In observance of that autumn spell when we celebrate the primal instinct of fear, Rainestorm highlights 31 days of spooky scares to season the eerie atmosphere of Halloween.

Reign of terror: 2007

The horror… the horror: A Halloween anthology that draws inspiration from multiple sources, most notably John Carpenter’s slasher classic and the Stephen King/George A. Romero collaboration Creepshow. It serves up four intertwined vignettes in classic campfire-story style. Yet where Creepshow had five distinctly separate scenarios, Trick ‘r Treat weaves them intricately together into one non-linear fright-fest. Director Michael Dougherty clearly loves the season. The attention to detail in the production design is staggering. While short on actual scares, the total atmosphere of the film draws the viewer immediately into its fold.

Halloween haunt: Warren Valley, Ohio, which seems so specifically designed for Halloween I’m not sure the holiday ever really ends there. It drips from city to suburb with seasonal decor. Autumn foliage blows through densely ornamented neighborhoods. Lit jack-o-lanterns literally line the streets. Dougherty has so completely captured the essence of the season that Trick ‘r Treat is certain to go down as a perennial classic for its production design alone. If I were Jack Skellington, this is how I would envision Halloweentown.

Tastiest treat: Brian Cox’s showdown with burlap sack-wearing child monster Sam.

Check the candy for: The animated short Season’s Greetings on the DVD release, which served as the inspiration for this extended feature.

Devilish discourse: “Oh, wait. That’s right. There’s another tradition. A very important one… always check your candy. ”

Goes great with: Halloween (1978). Though vastly different, the two are twin siblings in spirit. Both pay loving tribute to the season in their own unique way, yet both exude the classic staples of Halloween: breezy evening streets, gently blowing autumn leaves, children laughing as they trick-or-treat from house to house, and crazed killers haunting the streets.