ManyunderratedHalloween movieshave come out over the years, some of which take place in the infamous town of Salem, Massachusetts. Known best for the gruesome Salem witch trials that saw the deaths of countless women accused of witchcraft, the town of Salem has been the subject of public intrigue for decades. With this intrigue have come tons of haunted tales, some more frightening than others.
These tales have resulted in countless films, TV shows, and books taking place in the town of Salem. It has also resulted in many different references, with the town’s name appearing in everything fromSalem’s Lotand its terrifying vampiresto being referenced withthe Salem Seven in Marvel’sAgatha All Along.Some incredible Halloween films have featured Salem in a big way, making them the perfect watch for the upcoming spooky season.
A Haunting In Salem
Cast
A Haunting In Salem follows the story of a newly appointed sheriff and his family as they move into a haunted house in Salem, Massachusetts. Confronted by malevolent forces, they must unravel the dark history and horrifying events that plague their new home. Directed by Shane Van Dyke, this horror film combines elements of supernatural terror and family drama in a chilling narrative.
Indie horror to the core,A Haunting in Salemuses the Salem witch trials as the background for a spine-chilling story about a family that moves into a haunted house. This film is a product of its time, so much so that it feels unique today, asA Haunting in Salemwas specifically shot to be a 3-D movie. Theoretically, this would add quite a bit to what would otherwise be somewhat underwhelming scares.
Often cheesy and predictable to a fault,A Haunting in Salemisn’t going to be winning any awards any time soon. However, the bones of a good story are still there, and the decision to make a horror movie 3-D feels innovative. For fans of B-movie horror,A Haunting in Salemis one to look out for this Halloween.
9Love At Stake (1987)
This Comedy Is Salem Witch Trials Meets Monty Python
Often compared to the comedy filmBlazing Saddles, Love at Stakeis a crude comedy film that adapts the Salem witch trials to what was, at the time of the film’s release in 1987, a modern comedic medium. This film asks: what if the mayor of Salem tried to build a mall during the time of the Salem witch trials? Because of this plan to build a mall,the mayor begins accusing the villagers of witchcraft in a ploy to steal their land.
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Both ridiculous and over the top at times,Love at Staketakes its style of comedy to its furthest possible conclusion. It is inspired by films such asMonty Python and the Holy Grail,relying on a bawdy, self-referential style of comedy to make its viewers laugh. This film is quite successful at being funny at times, making the film one of Salem’s hidden gems.
Mass Hysteria
Mass Hysteria: Released in 2019, this film follows a group of Salem Witch Trial re-enactors who become embroiled in a contemporary witch hunt, blending historical reenactment with present-day intrigue and tensions.
Taking place in modern-day Salem,Mass Hysteriastarts with a group of Salem witch trial reenactors who are accused of real witchcraft. AlthoughMass Hysteriais a comedy film, it manages to build real moments of tension when the main characters are hunted down by a frenzied mob of drunken college students. The scene soon turns deadly, bringing some much-needed bite to this style of direct comedy.
Mass Hysteriamanages to find comedy in many things that might not seem funny on the outside, commenting on everything from the actions of tourists to groupthink mentality. Not only does it show off a great deal of Salem itself, but it also sets out to make a point while being a genuinely funny movie. Because of this,Mass Hysteriastands as another successful example of a great independent film.
All Fun and Games
All Fun and Games is a horror thriller directed by Ari Costa and Eren Celeboglu. The film centers around a group of teenagers who engage in a seemingly innocent game of tag, only to find themselves ensnared in a deadly supernatural scenario. As they struggle to survive, the teens must confront their darkest fears and unravel the mystery behind the malevolent force. The film stars Asa Butterfield and Natalia Dyer.
After finding a mysterious knife that is supposedly cursed, a group of teens must fight for survival when they are forced to play a series of childhood games. However, inAll Fun and Games,these childhood staples have a deadly twist. When survival is the name of the game, what will these friends do to save their own lives?
Asa Butterfield seems to come into his own with this film, standing out as one of the movie’s star performances. After starring in projects such asSex EducationandThe Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, All Fun and Gamesmarks a new and exciting step in Butterfield’s career. His performance is chilling and memorable, and it is one of the best parts of an already impressive movie.
I Married a Witch
I Married a Witch is a romantic comedy released in 1942, featuring the story of a 17th-century witch who returns to torment a descendant of the Puritan responsible for her execution. The film explores themes of revenge and romance, combining supernatural elements with humor.
Based on the novelThe Passionate Witch,I Married a Witchbounces from the times of the Salem witch trials to Salem in the 1940s. Beginning with the death of a witch named Jennifer and her father Daniel, the two are brought back to life when a bolt of lightning strikes the tree that grew above their ashes. Jennifer initially sets out to torment the descendant of the man who killed her and her father, but quickly finds herself falling in love with him instead.
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The movie is an old one, filmed in black and white, but this only adds toI Married a Witch’s charm. There are so few romantic Halloween movies, and this film truly stands out as one of the best. Filled to the brim with witches, magic, and drama, it is an incredible historical example of a film perfect for Halloween.
