Halloween is almost here, and that means picking out a costume, gorging on a ton of candy, and, of course, watching all the scary movies you can. Dimension Films
But in the age of streaming, it can be nearly impossible to know where any of your favorite horror movies are actually available to watch, and you might end up scrolling for hours just to find a terrible remake or forgettable sequel to the classic. Fortunately, I am here to help with the ultimate horror movie streaming guide which will show you where all of the classics and modern scary movies are available for streaming in time for Halloween. Enjoy!
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HBO Max 28 Days Later (2002)Zombies feel a little played out at this point, but 28 Days Later remains one of the most innovative and frightening versions of the classic undead, brain-hungry monsters. The movie avoids a lot of the classic tropes, including starting after the outbreak has already happened, having the "zombies" actually come from a result of an infectious disease, and, most notably, having the zombies not walk at painfully slow speeds at all times. The result is one of the most exciting horror movies made this century, as it's genuinely scary any time Jim (Cillian Murphy) or one of his fellow survivors cross paths with their ravenous predators.
Watch it on HBO Max .
20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection The Exorcist (1973)The best horror movies often rely on the simplest premises, and that is certainly the case here. Father Karras (Jason Miller) must perform an exorcism to save a young girl named Regan (Linda Blair) from demonic possession. Without the benefit of CGI, The Exorcist still has some of the most disturbing imagery in all of horror, including Regan's head turn and the most disturbing projectile vomit in movie history. The showdown between Karras and the demon is chilling, as it is jarring to see such evil come from a young girl. The Exorcist is so iconic that countless movies in the decades since have tried to recapture the magic, but not a single one has been able to match the pure terror of the original.
Watch it on HBO Max .
Warner Bros / Courtesy Everett Collection The Fly (1986)Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum) is a scientist who dreams of creating a teleporting machine. But his dream becomes a living nightmare when he accidentally teleports himself without knowing that a fly is also in the machine. Slowly, Seth begins to lose his humanity as he morphs into a creature that is neither a person nor an insect. This is not exactly a scary movie in the sense of jump-scares or a bloody body count, but watching Seth slowly transform from a man into a truly horrific creature is one of the greatest achievements of the entire genre. Cronenberg is the undisputed master of visual horror, and he is at the top of his game in the psychological nightmare.
Watch it on HBO Max .
20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)For my money, A Nightmare on Elm Street remains the best horror movie premise of all-time. What if there was a vicious, sadistic killer who had the power to invade your dreams and kill you? There's no escaping, as everyone has to sleep at some point, and that's exactly when he strikes. It's a literal nightmare, as a group of teens find themselves being attacked by the one and only Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), who immediately earned first-ballot entry into the Horror Movie Villain Hall of Fame. While there are endless sequels with varied quality, you're best off sticking with the original Nightmare .
Watch it on HBO Max .
New Line Cinema / Courtesy Everett Collection The Omen (1976)Parenting is a tough gig, but it gets especially difficult for Robert (Gregory Peck) and Katherine (Lee Remick) as they begin to suspect that their adopted son, Damien (Harvey Spencer Stephens), is literally the Antichrist. Jerry Goldsmith's Oscar-winning score sets a terrifying tone for the viewer as Robert and Katherine try to stay alive long enough to figure out how to stop Damien from achieving global domination. The Omen was originally panned by critics who called it "a piece of junk" and "a dumb and largely dull movie," but in the years since, it's become a favorite among horror fans and is now considered a classic of the genre.
Watch it on HBO Max .
20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection The Shining (1980)Even if you've somehow never seen The Shining , you know The Shining . It's a movie that has been imitated, referenced, and parodied to death, as its unforgettable quotes, scenes, and imagery have left an impact on culture that is impossible to ignore. Kubrick once again shows that he could conquer any genre he decided to take on, as The Shining is a one-of-a-kind psychological hellscape that has been traumatizing viewers of all ages for decades. And Nicholson gives one of the most demented performances of all-time, as Jack's descent into murderous madness is incredibly disturbing to watch, no matter how many times you've seen it before.
Watch it on HBO Max .
