dusk prowl of the neighborhood, hitting up the houses for load of sugar, caramel apples, and popcorn balls (this was before jackballs thought it was a good idea to poison food or put razor blades in apples). The final stop of the night was the old lady at the end of the block who served hot cocoa to the kids and coffee for the parents.
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Wednesday, October, 21, 2009 7:14 PM dawndawn writes:

What!

No "Dracula"! No "Frankenstein"! No "House of Usher"! Thanks for those other reminders of horror movies, GG! When I was oh-so-much-younger, we would go to the scary movies just to be able to scream! We loved it! Another very scary movie is "Children of the Corn"! Very, very scary! Boooooooo! Happy Halloween!
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Wednesday, October, 21, 2009 11:41 PM Gar Swaffar writes:

All are good

And a personal favorite, 'Plan 9 From Outerspace' plus another 10 and over is 'Knowing'
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Thursday, October, 22, 2009 12:40 AM BrianR writes:

Man.....


I loved the "Thing". I used to really groove when they'd run it on TV back in the bad old days before 8 million channels and video rentals.

Late, late show.

I'll tell you another one I loved: "It! The Terror from Beyond Space", 1958... kind of an early version of "Alien".

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Thursday, October, 22, 2009 7:56 AM Gray Ghost writes:

Bobbie

No, you aren't behind the times. The only reason I know about "Spaced Invaders" was due to a close friend recommending it (his children had seen it).

"Spaced Invaders" is worth seeing.
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Thursday, October, 22, 2009 7:59 AM Gray Ghost writes:

Saltwater

"Godzilla, King of the Monsters" (1956) is a classic. With "Perry Mason" being "cut" into the original Japanese movie, it was a favorite of mine too.

The local TV stations use to play these old movies on Halloween when I was growing up. My father and I use to enjoy watching them.
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Thursday, October, 22, 2009 8:03 AM Gray Ghost writes:

dawndawn

I did enjoy the Bela Lugosi, Boris Karlof, and Lon Chaney Jr. classics. But I always wanted to laugh at Halloween.

And I do remember the first time I saw "Arsenic and Old Lace". I almost "wet" my pants laughing (I was 13 years old). My mother introduced me to this movie. She saw it during WW2.
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Thursday, October, 22, 2009 8:05 AM Gray Ghost writes:

Gar

You are correct. "Plan 9 from Outerspace" is another movie to laugh with.
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Thursday, October, 22, 2009 8:15 AM Gray Ghost writes:

BrianR

Do you remember "Them" with James Arness and Edmund Gwenn (of "Miracle on 34th Street" fame)? I admit the giant ants were not the greatest special effect ever done; but that is another classic movie from the period.

The late 1940's and the 1950's saw many "monster" movies which (in my opinion) still hold up to today's "CG" monster movies. These old movies had "heart" which today's movies don't have. Only today's animated "monster" movies have this "heart" ("Shrek", "Monsters, Inc.", etc.)

You and I were lucky to grow up in the days of the Late Show and the Late, Late Show.
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Thursday, October, 22, 2009 9:15 AM Georgetwin writes:

GGhost

2 past horror films that are VASTLY underrated IMHO. "Prince of Darkness" made in 1987 by John Carpenter is a psychological horror that keeps you on the edge of your seat. "Dracula" made in 1992, with Gary Oldman in the title role, is the FINEST treatment of Bram Stoker's classic I have EVER seen. It follows the book VERY closely and the scenery and use of special effects to FOLLOW the tale as told by Stoker are OUTSTANDING!
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Thursday, October, 22, 2009 10:14 AM Gray Ghost writes:

Georgetwin

I have seen Oldman's "Dracula"; I haven't seen Carpenter's "Prince of Darkness".

I do agree that Oldman's "Dracula" is well done.

And I will check out "Prince of Darkness".
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Thursday, October, 22, 2009 11:41 AM BrianR writes:

Yeah, Gray


"Them" was a hoot. Those rasty big ants coming out of that sewer culvert. Really cheesy, but so much fun!

The other night I watched "Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen". Even though the special effects are absolutely awesome... there was really no "heart" to the story at all. A bunch of metal monsters beating each other up. After about 5 minutes of that, you've seen it all.

Megan Fox sure looked good, though, I have to say.

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Thursday, October, 22, 2009 11:44 AM The Interface writes:

Arsenic & Old Lace!

