TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KLIX) – We’ve all been there – the sky turns gray, the leaves fall off the trees, and All Hallows’ Eve rolls around at the end of October and, like Something Wicked This Way Comes, we turn the lights down low and press play for a movie meant to send goosebumps up our arms.

So, what movie is on your list to watch this Halloween? Do you have any favorites?

If you’re a horror fan, you probably know that finding a “good” horror movie is sometimes difficult. Good movies are few and far between in this genre. It’s been my experience, however, that when it comes to offering the chills, there are a few movies that always pull through.

Listed in no particular of order, are any of these on your favorites list?

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Fuse/ThinkStock
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Psycho (1960)
Based on Robert Bloch’s thriller, Alfred Hitchcock turned the story into a horror flick that, ever since its release in 1960, has made us afraid of taking showers at motel rooms. Anthony Perkins did such a good job portraying the troubled motel manager with a mother complex that popular horror author John Saul once said he got so scared watching Psycho when it was first released that he wound up in the lobby, not wanting to go back inside the theater. The film has been hailed by critics over the years as one of the best horror movies ever made, and the one for which Hitchcock is best known. It was remade in 1998 starring Vince Vaughan and Anne Heche, but some movies just shouldn’t be remade and Hitchcock’s masterpiece is one of them. The original is a psychological twist into horror madness, and still shocks audiences with its disturbing shower scene and frenzied music.

Courtesy Dimension Films
Courtesy Dimension Films
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The Others (2001)
Nicole Kidman stars in this haunting tale of atmosphere and ghostly suspense. Left alone in an isolated, often fog-enveloped mansion with her two children, The Others starts with a scream (literally) and ends with a twist that deepens the movie’s chill factor when all of the puzzle pieces are put together. Other characters in the movie are three hired servants, an old lady who taunts the children and, of course, several ghosts. It’s a modern classic and one, if you haven’t seen, you should add to your to-watch list this Halloween.

The Shining (1980 film, 1997s mini-series)
There are two movie versions of The Shining, a horror tale based on the Stephen King book by the same name – the 1980 feature by Stanley Kubrick staring Jack Nicholson, and the 1997 mini-series with a screenplay adaptation by King, who says he was never fond of Kubrick’s vision of his horror tale. Both films have enough scares to make you break out in gooseflesh, but each has its own personality and vision to bring you the terror that resides in the Overlook Hotel. No matter how many times you watch these flicks, they still evoke their haunting power. Not sure which one to watch? Try both.

Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Courtesy of Warner Bros.
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The Conjuring (2013)
One of the best horror movies in recent years – perhaps the best – is the bewitching movie The Conjuring, directed by James Wan whose other horror films include Insidious and Saw. Unlike the latter movie, however, The Conjuring does not use blood and gore to scare its audience. It doesn’t need to. Instead, The Conjuring brings horror to a level that other movies have tried but failed. Based on the case files of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, The Conjuring is about a family that moves into a cozy home in a rural community where things really do go bump in the night ... and sometimes in the daytime, too. Suspense builds slowly and artistically, but Wan notches up the horror as the movie progresses toward it’s climactic conclusion. Critics and viewers alike have hailed The Conjuring as one of the best horror flicks to be released in recent years. I agree, and was happy that Warner Bros. studios signed on Wan to direct the second installment in the franchise, The Conjuring 2, which was released this past summer, is also a worthy movie to watch this Halloween or, for that matter, any time the clouds roll across the darkening sky.

The Fly (1958)
Jeff Goldblum starred in a remake of this classic horror flick in 1986, and though it upped the ante with its special effects and character relationships, the original 1958 Version is better for several reasons, but mainly because of the movie’s atmospheric suspense and mystery that runs through the film that seems to be lost on the more modern remake. Parts of the movie is somewhat laughable, especially a climactic scene toward the end of the film, but it nonetheless offers the kind of atmosphere horror buffs seek in a fright flick. It's a classic for a reason, and a good classic at that.

Courtesy of New Line Cinema
Courtesy of New Line Cinema
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A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Despite the bombardment of numerous Elm Street sequels that should have never been made, the original is a different story, in that it was just that – original. Freddy Krueger and his five-fingered knives did quick work both with his victims and in scaring the audience. More haunting is the premise that a depraved and burned figure of the likes of Freddy could turn what should be peaceful slumber into a journey through the abyss of nightmarish reality. Perhaps surprisingly, given the pop status that Freddy has become in the horror genre, the first movie, A Nightmare on Elm Street, really is one that will give you nightmares.

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