Nothing gets you in the spooky spirit faster than watching some classic Halloween movies.
Something about dimming the lights while you watch a movie makes your heart race, your mind searches through the shadows for danger, and your body jumps up and down from the couch whenever there is a loud noise.
Halloween movies come and go yearly; some wash away like the fake blood from a costume, while others seep into your bones and remain there forever.
Halloween wouldn’t be without the accompanying films, just as Christmas has its music and Valentine’s Day has chocolates.
Undoubtedly, the candy apples, costumes, and jack-o-lanterns are lovely.
But how do you create the right atmosphere? Nothing gets you in the mood for the spooky season like a movie night featuring the best chainsaw-wielding, spellbinding, hair-raising movies.
Anyone can enjoy an excellent classic Halloween movie—some aren’t even scary—you don’t have to be a horror genre fan!
Here are some of the best classic Halloween movies you should watch. Please read on.
Young Frankenstein (1974)
The infamous scientist’s grandson is fighting to disprove the public’s perception that his grandfather was insane in Mel Brooks’ film. When he accepts an invitation to visit Transylvania, he remembers his ancestry when a corpse comes to life.
It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)
Before the entire family gathered on the couch to watch this animated special featuring the Peanuts gang, for many people, the Halloween season isn’t Halloween. Will this year’s Great Pumpkin appear?
Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
Due to its frequent, interactive showings during the Halloween season, the cult-favorite musical has the longest running theatrical run in history. So watch it alone or, even better, get some friends together and repeat the Time Warp.
Halloween (1978)
Given that the name of the year’s scariest holiday is shared by this legendary movie, which stars Michael Myers as an unstoppable killing machine, it’s about as classic as they come. Just for the moody John Carpenter score, it’s worthwhile. This is one of the best classic Halloween movies.
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
As the young, pregnant Rosemary must confront the truth about the hidden ancestry of the enigmatic child she is carrying, Mia Farrow is terrifying. It’s a genuine, creeping terror.
The Night Before Christmas (1993)
Whether this timeless song belongs in the Halloween or Christmas category is debated. In either case, Tim Burton’s fantastical universe is utterly delightful. (So, perhaps watch it once weekly from October to December?)
Children Of The Corn (1984)
In this Stephen King adaptation of a short story, a young couple lost in a small Nebraskan town comes across a mysterious religious sect of kids amid thriving corn fields.
Twilight (2008)
It all began with this film, which made Robert Pattinson (who plays the vampire Edward) and Kristen Stewart, who plays the mortal Bella, world-famous actors.
Also, teenagers who are fascinated with one another engage in a risky romance with thrilling twists and a vampire mystery in this Pacific Northwest-set movie. This is one of the best classic Halloween movies.
Child’s Play (1988)
Try to imagine Toy Story without, well, all the Disney-approved elements. This film follows a young boy who receives a doll that develops a life of its own instead of Woody and Buzz.
However, after finishing the movie series, you can watch the Chucky TV series aired on SYFY last year (and now streams on Peacock).
Malignant (2021)
James Wan—the man behind the Saw and Insidious series—returns to the horror subgenre with this movie. It centers on a woman who begins to see visions of horrifying murders and grows suspicious that they may be happening.
The Invisible Man (2020)
The Invisible Man has earned its place among comparable classics, including the original that bears its name, despite being a more recent addition to the horror genre.
One of the Saw’s creators, Leigh Whannell, can create intense drama by concentrating primarily on the Invisible Man’s victim rather than the monster itself. This is one of the best classic Halloween movies.
Hocus Pocus (1993)
This charming classic is the ultimate Disney Halloween film, making chatty black cats and silly witches the pinnacle of Halloween fun.
The Shinning (1980)
The Shining, arguably one of the most well-known classic Halloween movies on this list, stars Jack Nicholson in a spellbinding performance as writer-turned-madman Jack Torrance. Also, the film’s director Stanley Kubrick gives the Stephen King classic his stamp.
The Ring (2002)
This masterpiece, a remake of the 1999 Japanese horror film Ringu, elevates the “creepy child” cliché to a new level. Also, you’ll find it difficult to watch an old cassette tape again, we promise.
