Tonight's Movie: The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966)

This 1966 comedy is a really good, family-friendly movie.

 

In this one, Don Knotts plays a bumbling typesetter named Luther Heggs who really wants to be a reporter. One morning, one of his co-workers at the newspaper tells him a story about the Simmons Mansion, a house that was the scene of a murder/suicide that occurred 20 years ago, and is supposedly haunted.

 Knowing that he’s excitable and easily scared, two reporters decide that Luther is the perfect person to spend the night in the haunted house on the anniversary of the murder/suicide, as it will likely lead to a good story. Because of his drive to be a reporter and his desire to win the attention of a woman named Alma (played by Joan Staley), Luther agrees. That night, while he nervously fumbles around a spooky old house, Luther finds a secret passage, an organ that’s playing on its own, and even a bleeding painting. 

The next morning Heggs gets the story published in the paper and immediately becomes something of a local hero. Everything is going great, that is until he and the paper are slapped with a liable lawsuit from the man who owns the house. This movie a ton of fun from start to finish, and even has a nice little twist at the end.

I really enjoy this one, and I give it a 4 out of 5

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10 Movies To Watch In October

Well, it's October that time of year when people are carving jack-o-lanterns, kids are thinking about all the Halloween candy they're going to eat, and department stores are setting up for Christmas...

With Halloween fast approaching it's also a great time of year to sit back and watch some awesome movies. So get ready to curl up with your pumpkin spice latte, because here are the 10 movies you should watch this October:

1) Halloween -1979
Directed by John Carpenter
For me, this is the standard that all other slasher movies get compared to. There would be numerous sequels featuring the menacing Michael Myers, but it is the original that has become a horror classic and one of my all-time favorites.

2) Frankenstein -1931
Directed by James Whale
I like to grab some popcorn, relax, and enjoy this one every October. An iconic monster movie with an incredible cast (Boris Karloff, Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, Dwight Frye). This is one that will get anyone into the Halloween spirit.

3) The House on Haunted Hill -1959
Directed by William Castle
Five strangers are invited to a party at a supposedly haunted house and they're told they'll each be given $10,000 if they can stay all night. On top of that, the husband and wife who are hosting the party are both planning to kill each other.

4) Psycho -1960
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
From the suspenseful pacing to the great acting (particularly Anthony Perkins) to the iconic shower scene to the amazing score, this movie hits you with everything. It's a Hitchcock masterpiece worthy of putting on during any night of pumpkin carving.

5) Re-Animator -1985
Directed by Stuart Gordon
The movie is solid all the way through, there are some awesome and gory special effects and the main character Herbert West (played by Jeffery Combs) is awesome.

6) Alien -1979
Directed by Ridley Scott
It's a great movie. It's full of suspense, the special effects are still awesome, and as an added bonus you can watch it back-to-back with its equally great sequel 'Aliens'.

7) House of 1000 Corpses -2003
Directed by Rob Zombie
This is a favorite of mine and one I always recommend to people. It's one of those movies that's crazy, twisted, and really entertaining. Plus, Sid Haig is awesome.

8) A Nightmare on Elm Street -1984
Directed by Wes Craven
It's kind of unfortunate that as the Elm Street series went on Freddy Kruger became sort of a joke, becoming less intimidating and delivering one-liners with each kill. While this movie isn't without it's flaws, it's still a pretty great horror flick and a good choice to have on during Halloween parties.

9) The Exorcist -1973
Directed by William Friedkin
The movie centers around Regan (played by Linda Blair) a young girl who becomes possessed by a demon. It's always good for a couple of scares, but stay clear of the sequels.

10) The Wolf Man -1941
Directed by George Waggner
“Even a man who is pure at heart and says his prayers by night may become a wolf when the wolfsbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright.”
...it's a perfect film to watch as Halloween night approaches.