Warner Bros / Courtesy Everett Collection The Witch (2015)A colonial family experiences the unimaginable when their infant son is taken and then murdered by a local witch. The parents begin to grow suspicious that their daughter Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) may be a witch herself, as increasingly strange and creepy things begin to transpire around them without explanation. The Witch is Robert Eggers's directorial debut, and he proved himself to be a natural craftsman of horror, as the slow burning, unsettling tone of the film leaves you on edge until the very end. It's not a film that relies on big spectacle or cheap tricks to drum up scares; instead, it allows the terror to build in your imagination as you try to figure out what forces are working against this family.
Watch it on HBO Max .
A24 / Everett Collection Hulu The Blair Witch Project (1999)Found footage has become a staple in the horror genre, with Paranormal Activity , Cloverfield , and countless others owing a debt of gratitude to The Blair Witch Project . It may not be the first found footage horror film, but Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez's film undoubtedly popularized the format. The story is simple: Three aspiring filmmakers head into the woods of Maryland to create a documentary around a local legend known as the Blair Witch. As the trio venture deeper into the woods, they begin to have strange experiences (hearing children's laughter and noticing items have gone missing) that leave them wondering if the legend of the Blair Witch is real or if it's all in their head. Despite being made on a shoestring budget of less than half a million dollars, the movie feels so realistic that at the time of its release, many viewers legitimately believed that they were watching a documentary.
Watch it on Hulu .
Artisan Entertainment /Courtesy Everett Collection The Sixth Sense (1999)As his marriage falls apart before his eyes, child psychologist Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) takes on a new patient named Cole (Haley Joel Osment), who claims that he can see dead people. As Crowe tries to make sense of Cole's strange condition, we get to be frightened by this child's unwanted interactions with the deceased all around him. The Sixth Sense 's twist ending made it a cultural phenomenon when it was released, but even if you are fully aware that (SPOILER) Malcolm was dead the whole time, the movie still holds up as one of the greatest thrillers ever made.
Watch it on Hulu .
Buena Vista Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection Netflix Hush (2016)Maddie Young (Kate Siegel) is a deaf-mute horror author who has relocated to the remote woods to try and overcome writer's block. But when a murderous psychopath (John Gallagher Jr.) stumbles upon her cabin, he begins to taunt her with death threats and forces her to try and survive this horrific situation. Netflix's horror output has been mostly hit or miss, but Hush is a genuinely disturbing flick that knows how to drum up scares without going over-the-top or failing to deliver on the premise. Gallagher is especially good as an unrepentant monster who delights in terrorizing his victim and playing the slow game with his prey.
Watch it on Netflix.
Netflix It Follows (2014)Horror Trauma has become the dominant (and arguably tired) trend over the last several years, but one of the best and first iterations was It Follows . Jay (Maika Monroe) is given a haunted STD by her shitty boyfriend where she will be killed by a monster she cannot escape unless she can pass it on by having sex with someone else. The casual yet creepy nature of whatever It actually is makes the movie totally unnerving from its opening scene, as Jay desperately tries to figure out a way to break the curse for good before it takes her life.
Watch it on Netflix .
RADiUS-TWC / Courtesy Everett Collection The Mist (2007)If there's one area where horror movies most often stumble, it's the endings. Whether it's a cliché-stuffed finale or a final reveal that is equally nonsensical and disappointing, scary movies just can't seem to stick the landing more often than not. That is what makes The Mist such a remarkable entry in the genre, as it features one of the most divisive endings in horror movie history. I won't give anything away, but seeing what happens to a group stranded in a grocery store surrounded by a monstrous mist is downright shocking, which is a reaction you will rarely find in horror.
Watch it on Netflix .
Weinstein Company / Courtesy Everett Collection Raw (2016)Justine (Garance Marillier) is a lifelong vegetarian who is forced to eat meat for the first time as part of a hazing ritual at the veterinarian school she is attending. Justine is surprised to find she developed a craving for meat, which then takes an even more sinister turn when she starts to specifically have a hankering for human flesh. Raw is a provocative and lurid adventure that explores the violent and depraved instincts in humans through Justine's bizarre and frightening journey toward cannibalism. But what really makes the movie work is the atmosphere, as director Julia Ducournau builds up the uneasiness in a way that keeps the viewer fascinated even as they are repulsed by what they see.
