Well, people, it’s October, and that means it’s time to trade your pumpkin spice latte for a blanket, your headphones for screaming with your girlies, and your calm night for chaos. Sit back, try to relax and enjoy this list of must-watch classic horror movies!
Halloween isn’t just the month of costumes and candy: it’s also the month of classic horror movies that make your heart race, your stomach flip and your dorm hallway seem like a death trap. These movies are the ones that define spooky season. Queue them up, grab your snacks and get ready to scream, laugh and cling to your friends like your life depends on it.
Must-watch #10 “Child’s Play ” (1988)
Chucky is the original evil doll. Possessed by a serial killer, he turns a kid’s bedroom into chaos. He’s also funny in the most twisted way. Watching Chucky work his little plastic magic is a perfect mix of scares and dark laughs. You will definitely think twice before hugging a doll ever again.
Must-watch #9 “Black Christmas ” (1974)
This movie made the original college-slasher blueprint and gave life to “Halloween” and “Friday the 13th.” Sorority house tension, creepy phone calls and an unseen killer make it the perfect slow-burn terror. You will be looking over your shoulder and screaming, “Don’t go upstairs,” long after the credits roll. It is stylish, scary and 100% Halloween energy in cinematic form.
Must-watch #8 “Psycho ” (1960)
Norman Bates is your nightmare neighbor in the most unsettling way. Director Alfred Hitchcock uses suspense and tension with such precision that you’ll flinch at every creak of your dorm door. That shower scene is iconic. This is pure, slow-burning horror and the reason slashers became a genre we cannot quit.
must-watch #7 “Friday the 13th ” (1980)
Camp Crystal Lake is basically October in movie form. Teenagers, a creepy killer and the feeling that anything could happen make it simple, bloody and iconic. This original version of Jason may not be wearing the hockey mask yet, but the terror is real. Every jump scare hits harder with your girlies screaming next to you.
Must-watch #6 “A Nightmare on Elm Street ” (1984)
Freddy Krueger is the ultimate dream demon with style and flair. He is terrifying, sarcastic and the nightmare you didn’t know you signed up for. The kills are creatively gory, and the dream sequences are trippy. Watching Freddy is like a chaotic, scary and slightly fun rollercoaster that belongs in every October lineup.
Must-watch #5 “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre ” (1974)
Leatherface and his cannibal family are the definition of nightmare fuel. Grimy, raw and unsettlingly realistic, this movie doesn’t just scare you — it makes your skin crawl. It is chaotic, brutal and perfect for a night of screaming with friends. October wouldn’t feel right without at least one watch of this classic.
Must-watch #4 “Scream ” (1996)
Ghostface is witty, clever and deadly. The movie balances real jump scares with meta humor, so you are screaming one second and laughing the next. “Scream” is iconic and the ultimate group-watch movie. Bonus points for rewinding every scene to catch subtle clues you probably missed while screaming at your friends.
Must-watch #3 “The Shining ” (1980)
Based on the classic Stephen King novel of the same name, this movie, starring Jack Nicholson, going completely unhinged in a haunted hotel, is peak October. Creepy twins in the hallway, blood flooding the elevator and the legendary “Here’s Johnny” moment make this pure cinematic chaos. It is creepy, artsy and uncomfortably tense. It is exactly the kind of movie that makes a girls’ night in feel like a real Halloween ritual.
must-watch #2 “The Exorcist ” (1973)
Possession horror doesn’t get more legendary than this. The head spinning, the demonic voice and the pea soup projectile vomiting are disturbing, shocking and still terrifying decades later. Watching this with friends is an extreme bonding experience because you will be clutching each other the entire time. It is pure Halloween nightmare fuel in every sense.
Must-watch #1 “Halloween ” (1978)
Need I say more? Michael Myers is the king of spooky season. The chilling score, the silent stalking and the suburban terror make it October in cinematic form. Everything else on this list bows down to this classic. If you only watch one horror movie this season, make it this one. Period.
The Girlies’ Halloween Survival Guide
Here is the truth. You cannot survive spooky season without snacks, blankets and a little friendly screaming competition. Popcorn, candy and cider are essentials. Turn off the lights and let the tension build. Do not watch alone unless you want to regret it. Make it a ritual with your girls. Scream at the right moments. Jump when necessary. Laugh when the scares get ridiculous. Share the horror, because that is what makes Halloween worth it.
Remember this. These movies are more than films. They are experiences, traditions and the ultimate way to embrace October. Grab your friends, get cozy and dive in. Halloween is a mood and these classics own it.