How to throw the best English Halloween movie night ever.

Autumn brings a lot of changes: coloured leaves, pumpkin spice and holidays like Thanksgiving and Halloween. With the change in weather that Autumn brings along, there is no better way to spend an evening than to curl up in a blanket and watch a Halloween movie.

But what exactly is Halloween? When did we start celebrating it and how are pumpkins and evil spirits connected? Before we go into our list of best Halloween movies, let’s look at the story behind the spooky holiday.

The Origins of Halloween

Halloween is celebrated every year on the last day of October, the 31st to be exact. The tradition goes back to an ancient Celtic festival called ‘Samhain’, where people would dress up in costumes and light big bonfires to ward off ghosts. Celts lived mostly in parts of what today is known as Ireland, the UK and northern France. Their New Year’s Eve was Halloween, since for them the new year started with the 1st of November. With this date they marked the end of summer and therefore the beginning of the colder and darker months of the year. According to Celtic mythology, the lines between the worlds of the living and the dead blurred on that day, making it easier for ghosts to return to the world of the living. For this reason, they celebrated ‘Samhain’ or now: Halloween.

Pumpkins and trick-or-treating

Most of us have carved a pumpkin before. But why do we do that? The obvious reason is that it looks cool, right? But there is also a history behind the carving of pumpkins, which are also often called ‘Jack-O’-Lanterns’. According to an old Irish myth Stingy Jack tricked the Devil in order to gain more money. When he died, he was not allowed to enter Heaven or Hell, since neither God nor the Devil allowed him in, so he was sentenced to wander on Earth for the rest of eternity. As a result, people in Ireland started to carve scary faces into pumpkins to keep Jack away from their homes and families.

Trick-or-treating developed when Irish immigrants came to America, bringing the old Samhain tradition to dress up, with them. Americans began to go from house to house calling out: “Trick-or-treat”, meaning they want treats (sweets and food) or they will play tricks on the house owners.

The best Halloween movies to choose from

If you don’t know what to watch, here is a list of some of the best Halloween movies in English to enjoy

1. Halloween franchise

This movie franchise consists of 13 movies. Yes, you did read that correctly – 13 movies! That makes it perfect for a movie marathon. The movie deals with the story of Michael Myers, who as a child murdered his sister. 15 years later he manages to escape from the asylum he was put in and starts to kill people again. These murders occur on Halloween – hence the title. The first movie was released in 1978 and features stars like Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence. Halloween is considered a slasher movie, meaning it involves a killer using sharp or bladed tools like chainsaws, knifes, machetes etc.

2. Hocus Pocus

Hocus Pocus is a family-friendly Halloween movie about three witches who are resurrected at Halloween time. On Halloween a child is kidnapped in the woods by threw witches – the Sanderson sisters Winifred (Bette Midler), Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Mary (Kathy Najimy). The child’s brother tries to save her but fails. As a result, the three witches are hanged. Before their death Winifred manages to cast a curse, allowing the sisters to resurrect every year at Halloween. The movie follows Max and Dani who resurrect the witches by accident 30 years later and the chaos that follows. A Halloween classic for the whole family! In 2022 a second movie was released on Disney+.

3. Harry Potter

What to better watch at Halloween than a movie about witches and wizards? Harry Potter is a must – no matter if on Halloween or at Christmas! The movies, which are based on J.K. Rowling’s books, follow the wizard Harry Potter who receives a letter from “Hogwarts”, the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, on his 11th birthday. He travels to Hogwarts on a magic train from a platform called 9 ¾ and meets his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger on his journey. Throughout the 8 movies he has to fight one of the most powerful wizards called Voldemort. The first movie was released in 2001 with Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint in the leading roles.

4. Nightmare on Elm Street

With 9 movies to this franchise, Nightmare on Elm Street would also be a great marathon movie! It is considered a slasher movie too but it has a supernatural component to it as well. It deals with a number of Midwestern kids who succumb to Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), a deformed nocturnal mangler who invades teenagers’ dreams before killing them, which kills them in reality as well. After some research the teenagers begin to suspect that their parents are keeping a secret from them which could be the key to solving the mystery around Freddy Krueger. Will they be able to save themselves in time?

5. Scream

Almost a decade after “Nightmare on Elm Street” came out, Wes Craven directed his next superhit movie – Scream. There are 5 movies in total in this franchise and they follows high school students, who must escape a serial killer in a black robe and a white mask. Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and her friends start to get unusual phone calls a year after her mother passed away. As the story develops, they discover that the calls are being made by a maniacal serial killer seeking vengeance. He calls the teenagers on the phone and asks them: “What is your favorite horror movie?”, before entering their house and trying to kill them. A movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time!

6. Get Out

The 2017 movie written and directed by Jordan Peele deals with Chris, a Black photographer and his girlfriend, Rose on a trip to Rose’s parents. Since they have reached a relationship milestone with meeting the parents, Rose invites Chris to spend a weekend with her and her parents Dean and Missy. When reaching the estate, Chris is welcomed by them in an overly cheerful manner. He reads this as a nervous attempt to handling their daughter’s first interracial relationship, since that’s what Rosie had told him. As the weekend progresses, Chris is confronted with racism and uncovers dark secrets that Rosie and her family have kept hidden from him. A psychological horror film that you won’t get out of your head for some time!

