Tales of Halloween

The list

1. 01

   Tales of Halloween 2015

   Reviewed film: 10-segment horror anthology, 10 directors, same town and night; mostly practical effects; reviewer's new annual October watch and second-best Halloween movie.

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2. 02

   Trick 'r Treat

   Closest comparison: same premise, single director, four segments, seamless flow; reviewer's all-time favorite and top Halloween film.

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3. 03

   A Christmas Story

   Cited as an example of an annual holiday viewing tradition.

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4. 04

   Groundhog Day

   Cited as an example of a February holiday viewing tradition.

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5. 05

   The ABCs of Death

   Cited as an anthology weighed down by one or more clearly inferior segments.

   Where to watch ▸
6. 06

   V/H/S

   Cited as another anthology with segments that are a big step down from the rest.

   Where to watch ▸
7. 07

   Friday the 13th

   One Tales segment is described as a homage to it with a twist.

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Facts from the original

• Tales of Halloween is a horror anthology telling 10 stories that all take place on the same Halloween night in the same town.
• The film has a total of 10 directors, whereas Trick 'r Treat was directed by one person.
• The running time is a little over an hour and a half.
• The reviewer ranks it the second greatest Halloween-themed movie, behind Trick 'r Treat.
• The reviewer considers just about every segment to be good or great, with no obviously inferior section, unlike The ABCs of Death or V/H/S.
• The special effects are mainly practical, relying on people in costumes and hand-built props, with CGI used only when absolutely necessary.
• The movie contains dozens of deaths, lots of blood, and enough gore for bloodthirsty viewers.
• The film mixes in humor, but the reviewer never laughed and would have preferred a more serious take.
• The opening short follows a young boy told a spooky urban legend about a spirit who returns every Halloween seeking candy, with bloody consequences if he does not get it.
• Other highlighted segments include adult friends terrorized by trick or treaters, a Friday the 13th homage with a twist, and a Neil Marshall-directed segment about killer pumpkins.
• Different segments explore different aspects of Halloween: eating candy after trick or treating, pranking neighbors, adults handing out candy, and competing for the best decorations in town.
• The reviewer suggests Tales of Halloween and Trick 'r Treat would make an excellent double feature.