It’s already October which means… spooky season! Before you know it, Halloween will be here. During this time, many students may use Halloween movies as an incentive to get their homework done at a reasonable time. Most frequently these movies include: “Hocus Pocus,” “Hocus Pocus,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and more “Hocus Pocus.” While “Hocus Pocus” is a timeless classic, we cannot forget the many other spooky cinematic treasures that never bore us.
Here are three Halloween movies you and your friends probably forgot about from your younger years:
“The Corpse Bride” (2005)
This Tim Burton creation centers on an arranged marriage between the son of rich fish merchants, Victor Van Dort, and the snobbish and neglected daughter of impoverished aristocrats, Victoria Everglot. Their marriage will apparently restore wealth to Victoria’s family. The two are hesitant on marrying since they do not know each other, but they soon fall for each other. Victor runs into a nearby forest when he embarrassingly forgets his vows and places his wedding ring on a tree root. In the forest, he meets a glorious dead woman named Emily who claims she is now Victor’s wife. Emily kisses Victor, who faints and is lifted off to the Land of the Dead. What happens to Victor and Victoria’s unfinished wedding? Will Victor ever return to the Land of the Living? Is his love for Victoria worth it?
“The Haunted Mansion” (2003)
This film, based on a classic Disney Parks attraction, begins with a backstory about a wealthy man named Gracey falling in love with one of the mansion servants, Elizabeth Henshaw. When Elizabeth dies, Master Gracey hangs himself in the mansion. In the present day, a husband and wife realtor couple have their own struggles. The husband, Jim, is a workaholic and misses his anniversary with his wife, Sara. When trying to find a vacation spot to make it up to her, workers of Gracey Manor give the couples a call. Jim, Sara and their two children head to the mansion and meet the owner, Edward Gracey. There is a storm that floods the area around the mansion, leaving the family no choice but to spend the night. Overnight, Gracey talks to Jim about the realty deal. He then takes Jim on a tour of the mansion and tells him the story of his grandfather’s death and his love for Elizabeth. What does Jim find out? Are there still spirits roaming the mansion?
“Twitches” (2005)
In this Disney Channel original movie, a royal witch births identical twin daughters, Apollo and Artemis, on Halloween night in a magical land. In order to be protected from the evil Darkness, the twins’ protectors, Karsh and Lleana, take them to earth to put them up for adoption. Each twin is adopted separately. Apollo is renamed Camryn, and Artemis is now Alex. On their 21st birthday, Camryn goes shopping in the same store that Alex is applying for a job at. The twins encounter each other, and when their powers are released they begin to bond. Karsh and Lleana reveal themselves and tell the sisters who they really are and about their magical background. It’s up to the Twitches to save their magical homeland from Darkness, will they?
Hopefully you can add any of these forgotten films from your childhood to your October movie marathon. I know it’s hard to part from “Hocus Pocus,” but just know that more “haunts” await you.
Madison Starinieri is a third-year student majoring in English education and special education. MS882527@wcupa.edu