A Nightmare Of Elm Street (1984)
Even young children who don’t watch scary movies are familiar with Freddy Krueger. (And they sort of find him to be cool?) Even the tough ones will flee if you sing, “One, two, Freddy’s coming for you.”
Scream (1996)
This witty classic gave the slasher subgenre a new lease on life. Watch to learn the tropes of the genre, such as why you shouldn’t approach the man in the mask too closely, only to see them subverted.
Furthermore, scream, the franchise’s confusingly named fifth installment, debuted earlier this year and featured the return of beloved characters from the first film.
Scooby Doo & The Ghoul School
This animated mystery where the Scooby Squad finds themselves in a boarding school for monsters and ghosts is another more family-friendly (but still holiday-themed) movie. It’s ideal for the Halloween party for your tween.
Get Out (2017)
An absolute must-see is Jordan Peele’s masterpiece, which uses horror to explore racism. You’ll be reflecting on this one long after the lights are turned off.
Suspiria (1977)
This Dario Argento film demonstrates that a movie can have vibrant colors and still be unsettling. A student discovers that school is not what she anticipated when she goes abroad to study dance. Dakota Johnson is the star of a remake that Amazon released in 2018.
The Blair Witcher Project (1999)
This cult classic, which popularized the idea of “found footage” horror, centers on a group of film students who become disoriented in the woods while looking into the local “Blair Witch.” Try not to think about it next time you’re off in the woods. This is one of the classic Halloween movies.
The Conjuring (2013)
When hired to search a remote farmhouse, paranormal investigators assume they can handle the place’s less-than-terrifying hauntings.
However, if we’ve learned anything from classic horror films, it’s that you shouldn’t ever take ghosts lightly. The real-life exploits of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren are the basis for the film.
The Sixth Sense (1999)
When hired to search a remote farmhouse, paranormal investigators assume they can handle the place’s less-than-terrifying hauntings.
However, if we’ve learned anything from classic horror films, it’s that you shouldn’t ever take ghosts lightly. Also, the real-life exploits of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren are the basis for the film.
BeetleJuice (1988)
Beetlejuice, a Tim Burton creation, is a PG-13 horror movie about a married couple who are left to haunt their house in the afterlife. It’s one of the few films that makes you want to believe that the house’s ghosts are the good guys.
It (2017)
It makes sense that the 2017 adaptation of Stephen King’s chilling tale makes a list since Pennywise the Clown has consistently been one of the most popular Halloween costumes in recent years. Make it a double-feature by watching It: Chapter 2 from 2019.
Saw (2004)
The first Saw movie felt novel for its blending of horror and police procedural — and its killer twist — even though most people remember the Saw franchise as the one that started an era of movies high on gore and violence.
The Evil Ded (1981)
Sam Raimi, the director of Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, experimented with alternate takes and overlapping timelines in his Evil Dead films before entering the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The protagonist Ash battles several mutant creatures in The Evil Dead, The Evil Dead II, and Army of Darkness after getting into trouble with The Book of the Dead. However, without a budget the size of Marvel, they are all completed with B-movie panache.
Trick ‘r Treat (2007)
What happens if you don’t adhere to Halloween customs rules? In this horror movie that interweaves four interconnected tales, the citizens of a small Ohio town find out.
Trick ‘r Treat Sam, the youngster with the burlap mask and the orange pyjamas, is a surprisingly timeless kids’ Halloween costume despite its modest box office success. This is one of the best classic Halloween movies.
Paranormal Activity (2007)
Prepare to see your suburban house and home security system in a new light. Also, the young couple at the center of this film is a young couple who recently moved into a suburban tract home and began to feel uneasy. They set up video cameras to test their theory, and horror happens.
Coraline (2009)
Follow the young explorer Coraline as she enters an alternate dimension and encounters characters who seem similar to those in her real life but perhaps a little off (even as they promise her everything she wants). Coraline is intended for children, but even adults will find its eerie button eyes unsettling.
