Halloween 2023 arrives in 13 days, so let's see what's next on our checklist. Planning that Halloween bash or small family get-together is easier when we break it down into manageable tasks. The Halloween Countdown #2 - Halloween Movies blog post will inform your movie night choices for the 31st. The Halloween Countdown articles will get you in the spooky season spirit and feeling prepared by offering suggestions and inspiration for your Halloween festivities. Check out Halloween Countdown #1 - Spooky Music for great Halloween Playlist ideas! Let's get started!
Movie Night:
If you are planning a gathering, consider playing Classic Horror films in the background. If you think the movie might be distracting, just play it on mute. The terrifying scenes will add to your party ambience and get guests in the mood. If your Halloween party is a quiet evening with close family, then choosing a feel-good or less frightening flick might be best. Be mindful of the ages and sensitivities of your family members, we want to build good memories. Either way, we get to have the fun of doing our research next! Grab your journal and pen, and let's choose a movie or two!
Don't have a Spooky Season Journal? Take a look here for some great Halloween Journals perfect for planning your bash!
I have featured 10 of the top Halloween-worthy movies to get you started.
Classic Horror:
Creaky doors, freaky costumes, and spooky atmospheres, these monsters didn't need all the filmmaker dressings to send a chill up our spines!
1. The Amityville Horror(1979)
Based on the story of a grisly mass murder in Long Island, New York, this chilling supernatural film will have you gripping your movie blanket and holding your breath.
Where to watch: Max, Redbox, Prime Video, Apple TV, or Vudu
(Or you can watch the 2005 reboot on Pluto TV)
2. The Shining (1980)
Directed by Stanley Kubrick, The Shining is based on a Stephen King novel. Yes, a family heads to the isolated Overlook hotel in Colorado where Jack becomes the winter caretaker and slowly goes mad as he is influenced by a sinister presence.
Where to watch: Showtime/Paramount+, Max, rent on Prime Video
Monster Movies:
What's that I hear going bump in the night? Zombies and witches and demons, oh my!
3. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
The staggering, foaming at the mouth, groaning zombie masterpiece that started our love of zombie thrillers. A must-watch for zombie fans!
Where to watch: Max, Peacock, AMC, rent on Prime Video and Vudu
4. A Quiet Place (2018)
Fighting to keep their family alive during an invasion of blind but sound-sensitive creatures, Emily Blunt and John Krasinski must operate in silence in order to survive in this intense, pulse-pounding flick.
Where to watch: Paramount+, Prime Video, Vudu, Apple TV
Slasher Films:
The villains rise up again and again - will they ever be put down? Slasher movies are a Halloween essential and have spawned scream-worthy sequels and many costume possibilities.
5. Halloween (1978)
The infamous escaped mental patient, Michael Myers, leaves a trail of dead bodies and teen screams in this slasher movie that launched a thousand horror movie tropes.
Where to watch: Shudder, Plex
6. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Still as disturbing today as it was in 1984, this supernatural slasher has knives for fingers and melted skin for a face. This iconic horror flick's serial killer, Freddie Kruger, bludgeons teens while they dream. "Nine, ten, never sleep again," just might keep you awake all night!
Where to watch: Max, rent on Vudu
7. Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Oscar-winning psychological horror thriller that features two disturbingly creepy killers and stars Jodie Foster as an FBI agent, is a sure win for Halloween thrills and chills. Genuinely unsettling, if you like suspense thrillers this is the film for you.
Where to watch: Max
Movies for Scaredy-Cats:
You don't like to be scared? Not to worry, here are a couple of light and funny Halloween movie choices with just a hint of spooky. Also, check out the Family-Friendly Halloween Movies in the next section!
8. Beetlejuice (1988)
Two kindly spirits try to evict a horrid New York family from their home by hiring a devious and obnoxious spirit. (By the way, the long-awaited sequel comes out in 2024.)
Where to watch: Hulu
9. Young Frankenstein (1974)
The grandson of the infamous scientist is invited to Transylvania, where he tries to reanimate his dead subject all the while struggling to prove his grandfather was not a madman. Filled with the slapstick humor we know and love from Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn, Teri Garr, Cloris Leachman and many more, this comedy is sure to please on Halloween.
Where to watch: Hulu
10. Clue (1985)
You know it! This comedy is based on the board game and is a perfect choice for Halloween. You might even consider playing Clue, then watching Clue! In the movie, six guests are anonymously invited to a strange mansion for dinner. After their host is killed, the guests and staff must cooperate to identify the murderer before more dead bodies are found.
Where to watch: Prime Video
Family-Friendly Halloween Movies:
A great way to get in the Halloween spirit with the whole family is with sweet but spooky movies! Please preview any movie you decide to watch with children to be sure it is right for you and yours.
11. Hocus Pocus (1993)
A fantasy comedy film about a boy and his little sister who awaken a trio of wicked witches, known as the Sanderson sisters, who were executed in the 17th century. High energy, charm, and goofiness make this film highly enjoyable.
Where to watch: Disney+
12. Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
The pumpkin king of Halloween, Jack Skellington, takes over the jolliest holiday of them all in this dark fantasy, stop-motion animated musical. Is it a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie? You decide! Either way, the characters are lovable and the music is memorable.
Where to watch: Disney+
New Favorites:
The Fall of the House of Usher(2023)
It would be remiss of me not to mention the brand new, The Fall of the House of Usher. Loosely based on Edgar Allan Poe's story of the same name, this TV miniseries follows two ruthless siblings trying to build a dynasty amidst misfortune and a supernatural threat. We have designed a sweatshirt inspired by Poe's House of Usher. If you are a fan of Poe, Usher, or Victorian Mansions, you will love our All-Over Print version of this horror story. Click here to take a look!
Where to watch: Netflix
To Wrap Up:
There are so many more great possibilities for Halloween Movie-watching this season. Whether you are playing a classic horror film in the background of your Halloween Bash or sitting down with popcorn and caramel apples snuggled up with the family for a spooky movie night, have fun researching and, if you are like me, walking down memory lane in pursuit of the perfect Spooky Movie. Jot a note or two in your journal and make this year's Halloween planning look effortless!
Happy Haunting Movie Hunting!
