October 26, 2007 12:37 PM

Screening Liberally Big Picture: Halloween Movie Recommendations From Some Familiar Folks

(cross-posted from Living Liberally)

We asked some of your favorite progressive candidates and activists about their favorite scary movies for this upcoming Halloween. So prepare some popcorn, lock the doors and watch one of the below...with all the lights off, of course.

Governor Bill Richardson: "All Americans ought to watch Frontline's documentary called "Cheney's Law" about the VP's campaign to give the executive branch unlimited power to torture and supress civil liberties.  It's a true horror flick."

Darcy Burner: "V for Vendetta. It's got masks, it's got fear, it's great for Halloween -- and it demonstrates how we should respond to the people who try to scare and oppress us."

Chris Bowers, Open Left: "I always liked Bob Roberts for this purpose. I think my favorite reaction to the movie ever was when I was watching it in college with two students from Europe (one from Austria, the other from France). Once the movie was over, they asked "so, what's happened to this Bob Roberts?" I think that about sums it up. The movie was also ahead of its time in terms of understanding the conservative movement, and it was just also very good formally (direction, cinematography, acting, editing, sound, etc)."

Matt Stoller, Open Left: "The classic choice is The Shining. The modern choice is 28 Days Later."

Justin Krebs, Living Liberally: "The Shining just horrified me.  While watching it, I began to have delusions about the friend who was with me, convinced that she could be planning to stab me if I didn't keep an eye on her.  Thinking of it still makes me shiver, even when I'm watching the brilliant satire that transforms it into a comedic sneak preview. 



I even find the "good" characters oppressively creepy and as a result can't enjoy Shelley Duvall in Popeye because I just keep imagining The Shining. (P.S. If I ever see over Stoller's shoulder that he's typing, "All work and no play makes Matt a dull boy," I am running the f*ck away.)

Josh Bolotsky, Living Liberally: If you really want to be scared silly, rent the original Diabolique (NOT the awful remake with Sharon Stone) and watch it totally cold - no reviews beforehand - in a darkened room at night. Delightful. On the other hand, if you're more in the mood for 80's slasher cheese, it's hard to beat the Sleepaway Camp trilogy (!) for that sort of thing. But then, why would you? Other old reliables include The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Omen (again, NOT the remakes) - and while the whole thing is very scary, the ending of the 1978 Invasion Of The Body Snatchers scared the stuffing out of me.