Unforgettable Scary Halloween Movies of All Time
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Halloween is just around the corner, meaning it is time to get into the spooky spirit. During this spooky season, watching some nerve-racking movies is as good as preparing Halloween decorations for home or getting ready with some spooky Halloween costumes. It’s a perfect time to watch scary Halloween movies at night hours on 31st October to make your Halloween time more memorable and unique. Watching scary movies is a classic Halloween tradition. Horror movies have existed for decades and are extremely popular with all age groups, especially youngsters. People love being scared, and what better way to get that rush of fear than by watching a scary movie?
If you are thinking of hosting a Halloween movie night party with your friends and families and watching scary Halloween movies, here are some of the most popular and box office hit scary movies you can watch at this trick & treat time of the year. We have created this list based on reviewing multiple popular movie review websites.
#1
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THE EXORCIST (1973)
The Exorcist is a supernatural horror movie. Many critics have considered it one of the best horror films in American cinematic history. Warner Bros. produced the film on December 26, 1973. It was the first of its kind and set the standard for all subsequent movies of this genre to follow. The film was nominated for ten Academy Awards and won two Oscars. The film is directed by William Friedkin and stars Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Max von Sydow, and Jason Miller. It is part of The Exorcist franchise.
It is a powerful film that explores the battle between good and evil. It is based on the novel written by William Peter Blatty, who also wrote the screenplay. Based on the true story of Linda Blair’s possession by an evil spirit and the exorcism performed by two priests, this film is absolutely chilling and highly graphic. You can stream the Exorcist movie on Netflix.
#2
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HEREDITARY (2018)
Hereditary is a 2018 supernatural psychological horror film written and directed by Ari Aster in his feature directorial debut. The Hereditary movie casts are Toni Collette, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro, Ann Dowd, and Gabriel Byrne.
The plot follows the Graham family, which begins to unravel after the death of their reclusive grandmother. The family members are mother Annie (Toni Collette), father Steve (Gabriel Byrne), teenage daughter Charlie (Milly Shapiro), and son Peter (Alex Wolff). Annie begins to see a mysterious presence around her home that no one else can see. As the spirit continues to torment her family, it becomes clear that this apparition will not leave them alone until their darkest secrets come to light. Peter is experiencing what he thinks are the first real feelings of anxiety in his life.
#3
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THE CONJURING (2013)
The Conjuring is the name of a horror movie that is based on a “true story” series, which includes Paranormal Activity (2007) and Insidious (2010). The film was released in 2013. It has since become one of the most popular horror movies ever made. The film is directed by James Wan and written by Chad Hayes and Carey W. Hayes and stars Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga.
The film is based on the case files of Ed and Lorraine Warren, two paranormal investigators who were called upon to help a family whose farmhouse became haunted by ghosts. After finding it abandoned, the family moved into the house with no sign of any previous occupants. You can stream this movie on Netflix, Max, Hulu, etc.
#4
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THE SHINING (1980)
The Shining is a 1980 horror movie produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, co-written with novelist Diane Johnson, and starring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, and Scatman Crothers. It is one of the most popular horror movies you can watch for the best thrilling experience.
It is based on Stephen King’s 1977 novel of the same name. The movie tells a bizarre story about Jack Torrance (played by Jack Nicholson) and his family’s stay at the isolated Overlook Hotel in Colorado. Jack served in the hotel as a caretaker during the winter. While staying over the place, Jack and his wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and son Danny (Danny Lloyd) experience supernatural phenomena while he slowly loses his mind.
#5
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THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (1974)
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a dark, gritty, and disturbing horror movie that has gained cult status since its release in 1974. The film was directed by Tobe Hooper, produced by Lawrence Bender, and written by Kim Henkel and Tobe Hooper. It stars Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow, and Gunnar Hansen.
The film focuses on five teenagers traveling across Texas to visit their grandfather’s grave in Colorado. They are attacked by a family of cannibals while being chased by law enforcement.
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#6
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THE RING (2002)
The Ring is a 2002 supernatural psychological horror film directed by Gore Verbinski and featured Naomi Watts, Daveigh Chase, Brian Cox, and Martin Henderson. It is a remake of the 1998 Japanese horror film Ring and is the first installment in The Ring franchise. The Ring has been labeled as one of the best horror films ever made by critics worldwide.
The Ring focuses on the story of Rachel Keller, a journalist investigating an urban legend about a videotape that kills whoever watches it after seven days. However, her son Aidan starts to watch the tape, and she sets out to discover more about it before he dies in seven days.
#7
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HALLOWEEN (1978)
Halloween is a 1978 independent slasher film directed by John Carpenter, co-written with producer Debra Hill, and starring Donald Pleasence and Jamie Lee Curtis in her debut. The film was the first installment of what became the Halloween franchise. The movie is one of the best horror movies ever made. It has stood the test of time and is still a classic of the slasher film genre today.
The plot is set in the fictional Midwestern town of Haddonfield, Illinois. The story revolves around a psychotic killer who murders teenage girls on Halloween night. On Halloween night in 1963, six-year-old Michael Myers murdered his older sister by stabbing her with a kitchen knife. Fifteen years later, he escapes from a psychiatric hospital on Halloween night and returns home to murder anyone wearing a Halloween mask or costume.
#8
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SINISTER (2012)
The Sinister is a supernatural horror film written by Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill, directed by Scott Derrickson, and starring Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance, James Ransone, Fred Dalton Thompson, and Michael Hall D’Addario.
The film depicts the story of Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke), a true crime writer who moves his family into a house in a small town that was the scene of a grisly murder. The previous owner of the house disappeared in suspicious circumstances. When Ellison begins investigating the disappearance, he finds evidence that the house is haunted. He hopes to find inspiration there to finish his next book. Instead, he finds 8mm footage of murders and supernatural occurrences.
#9
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INSIDIOUS (2010)
Insidious is a 2010 supernatural horror film directed by James Wan, written by Leigh Whannell, and featuring Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne. It is the first installment in the Insidious franchise.
It tells the story of Josh and Renai Lambert’s family that moves into a new house, only to have their son inexplicably enter a comatose state. The parents begin to notice strange behavior in their son Dalton and seek the help of parapsychologists, who discover that an entity has attached itself to him. Renai has a recurring nightmare about being attacked in the kitchen by an evil spirit, so Josh decides to have their house blessed by a priest. The priest tries to help them but cannot do anything because the demon’s power is too strong.
#10
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IT (2017)
The film IT is a supernatural horror movie produced in 2017. It is directed by Andrés Muschietti, based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name. The screenplay is written by Chase Palmer, Cary Fukunaga, and Gary Dauberman.
IT, the monster, is a manifestation of fear itself. The plot follows seven children in Derry, Maine, who are terrorized by an evil shapeshifting clown called Pennywise, whose history of murder and violence dates back centuries. The film takes place in 1988 (when the protagonists are kids) and present-day (when they have grown up).