Watch it on Netflix .
Focus Features / Courtesy Everett Collection Paramount+ The Ring (2002)After her niece's mysterious death, Rachel (Naomi Watts) begins to investigate the urban legend about a cursed videotape where the person who watches it dies seven days later. After tracking down the tape and watching it, Rachel receives a phone call where an unknown voice whispers, "seven days," giving her a week to figure out how to end the curse before she is killed. The Ring doesn't rely on an excess of gore to freak the viewer out, instead using creepy visuals and a slow buildup to leave you feeling on edge as Rachel's end-of-week death appointment creeps up on her.
Watch it on Paramount Plus .
Dreamworks / Courtesy Everett Collection Saint Maud (2019)Maud (Morfydd Clark) is a nurse who has turned to Catholicism to reckon with constantly facing death and is determined to save the soul of Amanda (Jennifer Ehle), a patient of hers who is dying of cancer. A unique blend of body horror and psychological thriller, Maud takes the fear dwelling inside all of us and uses it as a tool to create a dark and despairing atmosphere. As Maud tries to guide Amanda to God, she is forced to face her own doubts and her troubled past while also possibly battling against demonic forces fighting for Amanda's eternal soul.
Watch it on Paramount Plus .
A24 / Courtesy Everett Collection Scream (1996)"What's your favorite scary movie?" By the end of its legendary opening scene, Scream has firmly called its shot as a trailblazer in horror, bringing a chaotic meta energy to the genre that instantly sets it apart. The characters in this movie are well-aware of the tropes of the scary movies that came before them, but that includes the masked killer, who goes out of their way to bring a fresh perspective on the whole slasher-terrorizes-sleepy-small-town thing. Scream is much smarter than most horror movies, but more importantly, it doesn't pat itself on the back for its intelligence, instead opting to create a fun and frightening adventure that never disappoints.
Watch it on Paramount Plus .
Dimension Films / Courtesy Everett Collection Peacock Night of the Living Dead (1968)While Night of the Living Dead might not technically be the first zombie movie ever made, it is certainly the one that redefined the genre forever. Nearly everything we now associate with a zombie movie began here, and despite being over 50 years old, George A. Romero's innovative movie still holds up remarkably well. Watching a group try to survive an onslaught of undead ghouls is still incredibly tense and exciting, and Romero's guerrilla-style filmmaking made it one of the most celebrated and successful horror movies ever made.
Watch it on Peacock .
Courtesy Everett Collection Psycho (1960)Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) is on the run after embezzling $40,000 and ends up staying at the Bates Motel, a quiet little spot located off the highway. During her stay, however, she is murdered by a mysterious stranger. Hitchcock is at the top of his game here, pulling out all of the stops to deliver a psychological masterpiece posing as a whodunnit. From the iconic shower scene to the chilling final scene, every minute of Psycho feels like a masterclass in filmmaking that shows why Hitchcock is still regarded as the undisputed titan of thrillers. Whether you've never seen it before or watched it a hundred times, Psycho is the type of movie that never grows old. It's not just Hitchcock's best film or one of the classics of the horror genre; it's one of the best films ever made, period.
Watch it on Peacock .
Paramount Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection Saw (2004)Jigsaw and the Saw lore have become such an integral part of the horror DNA, that it's difficult to explain how shocking it was when the first movie came to theaters. In the early 2000s, the genre was suffering from a lack of innovation, but Saw 's inventive story of one man's incredibly warped and tortuous sense of justice felt like a refreshing breath of fresh air for horror fans. Like many classic horror films before it, Saw 's success spawned a bunch of sequels that delivered decidedly diminishing returns, but the original remains one of the defining horror films of the 21st Century.
Watch it on Peacock .