7. Hotel Transylvania

For the little ones, Hotel Transylvania is the perfect movie! The animated movie was released in 2012 with Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez and Andy Samberg voicing the leading roles of Count Dracula, Mavis and Jonathan. Where do monsters spend their holiday? Exactly, at Count Dracula’s “Hotel Transylvania”. Here they can get away from the human world and enjoy a well needed time off. When a human stumbles into the hotel by accident everything seems to end in chaos. What makes it even more complicated is that he falls in love with Count Dracula’s daughter Mavis. Chaos is guaranteed! A fun movie to enjoy with a younger audience but also for those who stay a child at heart!

8. Rocky Horror Picture Show

Even though the title includes the word “horror”, this movie is rather a musical comedy with some horror elements. Released in 1975 it centres on a newly engaged young couple who are on their way to an old friend’s house, when their car breaks down in the pouring rain near a castle. While looking for a telephone in order to call for help, Brad and Janet walk into a castle party nearby, where everyone is dressed in elaborate costumes. They meet the owner of the house Dr. Frank N. Furter, a transvestite mad scientist. The story follows Janet and Brad on their unbelievable party night – worth a watch! Today it is considered one of the greatest musicals of all times with live adaptations all over the world.

Bake some Halloween treats and yummies

Good food is a must for any movie night.. There can be a variety of Halloween inspired foods like “witch fingers” (sausages with almonds as nails), banana ghosts, stuffed miniature jack-o’-lanterns (carved orange peppers), Halloween cupcakes (orange frosting and/or Halloween motives) or a bloody eye punch (red punch with lychees as eyes).

Here are some recipes to check out:

• Banana ghosts.
• Witches’ fingers.
• Stuffed Jack-O’-Lanterns.
• Halloween Cupcakes.
• Bloody eye Punch.

Want to learn some seasonal language? Have a look at our blog about autumn vocabulary and phrases in English. 

 

Ultimate List Autumn English Phrases & Idioms

Autumn – the leaves turn orange and red, the weather gets colder, and you find yourself becoming moodier. There is nothing better than braving the cold, going for a nice autumn afternoon walk admiring the colourful forests, or visiting a pumpkin farm – you can even pick your own sometimes! It is also the time of year activities at home become more popular, whether it is carving pumpkins, watching scary movies, or hosting Halloween parties. Speaking of Halloween – did you know that people used to believe leaving out carved pumpkins – more specifically the scary faces – will ward off evil spirits?

There are numerous other festivities associated with Autumn (or fall as it’s known in America). In America and Canada Thanksgiving takes place in Autumn. It is a holiday that celebrates a good harvest and blessings over the past year. A typical Thanksgiving dinner consists of a turkey with stuffing, vegetables (usually potatoes and beans), cranberries, and gravy. For dessert, there is almost always pumpkin pie. As for when Thanksgiving is celebrated: Abraham Lincoln proclaimed in 1863 that the last Thursday of November should be a national holiday, where people give thanks for a good year – hence the name Thanksgiving Day.

Read about the different festivals around the world that celebrate autumn.

Autumn Vocabulary in English

You can see a list of autumnal vocabulary below, which is divided based on the type of word. Knowing whether a word is a noun, adjective or phrasal verb immediately gives you an indication of how they an be incorporated into your day-to-day language. There are also graphics at the end of the blog, with all the vocabulary items, and photos.

Nouns

Learn all about nouns, how to use them and when in this grammar guide about nouns.

1. Pumpkin – an orange vegetable.
2. Harvest – a collection of products from fields/trees etc.
3. Acorn – the fruit of the oak tree.
4. Scarecrow – a puppet used in a field to scare off birds
5. Raincoat – a jacket that is used to keep yourself from getting wet in the rain
6. Rake – a tool to collect leaves from the ground and put them in a pile
7. Pie – a baked dish of fruit, or meat and vegetables, typically with a top and base of pastry.
8. Chestnut – a large, brown nut that grows on a sweet chestnut tree, often cooked and eaten hot.

Adjectives

Learn all about adjectives, how to use them and when in this grammar guide about adjectives.

1. Foggy – No clear sky. A foggy day is when there is a large amount of fog in the air and you cannot see clearly. Fog is a thick cloud of tiny water droplets suspended in the atmosphere, that can look like smoke.
   • Ex. It was so foggy in the morning that you couldn’t see 3 meters in front of you.
2. Gusty – gust refers to a sudden and strong rush of wind. So gusty weather is when there are a lot of gusts, which is common in Autumn/fall.
   • Ex. There were a lot of gusty winds outside and there was sunshine.
3. Spooky – When the atmosphere or feeling in a place is sinister or ghostly and causes fear and unease. It’s often used to describe old abandoned houses which can have ghosts and Halloween
   • Ex. The movie was spooky, don’t you think?
4. Brisk – Something cold but fresh. It describes the type of weather and temperature which is typical of Autumn/Fall.
   • Ex. There was a brisk wind today. It was quite refreshing.
5. Crunchy – Something crunchy is brittle and makes a distinct, crisp sound. It can be used for food, or for dried leaves.
   • Ex. I love walking through parks in Autumn and hearing the sound of the crunching leaves.
6. Cosy – When something is cosy, it’s comfortable and pleasant, especially (of a building) because of being small and warm.
   1. Ex. The best feeling at the end of a wintry day is sitting with a cup of tea in front of the fire, in a cosy room. 
7. Rainy – Describes weather that is marked by considerable rainfall.
   • Ex. They walked along the promenade on a rainy night. 
8. Golden – Coloured or shining like gold.
   • Ex. She combed and arranged her golden hair.

