You’re not obligated to celebrate Halloween, but it’s a lot more fun if you do. That means it’s time to load up a list of classics to help you ring in the holiday properly. Whether you like the shot of adrenaline from a good slasher flick or cozying up with the Beetlejuice sequel, there’s no shortage of options out there, so we asked our readers to consider the best Halloween movies of all time. Find the top fan picks ranked below, from cutesy coming-of-age stories to gory horror that’ll make you sleep with the lights on.
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5. Bram Stoker’s Dracula
We’re starting this list with an early ’90s classic. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Bram Stoker’s Dracula zeroes in on the 15th-century prince but adds a melodramatic flair that makes it a sterling adaptation. The costumes and location are top-notch, as is the cast (Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, and Keanu Reeves, to name a few). Saturated with color, Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a strange and bloody trip the whole way through, so it’s no wonder our readers picked it.
4. Scream
Although Ghostface returned in 2022 for the franchise’s fifth film, and the first since Wes Craven’s passing, nothing beats the original. The 1996 horror movie opens with a series of increasingly unsettling calls from the killer — a scene so dialed that it could essentially serve as a short film. Instead, Craven subverted expectations by killing off Drew Barrymore, the movie’s biggest name, in the first 12 minutes. The body count only increases, too, as Ghostface turns their quiet suburbia into a bloody mess.
3. Trick R Treat
Though anthology films can be inconsistent, Trick R Treat is campy fun all the way through. Written and directed by Michael Dougherty (also the mind behind the similarly dark holiday film Krampus), the film features four stories that will seriously creep you out. It definitely has the Halloween spirit, featuring werewolves, pumpkin heads, and poisoned sweets alongside its share of gore and suspense. Beyond the writing, though, it’s the knockout cast (Anna Paquin, Brian Cox, Dylan Baker, etc.) that genuinely heightens these sinister tales.
2. Halloweentown
The original Halloweentown remains cheesy fun, which is probably why it made this list. Debbie Reynolds stars as the witchy grandmother who introduces the children to the spooky town, where they find kinship with the creatures that inhabit it. It’s a classic tale of good vs. evil, filled with camp, barbershop werewolves, and supernatural twists. This Disney Channel flick may not hold up as well upon rewatch (the movie didn’t have a large budget despite its success), but its pure nostalgia makes it a seasonal essential.
1. Halloween
There’s no film more fitting for the top spot. John Carpenter’s Halloween elevated the horror genre — from its eerie soundtrack to the strange lore of Michael Myers. Set in the fictional suburban town of Haddonfield, Illinois, the film induced fear and suspense at every turn. Making it even stronger, Halloween acted as Jamie Lee Curtis’ film debut, where her character — final girl Laurie Strode — continued to evade Myers throughout the story. It’s a tension that keeps you on the edge of your seat.