The Lords of Salem
The Lords of Salem was written and directed by Rob Zombie and stars Rob’s wife, Sheri Moon Zombie. The 2012 release is a supernatural Horror film that revolves around the Salem Witch Trials, following a modern day DJ named Heidi that ends up mixed up in a centuries-old ritual.
Created by horror icon Rob Zombie,The Lords of Salemis a supernatural horror film about a satanic cult and how this cult takes advantage of the women of Salem. Using desire as an avenue for horror makes the film incredibly uncomfortable to watch, makingThe Lords of Salemfrightening for similar reasons to whyRosemary’s Babyis so scary. The film takes away the agency of its characters in a dark way, finishing things with an equally dark ending.
Production ofThe Lords of Salemwas notably troubled, andthe film has been criticized for not accurately reflecting the history of Salem. It explores a more gruesome take on witches, opting to scare viewers more than many of the films set in the town.The Lords of Salemmovie uses all the tools at its disposal to do so, existing as a grisly grindhouse horror film.
The Crucible
The Crucible is an adaptation of Arthur Miller’s powerful play about the Salem witch trials. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Winona Ryder, the film explores the hysteria and accusations that gripped Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692, leading to tragic consequences. Through the story of John Proctor, a man who struggles with his conscience and the moral collapse of his community, the film examines themes of integrity, honor, and the destructive power of false accusations.
Although it is not a traditional Halloween film,The Crucibleis the definitive movie when it comes to Salem, Massachusetts.Starring film icons Daniel Day-Lewis and Winona Ryder,The Cruciblefollows the story of a group of women who are accused of being witches, something that happened in Salem hundreds of years ago. The accusations of real witchcraft are blatantly false, with many members of the town lying and manipulating those around them to get rid of people who might prove troublesome.
The Cruciblehas been adapted several times, with the 1996 film being both the most popular and the most famous.
The film is based on the famous play of the same name. While not entirely historically accurate,The Crucibledraws attention to the suffering of many of the women who lived in Salem during the 1600s. The paranoia of the film can be quite unnerving at times, eliciting some of the emotions that are common when watching more stereotypical Halloween films.
Hocus Pocus 2
In 2022, fans of the cult-classic Hocus Pocus finally received a proper sequel. Directed by Anne Fletcher, the sequel reunited stars Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker as they once again reprised their roles as the Sanderson Sisters, a trio of dastardly witches.
Created as a sequel to the beloved Halloween filmHocus Pocus,Hocus Pocus 2takes place in both the 1600s and modern Salem, Massachusetts. Revolving around the Sanderson sisters and their antics as witches, the film continues where the original left off. Resurrected once again, this trio of sisters terrorizes Salem using their magical spells, attempting to rise to power once again.
With a returning all-star cast and a fun storyline,Hocus Pocus 2is a fun watch for any Halloween binge-watch.Hocus Pocus 2is engaging and full of generally family-friendly fun, bringing the belovedHocus Pocuscharacters to life once again. Now thatthere is a thirdHocus Pocusmovie on the way, this Halloween classic is shaping up to be a real fantasy franchise.
Hubie Halloween
Hubie Halloween is one of Adam Sandler’s many Netflix original movies. Released in 2020, Hubie Halloween stars Sandler as Hubie Dubois, who has deemed himself the city’s official Halloween Helper despite being mocked by the public. Hubie Halloween reunites Sandler with his Happy Gilmore co-star Julie Bowen and has a ton of other celebrity cameos, such as Ray Liotta, Ben Stiller, and Shaquille O’Neal, among others.
Released on Netflix in 2020,Hubie Halloweenis a generally lighthearted comedy film written by, produced by, and starring Adam Sandler. The plot features Hubie Dubois, a so-called “Halloween Hall Monitor” who spends his holiday patrolling Salem for threats. For years,Hubie was seen as an overly concerned loser, but one year his worries are made manifest when a kidnapper comes to town.
The film has a similar style of comedy to many of Sandler’s films, with direct jokes and plenty of physical comedy. Something that came as a surprise was the extent of the film’s impressive production design, which perfectly sets the stage for both fall and Halloween with its changing leaves and thorough Halloween decorations.Hubie Halloweenis the perfect film for getting in the Halloween mood, especially if viewers aren’t looking for a scare.
Hocus Pocus
Hocus Pocus tells the story of the Sanderson Sisters, a trio of witches who are inadvertently resurrected by a teenage boy on Halloween. When the witches threaten to take over the town of Salem, Massachusetts, it’s up to Max, sister Dani, and friend Alison to stop them with the help of Thackery Binx, one of the Sandersons' victims trapped in the immortal body of black cat.
No list about the town of Salem, Massachusetts, and the movies set within it would be complete without the originalHocus Pocus.Hocus Pocushas been a Halloween staple for decades,following the original story of the Sanderson sisters and their antics in the town in the 1600s and modern day. Both nostalgic and magical in equal measure, the film was left open-ended, setting the stage for its eventual sequel nearly thirty years later.
Hocus Pocusis a film full of iconic quotes, beloved by many as a fan-favorite Halloween film. Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy each give iconic performances as the sisters, so memorable that they have remained in people’s minds and hearts for decades. Not only is it one of the best movies set in Salem, but it is one of the best Halloween movies of all time.
