- BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA: One thing I will remember until I take my dirt nap is the scene where one of Dracula’s vampiric brides chows down on Keanu Reeves man goods. My entire row in the theatre doubled over and shrieked in pained sympathy as her fangs bore into his vulnerable and unsuspecting manhood. But seriously, how Gary Oldman didn’t get any Oscar love for managing to portray the world’s most famous vampire as both an evil bastard and a sympathetic, tragic figure is one of modern cinema’s greatest crimes. Almost equally memorable was Anthony Hopkins borderline sociopathic portrayal of infamous vampire hunter Van Helsing. While occasionally over the top, BSD is probably the best movie portrayal of the horror classic (without all the racist undertones). And ladies, in case you ever needed a reminder, stay as far away as possible from tall, dark and handsome strangers. It never ends well.
- THE CROW: “Its justice for victims.” That was how Brandon Lee, who played The Crow’s titular character, summed the movie up just before he was tragically killed in a stunt gone wrong. It’s Devil’s Night in the urban wasteland of Detroit, and Eric Draven watches helplessly as his fiancé is raped and tortured to death before he’s thrown out the window to his own death. A year to the day later, guided by an all-knowing crow, Eric returns from the dead. And he isn’t happy (hint: things don’t end well for the people who put him and the love of his life in their graves). The Crow indulges in some violent poetry when it comes to meting out vengeance. Dark, violent, prophetic and at times beautiful, this cult favourite should be on everyone’s must see Halloween list.
- GHOSTBUSTERS (1984 And 2016): The original Ghostbusters screams Halloween. Fun, witty and irreverent, Ghostbusters embodies everything that makes this time of year magic. The chemistry the original cast shared was lightning in a bottle and it was highlighted by Bill Murray’s cool charm and pure smart aleciness (yeah, I invented that word, sue me). His trademark smirk alone was worth the price of admission. And what Zombieland did for Twinkies sales Ghostbusters did for marshmallows, turning the Staypuff Marshmallow Man into the most absurd instrument of human extinction ever conceived. That sentence perfectly sums up the funtastic spirit of this classic.
The 2016 remake captured some of that spirit while forging its own identity. Witty, fun and at times feisty, it was a blast watching Melissa McCartney and the girls strap the packs on and duel it out with New York’s ghouls and goblins while the fate of the Big Apple hung in the balance. And Chris Hemsworth’s pitch perfect performance as the dumb blonde secretary (this movie really went for the gender reversal) was icing on the cake. This was a movie you could enjoy if you checked your sexual preconceptions at the door.
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