Halloween is just around the corner, and there’s no better way to put you in the mood than with some scary horror movies. Below are some of the best Blu-ray movies available. They range from the truly horrifying (Carrie, Halloween, and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre), to the somewhat lighter side (Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn and The Nightmare Before Christmas). But all these movies are sure to frighten and entertain you and your friends this Halloween.

The Shining [Blu-ray]
Many consider this to be THE greatest horror film ever made. Writer Jack Torrance, played by Jack Nicholson, becomes the caretaker of the Overlook Hotel in a secluded part of Colorado. Jack brings along his family. His wife, played by Shelly Duvall and their young son stay with him at the hotel. The hotel is abandoned during the winter, Jack will have only his family for company. Strange and eerie things begin to happen during their stay at the hotel. Danny, Jack’s son, is able to envisions brutally graphic images by a force called ‘the shining’. Jack is soon affected by this. With a serious case of writer’s block and the evil demons of the hotel tormenting him, Jack has a mental breakdown and begins his own version of family bonding fun.

Video Quality:
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audio Quality:
English: LPCM 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanlish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Special Features:
- The Making of “The Shining”
- View from the Overlook: Crafting “The Shining”
- Wendy Carlos, Composer
- The Visions of Stanley Kubrick

Bram Stoker’s Dracula [Blu-ray]

The often told story of Dracula takes on new life, in this extravagant and lavish production. With outstanding performances from Gary Oldman as the Count and Winona Rydar as Mina Murray. They play star-crossed lovers, who’s turbulent romance transcends the centuries. Mina is engaged to another man and the Count feeds off the living. The cast also includes Anthony Hopkins, who is Van Helsing, the vampire slayer. Who plays the part with the perfect amount of gusto. As does Tom Waits as Renfield, the hapless slave Of Count Dracula, who has a fondness for the blood of cats and insects. Sadie Frost makes for a vibrant Lucy Westenra. And then there is Keanu Reeves, who plays Jonathon Harker; fiance to Mina Murray. In his version of Bram Stoker’s Dracula; Francis Ford Coppola has made a film that has a bit of everything ; blood and gore, high-speed horseback chases, lots of passion and longing. What more can you ask for Halloween.

Video Quality:
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audio Quality:
English: LPCM 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Hungarian: Dolby Digital 5.1
Czech: Dolby Digital 5.1
Polish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Russian: Dolby Digital 4.0
Special Features:
- Introduction by FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA
- Audio Commentary by FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA
- Deleted Scenes
- The Blood is the Life: The Making of Dracula
- The Costumes are the Sets: The Design of Eiko Ishioka, In-Camera: The Naive Visual Effects of Dracula
- Method and Madness: Visualizing Dracula)
- Youth Without Youth Trailer

An American Werewolf in London (Full Moon Edition) [Blu-ray]

Simply put An American Werewolf in London is a cult classic, featuring groundbreaking make-up effects by Academy Award winner Rick Baker. Its combination of the macabre and biting sense of humor make it one the most astonishing horror movies ever made. Directed by John Landis, of National Lampoon’s Animal House; he puts his own spin on the classic werewolf tale. Set in London, it is about two American tourists who venture out for a stroll on the Moors one night during a full moon. One violent wolf attack later and their lives are changed forever. Also included in this digitally remastered Full Moon Edition is the new feature-length documentary Beware the Moon.

Video Quality:
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audio Quality:
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: DTS 2.0 Mono
German: DTS 2.0 Mono
Italian: DTS 2.0 Mono
Spanish: DTS 5.1
Special Features:
- Beware the Moon (SD, 1:37:37)
- I Walked with a Werewolf (1080i, 7:31)
- Making An American Werewolf in London: An Original Featurette (SD, 5:15)
- An Interview with John Landis (SD, 18:20)
- Makeup Artist Rick Baker on An American Werewolf in London (SD, 11:14)
- Casting of the Hand (SD, 10:59)
- Outtakes (SD, 3:08)
- Storyboards (SD, 2:28)
- Photograph Montage (SD, 3:45)
- Feature Commentary with Cast Members David Naughton and Griffin Dunne
- BD-Live Functionality

