Let’s face it, we all love a good Halloween movie, and there have been plenty of them over the years.
There’s nothing better than sitting back and watching a spooky film with friends and family that will leave you with chills down your spine. Spooky month is all about those scary moments, pumpkin carving, and trick-or-treaters.
So, if you’re looking for a great Halloween film to watch, here’s a list of the best from each decade, including favorites like The Witches, Friday the 13th, Hocus Pocus, and more!
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1920s
We’re kicking off this list in the ’20s – a decade that gave us some of the most iconic films of all time. Classics like The Phantom of the Opera, which was famously remade in 2004, and the chilling Nosferatu helped define the era of cinematic storytelling.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari – 1920
The Phantom Carriage – 1921
Nosferatu – 1922
The Phantom of the Opera – 1925
1930s
You may well have heard of these popular titles from this decade. Some dark classics were adapted for the screen, including Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Dracula by Bram Stoker, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. The ’30s truly stunned with their range of horror titles.
Frankenstein – 1931
Dracula – 1931
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde- 1931
Freaks – 1932
The Old Dark House – 1932
King Kong – 1933
The Invisible Man – 1933
The Black Cat -1934
The Bride of Frankenstein – 1935
The Raven – 1935
1940s
The 1940s were an absolute treat for horror fans. Movies like The Wolf Man (1941), Cat People (1942), and The Body Snatcher (1945) kept audiences glued to their seats with their spine-tingling stories, making these films classics that horror lovers still celebrate today.
The Wolf Man -1941
Cat People – 1942
The Body Snatcher – 1945
1950s
We have a range of incredible titles from the 50s. These are some timeless classics that will surely be a treat to watch during the spooky season – from Godzilla to The Twilight Zone.
The Prowler – 1951
Godzilla – 1954
Creature from the Black Lagoon – 1954
The Creature from the Black Lagoon – 1954
Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy – 1954
The Night of the Hunter – 1955
Bigger Than Life – 1956
Horror of Dracula – 1958
House on Haunted Hill – 1958
The Twilight Zone – 1959
1960s
The swinging ’60s were a game-changer for horror, which included the most iconic titles the genre has ever seen. From Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho to Roman Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby, these films redefined what horror could be on the big screen.
Psycho – 1960
Eyes Without a Face – 1960
The Birds – 1963
The Haunting – 1963
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown – 1966
Wait Until Dark – 1967
Rosemary’s Baby – 1968
Night of the Living Dead – 1968
1970s
Some films are just truly terrifying, and you’re not really sure if you’ll ever recover. If you need a Halloween movie to watch this season, there are some great ones from the ’70s that will creep you out while also giving you a really good time.
Deliverance – 1972
The Exorcist – 1973
Young Frankenstein – 1974
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre – 1974
Jaws – 1975
The Rocky Horror Picture Show – 1975
Carrie – 1976
The Omen – 1976
Suspiria – 1977
Halloween – 1978
Dawn of the Dead – 1978
Invasion of the Body Snatchers – 1978
Phantasm – 1979
The Amityville Horror – 1979
1980s
We’ve entered the 80s, and so many films from this decade have been great watches. There are quite a few on this list that could easily become some of your favourites.
The Shining – 1980
The Changeling – 1980
Friday the 13th – 1980
The Watcher in the Woods – 1980
The Evil Dead – 1981
An American Werewolf in London – 1981
Ms .45 – 1981
The Funhouse – 1981
The Thing – 1982
E.T. The Extra Terrestrial – 1982
Poltergeist – 1982
Creepshow – 1982
Sleepaway Camp – 1983
Ghostbusters – 1984
A Nightmare on Elm Street – 1984
Gremlins – 1984
Children of the Corn – 1984
The Return of the Living Dead – 1985
Fright Night – 1985
Clue – 1985
The Fly – 1986
Little Shop of Horrors – 1986
Fatal Attraction – 1987
Beetlejuice – 1988
Child’s Play – 1988
Pet Semetary – 1989
1990s
I absolutely love a lot of the films on this list because the 90s were a time when horror truly dominated the box office. It was a decade with much-loved and creepy storylines and iconic characters that are celebrated in pop culture, from Scream and The Addams Family and Hocus Pocus.
