🖤 The Purr Purr Press Halloween Movie Series
- Stephanie Garcia
- Oct 2
- 5 min read
Updated: Oct 7
Week One: Be Kind, Rewind & Scream
Well hello, October 🎃—and what a pretty thing you are. I am elated, happy, ecstatic…I don’t even know what I am, but I’m smiling now that you’re here.
This month, I’m kicking off something fun: the Purr Purr Press Halloween Movie Series. Each week I’ll be sharing a movie playlist built around a theme—nostalgic, spooky, and just right for curling up under a blanket with snacks.
Week One is all about my Spooky Sleepover Picks — the VHS horror movies that shaped my youth. Think Blockbuster runs with my best friends, crossing our fingers the last copy wasn’t already rented, and piling into my bedroom with blankets, popcorn, grape soda, and probably a new crush to swoon over on screen. These weren’t the scariest films ever made, but they were the ones that made us jump, laugh, and rewind again and again. Be kind, rewind & scream — that was the vibe.
My top five this week? Scream, The Faculty, Final Destination, Jeepers Creepers, and The Ring. Of course, there are plenty more (Urban Legend, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Disturbing Behavior…I could go on, but Deb 🧠—my little brain—might implode if I do). So, let’s pace ourselves.
🎞️ Why Sleepover Parties & VHS Movies Were Everything
I remember those Blockbuster and Hollywood Video trips with my friends—walking in and immediately running to the horror aisle, scanning the shelves and crossing fingers that our picks weren’t already rented out. That disappointment of seeing only the empty case on the wall? Brutal.
I was always the friend who’d say, “Let’s turn off the lights, make it spookier, and crank up the volume.” Jump scares were my thing. And if one didn’t get you, don’t worry—I would 😈. I loved the thrill of being scared together, and then immediately laughing about it when it was over.
These movies weren’t the scariest ever made, but they were pure 90s/2000s nostalgia—the kind that had us jumping, screaming, and laughing all night long. The perfect recipe for a sleepover marathon.
🎬 The Picks
Scream (1996) Hulu
The ultimate teen slasher 🔪. Wes Craven made me scared to answer the phone but thank god I had caller i.d. This movie has one of the best opening scenes that still makes people nervous to answer the phone (Just let the machine get it Drew!).
Confession time: I actually snuck in to see this in 7th grade with my best friend 👯♀️. We didn’t make it far—we got kicked out during the scene where Casey’s parents pull into the driveway while she’s running for her life. I was literally screaming, “Run! Run! RUN!” as the ushers came in. To make it worse, some kid at school spoiled it the next week, casually dropping that the boyfriend was the ghost-face killer (thanks a lot, Nancy 😑).
When I finally watched it in full, I was obsessed. Obsessed with the movie, in love with 😍 Skeet Ulrich (I mean, look at him), and determined to raid Tatum’s closet (before the whole doggy door scene,
of course). What makes Scream so perfect for sleepovers is the way it keeps you guessing. Everyone could be the killer, and even if you know the ending, you can’t help but second-guess yourself along the way. (💡 Side thought - It would be great if there was a ghost-face emoji).
The Faculty (1998) Paramount +
What if your teachers were aliens 👽? Honestly, some of mine probably were. When I first saw the trailer for The Faculty, I was sold. It had everything: sci-fi weirdness, creepy suspense, and a stacked cast—Salma Hayek, Jon Stewart, Elijah Wood, Clea DuVall, the T-1000 himself…and of course, Josh Hartnett. To this day, Josh is still my celebrity crush. ♥️
I actually saw this in Austin, Tx. while visiting my sister for Christmas in 1998. I begged my mom and sister to take me, and I wasn’t disappointed. Did I also have the soundtrack cd? You know I did. (Shoutout to the “Another Brick in the Wall” cover on repeat. 💿 ) This movie was campy, a little scary, and a lot of fun—basically everything you want in a sleepover pick.
Final Destination (2000) HBO
Where do I even start? This movie made me afraid of everything.
Final Destination is brilliant because it toys with your anxiety. Every scene teases a dozen possible ways something could go wrong, and you sit there squirming, waiting for the one that actually happens. The bathroom scene? Torture. I had to cover my eyes 🫣 because I knew something awful was coming but didn’t know what. I was yelling at my TV, “Just do it already!”
And that bus scene—if you know, you know. I didn’t see it coming and shrieked louder than the characters. Bonus points for Nine Inch Nails’ Into the Void playing right before—it’s like the universe saying, ‘brace yourself.’
This movie still makes my skin crawl in the best way. Also, I’ll admit it: a big reason I watched was Devon Sawa. Ever since Casper, I was smitten.
(Yes Devon, you can keep me 😉).
Jeepers Creepers (2001) Amazon Prime
I was a senior in high school when this came out, and my friends and I made it a group outing. It was one of those movies where the whole theater was screaming together.
The moment that still sticks with me is when The Creeper is seen throwing something down a tunnel. He stops, looks up, and just stares 👀 at the two main characters driving by. That stillness, that awareness—it was bone-chilling.
What made it a perfect sleepover pick is that it felt like a rollercoaster: screams, laughter, hiding behind hands, then peeking through your fingers because you couldn’t look away.
The Ring (2002) Paramount +
Holy cow, I had no idea what I was walking into with this one. The Ring was my introduction to the Japanese-inspired wave of horror, and it hit hard.
The way it was filmed—grainy, dark, unsettling—made everything feel heavy. Those random, creepy images splashed across the screen were nightmare fuel. Who knew a woman brushing her hair would haunt me?
Now, the cursed videotape might seem a little silly, but back then? Absolutely terrifying. The moment Samara crawls out of the TV 📺 ? Iconic.
✨ Sweet Nightmares
And that’s week one of the Purr Purr Press Halloween Movie Series: Spooky Sleepover Picks. Whether you’re reliving your teenage years or discovering these films for the first time, this lineup captures everything that made those sleepovers so special—blankets, VHS rentals, junk food, screams, and laughter echoing through the night.
Next week, we’ll be diving into The Director’s Wall— 🎉 celebrating iconic directors and their unforgettable contributions to spooky season.
Until next time, boils and ghouls…what’s on your ultimate VHS sleepover lineup? 🍿💀
P.S. We couldn’t do a VHS blog without a sticker to match — meet Be Kind, Rewind, now in the shop!
Keep the night alive with the Creepshow Mixtape Playlist—your official soundtrack for popcorn, blankets, and a few good screams.
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