Y, hello everyone. How's it going? And welcome to the darn good leadership podcast. This show is all about being a strong and effective leader. One that can make positive impacts on your teams and communities. I am your host, Emily. Holting hope you're doing great today. And in today's episode, it is part two of three in our Halloween themed series. Yes, the ghostly fun is continuing everyone. And last episode, I shared three lessons. Halloween can teach us about leadership and community. And today I'm leaning into one of the best parts of this October holiday. Movies that give us all the Halloween fields. Now I've done the hard work folks. I've watched these movies, I've analyzed them. And now I'm ready to treat you with the top 10 movies that give off major Halloween vibes and their respective leadership takeaways. Okay. So where did this top 10 list of movies come from? You ask, well, for me, So. Um, here's the thing. I am an absolute wimp. I'm not going to lie an absolute wimp when it comes to scary movies. However, stick with me, my fiance loves them. During the month of Halloween, he gets to pick four scary movies, one a week that we will watch together the rest of the year. Well, he's on But when I say scary, I'm doing a little bit of a finger quotes around the word because I really am such a scaredy cat. He knows that if he does too many jump scare movies, I'm going to have just my hands in front of my face the entire time. He's usually very nice to me and has a good mixture of these Halloween theme movies and scary movie combinations point being is I have banked a lot of these movies. And I feel confident. I feel poised. I feel ready to give you my picks and my analysis. And I think I've come up with one of the best dang lists of Halloween theme movies paired with respective leadership takeaways. So prepare yourselves, grab your candy of choice. Get a punk and beer or a pumpkin spice latte. Sit back, relax and prepare to be spookily entertained. How was this going to work? You ask, well, here's how it's going to go. I'm going to list off the movie. We're going to go through 10 of them. I'm going to give a quick plot summary. And I'm assuming that most of these movies people watch. So there might be some spoiler alerts. I'm just giving you a hint. Don't get mad at me. Don't come for me. There could be spoiler alerts. If you have not seen these movies, and then I'm going to give my expert. Candid analysis of what the respective leadership takeaway is and what you should be learning from this Halloween picture. So here we go. Kicking us off for the top 10 movies that give off major Halloween vibes. Is none other than the movie with the name and the title. That's right. Halloween. This was probably the hardest movie for me to watch. The jump scares, get me every time. So you can see how this would be problematic. And all my years roaming this earth. I have never had a desire to watch Halloween, but my fiance loves this movie. So last I agreed to watch it with him. One season together. Plot summary of the movie, Halloween. It came out in 1978 and 15 years after murdering his sister on Halloween night. Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Hayden field, Illinois. To kill again. Where those of you who have seen this movie, which I am assuming is quite a bit. You know that michael myers is pursuing laurie strode who was the main character of the movie throughout the entire halloween night And this is, accumulating into this big fierce battle for her survival. You may think. When we start to talk about the biggest leadership takeaway that it's perhaps bravery, and then I'm going to talk about Lori and her bravery and fighting against Michael Myers. But that's not how this is going to go folks, because. We hear from a leadership perspective are going to do a root cause analysis. Of why did she have to be brave in the first place and all of it points back to the big, bad. Mikey Meyers. Mike clearly has some unresolved issues. He is blaming everyone and literally projecting all of his issues onto poor Lori and all the hundred other lifeless bodies. He leaves around during this movie, mike has not done what is required of all leaders. He's not taking extreme ownership, Good leaders take extreme ownership of their issues, of the problems of anything they're responsible for. And they say, what do I need to do to fix this, to make things better, to improve myself. So this type of situation doesn't happen again. Mike hasn't done that. All right. Mike is a terrible leader. Just horrible. I mean, obviously he's killing people, but really just frightening. Don't make yourself a victim. I don't just get angry and pissed off and throw knives at people. Take the ownership and move on. Make yourself a better person and a better leader. So the biggest leadership takeaway from the movie Halloween is this. Take extreme ownership of everything you're responsible for. Creeping right along to movie. Number two, that gives off major Halloween vibes. Hocus Pocus. This movie brings back all the feel-good nostalgia of childhood. I remember watching this movie over and over with my sisters and after trick or treating with our neighborhood And we would sit there and watch it while we were sorting and swapping our candy. And actually I watched this last