This list of the scariest Halloween movies and horror films includes classics (The Addams Family), mysteries (Dead Again), black comedies (Beetlejuice), children’s Halloween classics (It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown). It’s a Haunted House of Halloween Horror Films — and there’s something for everyone.
First, a quip from someone who starred in several horror movies:
“In all the horror films that I have done, all of those women were strong women. I don’t feel I ever played the victim, although I was always in jeopardy,” said Adrienne Barbeau, who starred in The Fog, Creepshow, Swamp Thing, and Escape From New York.
Victim or not, she did alot of screaming in her scary shows! To learn more about The Nightmare on Elm Street DVD Collection, click Freddy Krueger. And, here are 20 of the best Halloween movies and horror films…
Top 20 Halloween Movies and Horror Films
Abbott & Costello Meet the Mummy
– a classic horror film from 1955: Abbott and Costello go to Egypt and find archaeologist Dr. Zoomer murdered before they can return to America. A medallion leads them to a crypt where a revived mummy terrorizes them. “Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein” may be a scarier, more believable Halloween movie.
The Addams Family
– a black comedy starring Christina Ricci, Christopher Lloyd, Raúl Juliá, and Anjelica Huston. The Addamses are a family of wealthy and eccentric individuals who live together in a mansion and share a common interest in bizarre and macabre activities. This is a funny horror film.
An American Werewolf in London
– Two American students in England are attacked by a Werewolf. One is killed, the other is mauled. The Werewolf is killed, but reverts to its human form, and the townspeople deny its existence. The surviving student begins to have nightmares; his dead friend friend and other recent victims appear to him, demanding that he find a way to die to release them from their curse (they’re trapped between worlds because of their unnatural death). This horror film is a remake of one of the best, oldest Halloween movies of all time.
The Amityville Horror
– a family moves into a house that was the site of a horrific murder the year before. They decide to keep the house and try to keep the horror in the past. But, the husband starts to behave strangely and the daughter starts to see people. What now follows is 28 days of sheer terror for the family! (one of the best Halloween movies to watch with your own family….)
Arachnophobia
– starring Jeff Daniels and John Goodman, Arachnophobia features a large spider from the jungles of South America, which is accidentally transported in a crate with a dead body to America where it mates with a local spider. Soon after, the residents of a small California town disappear as the result of spider bites from the deadly spider offspring. It’s up to a couple of doctors and an insect exterminator to annihilate these eight legged freaks before they take over the entire town. If you’re scared of spiders, this isn’t the best horror film for you (unless you like to be grossed out!).
Beetlejuice
– a black comedy starring Michael Keaton, Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin, Catherine O’Hara, and Winona Ryder. Adam and Barbara are a normal couple who also happen to be dead. A live family moves into their house; Adam and Barbara try to scare them out, but end up becoming the main attraction as the family makes money from their presence. They call upon Beetlejuice to help, but he has other ideas in mind. This is one of the best Halloween movies ever.
Blade
– in a world where vampires walk the earth, Blade (played by Wesley Snipes) has a goal: to rid the world of all vampire evil. When he witnesses a vampire bite a female doctor, he fights the vampire and takes her to his hideout to heal her. The vampire and Blade battle it out in this horror film (which isn’t exactly the scariest Halloween movie ever).
Creature From the Black Lagoon
– originally released in 1954, this classic horror film has been re-made and is scheduled to be released in 2009. A scientific expedition searching for fossils along the Amazon River discovers a prehistoric Gill-Man in the legendary Black Lagoon. The explorers capture the mysterious creature, but it breaks free. The Gill-Man returns to kidnap the lovely Kay, fiancée of one of the expedition members, with whom it has fallen in love.
Dawn of the Dead
– a mysterious virus transforms its victims into mindless, flesh-eating zombies. This horror movie is packed with blood, gore and bone-chilling thrills as a handful of survivors wage a battle to stay alive – and human. Zombies are definitely a popular theme of a scary Halloween movie! If you’re thinking of dressing up as a zombie for Halloween, read Easy Halloween Costumes for Men.
Dead Again
– starring Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, and Andy Garcia. A Los Angeles private detective specializes in finding missing persons; he takes on the case of a mystery woman who he calls Grace. She has amnesia, and keeps having nightmares involving the murder of a pianist Margaret by her husband Roman Strauss in the late 1940’s. In an attempt to solve the mystery surrounding nightmares, the detective seeks the help of an antiques dealer with the gift of hypnosis. The hypnosis sessions soon begin to reveal some surprises. This thriller will have you at the edge of your seat!
Dracula
– starring Winona Ryder and Gary Oldman, this version of Dracula is closely based on Bram Stoker’s classic novel. A young lawyer is assigned to a gloomy village in the mists of eastern Europe. He is captured and imprisoned by the undead vampire Dracula, who travels to London because of a a photograph of the lawyer’s fiancée. Dracula begins a reign of seduction and terror, and the friends gather to try to drive Dracula away.
Frankenstein
– Dr. Frankenstein creates a simple creature from various body parts. This creature turns into a monster when Dr. Frankenstein rejects him, and seeks his “father.” This is a classic horror film, great on Halloween.
Friday The 13th
– Many years after a boy drowns one summer and two camp counselors are killed the subsequent summer at Camp Crystal Lake, a new owner decides to reopen, which sparks a series of grisly murders. One of the best, scariest Halloween horror movies!