Carrie [Blu-ray]

It “catches the mind, shakes it and refuses to let it go”; this is what Time magazine said about Carrie, the movie based on the best-selling Stephen King novel. Other critics like Robert Ebert; “absolutely spellbinding” and the Los Angeles Times “outrageously witty” agree. Making this one of the all time great classic horror movies. Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie give Academy Awarded nominated performances, in this quintessential revenge story. The story revolves around a girl named Carrie (Spacek), who is cruelly and often picked on in high school. A misfit with out any friends or confidence, and who is unaware of her extraordinary telekinesis powers. But with the help of her deranged mother and masochistic schoolmates who push her to the breaking point, she unleashes her wrath onto anyone who gets in her way. She leaves in her wake a cinematic flurry of blood, fire and brimstone.

Video Quality:
Video codec: MPEG-2
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audio Quality:
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English Mono
Spanish Mono
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Special Features:
- 1080p Trailers for:
Carrie
The Amityville Horror
The Terminator

Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn [Blu-ray]
Evil Dead II is more of a remake than a sequel. Armed with a higher budget, writer-director Sam Rami was able to bring more decapitations, zombies, supernatural monsters and bloodshed. Even with these elements involved, the movie itself is a hilarious, finely tuned slapstick satire of horror films. Rami takes ever horror cliche and amplifies it with extraordinary special effects, along with jeering juvenile humor. The plot is a simple one, several teenagers go to the country for a holiday. They stay in a broken down cabin in the woods, miles from anywhere. There they discover the Book of the Dead. Soon the accidentally unleash a supernatural evil being that kill everyone. All except the character Ash. Played by Bruce Campbell, in one of the greatest frenzied feats of physical comedy every seen on film. He spend most of the film getting his body brutalized while fighting this supernatural evil. While mainly unseen in theaters, this film has become a hugely influential cult video.

Video Quality:
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audio Quality:
English: LPCM 5.1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1
Special Features:
- Commentary featuring writer/director Sam Raimi, actor Bruce Campbell, co-writer Scott Spiegel, and make-up artist Greg Nicotero.
- “Film Fast Facts.”
- Evil Dead 2: Behind-The-Screams (480p, 17 minutes)
- The Gore the Merrier (480p, 32 minutes)

Hellboy II: The Golden Army [Blu-ray]

The sequel to Guillermo del Toro’s Hellboy, The Golden Army continues the stroy of the red demon superhero and his friends. An ancient treaty between humans and creatures is broken by an evil elf. He declares war against humanity and he attempts to revive The Golden Army to help him wage this war. The Golden Army is a group of deadly fighting machines who can bring the human race to its end. It is up to Hellboy (Ron Perlman) and his crew, Liz (Selma Blair), Abe (Doug Jones) and protoplasmic mystic Johann, to stop the evil elf before The Golden Army can destroys them all.

Video Quality:
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audio Quality:
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1
Spanish: DTS 5.1
French: DTS 5.1
Special Features:
- 2 Audio Commentaries
- Documentary
- Featurettes
- Deleted Scenes
- Still Galleries
- Digital Copy

Halloween [Blu-ray]

One chilly Halloween night in Haddonfield, Illinois in 1963, a six year old child named Micheal Myers viciously killed his teenage sister after she had sex with her boyfriend. Micheal is taken to Smith’s Grove Warren County Sanitarium and locked up under the care of Dr. Simon Loomis. The doctor is the only one who truly see the evil that is within Micheal Myers. Michael is able to escape the sanitarium on October 1978. Dr. Loomis is witness to the escape and travels to Haddonfield, Illinois where he knows Michael will murder again once Halloween night arrives. Michael soon stakes three teenage girls, Laurie Strode, Annie and Lynda. Along with the local sheriff, Dr. Loomis tries to track down Michael and stop him from his savage killings.

