With Autumn fully settled in, October brings with it myriad pleasures; the warm hues of fall leaves, sweaters being unfolded after an eight-month dormancy and horror films being enjoyed by the general population. And while I am a staunch advocate for year-round thrills and chills, the looming Halloween spirit turns every night into a potential festival of fright. Submitted for your approval, five cinematic slices of seasonal shock and suspense guaranteed to make your Halloween movie night even better.

For The Whole Family
The Monster Squad (1987)

Serving as both a terrific intro to the Universal stable of classic monsters and a nostalgia bomb for late twentysomethings that grew up with HBO, Monster Squad is often (and reasonably) described as "Goonies but with, you know, monsters." When Dracula, Wolfman and crew begin stirring up trouble, it's up to the titular club of monster movie-loving youngsters to save the day. Wholesome, with just enough menace to please older kids, and one of the best Dracula portrayals filmed courtesy of Duncan Regehr.

For the Gore Hound
Maniac (1980)
A nasty, grime-muddled film, Maniac is the polar opposite of amusing "teenagers in peril" slashers such as Friday the 13th. But what it lacks in nervous fun is more than made up for in sheer, unsettling horror. Loathsome Frank (Joe Spinell), haunted by memories of his dead mother, stalks NYC streets for young women to add to his grisly trophy collection. Featuring terrific special effects by master Tom Savini and a shockingly convincing lead performance by Spinell, Maniac is scummy yet captivating viewing that will have you heading for the shower the minute it ends.

For Suspense Lovers
Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981)
Far better acted and chill-inducing than any made-for-TV movie has the right to be, Dark Night is a possibly-supernatural tale of revenge pitting a murderous, small town posse against a menacing scarecrow with a knack for showing up where it doesn't belong. Gore free but heavy on suspense, Dark Night creates an air of subtly looming dread with a few jumps along the way. One the whole family can nervously enjoy in a darkened living room.

For Foreign Fear Seekers
Suspiria (1977)
Italian horror auteur Dario Argento crafted more than one genre classic, but this twisted tale of a wicked dance academy with a dark secret is his masterpiece. With Suspiria, typical narrative gives way to warped dream logic where innocuous rooms are filled with barbed wire and the color palate is so saturated the blood looks applied with a paintbrush. With sublimely operatic murder set pieces and possibly the greatest soundtrack in horror history, Suspiria is a deliciously gruesome treat for those looking for variety in their shocks.

For the Midnight Movie Party
Pieces (1982)
A bafflingly glorious explosion of the bizarre, Pieces sets a chainsaw-wielding madman loose on an idyllic New England college campus - then lets the bodies and red herrings pile up in delightful fashion. This is the stuff adult movie parties were made for; copious, gratuitous violence and nudity, jaw-dropping nuggets of quotable dialogue and a sneering groundskeeper (Paul Smith, Bluto from the Popeye film) with permanent stink eye. With a 12 pack and a good crowd you will be laughing and squirming your way to one of the most mental conclusions in horror history.