night because Hocus Pocus two is out and I wanted a quick refresher before I started the new one. Plot summary of this movie, it came out in 1993 and it is an American fantasy comedy that follows a villainous comedic trio of witches. The Sanderson sisters who are inadvertently resurrected by a teenage boy max. Now, when we examine this movie, it begins in the 17th century in Salem, and it shows the backstory of the witches, the Sanderson sisters. But when max, the boy resurrects them in 1993, the ladies have not changed at all from the way they dress, how they do their makeup, their spells, all of it is old school. They definitely are not with the technology of the time. And they're getting frightened by things like the fire sprinklers. They're confused by what buses and cars are. And so long story short, these powerful witches are able to get defeated by three kids with zero The Sanderson sisters. Are not with the times they haven't embraced a growth mindset and they haven't thought about that as they leave. I mean, they're bad leaders obviously, but they have failed to build. Any new skills and expertise or taking the time to learn and experiment with the new ways of working and operating in the world. They now exist in. So the leadership lesson here is it doesn't matter how powerful you are, how great you used to be. You must evolve with the world you exist in. Moving number three with major Halloween vibes is Nana Nana Nana. The Adams family. So my dad and I have very similar senses of humor and the Adams family was one of his favorites. And so in turn, I adored it as well. This story around the kooky mysterious and hilarious family is one. I always enjoy watching this time of year plot summary for this movie. It hit the screen in 1991 and it followed the eccentric, deaf, loving family. As they slowly uncover the schemes of a newly returned uncle fester. Throughout this film, we observed the Adams family ghoulish Gothic lifestyle, but beyond the dark surface, there is more to uncover. You might think the leadership lesson here is it's okay to be unique. But that is not my analysis. The whole family was odd. Of course. And they held a lifestyle that definitely broke society's But the bigger thing here is they were 100% authentic to who they were. The entire Adams crew from Gomez to Morticia and Wednesday, each of them oozed with confidence and a truly authentic charisma. So much so that the moment they walk into any It organically demanded respect from anyone who was in it. The leadership lesson here is this know who you are, know what you stand for, and then be that person 100% authentically. And in doing so you will undoubtedly find your own swagger. So be like Gomez and Morticia and step into your own swagger. Soaring right along to movie, number four with major Halloween vibes. The lost boys. This movie was everything. When I was younger. Last boys is essentially a time capsule of the eighties. And unlike the movie, Twilight, this vampire flick is still known as one of the best vampire movies ever made. And that's because of its combination of action comedy whore. The killer soundtrack it has. And the amazing hairstyles by every male in this film. I'm not kidding if you haven't seen this movie in a while. The eighties, male fro is just beautifully glorious in this movie. Plot summary here. This movie came out in 1987. And it's about a recent divorce say named Lucy who packs up her two teenage sons to move to Santa Clara, California. There are rumors amiss about a vampire infestation taking over the town and the older brother, Michael begins to exhibit all the classic signs of vampire fearing for his own safety, the younger brother, Sam recruits, two teenage vampire hunters to help him find the main vampire. And destroy him before it's too late. Now the fun fact about this film is it was actually heavily influenced and inspired by the story of Peter pan, which is why the movie is called lost boys. Throughout the film, you see this teenage pack of vampires who desperately want to be taken seriously. And yet they behave like absolute children. They are continuously acting out every impulse they have, they act like complete jerks for no reason by, you know, sucking the blood out of people. They throw vampire temper tantrums. They let their emotions control them and overall, they are completely irresponsible. Great leaders have emotional control. And they set the tone for the behaviors. They want those around them to model. So the leadership takeaway here is this. You must behave like a grownup. If you want to be taken seriously. Sashaying over to moving. Number five with major Halloween vibes is. Thriller. Now I know, I know you're going to say this is a song and Molly and not a movie, but folks. I beg to differ. The music video in full is about 14 minutes long. So it holds a lot more weight than the average song that gets played on the radio. You cannot go through a Halloween season without hearing this song about a hundred times. And you most certainly cannot attend a Halloween party without it being played at least once or twice. So for that reason alone, it has made my list. The plot is it came out in 1983 and it's a night at the movies. Turns into a nightmare when Michael Jackson and his date are attacked by a hoard of blood thirsty