10 classic horror movies to watch for Halloween 2022
Here’s a list of 10 of the finest mainstream and classic horror films to revisit or watch for the first time to get you in the mood for Halloween.
By Brendan McDaid
Published 26th Oct 2022, 10:39 BST
Updated 28th Oct 2022, 11:50 BST
Many of the films featured have become cult classics, but there are so many good films from these eras that it has been difficult to whittle it down to just 10. Honourable mentions to other films from the era must go to those who narrowly missed out on making my top ten – films such as The Fog, The Thing, An American Werewolf in London, The Shining, Pet Sematary, The Amityville Horror, Cujo and Orca.
See how many of these you have watched and how many you’d definitely add to your rewatch list.
HALLOWEEN (1978): John Carpenter's Halloween with its spine tingling music introduced us to horror icon, the seemingly invincible masked knife-wielding serial killer Michael Myers. Set in and around Halloween night, it hones in on a normal suburban community marked by a murder tragedy a decade or so earlier and in particular gifted student Laurie Strode (played by Jamie Lee Curtis). Terror ensues when Michael Myers escapes the mental asylum where he is being held and returns home for a killing spree. The ultimate October 31 horror fest, the film has stood the test of time and spawned, along with Carrie and a handful of other classics, a whole slew of scary films with teens as the protagonists. There have also been many sequels, and Jamie Lee Curtis this year once more returns to the role that kick-started her career in 'Halloween Ends', which is among the finest of the sequels alongside Halloween 2 and 3. Memorable moment: The wardrobe/ knitting needle scene. (Image: YouTube) Photo: N/A
POLTERGEIST 2: THE OTHER SIDE (1986). Run to the light Carol Anne... This supernatural sequel to the 1982 hit film had a lot to live up to in the chills and thrills department and did not disappoint. If you thought the evil presence that haunted and eventually snatched little Carol Anne Freeling and her mother via TV fuzz and hole in the ceiling portals was gone for good, think again. All the main cast return, including JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, Heather O'Rourke, Zelda Rubinstein and Will Sampson, and this time evil has a face in the form of malevolent old Southern skeletal preacher Kane, played with terrifying effect by Julian Beck. His grin alone is enough to make you never want to open the front door to a stranger again. Brian Gibson's film adds a new depth to the original story and deserves to be up there with the original (Image: YouTube) Photo: N/A
JAWS (1975) Dindin dindin... The mid-70s was a great time for horror fans and when it comes to creature features, forget Godzilla and Predator, cos they just don't come close to being as terrifying as the great white in Steven Spielberg's Jaws. Because the sea is right there. And sharks are real. And they are in there. A prime example of how music can help maketh the movie, Jaws is a masterclass in horror with the first victim claimed in minutes. It's hard to overstate how pivotal good actors are to getting you invested in horror and the ensemble cast here are sublime, even the kids. Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw all turn in great performances and help ensure that going to the seaside is never quite the same after watching the movie, and as for that invite to a day's sea fishing... Forget it. Memorable scene: The fishing boat. Jaws 2 is also epic. (Image: YouTube) Photo: N/A
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? (1962) Two of the most iconic actors of Hollywood's golden era in their later years, a sterling script and superb direction and makeup doesn't come close to explaining just why Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? is such a phenomenal film. More suspense than outright horror, this is a psychological drama that focuses on two spinster sisters who were former actors, with jealousy, rivalry, abusive behaviour and dependency all explored in detail with incredible performances by Bette Davis (Jane) and Joan Crawford (Blanche). This cinematic masterpiece, directed by Robert Aldrich and based on a novel by Henry Farrell just builds and builds and gets better with each mud-slinging scene. Memorable scene: The macabre child actor relived routine. (Image: YouTube) Photo: N/A