...they just don't make them like that any more, and they made few any better even back then! Classic Cary Grant. Well put into the number one slot.
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Thursday, October, 22, 2009 6:47 PM Patrick Bohan writes:

I will have to

check out some of these older movies. I have never seen any of them. I hate modern halloween movies, but agree that Signs was fairly good.
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Friday, October, 23, 2009 9:15 AM Gray Ghost writes:

Patrick

If you have never seen "Arsenic and Old Lace", "Spaced Invaders", and "The Ghost Breakers", you are in for a real treat.

Please see one of these three this Halloween. I would definitely suggest and recommend "Arsenic and Old Lace". It is too good to miss!
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Friday, October, 23, 2009 9:18 AM Gray Ghost writes:

Interface (On "Arsenic and Old Lace")

So true ("they just don't make them like that any more, and they made few any better even back then")!

Even though Cary Grant later said this was not his favorite movie (he thought he over-acted), most every one else thinks that it is one of Grant's best films.
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Friday, October, 23, 2009 10:58 AM Ray writes:

What?


No Bela Lugosi?

No Lon Chaney?

No, Gasp!!!, Boris Karloff?

What in the world has the world come to.

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Friday, October, 23, 2009 12:15 PM buck writes:

Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein

Scared the shukkins out of ME...
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Friday, October, 23, 2009 2:47 PM Gray Ghost writes:

Ray

"What in the world has the world come to."

Gee, I don't know; but with a "clown" in the White House and the Wicked Witch of the West in the US House, it surely is Halloween!
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Friday, October, 23, 2009 2:49 PM Gray Ghost writes:

buck

Great movie! I love Abbott & Costello too.

"Who's on first, What's on second, I Don't Know's on third" always cracks me up.
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Friday, October, 23, 2009 3:53 PM FinalRac writes:

Good choices, here are some others

Drop by my latest before you buy: Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein. A riot. The original Halloween with Jamie Lee. The Black Cat, Karloff. The first Alien. The Old Dark House, Laughton and Karloff. The old Universal films were just a hoot and I have seen them all. One thing about being in AFI is that they remind one to vote each year on varied categories. Blood and guts horror except for the very early Hammer films with Christopher Lee , really are not ones to watch. Along with Lee , the venerable Peter Cushing was just wonderful.
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Saturday, October, 24, 2009 11:56 AM Snow Knight writes:

I'm with

Godzilla!! especially--Godzilla vs King Kong!!CLASSIC!
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Monday, October, 26, 2009 8:19 AM Gray Ghost writes:

FinalRac

I agree about the old Universal movies. They were fun.

I also agree about the "slasher/blood" horror movies made during the last 25 years. They are not fun or worth watching.
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Monday, October, 26, 2009 8:20 AM Gray Ghost writes:

Snow Knight

Godzilla vs. King Kong???????

I always wondered did they fight before or after the Empire State Building?
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Monday, October, 26, 2009 6:14 PM Sgt Relic writes:

Ghost

Good list. My folks took me to see "Them" at the drive-in when I was about 9 years old. I thought I would soil myself when the ant got James Whitmore but I was hooked on horror.

I nearly OD'ed on horror flicks during the fifties, almost to a point where I couldn't sleep at night! HaHaHa!
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Monday, October, 26, 2009 9:12 PM Cynewulf writes:

Wait,

no "It's a Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown"? And how about The Ghost and Mr. Chicken?

For freaky, even though it was a television show, I'd have to go with American Gothic. Sixth Sense was good the first time through. For suspense, Alien.

And, even though it's more of a Christmas movie, I have to mention Nightmare Before Christmas.

And I'll second everyone on the old black and white monster movies, both the Universal classics (including Creature From the Black Lagoon) and the Japanese flicks (Gamera the space turtle was my favorite).

You always have the cool threads, GG.
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Monday, October, 26, 2009 9:41 PM Gray Ghost writes:

Sarge

You and me both ("I nearly OD'ed on horror flicks during the fifties, almost to a point where I couldn't sleep at night!").

There were so many good movies, mostly black & white (with some exceptions). And these movies had heart. This weekend my daughter and family were in town. We all watched "Arsenic and Old Lace" and I thought my oldest grandson would "wet" his pants laughing. He really liked "Teddy Roosevelt" Brewster.
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Monday, October, 26, 2009 9:45 PM Gray Ghost writes:

Cynewulf

Mrs. Gray Ghost's second favorite Halloween movie is "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken"! She really likes it.