zombies, and only a thriller can save them now. All right. So in the video you see Michael and his girlfriend, they walked by a cemetery at night and they are suddenly swarmed by a pack of zombies. And of course they move into an elaborate and infamous dance routine. So, what is the leadership takeaway from this musical masterpiece? Well, what are zombies known for? They're known for being incompetent for being ignorant, extremely unforgiving of an attention. They don't communicate well. They just kind of moan and stare weirdly at The thrillers zombies. Yes, they are great dancers. But even with their amazing moves. They cannot be trusted. I mean, you turn your back and 100% they're going to bite you and they will not feel bad about People need leaders who are present, who are engaged, who are amazing communicators and who think, and take action and earn the trust of those that they lead. So the takeaway is simple. Don't be a zombie leader. Running over to movie. Number six that gives off major Halloween vibes is scream. I remember seeing this movie in high school with my best friend and her mom. They both love scary movies too. And even back then, yes, I was a scary movie wimp. So not much has changed on that note. The plot of this movie. I was released back in 1996. A year after the murder of her mother, a teenage girl is terrorized by a new killer who targets both her and her friends by using horror films as a part of a deadly game. Now in this movie, there's a character and no, I'm not talking about nev Campbell's main character Sydney, but there is a side character named Randy. We learned that Randy has spent almost all of his life watching and learning from scary movies. We also see that Randy time and time again is giving advice and words of wisdom to the other character about what's going on and how it relates to the horror films he has seen. And he shares several good approaches and ideas for how they should proceed. Even though he is the expert for this very situation they're dealing with. Sadly, most of the characters don't listen to him and they end up dead. As leaders, there's no way you can know everything. And that's why it's critical that you hire and surround yourself with experts and intelligent people. And when you do that, that you actually listen to them. Find yourself individuals who are good at what they do know what they're talking about and then take their advice So the leadership lesson here is this. Hire smart people and listen to them. Stocking right along to moving number seven that gives off major Halloween vibes is. The monster squad. I discovered this movie in my thirties also because of my fiance. And honestly, I am really pissed that it wasn't introduced to me as a child, like really upset about this. This film truly should have been one of my childhood favorites. And even as a grownup, it makes me feel like a kid again. You've got Dracula. You've got the mummy, you've got the creature from the black lagoon. You've got Frankenstein, Wolfman. All your favorite monsters are here and the movie has such heart and is pure fun. And honestly, I highly recommend this movie. If you haven't seen it, go put it on your to-do list that you need to watch the monster squad this Halloween season, especially if you have children, It is just a feel good movie. The plot. Okay. So came out in 1987 and it's about a group of young kids who are monster fanatics, who attempt to save their hometown from count Dracula and all of his monsters. Now this movie took $12 million, $12 million back in 1987 to make, and it only made back 3.8. So by all accounts, it was an absolute flop and it bombed in theaters. As an adult, now that I'm watching it, I was really confused at how this movie at this caliber could be something that one I had never even heard of. And two that the time that it was released, it wasn't more successful. What was going on. I had to do some digging. And when I did a couple of things emerged, this movie is rated PG 13. And if you watch it now, you can see how, you know, it could have really easily been rated, PG. And by doing so it would a better targeted the kids of the age and their parents allow or take them to the movie theaters to see it. Additionally, the movie was released two weeks after the lost boys. And then the last boys was on this list. The one about the vampires that got an R rating. And so imagine if you're a teenager at the time, which movie are you going to go? See, you're going to go see the one with the vampires, with the cool soundtrack and the cool guys. This was more with younger children they're not in their teenage years yet. So teenagers are going to be more inclined to see lost boys. Also, all of the marketing there was just off. They didn't get a great sense of who their real audience was and how to properly market to them. So the leadership takeaway for monster squad Even great products require smart marketing. Siting over to moving number eight that gives us major Halloween vibes is the shining. This is one scary movie that I love and I can really get behind. There was just something awesome and eerie about this film. The acting is incredible and it really is a classic. So the plot of this movie came out in 1980 and the shining follows the Torrens family as they move into the overlook hotel