Oct 27, 2026 · 2h 2m
A Halloween draft turns seasonal taste into a film argument
The Halloween Movie Draft
The live competition tests whether Halloween movies are defined by horror, setting, ritual, childhood memory, or something stranger.
- 1The panel separates Halloween movies from conventional horror by weighing seasonal atmosphere, personal ritual, and recognizable Halloween imagery.
- 2Seven categories broaden the field from franchise slashers and Stephen King adaptations to kids’ films, holiday horror, transformations, and wild cards.
- 3Amanda wins the audience vote after building a draft that ranges from Scream and H20 to Midsommar, Casper, and Marriage Story.
Don't miss
Amanda wins the audience vote after assembling the draft that best balances horror expertise, seasonal feeling, and unexpected choices.
The brief
Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins host a live San Francisco draft with Chris Ryan and Alex Ross Perry, beginning with a deceptively difficult question: what actually qualifies as a Halloween movie?
The panel distinguishes seasonal identity from ordinary horror, drawing on haunted hayrides, marathon viewing, movie calendars, childhood traditions, and the personal experiences that shape fear.
Seven categories keep the competition from collapsing into a slasher list, making room for Halloween-set stories, transformations, Stephen King adaptations, kids’ movies, other holiday horror, and wild cards.
The picks stretch from Halloween, Carrie, and The Exorcist to The Nightmare Before Christmas, E.T., Midsommar, Marriage Story, and Hubie Halloween, revealing how elastic seasonal taste can be.
After honorable mentions and four completed drafts, the audience ranks Alex fourth, Chris third, Sean second, and Amanda first, rewarding the broadest interpretation of Halloween cinema.
Books & mentions
Some links are affiliate links — PodLume may earn a commission if you buy.
Weekly email
State of the Pod, every Monday
The week's most-discussed names and stories from podcasts, with the moments behind them. Free, five minutes, unsubscribe in one click.