Video Quality:
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Audio Quality:
English: LPCM 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 5.1
English: Dolby Digital Mono
Special Features:
- Audio Commentary
- Documentary
- Theatrical Trailer

Halloween Starter Pack (Land of the Dead / Dawn of the Dead / The Thing) [Blu-ray]

This box set includes three blu-ray movies ‘The Thing (1982),’ ‘Land of the Dead’ and ‘Dawn of the Dead (2004).’ Each is on an individual disc, and identical as the previously-released stand-alone editions.

The Thing: John Carpenter is at his terrifying best with this sci-fi thriller. A 12 man research team gets standard in the Antarctica and stumbles upon an alien being that has been buried there for over 100,000 years.

Land of the Dead: In a modern day world where the walking dead roam the streets, the remaining living people try to eke out a normal life behind the walls of a fortified city. Quickly, a new socity emerges built by a few merciless opportunist. They dwell in the high skyscrapers high above the mean and deadly streets. However, beyond the city walls, the army of the dead is slowly evolving and soon treating the city’s survival. Mercenaries are hired to fight this threat.

Dawn of the Dead: Zombies have taken over, resulting in chaos and carnage. Four frighten survivors seek refuse inside a shopping mall. The barricade themselves there and fight the ever relentless zombie horde. This classic horror film still remains as a landmark in make-up effects (Tom Savini), and is truly one of the most important films in the horror genre.

Video Quality:
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Audio Quality:
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Spanish: DTS 5.1
French: DTS 5.1
Special Features:
Land of the Dead
- The Remaining Bits (480p, 2:56)
- When Shaun Met George (480p, 12:59)
- Land of the Dead. Scenes of Carnage (480p, 1:43)
- Zombie Effects: From Green Screen to Finished Scene (480p, 3:18)
- Bringing the Storyboards to Life (480p, 7:55)
- Scream Tests: Zombie Casting Call (480p, 1:04)

Interview with the Vampire [Blu-ray]

Horror Author Anne Rice’s much beloved cult classic from 1976 is brought to the screen in this 1994 adaptation. The movie chronicles the life of a 18th-century nobleman Louis de Pointe du Lac, played by Brad Pitt. One night he is bitten by a powerful vampire named Lestat de Lioncourt. Though initially captivated with the life of the undead, Louis is unable to come to grips with the lifestyle. Especially the killing of humans. He soon gets despairing about being undead. To help him, Lestat creates yet another vampire, played by Kirsten Dunst. She is turned when she is a young girl, so therefore will never age. Also, staring in the movie is Antonio Banderas, who plays a 400 year old vampire Armand. Christian Slater plays the radio producer who interviews Louis. Directed by Neil Jordan, the film is able to create the decadence and erotic passion of the novel. While never forgetting its rich darker tones.

Video Quality:
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audio Quality:
English: Dolby Digital 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 2.0
Spanish: Dolby Digital 1.0
Special Features:
- Audio Commentary
- Documentary
- Introduction
- Theatrical Trailer

The Nightmare Before Christmas [Blu-ray]

Digitally restored and remastered with state-of-the-art technology, THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS becomes more glorious than ever. The story revolves around the Pumpkin King Jack Skellington, who is getting bored with the same old scary routine he is used to. Wanting to spread the joy of Christmas, his mission soon puts Santa in danger. As well as creating a nightmare for good little boys and girls. Danny Elfman provides the fantastic soundtrack to the imaginations of Tim Buton and Henry Selick film creation. With this Blu-ray edition The Nightmare Before Christmas is now more frightening and extraordinary then ever.

