40 Classic Halloween Movies to Watch for a Scary Evening In

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40 Classic Halloween Movies to Watch for a Scary Evening In

From childhood classic like Halloweentown to cult favorites like Beetlejuice, we guarantee you'll find your favorites here.

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40 Classic Halloween Movies to Watch for a Scary Evening In

Just like Christmas has its music and Valentine's Day has its chocolates, Halloween simply wouldn't be Halloween without the movies that go along with it. The jack-o-laterns, costumes, and candy apples are nice, no doubt. But to really set the mood?

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40 Classic Halloween Movies to Watch for a Scary Evening In

There's nothing like a movie night filled with all the greatest chainsaw-wielding, spell-binding, hair-raising flicks to get you in the spooky season spirit. You don't have to be fan of horror to appreciate a good Halloween movie either–some of them aren't even scary!

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40 Classic Halloween Movies to Watch for a Scary Evening In

They're just full of the October fun that we only get 31 short days to make the most of. So break out the stash of extra candy, turn off all the lights, lock every last door, and settle in for the best of the best Halloween movies. Here, find 40 that we think you won't want to miss.

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It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)

This is a true classic the whole family can enjoy. For more than 50 years, Snoopy and the gang have been getting us into the Halloween spirit. The animation might even make you nostalgic for childhood memories of trick-or-treating.

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Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

The cult-favorite musical is the longest running theatrical release in history, because of its frequent, interactive showings around Halloween. So watch it solo or, even better, grab some friends and do the Time Warp again.

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Hocus Pocus (1993)

You can't go wrong with Hocus Pocus. The family-friendly comedy stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy star as three Salem, Massachusetts witches, resurrected just in time for Halloween.

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Harry Potter

It's been argued that the Harry Potter films are all Christmas movies, as the festive season often features, but it's also safe to call them Halloween flicks—after all, the story is about witches and wizards. Each of the films is currently available to stream on HBO Max.

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Scream (1996)

This clever-yet-scary slasher movie/black comedy stars a variety of big names, from Courtney Cox to Drew Barrymore, and continues to be a fan-favorite year after year.

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The Addams Family (1991) & Addams Family Values (1993)

When it comes to the Addams Family movies–that’s right, not just the first but the second, too!–there’s a lot to love. Great jokes, campiness, and gothic style? Plus, Angelica Huston is a total vision as Morticia. Consider these perfect viewing for anyone who loves the Halloween mood, but could do without actual scares.

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Scooby Doo & The Ghoul School

Another more kid-friendly (but still festive) film is this cartoon mystery where the Scooby Squad finds themselves in a boarding school for monsters and ghosts. It's perfect for your tween's Halloween party.

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Mean Girls

Now, Mean Girls isn't exactly a horror movie, but it does feature one of the most iconic Halloween scenes in recent memory, earning it a prime spot on this list.

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The Omen (1976)

“It’s all for you, Damien!” You’re not a real horror buff if you haven’t seen this ‘70s classic. Gregory Peck and Lee Remick star in the demonic film, which is remembered as one of the most cursed movies of all time.

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Rosemary's Baby (1968)

Roman Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby is a cornerstone of the horror movie genre, making it a must-see this spooky season. In the film, Mia Farrow plays a young woman whose husband makes a deal with the devil without her knowing.

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A Nightmare on Elm Street

lmost a decade before Scream, Wes Craven gifted the world with one of the most infamous movie villains: Freddy Krueger. But it’s not just a slasher flick with a gruesome lead, the movie is held up by a compelling premise and storyline that will definitely leave you scared to go to sleep. Did we mention this was Johnny Depp’s acting debut?

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The Haunted Mansion

Disney doesn’t do a whole lot of scary, but when they do, they sure do it right. Eddie Murphy brings his comedic genius to this spooky story of a family that ends up trapped in a (you guessed it) haunted mansion due to a case of mistaken identity. While we’d still classify this as family friendly, note that it might be on the scarier side for some young viewers.

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Friday the 13th

What starts off as a fun movie about teenagers working at a summer camp quickly turns sour as Jason Voorhees appears on one Friday the 13th. Hockey masks have never been the same since this flick’s 1980 release featuring Kevin Bacon.

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The Shining (1980)

If you're looking for a good fright with a side of cinematic prowess, turn on The Shining. The Stanley Kubrick-directed film has become a horror classic, tracing an innkeeper who goes off the psychological deep end.

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Halloween (1978)

Few movies are as appropriate for Halloween as, well, Halloween. The slasher movie stars Jamie Lee Curtis and follows a mental patient and murderer who escapes a sanitarium and returns to his hometown to stalk innocent passersby.

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Halloweentown (1998)

A movie perfect for the whole family, Halloweentown follows a young witch named Marnie, torn between her normal life and her grandmother's home in an enchanted place where it's always Halloween.

