With Halloween right around the corner, fans of the spine-tingling holiday are looking for some of the besthorrormovies available to get into the spooky spirit. Some of Hollywood’s most celebrated and enduring films just-so-happen to be of the hair-raising genre, with certified classicslikeThe Shining, Dracula,andChild’s Playdelivering plenty of thrills and chills and dazzling the masses with their unforgettable villains, ominous atmospheres, and terrifying blood and gore.
Many of these beloved staples have landed on or will be making their way to streaming platforms in preparationfor the autumn season and exciting holiday, from ’90s cult hits likeThe Craft,Universal Monster Movie masterpiecesFrankensteinandThe Invisible Man,and the enduring horror juggernautThe Exorcistall becoming must-see movies for passionate fans of the entertaining genre.
Here are 13 classic horror movies that are on streaming just in time for Halloween.
13The Invisible Man
Stream on Prime Video
Based on the H.G. Wells classic novel of the same name, the 1933 sci-fi horror hitThe Invisible Mantells the story of savvy scientist Dr. Jack Griffin (Claude Rains) who finds himself spiraling into mayhem and madness after he discovers a potion that allows him to become invisible, leading to a horrific and deadly series of events.
When Jack’s devoted fiancée Flora Cranley (Gloria Stuart) and his brilliant former mentor Dr. Cranley (Henry Travers) realize the concoction is making him violent and insane, they join forces to stop Jack’s reign of terror.
A Trailblazing Blend of Sci-Fi & Horror
The Invisible Manwas one of countless Universal Monster Movies released during the 1930s, with the eerie and ominous picture debuting in theaters the same decade as fellow horror classics likeDracula, Frankenstein,andBride of Frankenstein.
The Wells adaptationwas lauded for its groundbreaking special effects, spine-tingling premise, and Rain’s career-defining performance as the unhinged and menacing antagonist, and in the 91 years since the debut ofThe Invisible Man,the chilling film has spawned numerous sequels and reboots and remains a celebrated sci-fi/horror mash-up.
12Child’s Play
Stream on Peacock
Child’s Play
Children all across the world were never able to look at their toys in quite the same way after the 1988 supernatural slasher filmChild’s Playmade its spine-tingling debut, with moviegoers being first introduced to the demonic and sinister serial killer Chucky, whose spirit becomes transferred into a Good Guy doll after he dies from a gunshot wound. The bloodthirsty Chucky wreaks havoc on unassuming single mother Karen and her six-year-old son Andy, as the boy tries to warn others that the doll is possessed and finds help from a determined detective.
An Undisputed Pop Culture Icon
Child’s Playwas both a critical and commercial hit, attracting praise for its unique villain, heaping dose of blood and gore, and creepy puppetry work, with the vicious character becoming one of the silver screen’s most recognizable horror icons and a pop culture staple.
The massive success ofChild’s Playhelped create a fan-favorite film franchise consisting of multiple sequels, a reboot, and a television show, and boththe diabolical antagonistand enduring slasher series continue spreading terror and fear among viewers of all ages.
11Frankenstein
Frankenstein
Based on Mary Shelley’s groundbreaking literary classicFrankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, the 1931 cinematic masterpieceFrankensteinstars horror icon Boris Karloff asthe unforgettable monster, who was created by the mad scientist Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive) and his hunchback assistant Fritz after being assembled from body parts of the deceased. After being animated by the duo, the towering and powerful creature escapes the laboratory and terrorizes the local village, causing Frankenstein to face his monstrous creation.
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Karloff’s Transcending Performance
Frankensteinwas released as the highly-anticipated follow-up to the iconic classicDracula(which premiered the same year), and was initially supposed to star Bela Lugosi in the titular role, though he turned down the character after not being cast as Henry Frankenstein (whom he wanted to play);Lugosi reportedly complained:
“I was a star in my country and I will not be a scarecrow over here!”
Karloff took over as the iconic Monster and the rest as they say, is history, asFrankensteinwent on to become a revered cinematic triumph and Karloff a Tinseltown legend, with sequels, spin-offs, and remakes being released in the ensuing decades.
10The Exorcist
Stream on Max
The Exorcist
Undeniably one of the scariest and most deeply unsettling horror films to ever grace the silver screen is without a doubt William Friedkin’s 1973supernatural horror classicThe Exorcist, which famously chronicles the hair-raising possession of 12-year-old Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair), who is horrifically targeted by the demonic entity Pazuzu and forces the young girl to speak in tongues and levitate, prompting her frightened mother Chris (Ellen Burstyn) to contact two Catholic priests to perform an exorcism on her child.
Based on the William Peter Blatty novel of the same name,The Exorcistunsurprisingly caused quite the uproar when it premiered in theaters, with audiences waiting in cold, freezing weather for hours to see the controversial film that attracted the ire of outraged religious groups.
Few can possibly forget the shocking scene in which Regan’s head spun around 360 degrees and she projectile vomited, as well as when she spider-crawled up a staircase and had a disquieting moment with a crucifix. Over fifty years later,The Exorciststill puts audiences on edge with its boundary-pushing imagery and spine-tingling demonic antagonist.
9The Mummy
Universal Pictures' go-to leading man Boris Karloff starred as another legendary movie villain in the 1930s when he portrayed Imhotep in 1932’sThe Mummy, in which the ancient Egyptian high priest was buried alive and mummified after trying to revive his beloved Anck-es-en-Amon. Hundreds of years later, Imhotep is mistakenly brought back to life after a British archaeologist reads an ancient life-giving scroll, causing the undead mummy to search for the reincarnation of his long-lost love, the Egyptian-American Helen Grosvenor (Zita Johann).