Phrasal Verbs

Learn all about phrasal verbs, how to use them and when in this guide about phrasal verbs.

1. to dress up – to put on a costume.
   • Ex. Lola dressed up as a clown for Halloween – isn’t she funny?
2. to carve something – when you use a knife to make a shape or inscription into something. In Autumn, people use a knife to cut a face into a pumpkin
   • Ex. My mum and I carved pumpkins yesterday. They came out great!
3. to gather –  to collect items into a pile.
   • Ex. Every evening we gather all the fallen leaves in a pile.
4. to go trick-or-treating – knocking on doors and asking for sweets on Halloween.
   • Ex. When I was a child my sister and I went trick-or-treating in our neighborhood.
5. to bake something – to combine ingredients to make something in the oven, e.g. cookies.
   • Ex. My grandma bakes the best cookies in the world – trust me!

Autumn Idioms in English

There is something unique about idioms – they only sound good in their respective language. For example, the German “Das ist nicht das Gelbe vom Ei” literally translates to “this is not the yellow of the egg”, meaning it’s not the yolk – the best part – of the egg. Doesn’t make sense in English, right?

With summer coming to an end and autumn starting, here are 8 autumn-themed phrases you can use to make this rainy season a bit lighter.

1. To be nuts about someone or something

Have you ever met a person and can’t stop talking or thinking about them? Then you might hear this sentence: “My God, you are really nuts about this person, huh?”. To be nuts about someone, or something, means that you are really interested in them/it, making it almost an obsession.

2. To drive someone nuts

Another nut-themed idiom is “to drive someone nuts” Here however it is not positive. It means that you get on someone’s nerves so much that they are annoyed at you. When the first fight with that special someone that you were nuts about comes up, they might use this: “You drive me nuts”.

3. To squirrel away 

Do you know who likes nuts? That’s right – squirrels. The meaning of the saying “to squirrel away” is more obvious than you would think. Just like squirrels hide nuts for the winter, “to squirrel away” means that you save something in order to use it in the future. That trip you have been saving up for? You have been squirreling away a little money here and there to finally see the Eiffel Tower, the Great Wall of China or your grandma’s smile on the other side of the country.

4. To save for a rainy day

“To save for a rainy day” also means saving something but in the sense of saving for worse days. For example: Your car breaks down and you must take it to the garage to get it fixed. You might say to yourself: “Thank God, I saved that money on the side. I was saving it for a rainy day – guess this one’s it!”

5. To feel under the weather

Speaking of rain, we all have days, when we don’t feel 100% good and think that we might become ill in the next few days. Those are the days you can tell people that you “feel under the weather” when they ask you how you are.

6. To shake like a leaf

What is the scariest horror movie you can think of? Remember when you were watching it? Chances are that you were “shaking like leaf”. This means, that you were so scared that you were shaking. It can also mean that you were feeling cold, for example: I was in Iceland last week. It was so cold – I was shaking like a leaf”.

7. Turn over a new leaf

When you have had a period of bad experiences or hard times, you are just looking forward to the next chapter of your life, when everything gets better, right? When you do that – start a new chapter – you turn over a leaf. You accept the past and look into the future with hope.
“Maria has had a lot of bad things happening to her in the last few weeks. I’m glad she is turning over a new leaf. I hope she is luckier from now on”

It can also mean that you start acting in a more responsible, better way.
“Amira always does her homework last minute. I hope she turns over a new leaf and starts doing them earlier.”

8. The apple doesn’t fall (too) far from the tree

“You are just like your mother/father” is a sentence a lot of us heard before. “The apple doesn’t fall (too) far from the tree” is another way of saying that. Like the apple is a product of its tree, we are products of our parents. We adapt behaviours and looks from them and might be referred to as a “mini-me” of our mum or dad.

 

Autumn in Malta and Gozo

While only a brief season, autumn in Malta is a perfect time to take advantage of the somewhat colder weather and get outside to experience the island’s various attractions. It’s unlike most other Mediterranean nations. It’s not too hot, but it’s also not pouring – ideal weather for a stroll or nature hike without sweating or shivering. At the same time, it’s a low season in travel industry, which means you can enjoy a sunny holiday without paying the summer prices. At the same time, there are fewer tourists, so you can get a feel for the real island life of Malta and Gozo.

Take a trip to Malta and enjoy the warm autumn sunshine, fresh produce, and green surroundings. Be sure to pack a swimsuit, locals are often still swimming up the late November! Write to us at [email protected] to start planning your autumn study-trip.