Video Quality:
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.66:1
Audio Quality:
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 2.0
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Special Features:
- Audio Commentary
- Documentary
- Tim Burton Short Films
- Tim Burton’s Original Poem
- Featurettes
- Deleted Scenes
- Still Galleries
- Trailers
- DisneyFile Digital Copy

Poltergeist [Blu-ray]

Poltergeist, in the beginning, starts out on a playful tone. The Freeling family having moved into a new housing development, with a somewhat ‘unique’ kitchen; to say the least. But soon things turn darker. One night there is a storm, a tree attacks the family and Carol Anne Freeling is abducted into a spectral void. The family encounters horrors beyond belief in trying to bring young Carol Anne back. Produced by Steven Spielberg and Frank Marshall and directed by Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Poltergeist is a landmark in using special effects to bring out the jaw dropping frights. Whether its floating phantasms, monsters popping out of closets, or an entire house disappearing into nothing, Poltergeist deliverers the scares.

Video Quality:
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Audio Quality:
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1
English: Dolby Surround Stereo
French: Dolby Surround Stereo
Spanish: Dolby Surround Stereo
Special Features:
- Featurette

Saw [Blu-ray]
In a dirty abandoned bathroom, two men wake up to find themselves chained on opposite sides of the room. Between them is a dead man lying in a pool of blood and holding a tape recorder and a revolver. Both men have a cassette tape. When played it reveals a task for both. One is to kill the other by 6:00 or his wife and child will die. Hacksaws are also found, but they are unable to saw through their chains. Both have become victims of the Jigsaw Killer. Through a series of flashbacks we learn of more victim of this killer, who actually never kills anyone. Instead he finds clever and sadistic ways for the victims to either kill themselves or each other. He is meticulous in his planning, with seemingly no way, or is there?

Video Quality:
Video codec: MPEG-2
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audio Quality:
English: Dolby Digital 5.1 EX
English: DTS-ES Matrix 6.1
Special Features:
- None

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre [Blu-ray]

Many people have tried to describe The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, calling it grisly, sick, perverse and raw. But without a doubt it is a movie that redefined the horror genre. Churches organized protested against it. Governments went as far as banning the movie. Only a few scant, brave critics dared give the movie any kind of acclaim. Audiences were astounded by it worldwide. Setting a new standard in terror. The writer-producer-director responsible was Tobe Hooper, who in 1974 brought us a story of five friends who face the ultimate nightmare at the hands of a psychotic Texas family. Regarded as one of the most frightening movies ever made, it is also a shining example of independent film-making.

Video Quality:
Video codec: TBA
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Audio Quality:
English: Dolby Digital 5.1 EX
English: DTS-ES Matrix 6.1
Special Features:
- Audio Commentaries
- Documentaries
- Featurettes
- Still Galleries
- Theatrical Trailers

By: Curtis Hoskins

About the Author:
For more information on Blu-ray movies and Blu-ray Players try this handy website: Blu-rayDVDPlayers.com or try checking out the latest Blu-ray releases here: Blu-ray Movies. Copyright 2009. This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.

Is it that life imitates art? Or that art imitates art? It seems that whichever is the case, licensed costumes for Halloween follow blockbuster movies. Like many toys, books and other consumer goods, Halloween costumes often style themselves after movie characters. Some manufacturers choose to carry licensed Halloween costumes; others choose to create “knockoffs” that closely resemble the licensed products, without paying the licensing fees… but they are not allowed to use the characters’ names on their costumes.

For the past few years, Pirates of the Caribbean (POTC) costumes have been a huge success. With three big pirate movies, there have been six major characters to create: Captain Jack Sparrow costumes, Elizabeth Swann costumes, William Turner costumes, Hector Barbossa costumes, Davy Jones costumes, and Tia Dalma costumes. With everything from Elizabeth Swann’s Aztec gold necklace to Jack Sparrow’s rings and Barbossa’s sword, pirate costumes offer many styles, sizes and choices for Halloween parties and contests.

In addition to licensed Pirates costumes, there are numerous unlicensed pirate costumes for women and men, and even kid’s pirate costumes. These are likely to cost a little less that an official Jack Sparrow Halloween costume, but may be just as attractive and well-built.

