The popular Halloween film Trick 'r Treat has been a cult classic since it was first released in 2007 and fans are excited to hear about a second movie in development. The various stories told in this anthology movie all create a fantastic creepy atmosphere, and the small town at the heart of the film seems like a nice place to celebrate the holiday... except, of course, for all the murder that takes place.
Trick 'r Treat has great dialogue and there are several quotes that, whether scary or funny, are one reason why horror fans continue to come back to this movie when they want something to watch each season.
The TV Reporter Provides Commentary
"The one night a year where we can pretend to be the scariest thing we think of."
Sam, the villain in Trick 'r Treat, doesn't like when people don't follow his view of how Halloween should play out. He likes trick 'r treaters, costumes, and a general belief that this scary holiday is the best one of all. The movie opens with a TV reporter talking about the people in this small town celebrating Halloween, and this commentary on costumes is one of the most thoughtful quotes.
This quote works so well because Sam's victims have no idea that evil is hiding in Warren Valey, Ohio and that the most terrifying figure is the person they assume is a harmless small boy with a burlap sack on his head. Horror needs a new slasher villain, but Sam is meaningful to fans of Trick 'r Treat since he walks around hoping that people will love this holiday as much as he does.
Steven Describes His View Of Halloween
"All these traditions, jack-o'-lanterns, putting on costumes, handing out treats, they were started to protect us, but nowadays... No one really cares."
Steven Wilkins (Dylan Baker) is a sneaky character as he's a high school principal who is also a serial killer. No one has any idea that this is true until they become one of his victims. He's also silly and ditzy as he has no idea about Sam and his Halloween rules. Steven thinks that he's the only person with secrets, and that's his biggest flaw.
The hilarious part about Steven's quote is that he and Sam are actually on the exact same page. They both hold Halloween up as a sacred day where people should "do the right things" and they both kill people who don't do what they want. Trick 'r Treat will always feel like a timeless horror movie from the 2000s and Wilkins is a great character since he is so ruthless.
Emma Hates Halloween
"This was a great idea, honey. Really. It's just magical. It makes me wish every night was Halloween."
Emma (Leslie Bibb) can't stand Halloween, which is a problem since her husband Henry (Tahmoh Penikett) is a huge fan. Unfortunately for Emma, she gets killed and Henry has to see her body with his beloved decorations. It's one of the best opening scenes in horror movies and Emma's sarcastic quote sets it up perfectly.
While fans don't find out a lot about this couple, they do know that they disagree on this holiday, which suggests that there has been some fighting and conflict in the past, which is interesting. The fact that Emma is murdered for disliking Halloween proves how closely these characters are supposed to follow the rules of October 31st, which is a chilling thought.
Rhonda Knows A Lot About The Holiday
"Samhain, also known as All Hallows' Eve, also known as Halloween. Pre-dating Christianity, the Celtic holiday was celebrated on the one night between autumn and winter when the barrier between the living and the dead was thinnest and often involved rituals that included human sacrifice."
Samm Todd's Trick 'r Treat character, Rhonda, is in the movie for a short time but has an important role as she describes the history of Halloween. There are many horror movies taking place on Halloween and Trick 'r Treat does such a good job of exploring the various elements. There are young adults who think carefully about costumes and go to a party or big event, a serial killer who hides in plain sight, a creepy legend that turns out to be true, and a precocious young character who knows the dark history of October 31st that most people don't think about.
Trick 'r Treat will help fans get into the Halloween spirit and it's funny hearing Rhonda say this quote. While many people enjoy this time of year and like scary movies and candy, along with figuring out the perfect costume to wear to a party, everyone likely knows someone who likes talking about how creepy the day's history is.
The TV Reporter Sets The Scene
"During the spookiest time of the year there are a few guidelines all ghosts and goblins should follow. Always stay on sidewalks. Never go to a strangers house, and never go out alone."
The best quotes from the Halloween franchise don't always talk about the holiday itself, which is one reason why Trick 'r Treat stands out for being such a cult classic film about this popular day. The TV reporter talking about the Halloween celebrations in town does a great job of setting up the terror as they say that people should stick together, walk on sidewalks, and avoid strangers.
The mention of stranger danger is especially memorable as the characters who fall victim to the various threats (werewolves, Sam, and Principal Wilkins) assume that the people in this small town are sweet and trustworthy. In Sam's Trick 'r Treat world, anything can happen on this day full of costumes and chocolate bars.