Showtoonz! A Halloween Special Playlist
Happy Halloween to all you goblins and ghouls! Monday night on our film and TV soundtrack specialty show we recounted our favorite Halloween specials and scary movies. So whether you are in the mood for a sitcom halloween special or a spine-tingling slasher, check out our suggestions for what to watch and listen to while you curl up with some popcorn and discount candy to celebrate the holiday.
Community: Epidemiology
Season 2 Episode 6
Epidemiology is not this sitcom’s only Halloween special, but it is arguably one of the best. This is in part because of Dean Pelton’s party playlist serving as a hilarious juxtaposition to what can only be explained as a zombie outbreak on Greendale’s campus.
Soundtrack:
”S.O.S” - ABBA
”Fernando” - ABBA
”Mamma Mia” - ABBA
Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Halloween
Season 2 Episode 5
Everyone’s roles get flipped during this creative episode of Joss Whedon’s classic 90s show when a twist causes the characters to turn into their costumes.
Soundtrack:
”How She Died” - Treble Charger
Stranger Things
Season 2 Episode 2
Who you gonna call? Get ready for a wave of nostalgia during the Halloween episode of Stranger Things where the gang argues about who is who in the Ghostbusters crew.
Soundtrack:
”Ghostbusters” - Ray Parker, Jr
”Monster Mash”
Black-ish: Jack’d O Lantern
Season 2 Episode 6
The Johnson’s cosplay as The Obama’s and Dre comes to terms with his fear of his cousin in this hilarious rendition of Black-ish’s annual Halloween special.
Soundtrack:
”Freaks Come Out at Night” - Whodini
Halloweentown Series
This pick needs no explanation. All four Halloweentown films are masterpieces, and yes that is including Return to Halloweentown because even though they replaced Marnie they did use Jesse McCartney in the soundtrack.
Soundtrack:
”Right Where You Want Me” - Jesse McCartney
Twitches
Tia and Tamera as Twin witches from some magical far away kingdom? What more could you ask for? Oh right, for them to use an empowering Aly & AJ song. Got it.
Soundtrack:
“Rush” - Aly & AJ
Hocus Pocus
Hocus Pocus is iconic it doesn’t get much spookier that “I Put A Spell On You.” ‘Nuff said.
Soundtrack:
”I Put A Spell on You”
The Exorcist
Highly regarded as one of the scariest movies of all time with a score so chilling that you actually get goosebumps, we couldn’t leave The Exorcist off this list.
Soundtrack:
The Exorcist Main Theme
Halloween (1978)
This theme is probably the first thing that pops into your head whenever you even think about this holiday. Famously composed by the film’s writer and director John Carpenter, the score to this iconic slasher film is a quintessential pick.
Soundtrack:
”Halloween Main Theme” - John Carpenter
Hereditary
If you prefer an emotional thriller to jump scares or slasher violence, our suggestion is A24’s summer smash hit Hereditary. The both of us watched this film for the first time over the weekend and it is safe to say we were equally stressed and impressed by this terrifying indie flick.
Soundtrack:
”Both Sides of Now” - Judy Collins
Check out Showtoonz every Monday from 10PM to midnight to hear Josh and Aaliyah breakdown all of their favorite television and film soundtracks.