Whether you’re hoping to scare yourself silly or are searching for the perfect flick to watch with the family, the seemingly endless list of Halloween movies doesn’t disappoint. But which are truly the cream of the crop and worth your time this season?
Prepare for a spooktastic evening — these are the best Halloween movies of all time, complete with a 1-to-5 scary scale (with 5 as the scariest) to help you narrow it down from least to most terrifying.
1. Hocus Pocus (1993)
A trio of 300-year-old witches may not sound particularly terrifying, but the top Halloween movies in the world aren’t necessarily always fright fests. This is the amusing tale of the Sanderson sisters, portrayed by Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, and Bette Midler, who are resurrected in modern-day Salem by a teenage virgin who stole their book of spells. It’s cute, comedic, and well worth your time on a chilly October evening.
Scary Rating: 1
2. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
This stop-motion fantasy was met with immense critical acclaim and praise for its unique story and beautiful animation. Jack Skellington, aka the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, is bored with the usual festivities. After stumbling upon Christmas Town and learning all about “Sandy Claws” and the holiday’s traditions, he attempts to celebrate Christmas in Halloween Town the same way. But will it go as planned?
Scary Rating: 2
3. IT (2017)
A 2017 American coming-of-age supernatural horror film based on Stephen King’s 1986 novel, this story follows Pennywise the clown who preys on town’s children. Banding together over the course of one horrifying summer, the friends must overcome their own personal fears. If you’re looking for officially licensed IT content, check out our officially licensed IT store on Zazzle.
Scary Rating: 5
4. Lady in White (1988)
Set in the 1960s, the story revolves around little Frankie, who is locked in the school cloakroom by bullies and witnesses a ghostly reenactment of a little girl’s murder that occurred there a decade before on Halloween. Who is the killer, and how does the mysterious Lady in White fit into the whole story? The film was a box-office flop but later earned serious cult status for its understated approach to classic ghost storytelling.
Scary Rating: 3
5. Scream (1996)
Directed by Wes Craven, this insta-classic stars nearly everyone who ever mattered in the 1990s—Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, and Rose McGowan are but a few of the major players in the film. The modern slasher film with a humorous twist centers around a masked knife-wielding maniac who stalks high school students in a sunny California suburb. The cult-favorite spawned three sequels, but the original remains the one to watch.
Scary Rating: 4
6. Beetlejuice (1988)
The movie follows a recently deceased couple who become ghosts haunting their former home. Directed by Tim Burton, Beetlejuice is a classic Halloween movie. If you’re turning on Beetlejuice this Halloween season, you should also check out the officially licensed Beetlejuice store on Zazzle!
Scary Rating: 2
7. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Any movie junkie knows Freddy Krueger was the embodiment of horror movie psychos. The disfigured slasher with the razor glove was notorious for haunting and killing teenagers in their dreams. The film was a hit and produced a series that includes eight films, plus a 2010 remake. It’s a campy film with playful moments, and it’s packed with memorable moments
— including Johnny Depp getting sucked into a bloody bed.
Scary Rating: 5
8. The Shining (1980)
This is more of an anytime-of-year classic, but it takes on a significantly scarier appeal during Halloween. Starring Jack Nicholson as an alcoholic writer, the film is set in the secluded, haunted Overlook Hotel where he, his wife, and son are staying during winter. Supernatural forces drive Jack to the brink of insanity. The ghosts of twin girls standing at the end of the hallway, blood flooding from the elevators, Jack in the snow … it’s all here.
Scary Rating: 5
9. The Strangers (2008)
Anything involving an isolated house in the middle of nowhere and people in terrifying masks is bound to be … well, pretty scary. Kristen and James plan to spend the night at his childhood summer home, only to be taken hostage by a trio of strangers: a man in a mask, a woman in a doll mask, and another woman in a pin-up girl mask. Will the couple’s attempts to escape be successful?
Scary Rating: 5
10. Annabelle (2014)
When John purchases an antique porcelain doll, Annabelle, as a gift for his pregnant doll-collecting wife, Mia, he has no idea that the decision will change their lives. A pair of satanic cult members attack them in their home, but one kills herself while holding on to Annabelle. In the wake of this, a variety of paranormal attacks start to occur. What follows is a truly spooky story about demons and ghostly presences.
Scary Rating: 5
If you’re a huge Halloween movie buff, please share with us your favorite Halloween movie to watch during the spooky season!
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in August 2019 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Nicole is our Content Strategist. She enjoys long walks to Taco Bell, rollerblading into the sunset, and eating Reese’s Cups for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Find her writing about iPhone cases, holiday card messaging and even music festival tips!
Nosferatu, 1922. The concept of scary movie was being created and this is the first movie that actually pulled it off. Special effects weren’t yet a thing so they just experimented to see what would work. Is a chase scene scarier if you speed up the film? No. Scary level 1. How about if you suddenly switch to printing the film negative? Yes! Scary level 5.
Fun article! I do a 13 days of Halloween (as well as a 25 days of Christms) movie countdown and Practical Magic (1998) with Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock is a favorite as well as The Woman in Black (2012) with Daniel Radcliffe.
Oh, and top favorite- I almost forgot- It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown (1966)! A must watch for my family!