Having grown up in a deeply religious (and anti-horror) family, I was always fascinated by the forbidden thrills of Halloween parties. Unfortunately, by the time I was old enough to enjoy seasonal events on my own, we had already moved back to a country that doesn’t really celebrate Halloween, something that only made the idea […]
Having grown up in a deeply religious (and anti-horror) family, I was always fascinated by the forbidden thrills of Halloween parties. Unfortunately, by the time I was old enough to enjoy seasonal events on my own, we had already moved back to a country that doesn’t really celebrate Halloween, something that only made the idea of people getting together to celebrate spooky season seem that much more enticing.
Thankfully, I was still able to live vicariously through the Halloween-related media I consumed, with horror movies and television specials allowing me to feel like I was invited to all sorts of pagan festivities – even if many of them ended in horrific bloodbaths. And with All Hallows’ Eve fast approaching, this is the perfect time to honor our favorite spooky celebrations with a list highlighting six of the most memorable Halloween Parties in horror movies!
After all, whether they’re terrifying, hilarious, or just look like a damn good time, Halloween parties are an iconic staple of the horror genre, and there are plenty of fun examples to choose from. Of course, this isn’t meant to be a definitive list of scary parties, so don’t forget to comment below with your own favorites if you think we missed a particularly memorable one.
The Scream movies have a long-standing tradition of using ill-fated parties to get all of our potential victims (and killers) together in the same place at the same time, but it was only in the sixth entry that the franchise would finally depict a proper Halloween party! And while the college get-together from the beginning of Scream VI isn’t quite as memorable as something like the Macher house party from the first movie, it still stands out because of its self-referential undertones.
After all, what better way of examining our main character’s relationship with “horror” after the events of the previous film than by placing them in a meta celebration of all things spooky? And if that’s not enough for you, the scene also features plenty of homages to other horror movies via the partygoer’s costumes, with disguises ranging from an off-brand Wednesday Adams (a clever nod to Jenna Ortega’s other fan-favorite role) to the cardboard knight outfit from our next entry!
5. Murder Party – Murder Party (2007)
Jeremy Saulnier’s debut feature may not have the budget to depict an all-out Monster Mash with hundreds of extras and elaborate costumes, but it’s exactly the low-budget awkwardness of it all that makes the titular get-together in Murder Party so damned charming.
A festive trap orchestrated by a group of desperate art students wanting to impress their mysterious financier with a bloody exhibit, the funniest thing about this ill-fated party is just how relatable it seems to anyone who has ever hung out with self-serious artists.
And with our murderous villains donning homemade costumes referencing everything from Blade Runner to The Warriors, it stands to reason that this underseen gem would make it onto the list.
4. Greenhouse Bash – Ginger Snaps (2000)
A county greenhouse facility may not seem like the most appropriate place to host an underground Halloween party, but I’d argue that the presence of charismatic drug dealers and a local girl who happens to be turning into a homicidal werewolf makes Sam’s Greenhouse Bash one of the most memorable get-togethers on this list.
After all, not only does the event get plenty of slightly intoxicated victims together in the same place, but it also allows Ginger to walk around in public with her semi-transformed lycanthrope face without arousing suspicion, with the other partygoers simply assuming that she’s wearing a freaky costume!
3. Hull House Party – Night of the Demons (1988)
Night of the Demons wasn’t exactly a huge hit back when it was first released, with critics accusing it of being an over-the-top gore-fest with little redeeming value. It’s precisely the flick’s unabashed depiction of 80s excess that has since turned it into a cult classic.
After all, NotD’s inimitable atmosphere makes it a perfect mood piece for spooky season. This makes a lot of sense when you consider that the supernatural splatter flick was originally titled “Halloween Party” before the filmmakers decided to go with something a little less vague.
And the best part about rewatching this classic is being able to pretend that you’re cool enough to be invited to the same party as Linnea Quigley!
2. Werewolf “Orgy” – Trick ‘r Treat (2008)
It makes sense that a Halloween-themed anthology would feature several Halloween parties in the same movie, but out of all the seasonal celebrations in Michael Dougherty’s 2008 classic, it’s the secluded event that Anna Paquin and her more experienced friends are heading towards that really takes the cake as the most memorable.
This segment initially seems like it’s going to be a straightforward retelling of the Little Red Riding Hood story as Paquin desperately searches for a date to take to the party, but it’s eventually revealed that the event is actually a werewolf “orgy” where the lycanthropic partygoers feast on their unsuspecting dates under the light of a full moon. And while I wouldn’t exactly want to be invited to this gory shindig, it still seems like a great time for the werewolf crowd.
1. High School Dance – The Guest (2014)
Equal parts action film, psychological thriller, and slasher flick, Adam Wingard’s The Guest is the director’s most entertaining project despite its distinct lack of giant apes and radioactive lizards. Of course, this is mostly thanks to Dan Stevens’ career-making performance as a mysterious army veteran with violent tendencies.
A great example of Steven’s intense persona is the film’s final confrontation at the local High School’s Halloween Dance, with Wingard pulling his best John Carpenter impression as he turns Stevens into a spec-ops version of Michael Myers. However, while this highly atmospheric sequence is appropriately intense, the real reason the dance makes it onto the list is just how much the school appears to have invested in seasonal decorations. After all, the dance floor boasts everything from industrial fog machines to a surprisingly effective scare maze – a far cry from the school events that I’ve been to.