for the winter season. As the new caretaker, Jack Torrens is responsible for the upkeep of the hotel during the off season. And as he works and tries to maintain his sobriety, his family deals with the evil presence lurking in the hotel. Jack, the dad eventually falls into the hotels, evil influence. And his son and wife have to figure out how to escape with their lives intact. Jack's slow descent into darkness builds as he becomes more and more isolated from society and his own family. In today's world with COVID and virtual work. It can be more easily understood. The potentially devastating effects isolation can have on any of us. Having a sense of connection and community are important themes. I discuss very often in this podcast and that's because As individuals feel a sense of security, a sense of belonging in their environments. They are more inclined to be in better health and they are more inclined to thrive in life. The leadership takeaway of the shining is this. Connection and community are vital. Hunting over to moving. Number nine with major Halloween vibes is Ghostbusters. If there's something strange in the neighborhood who you gonna call. Ghostbusters. This is another movie and a Halloween song. Favorite Ghostbusters came out in 1984 and it was the number one film in theaters for seven consecutive weeks. Plot here. Three pair of psychologists are forced out other university funding and they set up shop as a unique ghost removal service in New York city. And they begin attracting frightening yet skeptical customers. This movie is a favorite and so much fun, but one scene always stands out to me whenever I watch it. After trapping a ghostly creature that was found lurking in a hotel, the Ghostbusters asked the hotel manager for $5,000. When the manager refuses to pay Vink men, one of the Ghostbusters nonchalantly replies. Well that's all right. We can just put it right back The hotel manager then suddenly changes his tune and quickly pays for what was asked. As leaders we all have jobs to do. And it's important to recognize the skill set or the service you possess and the value that you bring to your organization or to your customers. Maybe you're just starting out and have lots of to learn. Maybe you're an expert and have honed your craft, but the point being is be aware of what you bring to that table. And also be aware of if this is matching what you're getting back. The leadership takeaway here is know your worth. And don't be afraid to stand up for what you deserve. And that brings us to our final movie. Number 10, that gives major Halloween vibes. It's the great pumpkin Charlie brown. I've seen this film countless times and it always delivers all the best of the Halloween feels. This 1966 made for American prime time. Animated TV special is loved even still by audiences here's the plot. Charlie brown is excited to be invited his first ever party, which is a Halloween party. And before the party, the peanuts gang plan to trick or treat, but the one person who won't be joining them is Linus. Who instead, we'll be waiting for the great Punkin, which line is believes that the great Punkin rises out of the most sincere punk and patch flies around the air and delivers presents to all the boys and girls around the world. This cartoon tale met CVS has demand for another peanuts, holiday theme, special. The previous year a Charlie brown Christmas was aired and that was wildly successful. So they were looking for another special that could run annually. Choosing Halloween for the special over other holidays could have been a gamble, but the great Punkin turned out to be right on par with its predecessor, a Charlie brown And that's because it has a timeless story and the concept of hope. Hope is a value that everyone holds onto. It's about believing in something that's bigger than yourself. And that's exactly what Linus did with the great Punkin. So the leadership takeaway from this childhood classic is hope is a powerful thing. Let's recap. My top 10 Halloween themed movies and their respective biggest leadership takeaways are Close Halloween take extreme ownership of everything you're responsible for. Looking at you, Mike Myers. Hocus Pocus, you must evolve with the world you exist in. Adam's family step into your own swagger. The last boys, you must behave like a grownup. If you want to be taken seriously. Thriller. Don't be a zombie leader. Scream. Hire smart people and listen to them. The monster squad. Even great products require smart marketing. The shining community and connection are vital. Ghostbusters know your worth and don't be afraid to stand up for what you deserve. And finally it's a great pumpkin Charlie brown. Hope is a powerful thing. That's what I got for you today. What'd you think of my Halloween list? I hope I got you excited to revisit one of these Halloween classics or at least interested to watch one that you haven't seen yet. I invite you to lean into the season, curl up with a movie or two and see what leadership takeaways you can come up with yourself. If you like what you heard, please leave a rating and review and come back next week for part three of three in my Halloween series people'd be bright, be a darn good leader that looks for leadership takeaways. Even in Halloween theme movies. Cheers everyone.