Lions Gate / Courtesy Everett Collection The Thing (1982)A group of researchers based in Antarctica come into contact with an alien life form that has the ability to perfectly imitate any other life form. As the crew tries to figure out how to stop this evil thing, they also have to figure out who can and can't be trusted. The Thing is a masterclass in paranoia, as the minute the "Thing" starts to infest the crew, there is no real way of knowing who is themselves and who is secretly an extraterrestrial being trying to murder you. It is also one of the most visually innovative horror films ever made, as the practical effects are more exciting and disturbing than most movies made in the four decades since. The Thing is a flawless film that continues to thrill and terrify each new generation of movie fans.
Watch it on Peacock .
Universal / Courtesy Everett Collection The Wailing (2016)Shortly after a man arrives in a small village in South Korea, a mysterious infection causes people to start killing their families. Jong-goo (Kwak Do-won), a local policeman, tries to investigate what is causing the outbreak while keeping any more murderous rampages from taking place. Functioning as a modern noir, The Wailing is a cynical and dark exploration into fear of the unknown and trying to maintain order in a chaotic and indifferent universe. Rather than relying on cheap thrills or tired tricks, it allows the viewer to create their own horror in their mind, to chilling effect.
Watch it on Peacock .
Well GO USA / Courtesy Everett Collection Prime Video Alien (1979)After exploring a distant moon, the crew of a commercial space cruiser accidentally let an alien onboard (via violent chest-burst) that quickly grows into a killing machine. The movie has a feeling of extreme claustrophobia, as Ripley and the rest of the crew is stuck aboard their ship while being hunted down by their extraterrestrial foe. And Alien wisely takes a less is more approach to the creature, mostly keeping it in the shadows until its final reveal delivers a massive payoff. Huge credit must be given to H.R. Giger, the Swiss artist who managed to design perhaps the most iconic alien imagery in movie history that has made so many others look laughable in comparison.
Watch it on Prime Video via Starz.
20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection Carrie (1976)Carrie (Sissy Spacek) is an unpopular high schooler who is often teased by her classmates. And her home life is no better, as her religious fanatic mother torments her with psychological and physical abuse. Carrie begins to discover that she has telekinetic powers and vows revenge against everyone who has filled her life with endless misery. It all culminates in the most memorable prom in movie history, as Carrie embraces her powers in full after facing a massive humiliation and begins taking down her classmates and standing up to her mother.
Watch it on Prime Video via AMC+.
United Arts / Courtesy Everett Collection Evil Dead II (1987)Despite sharing a lot of DNA, comedy and horror are extremely difficult to mix. And nobody has blended these two genres better than Sam Raimi, whose peak style of slapstick horror is unquestionably this cult classic. Basically a retelling of the original, Evil Dead II has Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) fight off deadites and demons to survive the night and escape the cabin from hell. While the visual effects are as disturbing and freaky as you'd want, they are also used to great comedic effect, as it never gets old watching Ash's endless suffering at the hands of every supernatural foe he faces.
Watch it on Prime Video via MovieSphere.
Paramount / Courtesy Everett Collection Friday the 13th (1980)Look, I'll be honest. Friday the 13th really is not that scary of a movie. In fact, there's a decent chance you could watch the entire thing and never really be that frightened at any point. Yet, it remains a classic all these years later because it is an absolute blast to watch the unsuspecting camp counselors at Crystal Lake get picked off one-by-one in increasingly gory fashion. And if you somehow do not know the twist ending by now, it may genuinely surprise you (though even if you do, it's still a fun reveal every time).
Watch it on Prime Video via AMC+.
Paramount / Courtesy Everett Collection Hereditary (2018)Too often, bad horror movies take a shotgun approach to scares, throwing out as many spooky moments as possible in the hopes that a few manage to work on the audience. But really good horror movies know how to pick their spots, and that is exactly what made Hereditary an instant classic. This haunted house film lets the uneasiness build slowly but surely so that any time something scary happens, its impact is way more effective. And while elevated horror has become an annoying cliché at this point, Hereditary actually fits into that categorization nicely with its well-crafted family drama forming the heart of the story.
Watch it on Prime Video via Showtime.
