Must Watch: Halloween Edition
If you haven’t guessed by now, fall and Halloween is my favorite time of the year. October 31st is also our anniversary. Autumn falls right after my birthday, it’s the big ramp up to the holidays, to my favorite meal: Thanksgiving dinner, college football is back, cooler temps, I get to bust out my sweaters, construction puffer vests & Uggs. But besides all of those wonderful things…it’s that time of year when horror movies and slasher series are on almost every channel. YESSS!!!
Some of these movies I’ve seen a million times, some are recent discoveries , but nonetheless I highly suggest you watch and enjoy. Be it the set design and interiors, the costumes, architectural genres or the soundtracks, they are all entertaining, dark yet beautiful and a visual delight to experience.
So, here we go…in no particular order
via film-grab.com
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Music by: Danny Elfman
Budget: $20 million
Produced by: Denise Di Novi; Tim Burton
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
via film-grab.com
From the creative topiary to the tree-less cookie cutter suburban neighborhoods in color-blocked, chemically treated green lawns to the eccentric cast of characters, their fabulous makeovers & groomed dogs, the fairy tale romance and how differences are beautiful…what’s not to love?
via film-grab.com
“Never let anyone tell you you’re handicapped. You’re special.”
via film-grab.com
via film-grab.com
Honestly, I could spend hours about my love for everything Tim Burton. He has such a distinctive font, eye and general style that is easily noticeable and dubbed Burtonesque. His descriptors would be: dark whimsy. The eerie yet beautiful soundtracks of tinkling bells and childhood music box nursery rhymes crescendo to deep thundering bass and haunting medleys.
via film-grab.com
I technically consider this (like The Nightmare Before Christmas) both a Halloween and Christmas movie which scores double points in my book.
via film-grab.com
via de.paperblog.com
HEATHERS (1988)
Music by: David Newman
Produced by: Denise Di Novi
Production company: Cinemarque Entertainment
Budget: $3 million
via Jade Jetz | Film Stills via Pinterest
It’s a seriously fab dark comedy about spoiled, WASPy, high school girls named…can you guess?
Yes, Heather…I must admit I have 2 of the box sets on DVD in my collection of old format movies that I’ll never part with…
GUILTY of saving all of my old DVD’s from college days - some were donated by friends over the years but most were found in bargain bins at the Oxford Walmart before we had streaming services on tv. Categories are: Sex (for In the City), Feel Good, Chicks, Depressed, Holidays, Favorites, Dicks (dude bro action movies) and Dallas (for Alan’s box collection of every season of his favorite tv show ever). I love a label maker. <wink>
photo is my own
There’s Heather Chandler - always wearing her signature color: RED and rocking a terrible but amazing perm.
via de.paperblog.com
Then there’s Heather McNamara - always the yellow ball in croquet
via de.paperblog.com
There’s Heather Duke…no words needed
via de.paperblog.com
Then there’s Veronica Sawyer. She teams up with (teen heart throb) bad boy Christian Slater to cause high school hell. Plus she rocks a monocle and angry journals.
via de.paperblog.com
I won’t give the movie away but let me just say that there’s a reason why this is a cult classic. It is unfiltered, raunchy fun but beware - definitely NOT for kiddos.
Apparently there was a recent tv series remake of this, but I can’t even begin to give it a try…the original cannot be outdone or redone in my mind.
The one liners are pretty epic too.
“I love my dead gay son.”
via Newsweek
(AHS) american horror story
MuRDER HOUSE (2011)
series opening theme: Cesar Davila-Irizarry & Charlie Clouser
created by: ryan murphy & brad fulchuk
Production company: 20th Century Fox Television
via Variety
Murder House is the first season of Ryan Murphy’s epic drama and horror series. AHS aired it’s 100th episode last night, part of the current running AHS season: 1984.
It’s fun to look at an architecturally significant home and think, “What happened in that house?” or “Who all has lived there throughout time?” This show paints grizzly pictures of stories all linked to actual historical times, other significant news stories and famous unsolved murders. His weaving together fact and fiction is really an art…it’s a real Jacob’s Ladder of layers and significant characters and story lines.
I’ve watched every season…some of them multiple times. Like Tim Burton, I’m a huge fan of all of Murphy’s repertoire…but more so because he has such range. IMDb him and you’ll be shocked at some of his works. Then add them to your watch list and check them out. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Constance Langdon played by Lange | via HollywoodLIfe
via SYFY
AHS: COVEN (2013)
series opening theme: Cesar Davila-Irizarry & Charlie Clouser
created by: ryan murphy & brad fulchuk
Production company: 20th Century Fox Television
I was never a fan of the “paint everything white” shabby chic trend. However the Louisiana plantation young girls’ home that hosts this coven of young witches features all-white interiors and they are beyond gorgeous with nothing shabby about them. From the classic wrap-around porch, symmetrical grand entry, the dual stairs up to the young witches’ private quarters, to the vintage tiled bathrooms, Aubusson rugs and classic French antiques. I love it all! Stevie Nicks, one of my all-time favorite artists (listening to her now actually) is a part of this story-line too.
A must watch!
via: 1stDibs
via hookedonhouses.net
{January 23, 2020 Update} I’m so excited to share that this bathroom above is very inspiring for this one Conservation District home I’m currently working on in Dallas. I have using a modern reproduction of that same pedestal sink and the master bathroom is very classic with subway tile walls and vintage X handle plumbing fixtures. Can’t wait to see it all when it’s done and get the space photographed to share with y’all!
via m.eonline.com
Plus there is one epic character in this season who captured my heart in the first episode when she’s walking down the halls of Zoey’s family home and says,
“I’m just MAAAAD for tartan!”