Universal Continues to Dominate Hollywood
Though it failed to reach the success of its groundbreaking predecessorsDraculaandFrankenstein,The Mummynonetheless was another box office hit for Universal and spawned countless re-imaginings involving the ancient antagonist, with films likeThe Mummy’s Hand, The Mummy’s Curse,and horror-comedy crossoverAbbott and Costello Meet the Mummyall being created in the ensuing years. Imhotep made his epic return to the silver screen in theBrendan Fraser-led 1999 remakeof the same name, which starred Arnold Vosloo as the mummified creature and helped revitalize both the horror genre and the ’30s picture.
Inspired by Clive Barker’sshort story “The Forbidden,“the 1992 gothic supernatural horror flickCandymanmarked the cinematic introduction of the hook-handed eponymous antagonist, the spirit of an African-American artist who was brutally murdered after having a relationship with a white woman and who becomes an urban legend by Chicago locals.
Candyman (Tony Todd) can be summoned by reciting his name five times in front of a mirror, and he goes on a killing spree after being called upon, setting his sights on graduate student Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen).
An Urban Legend Classic
Todd came up with his on-screen counterpart’s backstory in the horror hit and was eager to work with its director Bernard Rose despite the character having to undergo countless bee stings, withthe actor stating:
“I’ve always wanted to find my own personalPhantom of the Opera.”
Eddie Murphy was actually the first choice to portray the antagonist but the studio could not afford him, and the physically imposing six-foot-five Todd was ultimately chosen to star as the vengeance-seeking spirit.Candymanis widely considered to be a horror cinema classic and three successful sequels have been released featuring the tortured urban legend.
7The Wolf Man
The Wolf Man
Another fan-favorite entry in theUniversal Monsters movies’sensational repertoire is the 1941 gothic horror filmThe Wolf Man, which famously stars Lon Chaney Jr. as Lawrence “Larry” Talbot, who after returning to his family home in Wales to reconnect with his estranged father after his brother’s sudden death finds himself transforming into a werewolf after being bit in the chest by the creature. Larry seeks out guidance from a wise fortune teller, who informs him that he is becoming the mythical monster and has been cursed as a result of the violent attack.
Chaney’s Admirable Commitment to the Character
In order for Chaney to achieve his iconic werewolf look, the actor had to undergo a laborious makeup process that took between five to six hours to complete and take off, and he was forced to sit motionless for hours upon hours since the scenes were shot frame by frame. The production and visual effects ofThe Wolf Manwere lauded upon its widespread release, and the depiction of Larry’s werewolf form and his hair-raising transformation went on to have a massive influence on future representations of the legendary monster, with many taking note of the esteemed 1940s classic.
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6The Shining
The Shining
Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 psychological horror masterpieceThe Shiningis an adaptation of the acclaimed Stephen King novel and chronicles writer-turned-caretaker Jack Torrance’s (Jack Nicholson) chilling descent into madness as he accepts a position maintaining the remote Overlook Hotel located in the Colorado Rocky Mountains in the winter with his hesitant wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and clairvoyant son Danny (Danny Lloyd). Jack begins to discover the hotel’s menacing history and dark secrets, pushing him to the brink of insanity.
A Major Horror Movie Triumph
Nicholson’s delightfully unhinged performance as Torrance was singled out by critics, as wasDuvall’s devoted portrayalof a distraught wife and mother fighting for her life in a snowy and secluded backdrop. The ominous atmosphere and eerie imagery were also praised, though many (including King himself) criticized Kubrick’s deviation from the original novel and its plot.
Regardless,The Shininghas been re-evaluated and has emerged as one of the greatest horror films of all time, landing on numerous best of lists and rankings including number two on Time Out’s “The 100 best horror movies" and AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Heroes & Villains.
Bela Lugosi forever changed the face of the monster movie genre and became an undisputed horror icon when he famously starred as Count Dracula in the 1931 trailblazing pictureDracula, an adaptation of theBram Stoker literary classicthat centers on the titular vampire as he travels from Transylvania to London to satiate his bloodlust and transform his young female victims into his own kind. He sets his sights on the beautiful Mina, the fiancée of Jonathan Harker, while attracting the unwanted attention of the vampire-hunter Van Helsing.
Lugosi’s Iconic Vampire Portrayal
Lugosi skyrocketed to superstardom after his career-defining portrayal ofthe legendary vampire, and the film established both the actor and blood-sucking villain as certified cultural icons and became the touchstone for future vampire depictions.
After more than 90 years since the horror extravaganza first terrified the masses,Dracularemains a celebrated and influential silver screen staple that helped kick-start Universal Monster Movies' Hollywood takeover in the ’30s and ’40s, as the hit would be followed up by cinema greats likeFrankenstein, The Wolf Man,andThe Invisible Man.
4Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
For those who enjoy a heaping dose of humor with their horror flicks need not look further than 1948’sAbbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, which follows the adored duo as they find themselves crossing paths with not only Frankenstein’s monster but also Count Dracula and The Wolf Man. The comedy legends appear as railway baggage handlers who become swept up in a terrifying scheme to reactivate the towering, grotesque monster, with Dracula and the nefarious Dr Sandra Mornay hilariously targeting the brain of Wilber Grey (Costello).
Winning Blend of Comedy & Horror
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankensteinmarked the first ofthe dynamic duo’shorror collaborations with Universal Pictures, and its overwhelming financial success and positive audience reaction led to the pair continuing to face similar horror scenarios in movies likeAbbott and Costello Meet the Invisible ManandAbbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.Watching the delightful comedy dream team face off against iconic horror villains and deliver plenty of laughter and hijinks was a real treat for moviegoers, and in 2017 the comedy classic ranked number 56 on AFI’s “100 Funniest American Movies.”