A24 / Courtesy Everett Collection Midsommar (2019)Shortly following the horrific death of her family (caused by her sister's murder-suicide), Dani (Florence Pugh) heads to Sweden with her shitty boyfriend and his even shittier friends for a midsummer celebration. What at first seems like a bit of culture shock soon reveals itself to be a living nightmare as the group tries to make it out of the celebration without getting killed. So many of the tropes of horror have been played out at this point that it is difficult for a movie to feel innovative, yet Midsommar manages to surprise and disturb the viewer with its unsettlingly serene atmosphere slowly fading away as the insanity ramps up to the ending that is somehow ambiguous, deranged, and slightly cathartic.
Watch it on Prime Video via Showtime.
A24 / Courtesy Everett Collection The Silence of the Lambs (1991)The Silence of the Lambs is not a horror film in the traditional sense. There aren't really jump scares or a masked psycho hunting down horny teens. Yet, this psychological thriller still manages to be more frightening than 99 percent of slashers out there because of the chilling tone as rookie FBI agent Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) tries to track down the serial killer known only as Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine) with help from the infamous cannibal Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). Despite limited screen time, Hopkins won an Oscar for his charming yet terrifying performance, but don't overlook Levine's incredible turn as an unapologetically depraved monster of man.
Watch it on Prime Video .
Orion Pictures Corp / Courtesy Everett Collection X (2022)The cast and crew of a porno end up at an elderly couple's rural Texas farmhouse to film and end up being hunted down by a surprising killer. Writer and director Ti West had been working in horror for over a decade, but this film really put him on the map as a filmmaker to watch. X doesn't try to redefine the genre or go out of its way to subvert expectations for its own sake. In fact, it manages to pay homage to several classic scary movies (most notably The Texas Chain Saw Massacre ) while also adding some modern sensibilities. Ultimately, X is just a perfectly-executed slasher flick that is guaranteed to entertain anyone who loves horror.
Watch it on Prime Video via Showtime.
A24 / Courtesy Everett Collection Shudder The Babadook (2013)Amelia (Essie Davis) is a widow trying to get her life on track while raising her son Sam (Noah Wiseman) following the death of her husband. She reads her son a book called Mister Babadook, which introduces the titular character as a monster that tortures its victims once they are aware of his existence. Sam is convinced the Babadook is real, and as strange things begin to happen around the house, Amelia begins to wonder if her son may be right. The two must try to hold onto their sanity while figuring out what their monstrous intruder wants and how to defeat him before they die.
Watch it on Shudder .
IFC Films / Courtesy Everett Collection Deep Red (1975)During a parapsychology conference, a psychic is disturbed by the "twisted, perverted, murderous" thoughts of someone in the audience, but the person leaves before they can be identified. Later, the psychic is murdered by a black-gloved figure, which musician Marcus Daly (David Hemmings) witnesses. Marcus must figure out who the mysterious murderer is before becoming their next victim. This whodunit horror classic from "The Master of the Thrill" Dario Argento is brilliant as it allows the suspense to grow toward a thrilling conclusion that ranks among the best in the genre.
Watch it on Shudder .
Cineriz / Courtesy Everett Collection Halloween (1978)More than any other movie, Halloween redefined the entire horror genre. That might sound like hyperbole, but it's really not. No single movie has had as much of an impact on scary movies over the last 40 years than this classic. The slasher movie had existed before, but it was both popularized and perfected here, as John Carpenter invented basically every trope that has now been repeated a million times. Yet, to its credit, Halloween still holds up as a genuinely scary movie, and watching Michael Myers hunt down Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) remains a chilling and brilliant spectacle. No wonder they're still making sequels over four decades later.
Watch it on Shudder .
Compass International Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)Oftentimes, old horror movies are more appreciated by fans than seen as genuinely scary. After all, the genre naturally builds on itself in a way that something that once seemed inventive now feels entirely stale or even corny. But that is definitely not the case for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre , which is still a genuinely upsetting and refreshingly simple slasher that is scarier than almost every rip-off that has come along in the nearly 50 years since its release. Despite its short run-time, the movie takes its time delivering the actual horror in a way that makes the last 20 minutes of the movie become a nonstop nightmare that you won't soon forget.
Watch it on Shudder .
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