Edward Scissorhands – 1990
Misery – 1990
The Witches – 1990
The Addams Family – 1991
Bram Stoker’s Dracula – 1992
Candyman – 1992
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle – 1992
Death Becomes Her – 1992
Buffy the Vampire Slayer – 1992
The Nightmare Before Christmas – 1993
Hocus Pocus – 1993
Interview With the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles – 1994
Casper – 1995
Matilda – 1996
Scream – 1996
The Craft – 1996
I Know What You Did Last Summer – 1997
Halloweentown – 1998
Blade – 1998
Practical Magic – 1998
The Sixth Sense -1999
Audition – 1999
Sleepy Hollow – 999
The Blair Witch Project – 1999
2000s
I’m a fan of so many films from the early noughties. From the start of the new millennium up until 2009, Hollywood delivered a range of fantastic Halloween blockbusters.
Requiem for a Dream – 2000
Ginger Snaps – 2000
What Lies Beneath – 2000
Final Destination – 2000
28 Days Later – 2002
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – 2002
Signs – 2002
In My Skin – 2002
The Ring – 2002
Unfaithful – 2002
Final Destination 2 – 2003
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre – 2003
The Haunted Mansion – 2003
The Haunted Mansion – 2003
Shaun of the Dead – 2004
Saw – 2004
Corpse Bride – 2005
The Descent – 2005
Hard Candy – 2005
Twitches – 2005
House of Wax – 2005
Pan’s Labyrinth – 2006
Final Destination 3 – 2006
Trick ‘r Treat – 2007
Paranormal Activity – 2007
Repo! The Genetic Opera – 2008
Twilight – 2008
The Strangers – 2008
Zombieland – 2009
Coraline – 2009
Jennifer’s Body – 2009
2010s
The 2010s were an amazing decade for horror and Halloween films, from The Conjuring to Warm Bodies, you won’t get bored with these awesome flicks.
Black Swan – 2010
The House of the Devil – 2010
All Good Things – 2010
The Cabin in the Woods – 2011
Sound of My Voice – 2011
Fright Night – 2011
ParaNorman – 2012
Sinister – 2012
Hotel Transylvania – 2012
V/H/S – 2012
142 Would You Rather – 2012
The Possession – 2012
Fun Size – 2012
The Conjuring – 2013
Warm Bodies – 2013
Oculus – 2013
The Purge – 2013
Citizenfour – 2014
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night – 2014
The Babadook – 2014
It Follows – 2015
Train to Busan – 2016
Raw – 2016
The Conjuring 2 – 2016
Ghostbusters – 2016
Get Out – 2017
It – 2017
A Ghost Story – 2017
Happy Death Day – 2017
A Quiet Place – 2018
Hereditary – 2018
Halloween – 2018
Apostle – 2018
The Perfection – 2018
Hell Fest – 2018
The Strangers: Prey at Night – 2018
Malevolent – 2018
What We Do in the Shadows – 2019
Parasite – 2019
Knives Out – 2019
Ready or Not – 2019
Haunt – 2019
La Llorona – 2019
Saint Maud – 2019
Us – 2019
Crawl – 2019
Midsommar – 2019
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark – 2019
Brightburn – 2019
The Lodge – 2019
Ma – 2019
The Twilight Zone – 2019
Escape Room – 2019
The Dead Don’t Die – 2019
Pet Semetary – 2019
2020s
This decade has already seen some pretty cool Halloween films – and it’s not always scary. On this list, you can find films to enjoy with the while family as you tuck into some treats.
The Invisible Man – 2020
His House – 2020
Host – 2020
The Hunt – 2020
The Swarm – 2020
Fantasy Island – 2020
Hubie Halloween – 2020
The Black Phone – 2021
Fear Street: Part 2 1978 – 2021
Fear Street: Part 3 1666 – 2021
The Night House – 2021
Fear Street: Part 1 1994 – 2021
The Conjuring 3: The Devil Made Me Do It – 2021
Malignant – 2021
Spiral: From The Book Of Saw – 2021
Prey – 2022
X – 2022
Fresh – 2022
Nope – 2022
Watche – 2022
Hocus Pocus 2 – 2022
Men – 2022
The Invitation – 2022
Dark Harvest – 2023
V/H/S/85 – 2023
Carve – 2024
Haunt Season – 2024
V/H/S/Halloween – 2025
The Conjuring: The Last Rites – 2025