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Labryinth

This film was a collaborative effort by Jim Henson, George Lucas, and David Bowie. We’re not sure how such a star-studded project came to happen, but we’re sure glad it did. The plot: one girl has 13 hours to save her brother from being turned into a goblin by Bowie, the Goblin King.

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Child's Play (1988)

A doll possessed by a serial killer? Sure, why not. This movie introduced the infamous Chucky character, who will certainly make you look at children's toys in a different way.

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Beetlejuice (1988)

This Tim Burton horror/comedy follows a ghost couple who haunt their prior home, alongside, of course, a devious poltergeist named Beetlejuice. Watch for the laughs and THE famed striped suit.

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Get Out (2017)

This new-ish movie quickly became a horror classic. The Jordan Peele-written and directed feature follows a Black photographer going home with his white girlfriend for the first time. Shrouded by casual racism, the dynamics get eerier and eerier as the film progresses.

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Edward Scissorhands (1990)

Another Tim Burton masterpiece, Edward Scissorhands traces the unlikely love story between a man with scissor blades for hands (Johnny Depp) and a suburban teenager (Winona Ryder).

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Ghostbusters (1984)

For another family friendly option, stream the Halloween comedy classic, Ghostbusters. But, be warned, you may not be able to get the jingle out of your head for days.

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Carrie (1976)

If you don't find prom scary, you clearly haven't seen Carrie. The Stephen King novel adaptation has become a cult classic, and remains one of the all-time creepiest teen movies.

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The Exorcist (1973)

This horror favorite follows the demonic possession of a young girl, and her mother's attempts to save her through—you guessed it—exorcisms.

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The Blair Witch Project (1999)

This horror movie served as the inspiration for countless ensuing films, like Paranormal Activity. The movie revolves around three hikers who go to find the legend of Blair Witch and disappear—the movie entirely consists of "found footage," supposedly recovered from the hikers.

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The Craft (1996)

Four high schoolers discover witchcraft—what could possibly go wrong? The campy thriller explores the spiraling effects of the supernatural on a Los Angeles high school

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Paranormal Activity (2007)

The first film in the hyper-successful Paranormal Activity series uses "found footage" to follow a couple being haunted in their own home. If you like the movie, you're in luck: there are six films in the franchise.

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Double, Double, Toil and Trouble (1993)

Bring on the nostalgia with this Mary Kate and Ashley classic. In the movie, the girls try to use their twin power to free their aunt from an evil curse.

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Practical Magic (1998)

If you want a Halloween rom-com, Practical Magic is the way to go. In the film, two sisters (Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman) use their magical powers to fight a family curse preventing them from love.

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The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Equal parts Halloween and Christmas movie, The Nightmare Before Christmas is an animated feature you can watch from October through December. Who can resist following the King of Halloween Town, Jack Skellington, as he makes his accidental journey into Christmas Town?

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Frankenweenie

If you love Tim Burton's animation style, consider tuning in to his take on the Frankenstein mythology, in this heartwarming (but still a little creepy) feature about a boy and his revived dog.

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The Witches of Eastwick (1987)

The charming dark comedy stars Cher, Susan Sarandon, and Michelle Pfeiffer as three witches, whose wishes are granted when a suave, single man (Jack Nicholson) wanders into their lives.

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To Kill a Mockingbird

The film version of Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is revered for its memorable performances, and it's poignant adaptation of the story—but one of its most pivotal scenes also centers around Halloween night, with Scout stuck in a ham costume.

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Death Becomes Her (1992)

Another star-studded dark comedy, Death Becomes Her follows two women (Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn) who take a potion that promises eternal youth. As these things go, however, the elixir has unintended consequences.

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Sleepy Hollow (1999)

Yet another Tim Burton Halloween-appropriate feature, this period, gothic drama tells the story of a police constable, played by Johnny Depp, sent to investigate the Headless Horseman murders in small town Sleepy Hollow.

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Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)

The Francis Ford Coppola-directed gothic horror film puts an artistic spin on an age-old classic. This iteration takes place in late 19th century London, as Dracula ruthlessly pursues a woman who looks like his late wife.

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The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

One of the all-time-greatest horror movies, The Silence of the Lambs tells the story of a young FBI agent trying to track down a deeply disturbed serial killer. Fair warning—this film is not for the faint of heart.

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Psycho (1960)

No one did thrillers quite like Hitchcock. Watch his 1960 feature, Psycho, for a masterclass in horror that inspired generations of future filmmakers.

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Us (2019)

If you liked Get Out, try Us, a slasher movie also from Jordan Peele. Set in the 1980s, the horror film follows a young woman (Lupita Nyong'o) and her family who encounter a group of violent doppelgängers.

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