Spooktober continues on the Middle Country Public Library Podcast! This week, Sal, Sara, and Nicole are back with more spooky recommendations to help get you into the Halloween spirit.
Whether you’re looking for a family-friendly movie with just the right amount of scares, something a little more terrifying for your next horror movie night, or a fascinating nonfiction book about vampires and other supernatural creatures, we’ve got you covered!
Spooky Movies for the Whole Family
Nicole kicks things off with some scary (but not too scary) movie recommendations for families, inspired by a list from the Seattle Public Library.
Some of the featured titles include:
- Coraline
- Gremlins
- Something Wicked This Way Comes
- Monster House
- Labyrinth
- ParaNorman
- Beetlejuice
- The Witches
Of course, what one family considers harmless Halloween fun might be a little too frightening for another. Nicole recommends Common Sense Media, a helpful resource for parents looking for detailed movie reviews, suggested ages, and information about potentially frightening or mature content.
For families with older kids and teens, the discussion turns to movies like Arachnophobia, Warm Bodies, Insidious, and Carrie. Just be sure to check those content guides before pressing play!
Horror Movies for Grown-Ups
Looking for something considerably scarier? Sara shares four horror movie recommendations for those who prefer their Halloween entertainment a little more intense:
- Incident in a Ghostland – A disturbing psychological horror movie with an unexpected twist.
- The Poughkeepsie Tapes – A chilling found-footage-style horror film.
- 30 Days of Night – A vampire movie based on a graphic novel, featuring some particularly vicious creatures of the night.
- As Above, So Below – A frightening journey beneath the streets of Paris that might make claustrophobic viewers a little uncomfortable.
Sara also reminds listeners that the library has a display of horror DVDs available for browsing.
Vampires, Werewolves, Banshees, and Other Monsters
The scares don’t stop with movies! Sara also highlights a collection of nonfiction books exploring the fascinating folklore, mythology, and history behind some of our favorite supernatural creatures.
The discussion includes the origins of vampire legends, accounts of suspected vampirism in New England, werewolf mythology, and the strange world of psychic vampires. There’s even a connection to the hilarious energy vampire character from What We Do in the Shadows.
We also learn about banshees, mysterious figures associated with warnings of death, including stories involving ghostly arms appearing through walls and other unsettling supernatural encounters.
And what would a discussion of American monsters be without the legendary Jersey Devil? One featured book examines the creature’s fascinating history and its surprising connections to Benjamin Franklin.
Whether you’re a believer in the supernatural or simply fascinated by the stories people have told for centuries, there’s plenty here to explore.
Resources and Links
Movies and Family Viewing
- Seattle Public Library: Top Ten Family-Friendly Scary Movies
- Common Sense Media: Scary Movies for Kids
- Common Sense Media: Best Horror Movies
Books Mentioned in This Episode
- How to Kill a Vampire: Fangs in Folklore, Film and Fiction – Liisa Ladouceur
- The Psychic Vampire Codex: A Manual of Magick and Energy Work – Michelle Belanger
- A History of Vampires in New England – Thomas D’Agostino
- Beware the Banshee’s Cry: The Folklore & History of Messengers of Death – Steven J. Rolfes
- The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales – Bruno Bettelheim
- Haunted: On Ghosts, Witches, Vampires, Zombies, and Other Monsters of the Natural and Supernatural Worlds – Leo Braudy
- The Secret History of the Jersey Devil: How Quakers, Hucksters, and Benjamin Franklin Created a Monster – Brian Regal and Frank J. Esposito
Join Us Next Week!
Our Spooktober celebration continues next week with a planned movie discussion of Something Wicked This Way Comes!
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast and give us a like on YouTube.Until next time, stay spooky!