Myrtle Snow | via The Cut
Myrtle has look of Grace Coddington with the drawl of Diana Vreeland and she has some epic quotes and scenes. Like the BALENCIAGAAAAAA scene. Shhh! I won’t give it away but you know what I’m talking about…if you know. <wink> Every fall, I forget how much I want to have my old Dallas debutante gloves dyed this fabulous mustard color. What a character she is.
via arts.homedecortrends.space
practical magic (1998)
Based on the novel by: Alice hoffman
Music by: Alan Silvestri
Produced by: Denise Di Novi
Production company: Village Roadshow Pictures
This is not scary but a romantic comedy fantasy that is festive and seasonally appropriate nonetheless. Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock are insanely young and beautiful in this and again, their childhood home is enviable, to say the least. Oh my god, look at them! I remember watching this movie for the first time with a girlfriend in middle school and not having the faintest idea who Stevie Nicks was.
via The Atlantic
The gardener in me wants to win the lottery and build a weekend getaway home like this one day. The scene where she’s hacking away at those gorgeous climbing roses makes me cringe too. So much eye candy to see here.
The Conservatory and potion room looking out onto the climbing rose pergola | via marjoriemagazine.com
The fictional shop (also beautiful with its minimalist product branding and millwork design) that Bullock’s character Sally Owens runs is such a refreshing space…even its name (Verbena Botanicals) is perfection. I would love to shop here and gossip about the other school moms. They were so ahead of their time in their product marketing and shop design. Rose Apothecary from Schitt’s Creek looks a lot like this set actually…hmmmm.
via candlesbynature.blogspot
“My darling girl, when are you going to realize that being normal is not necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage!”
via itsdarkinsidee25 tumblr
WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN THE CASTLE (2019)
Based on the novel by: shirley jackson
Produced by: Jared Ian Goldman; Robert Mitas
Distributed by: Brainstorm Media
Release date: September 22, 2018 to film festivals, 2019 to Netflix
via itsdarkinsidee25 tumblr
A new addition to my list. Don’t want to spoil the story for you. Dark thriller and (to me) a dark comedy again. If not for anything else, the interiors and costumes are fantastic. That retro pink and blue kitchen is beyond charming.
I want to help Constance bake rhubarb pies in her charming little kitchen with it’s climbing jasmine trellis wallpaper, copper accents, scalloped range hood and millwork details.
via itsdarkinsidee25 tumblr
The green here is one of my favorites too. I hope to have our paneled front family room repainted in this shade or just slightly darker. Green is such an inviting and perennial color. I just love it.
via itsdarkinsidee25 tumblr
Stella’s diner with her school house style pendant lighting and carousel column details is the blue collar lunch spot…some great details here: the bentwood chair designs reminiscent of old classrooms, the stemmed sundae bar-ware and old tin signs.
via itsdarkinsidee25 tumblr
The formal dining room and the tabletop is beyond spectacular. The trompe-l'oeil paneling, the antique silver pieces, the soft, moody lighting and the ever-present background sound of Chopin’s Nocturne E Flat Major is perfection.
via Pinterest
THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975)
Music by: Richard Hartley Songs: Richard O'Brien
Produced by: lou adler & michael white
Production company: 2oth century fox
Budget: $1.4 MILLION
via Google
Ok, this one you should be able to admit that you’ve seen at least once and hopefully even in theaters.
If you haven’t, shame on you! Do you even like Halloween?!?!
Whenever I’m setting up for our annual Halloween party we call the Addams’ Family Dinner Party, I play this station in the background. I know I drive my poor Alan crazy belting “Science Fiction / Double Feature” like a musical cast member but it’s too fun not to. Another cult classic and Tim Curry is phenomenal.
Our table right before we sat down for the 2nd Annual Addams’ Family Dinner Party (two years ago)…every year we pick a new theme. That year it was toe tags for place cards, lots of candles, wine flowing and by the end of the night lots of dancing. Excited for this year’s - it’ll be our 4th time to hold, a cocktail more casual style to allow for more attendees and a creepy new theme. Check out my next post about that and how to get the look for your own party | photo is my own
via Refinery29
the witches of eastwick (1987)
Based on the book by: John updike
Music by: John Williams
Produced by: Neil Canton & Peter Guber
Box office: $63.8 million
via IMDb
This epic female cast* tells the stories of three dissatisfied women, their three individual and extremely character-centric homes, then there’s the pot-stirring Daryl Van Horne (Jack Nicholson) that moves in and throws a wrench in all of their lives. Some fun fantasy and pretty stunning scenes that take place at the Lennox Mansion. Now that’s some party goals…
*(if I must name them for you, then I just can’t with you LOL)
via IMDb
I must get back to work, but I have tons more I could add to this list (like the obvious fav Hocus Pocus).
Want more Movie Suggestions? Check out my Pinterest board called fabulous filmography
Stay tuned for my next post that will feature shots, party tips and pictures from this year’s Fourth Annual Addams’ Family Dinner Party.
Cheers,
KN
*** BONUS LINKS***
Halloween Movies Streaming on Netflix Now (2019)
The Best Streaming Services for Horror Movie Fans (2019)
Freeform The Official 31 Nights of Halloween