20 Best Horror Movies to Watch This Halloween
From Halloween (1978) to Longlegs: 20 horror films for every kind of Halloween night, including classics, slashers, ghosts, new hits and a few for the whole family.
· Nocturne
October is here, which means it's time to switch off the lights and pick something that will keep you checking behind the couch. We've put together 20 horror films for Halloween, grouped by mood: start with the classics, move on to the slashers and haunted houses, and save the newest nightmares for midnight.
Every title links straight to its page on Nocturne, so you can add it to My List and build your own marathon.
The Halloween classics
1. Halloween (1978)
The film that gave the holiday its villain. Michael Myers comes home to Haddonfield, and John Carpenter's piano theme follows him. Simple, patient and still terrifying almost 50 years later. If you only watch one film on October 31, make it this one.
2. Trick 'r Treat (2007)
Four stories, one Halloween night, and a tiny trick-or-treater named Sam who punishes anyone who breaks the rules. No other film feels more like the holiday itself: pumpkins, costumes, candy and very bad decisions.
3. The Exorcist (1973)
A girl is possessed and two priests try to save her. It shocked audiences in 1973 and the slow build still works. Watch it late, and alone if you dare.
4. The Shining (1980)
A writer, an empty mountain hotel and a long, snowed-in winter. Kubrick's Overlook Hotel is full of images you will never forget: the twins, the elevator, room 237.
5. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Five friends, a hot Texas road and a house they should never have walked into. Raw, loud and grimy, it feels almost like found footage, and it still makes audiences uncomfortable.
Slashers and masked killers
6. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Freddy Krueger kills you in your dreams, so the one rule is: don't fall asleep. Wes Craven's idea still feels fresh, and the dream scenes are pure Halloween fun.
7. Scream (1996)
A killer in a Ghostface mask who knows every horror-movie rule, and teenagers who know them too. Scary, funny and smart. The perfect film for a group watch with friends.
8. Barbarian (2022)
A double-booked rental house, a stranger already inside and a basement that goes much deeper than it should. Go in knowing as little as possible. The twists are the whole point.
Ghosts, demons and haunted houses
9. The Conjuring (2013)
Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren take on the darkest case of their careers. Old-school scares done perfectly. Listen for the clap.
10. Sinister (2012)
A true-crime writer finds a box of old home movies in his new attic. What's on them is the stuff of nightmares. Often called one of the scariest films of the last decade.
11. The Babadook (2014)
A grieving mother, her troubled son and a children's pop-up book that should never have been opened. As much about grief as it is about the monster, which makes it even scarier.
12. Talk to Me (2023)
Teenagers find an embalmed hand that lets them talk to the dead, and they turn it into a party game. Fast, shocking and one of the best horror debuts in years.
13. Evil Dead Rise (2023)
The Evil Dead series moves to a run-down apartment block, with two sisters and a family that turns on itself. Bloody, relentless and a lot of fun if you have a strong stomach.
Slow-burn nightmares
14. Hereditary (2018)
After a death in the family, a mother and her children uncover what they have inherited. Not a jump-scare film, but one that stays with you for days. Some scenes are hard to forget.
15. The Witch (2016)
1630s New England: a family alone at the edge of a forest, and something living among the trees. Slow, beautiful and deeply unsettling. Black Phillip will stay with you.
16. Longlegs (2024)
An FBI agent hunts a serial killer whose case is full of occult clues, and finds a personal connection she didn't expect. Cold, eerie and full of dread from the very first scene.
Modern hits with a message
17. Get Out (2017)
A weekend with the girlfriend's parents that becomes something far worse. Jordan Peele's debut is tense, clever and full of details you'll only notice the second time.
18. It (2017)
The Losers' Club against Pennywise, a clown that becomes whatever you fear most. Part horror, part coming-of-age adventure. Great if your group wants scares with heart.
19. A Quiet Place (2018)
A family survives in total silence because the creatures hunt by sound. You'll find yourself holding your breath with them. Possibly the quietest cinema experience you'll ever have.
One for the whole family
20. Hocus Pocus (1993)
Three witch sisters return to Salem on Halloween night after 300 years. Not scary, but a Halloween tradition for a reason. Put it on early in the evening, before the real horror starts.
How to plan your Halloween marathon
- Start light, end dark. Open with Hocus Pocus or Scream, then move on to The Conjuring and Sinister, and finish after midnight with Hereditary.
- Add everything to My List first, so you don't spend the night searching.
- If a video doesn't load, open the Server menu at the top of the player and pick another server.
- Want more? Browse all horror films or explore films by year.
Happy Halloween, and don't forget to check behind you. 🎃