Horror movies can create a spooky ambience, getting you right into the Halloween vibes pretty fast, and Halloween movies are plentiful to choose from. Turning the lights down low or turning them off altogether is essential to bring about the hair-raising aura. We also suggest placing snacks nearby to be a good distraction when needed.
Have we reminded you of the blankets? It would be best if you snuggled with them for comfort when the horror intensity increases. Such an atmosphere is completed by playing some of the all-time favourite Halloween movies. They will keep your heart racing quite as fast as if you’re engaged in a vigorous workout.
Walk with us through this list of the best Halloween movies to consider watching all the way from Halloween until Christmas is here. But until these peaceful times arrive, you better watch every shadowed spot in your house. Before doing so, we would like to introduce you briefly to the origins of this famous holiday.
The Ancient Origins of Halloween
The Halloween celebrations we see today have nothing to do with any religious or cultural beliefs, yet it once was a religious holiday in the times of paganism. Halloween is a pagan holiday that takes place on November 1st and 2nd. It is also an ancient Celtic celebration known as Samhain; it marked the beginning of autumn
According to ancient beliefs, dead spirits return to our world, roaming freely. Some of those souls are evil in nature and wicked. For that reason, people started to wear scary customs to ward off evil spirits and stay safe. This celebration has been Americanised, and now it takes place on the 31st of October. It turned into a holiday, where people wore spooky costumes for fun.
A List of Nightmare-Inducing Halloween Movies
Among the traditional rituals of this holiday is playing some scary Halloween movies for fun. This tradition is quite convenient if you happen to fall on the introverted side and enjoy being inside yet want to celebrate this special day. Here’s a fun list of the best Halloween movies to turn on after turning the lights off.
1. Halloween (1978)
A movie with the holiday’s name as a title; how scary would you expect it to be? Well, this film is one of the most iconic Halloween movies of all time. It started the whole Michael Myers franchise, a serial killer who killed his own sister in cold blood. Murdering his sister was not an accident. This was pretty obvious since he returned to Illinois to shed some more young blood.
2. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
A musical Disney classic that you cannot help but fall in love with. People argue whether this one should be among the Christmas or Halloween movies. We say that you can keep watching it from October through December. Jack Skellington was so frustrated to show his compassionate side, but how is that possible in his Halloweentown when his folks no nothing but scariness? Visiting Christmasland has changed something inside Jack.
3. Poltergeist (1982)
Haunted houses, possessing children, and seeing ghosts are all the perfect elements to make a successful Halloween movie. Poltergeist combines all of them, giving us one of the most nightmare-inducing Halloween movies ever. It narrates the story of a happy family moving into their dream home just to witness their dream fading away and evil spirits possessing their lovely daughter.
4. Friday the 13th (1980)
Friday the 13th is among the top serial killer movies that remain hair-raising to this very day. People still freak out when number 13 coincides with Friday. This movie is scary because it is based on a true story of the teenagers’ murders at Lake Bodom in Finland. The plot of the film is about young teenagers chased by a murderer while attempting to enjoy their summer at Crystal Lake.
5. The Exorcist (1973)
It seems like the 70s and 80s went so hard on Halloween movies, producing masterpieces that remained iconic for years later. The Exorcist makes it to the top of the horror movie list on Halloween day. If this movie teaches us anything, it is that playing with an Ouija board never ends well. A young girl is tempted to play until she is possessed by a demon, showing some peculiar behaviour that escorted her mother to consult priests for help.
6. Trick ‘r Treat (2007)
Moving forward to the 2000s, Trick ‘r Treat is one of the popular Halloween movies worth a shot. The plot revolves around teenagers, which is usually always the case, who cross the paths of a serial killer, facing a series of unfortunate events. Interestingly, a sequel to this movie was produced this year under the same name. Watcher’s reviews anticipate a quite promising film.
7. The Ring (2002)
It has been 20 years since the release of this horrifying movie, yet images of the crawling long black-haired girl still haunt us. This film makes it to the top of the Halloween movies list thanks to its hair-raising scenes. The story is quite captivating, narrating the life of a journalist, Rachel, who investigates a videotape whose watchers are murdered within a week’s time upon viewing it. She takes an interest in knowing the secret behind it after her niece dies in a horrible way.
8. Paranormal Activity (2007)
Do you believe in ghosts? Have you ever wondered whether they really exist or not? This film franchise, Paranormal Activity, will leave you with no doubts. There is an excellent chance that you will already sense a ghostly presence in the room upon watching the movie. But isn’t that what all the Halloween movies are about? Watch this movie, where a couple installs a camera in their new home to capture weird movements that happen at night.