Hocus Pocus
– starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy, this scary movie tells the tale of an event that happened more than 300 years ago. Three witches were sentenced to die in Salem, Massachusetts and a boy was turned into a black cat. At Halloween, the witches return. This time, they’re set on immortal life and have turned their wrath on trick-or-treaters. It’s up to the 300-year-old cat to save the day. If you’re looking for a costume and want to dress up like one of these witches, read Creative Halloween Costumes for Women, Girls, and Couples.
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
– written by Charles Schulz, this classic Halloween film tells the story of how The Peanuts gang celebrates Halloween. Linus hopes that he’ll finally be visited by The Great Pumpkin, and Charlie Brown is invited to a Halloween party.
Jacob’s Ladder
– a Vietnam vet has terrifying nightmares that seem to spill over into the waking world. Faceless demons have begun chasing Jacob through desolate New York alleys and he fears for his sanity. He finds out that he was victim of brutal drug experiments in Vietnam. Jacob begins to pursue the horrifying truth in this chilling and profoundly surreal suspense/horror film.
Monster House
– A teenager observes his neighbor Nebbercracker, who destroys tricycles of children that trespass his lawn. When the teen’s parents travel on the eve of Halloween and the abusive nanny Zee stays with him, he calls his clumsy best friend to play basketball. When the ball falls in Nebbercracker’s lawn, the old man has a seizure and soon the teens discover that the house is a monster. Nobody believes them when they try to explain that the haunted house is a monster. The secret of how to destroy the house is revealed on Halloween night.
The Nightmare on Elm Street – this classic Halloween movie features a young girl who discovers that the ghost-like figure of Freddy Krueger, a former child-serial killer, is able to murder teenagers in their dreams while they sleep. Her friends die gruesome deaths as she battles to stay awake to avoid his razor-sharp appendages. Eventually as the massive amounts of coffee wear off, she will have to battle Freddy for her life in her worst nightmare come true. This is one of the most popular Halloween movies ever made.
Pet Cemetary
– Louis Creed has just moved to Maine with his wife and kids when he learns that the family cat has been hit by a truck and killed. He follows a strange elderly neighbour who claims to know a secret that will make the family feel better. Jud takes him into an ancient Micmac burial ground where they bury the cat. Miraculously, the feline returns in a matter of days, resurrected but different. Despite strong warnings of horrible consequences, Dr. Creed returns to the burial ground hoping to bury and bring his son back. A Stephen King classic horror film! By the way, if you have pets you want to dress up, read Halloween Costumes for Dogs and Cats.
Poltergeist
– a family learns that their home rests on an ancient burial ground. Poltergeists move the furniture and communicate with youngest daughter through the TV set. Harmless pranks turn bad when the ghosts kidnap the daughter into the spirit world through the TV. Parapsychologists and a psychic are called to the rescue to perform an elaborate exorcism.
Practical Magic
– starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock, this is more of a comedy/fantasy/mystery than a true scary Halloween movie. Sisters Sally and Gillian Owens have always known they were different. Raised by their aunts after their parents’ death, they grew up in a household that was anything but typical–their aunts fed them chocolate cake for breakfast and taught them to use practical magic. Their sorcery carries a price – or, more accurately, a curse: the men they fall in love with are doomed to an untimely death. Sally and Gillian must use all of their powers to fight the family curse and a swarm of supernatural forces that threatens the lives of all the Owens women.
Psycho
– starring Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh, this is a classic horror film that many people are scared to watch! Marion Crane is fed up with her life; she has to meet her lover Sam in lunch breaks and they can’t get married because of Sam’s alimony payments. When Marion is trusted to bank $40,000 for her employer, she sees an opportunity to take the money and start a new life. She leaves town and heads towards Sam’s California store. Tired after the long drive and caught in a storm, she gets off the main highway and pulls into The Bates Motel. The motel is managed by a quiet young man called Norman who seems to be dominated by his mother…and who is (simply put) psycho.
What have I missed — do you have any suggestions for the best Halloween horror movies or scary films? Your comments are welcome below…
If you’re throwing a Halloween party, read Scary Halloween Decorations for Parties.
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Comment by minetruly on 12 October 2008:
I’ve seen The Ring. It comes in two versions: The original Japanese version, and the American remake. The Japanese version is by far one of the creepiest movies I’ve ever seen. Asian horror tends to have scary elements that American horror lacks. It is completely worth watching. Once you’ve seen the Japanese version, it’s worth it to watch the American version for comparison. The American version also has scenes which the perverted mind can interpret as sexual interest between the mother and her six-year-old son. (Such as him lying in bed with her and calling her by her first name in the sequel.)
Comment by Kelli on 10 May 2009:
I feel the Friday the 13 movies were the best of the best. I love them and I liked the Halloween movies also but not as well. I liked Freddy also with the claws. I liked the Jason vs Freddy that was great! I loved that movie and the past and all the famous people in them. I would of crapped my pants if Jason was coming after me….. Hopefully they make more Jason movies he needs to carry on the legacy for years to come. Every Halloween we watch movies and eat lots of Popcorn. I always take my son Trick or Treating then it comes time for the movies. Every year I love it Friday the 13 and I love Halloween October is my favorite month…..