I never watched "American Gothic"; but at my cousin's request I am watching "The Xfiles". So far I am thru season 1. I hate to admit it but I do like this series. (I never saw it when it first came out. I was too busy with work.)

Thanks for the compliment.
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Tuesday, October, 27, 2009 10:20 PM Eric writes:

Yeah

Signs is alright, I thought Shamalan's best movie was the Sixth Sense.

The Godzilla movies are classic.
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Wednesday, October, 28, 2009 10:20 AM Nee writes:

One word

Vincent Price!! Last movie I saw him in was Edward Scissorhands.

Okay Gray- Shameless plug for a fundraiser. Soldiers Angels and Valour-IT. Join your AF team, they need help and money!! Heh. Seriously, laptops for wounded troops and I am trying to raise awareness of my cronies.
Stop by...I am donating items to the Auction because I am cash poor.
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Wednesday, October, 28, 2009 12:44 PM buck writes:

The Funniest Line In A "B" Grade Flick,

"... Now you ain't gonna believe me... But there's a pack of killer rabbits heading this way.."
At which time the whole town ran to arm themselves instead of giving this guy a breathalyzer test.
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Wednesday, October, 28, 2009 4:40 PM Gray Ghost writes:

Eric

Thanks for stopping by. I agree about the Godzilla movies, especially the original 1956 film.
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Wednesday, October, 28, 2009 4:41 PM Gray Ghost writes:

Nee

Thanks for stopping by. I will be by your site shortly.
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Wednesday, October, 28, 2009 4:51 PM Gray Ghost writes:

buck

OK, I need to know what movie you got that line from. I do not recall that particular line in any of the movies I have seen. And the movie you quoted sounds pretty good.

Although the following lines in "Spaced Invaders" are some of the funniest I have ever seen:

Giggywig: Let me sum up the entire situation in a nutshell: there are five of us, and four billion of them. They have Strategic Air Command, nuclear powered submarines, and John Wayne. We have this. [holds up a small ray gun]

Captain Bipto: Is it loaded?

Giggywig: [points the ray gun at Bipto] Let's find out!
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Wednesday, October, 28, 2009 9:42 PM Cynewulf writes:

re: Ghost and Mr. Chicken

Gotta like Don Knotts. Even better when Tim Conway was with him (Private Eyes).

American Gothic was awesome, which is why it only went for 22 episodes. Also, Wolf Lake was done well, which is why it went for only 9 episodes.

Speaking of wolf, anyone remember Michael J. Fox in Teen Wolf?

Btw, what is Mrs. Gray Ghost's favorite Halloween movie?

New post on NY23 at my place for anyone interested.
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Thursday, October, 29, 2009 8:49 AM Gray Ghost writes:

Cynewulf

Mrs. Gray Ghost's 5 favorite Halloween Movies:

1. Arsenic and Old Lace

2. The Ghost and Mr. Chicken

3. It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

4. Spaced Invaders

5. I Married a Witch

I'll be by shortly.
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Thursday, October, 29, 2009 1:14 PM Jim writes:

That's Curious

I just play The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad for my kids (and Song of the South) great movie. I have to add a Twilight Zone episode; To Serve Man

Thanks for the mammaries!
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Friday, October, 30, 2009 10:27 AM buck writes:

JIM!

Where did you find "Song of the South"????

I find it nowhere here.
A friend got a copy from Germany but it had to be recopied.

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Friday, October, 30, 2009 10:45 AM Jim writes:

Song of the South

You want it? email me. I'll figure some way to get it to you.
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Thursday, November, 05, 2009 9:51 AM Patriot 76 writes:

as always

Boris in "the mummy" tops my list--the new mummy was good--but no one beats BORIS!!
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Thursday, November, 05, 2009 12:50 PM skep41 writes:

Sleepy Hollow!

I've always loved that short! Walt used to punish people who made him angry by exiling them to the shorts unit so some of those shorts were sheer genius!
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Tuesday, November, 10, 2009 12:46 AM Gar Swaffar writes:

GG

Thank you sir, for the Judge Napolitano clips
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Tuesday, November, 10, 2009 7:19 AM Mrs. AL (Always Learning) writes:

So Way Off Topic

Judge Andrew Napolitano, IMHO, has been ignored by many for a lot of years. His books are brilliant and his willingness to say it like it is is much appreciated. I have also appreciated Bork in the past, though I confess it takes me some time to get through his books.
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