9. The Conjuring (2013)
The Conjuring is one of the most popular horror films ever that makes a perfect choice among the Halloween movies on your list. This is another movie about a disturbing paranormal phenomenon. It narrates the story of a family who moves into a new house to realise something unusual is going on. They use the help of Ed and Lorraine Warren, who are demonologists and help them get rid of the evil soul living in the house. There is another part of the movie if you would love for the horror party to carry on.
10. Us (2019)
Imagine chilling at your own house and out of nowhere being attacked by mysterious people who all wear red only to realise they look like every member of your family. Well, it is hard to decide what is scarier, the attack or the lookalikes, but the idea itself is pretty unsettling. This is what happens in this horror film Us. Jordan Peele revealed that the movie’s message is that yourself is your worst enemy and that fear lies within us.
11. Coraline (2009)
Coraline is another animated film on this list of the best Halloween movies. Only this time, it is not a quite fluffy kind of cartoon. In fact, this animated film is pretty unsettling, even for adults. It narrates the story of a young girl who discovers a secret door within the walls of her own house. This door takes her to another version of her family and herself, ones that are not as perfect and innocent as they seem.
12. The Addams Family (1991)
Who hasn’t heard about the fictional family of Addams? The original film was released in 1991, only for more versions to follow it, with different actors and actresses, yet the same weird story. It is one of the Halloween movies that mix horror with a humorous twist, making you love the film even more. The story is about an imposter who claims to be the missing brother of Gomez, Fester; however, his trick doesn’t hold up for so long, given that he remembers nothing of Fester’s life.
13. The Invisible Man (2020)
Talk about toxic relationships, and you won’t find one that is worse than that of Cecelia and her fake-dead ex-boyfriend. The Invisible Man can pass among the Halloween movies because its event sends a shiver down your spine. It revolves around Cecelia, who finds herself stalked and tormented by a man she can’t see. Her sick boyfriend fakes his death to be able to stalk her. Cecelia won’t settle down until she hunts down the truth and reveals his hoax.
14. Malignant (2021)
Malignant is not particularly one of the Halloween movies, but its thrill and horror can make it pass as one. It is about Madison, a young woman who gets visions of strangers being horrifyingly killed by mysterious murderers. Although the visions leave her unrested and disturbed, she decides to use them to try to find the victims and save them from their petrifying fates.
15. A Quiet Place (2018)
Have you ever come across a silent movie that left you sitting on the edge of the chair? Yes, this movie literally has no script, no dialogue, just sign language. It shows the life of a family who managed to survive in a world where creepy creatures exist. These creatures cannot see but are extremely sensitive to any sound, and once you make one, they will kill you instantly. This 2-hour film can leave you scared of the consequences that come with making noise. You will get used to utter silence in a creepy way.
16. A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)
This 2010 movie is a remake of one of the most popular Halloween movies in history. It includes the backstory of the famous villain Freddy Krueger, the evil who feeds on killing young children, but with a different twist. He is still the same murderer who haunts young children in their dreams and kills them. This time, he is a child molester, which is pretty much not so different from what he originally was.
17. Child’s Play (1988)
The movie that made all the blue-eyed dolls quite undesired and feared, the renowned Child’s Play. There is no way you have never come across this demonic toy called Chucky. The movie is about a trendy doll that all children seem to go after. When Andy asks his mother to have his own Chucky, she buys him the doll only to realise it is possessed by an evil spirit and is capable of murdering in cold blood.
18. The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)
The Exorcism of Emily Rose has always been ranked as one of the top Halloween movies to watch for a real thrill. A nice movie that tackles that very fine line between psychological disorders and paranormal activity. Emily is a girl with bizarre behaviour. Some argue that she suffers from schizophrenia; however, Reverend Moore believes that a demonic spirit has found solace inside her body.
19. An American Werewolf in London (1981)
We all know that America and Britain share the same language, yet their cultures are quite dissimilar in so many ways. This Halloween movie narrates the story of two young Americans who were exploring the streets of London when a werewolf attacked them. As if the attack weren’t frightening enough, those two young men had to face the consequences on their own. The locals deny their story, claiming it was something that only existed in American movies.
20. The Amityville Horror (1979)
Haunted houses have always been a great element in making fascinating Halloween movies. The Amityville Horror is a real thrill that will make you shiver with every scene. It narrates the story of a young couple, newly married, who moved into the house of their dreams, but their happiness flew out of its window as soon as they stepped in. You may think that it is a typical story of a haunted house, but we promise the film is worth every minute. In 2005, there was a remake of the movie starring Ryan Reynolds.