Another perennial favorite: Spiderman costumes. Again, with three hit movies, the webslinger is available as adult Spiderman costumes, kids Spiderman costumes, and even a Spidergirl costume. “Spiderman costumes have been one of our best sellers for four years in a row,” said James Burke, co-owner of SpookShop.com. “My sons both have Spiderman costumes, and wear them as pajamas, and even during the day. They have each gone through two sizes already.”

Other hits such as The Simpsons movie are likely to bring more interest to Simpsons costumes. “We carry Simpsons masks and costumes, but expect manufacturers to add more Simpsons Halloween costumes to what they currently offer,” Burke said.

Don’t forget Harry Potter costumes. Unlike Spiderman and Pirates of the Caribbean costumes, Hogwarts Robes and accessories sell year-around. “Harry Potter scarves for the various houses have been a great seller,” said Burke. “And we always have to reorder Harry Potter wands and glasses.”

With other hit movies like Shrek the Third (with baby dronkey costumes), TVs “24″ (with Jack Bauer costumes) and Barbie movies, Halloween costume stores are likely to again be full of licensed characters. Upcoming movies include Rob Zombie’s remake of the classic movie “Halloween,” which includes a new Michael Myers mask.

Look to the movies and TV to get great Halloween costume ideas. You’ll have plenty to choose from!

By: Laurel Burke

About the Author:
http://www.spookshop.com

No other reminder of Halloween is more visible than Hollywood movies themselves. In addition, we’re not just talking about high-budget horror movies here. Even the budget movies (B-movies) or “splatter” films are firm reminders of the strangeness and utter mystery of human life itself.

Movies are like mirrors of reality. It’s a reflection, not really reality itself. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Halloween turned out to be something more than just homage to frightening kids out of their socks?

Horror movies & Halloween

Cultural artifacts are often complementary. Many cultural artifacts develop alongside each other, often complimenting and supporting the survival of each other. It is this particular nature of culture that has allowed the movie industry to slowly define what ‘horror’ is to the public.

By going deeply into the public imagination, movies are able to record on film the unconscious drives, desires and fears of the larger public. Not only because it creates profit for the producers, but also because it serves to remind the public of the real Other: the enemies of liberty, free expression and equitability.

Seventies

It was in the 1970s that horror movies really took off and became associated with the celebration of Halloween. The stock images of scary scarecrows and Jack-O-Lanterns were integrated and given a new life.

Originally, this imagery was associated with more mellow references, like the harvest itself. When the images were revitalized to fit the bill of what was Hollywood-scary, the pumpkin suddenly became a maniacal demonic creature. The scarecrow wielded a scythe and suddenly became possessed.

In short, Halloween was the time of the year where even the cutest chipmunks can become rabid rodents out for blood. It was a way for people to scare themselves silly and come back out alive.

Rollercoaster of emotions

Yes, people don’t like being frightened. However, what makes horror movies like Wait until Dark palatable to the public? It was the idea that something so scary could be packaged to become less frightening and controllable.

You see, real tragedies and unfortunate human events are often beyond the control of people. This is the reason why people often recoil from real life events because it would be painful to watch and not be able to do something.

Now, when something frightening had been re-formed to be consumed while sitting comfortably in a movie theater or in the comfort of your living room, it becomes less frightening. It becomes less hostile and more controllable even for kids.

For the kids

This is the reason why many adults still want to celebrate Halloween. Without a celebration with death and the unknown as its main motifs, how can an adult teach a child about fear, horror and death without cringing?

How do you make something as horrible as death less intimidating? You use Halloween, masks and parties. Parades are good, too. By dressing up the unknown, a message is being communicated.

The message is this: no matter how horrible real life may seem, there’s always a chance that we will be able to control it. The way seems to be muddled at the moment, but let’s enjoy ourselves while we seek it.

By: Benedict Yossarian

About the Author:

Costume Finder has one of the largest selections of Halloween Fancy Dress Costumes in the UK. Whether you want a Devil, Ghost, or Zombie Costume, Costume Finder has it all.