Over the years, Susanne and I have written a number of posts about aspects of Halloween and how it serves as the holiday gateway. We take different approaches. I look at Halloween decorations and spooky places in Boston. Suze tackles Halloween in the kitchen. No argument from me.

Round up of Halloween Posts

Here’s a roundup of our Halloween posts: spooky, culinary and cultural. Enjoy the tour. Boo!

Boston’s Spooky Places

• 

  A Beacon Hill with Boo Halloween – Aline

• Spiritual Temple or Movie House? – Aline
• Boston’s Two Suffolk County Mortuaries – Aline
• Pope Night: An Old Religious Hatred — Aline
• A Not So-Spook Tour at King’s Chapel — Aline

Halloween Treats

• Dia de Los Muertos: Day of the Dead – Susanne
• The Great Pumpkin — Susanne
• Halloween and the Sugar Monster – Aline

Halloween Chills

• Halloween Decorations: Ever More Realistic – Aline
• Halloween Should Be Kids’ Night Out – Aline

Five Scary Movies

While giving a ghost tour last week, I heard my guests discussing what they considered scariest movies they’d ever seen. I couldn’t believe their selections. Clearly, they had a preference for gory movies and slasher films. I don’t consider blood, gore, torture, dismemberment, and decapitation to be frightening .They’re just revolting, stomach churning.

My scary movies tend to fit more into the psychological fright and haunted house sub-genres.

Here’s a personal list of my five scariest movies. Be warned!

1. The Haunting — 1963 black-and white version with Rip Torn, Julie Harris and Claire Bloom only. NOT the awful, over-the-top remake.I dare you to watch this and then turn out the lights.
2. Session 9 — Filmed right here in Massachusetts at the old Danvers State Mental Hospital. If you watch it on DVD, check out the section called The Haunted Palace.
3. Let the Right One In — The horror builds as you realize what’s going on. And you want to stop it, but can’t. No spoilers here.
4. Aliens — This is one case where the sequel is more frightening than the original. Be sure to watch the full version with the robo-guns scene.That’s the part that gets me every time.
5. Psycho — I saw this as a kid in the drive in. Like many girls of my generation, it made me think twice about taking a shower.