Speaking from the standpoint of media, Halloween, along with Christmas, is one of the most media-savvy holidays we enjoy each year — in some respects maybe even more so than Christmas.

It’s a holiday that not only caters to our senses but to our sense of dread, fear and to being alone as well — and for some reason we like it.

Nevermind the holiday’s rich history, it’s plastic masks (yeah, the ones you always felt compelled to stick your tongue in the mouth hole) and its ghoulish array of candy possibilities.

It quite possibly could be this journalists favorite holiday, and so while we all have our favorite movies, books and music of the holiday, perhaps I can offer you something you’ve never heard of before to cloud your nights and prey upon your fears.

Books

1. “The Necroscope” (series), Brian Lumley

Tired of vampires that sparkle or spend their time romancing good looking men and women? Then, this series — located all the way on the other end of the vampire spectrum — might just fill your needs. This series by British author Brian Lumley takes vampires back to their horrific beginnings. This series is not for the faint of heart.

2. “The Statement of Randolph Carter,” H.P. Lovecraft

Type in H.P. Lovecraft in a search and the amount of material you’ll find is staggering. Lovecraft wove monstrous tales and veiled evil in such a way to make you believe nothing was safe. In a world with elder gods and decadent tastes, Lovecraft is Halloween. Like much of his work, “The Statement of Randolph Carter” is a short story about a man trying to remember the last moments of his friend who disappeared while investigating a cemetery in an old swamp. To find it, you’ll have to pick up one of his collections, but you could hardly do worse.

3. “Dracula,” Bram Stroker

Yes, I’m cheating and yes, I know I mentioned this last year, but the story [not the movies] is one for the ages. There have been some good movies and more than a few passable big-screen tellings and to be sure a whole host of movies that shouldn’t have made it past, “Hey, want to hear a good idea for a movie?” But the book … the book is something else. Told from various first-person tellings, the book takes you into Dracula himself — his pain and his curse — and those who are pained with ending his reign of terror.

 Movies

1. “Event Horizon”

A ship, the Event Horizon, that was built to investigate black holes, disappears into one and re-emerges and has brought something back with it. Essentially a haunted house in space, this is a seriously creepy movie with Lovecraftian-edge.

2. “Darkness”

It won’t be the best horror movie you’ve ever seen, but it certainly won’t be the worst. With a tinge of mystery and a whole host of things going on in the shadows, “Darkness” will make turning the lights off a little more difficult.

3. “Young Frankenstein”

Halloween shouldn’t only be about frights and scares. Mel Brooks delivers a delightfully campy ode to the old black and white horror movies in one of the funniest movies you’ll see period.

 Music

1. “Silent Hill 3” soundtrack

The Silent Hill video game series is nothing if not the very central of scary things to do, but if it wasn’t for the soundtrack, I’m not entirely sure it would reach the depths of fright it does. It’s hard to stop listening once you’ve turned it on.

2. “Peace Sells … But Who’s Buying,” Megadeth

A classic in the thrash metal band’s history, Megadeth’s “Peace Sells … but Who’s Buying” sets the perfect mood for the holiday. Frantic, fast-paced and chalked full of everything you might want for a more aggressive Halloween.

3. Danny Elfman

Just Danny Elfman. Whether it’s from his days with Oingo Boingo or his movie arrangements, Elfman has always captured the lighter side of Halloween. A fun sidetrack from some of the other horror-toned items on this list.