Top ten horror films to watch this Halloween

It’s the month of ghosts, ghouls and all other scary things that go bump in the dark. And what better way to celebrate Halloween than to lock the doors, turn off the lights, stock up on snacks and sit down (preferably by yourself) with some of the scariest moves ever made?

10. Black Christmas (1974)

Heralded as the original slasher film, this low budget Canadian movie tells the story of a man stalking girls in a sorority house during the Christmas holidays. It's famous for having a 'killer phoning his victims from the same house that they are in' scene that has featured in several other horror films since.




9. Carrie (1976)

It may feature a 'jump in your seat ending' that has been much imitated but never bettered, but Carrie is so much more than that. The unnerving and intense shower scene at the start and Carrie's mad as a hatter mother still carries the same creepy power it did back in 1976.




8. Dead End (2003)

This is an underrated little gem that features a family driving to a relative's house on Christmas Eve. While it captures the tension and snide remarks of a family frustrated by a long drive, the real genius in how it ratches up the suspense and nail biting terror as they realise the stretch of road towards the house keeps going and going and going...

7. Ju-On: The Grudge (2004)

See the original rather than the Sarah Gellar remake, because this is a cinematic ghost ride. An unrelenting journey of screams and gasps that never let up until you are breathless.




6. The Mist (2008)

Based on Stephen King's novel, Frank Darabont captures the author's tone perfectly in this stylishly shot and oh so terrifyingly apocalyptic tale of a group of people locked in a supermarket while a giant mist takes over their small town. As skin crawling as horror movies get, the main shock comes from the incredibly nihilistic ending.



5. The Changeling (1980)

Not to be confused with the recent Angelina Jolie film of the same name. This is arguably the greatest haunted house movie ever made, this atmospheric film sees George C. Scott renting an eerie looking Victorian house following the tragic death of his wife and daughter in a car accident. Features the best séance scene put to film.




4. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

It may have spawned several sequels but the original is by far the best. Wes Craven's inventive masterpiece had the ingenious gimmick of a villain who killed you when you slept – leaving a generation of teenagers too scared to go to bed. And the 'One, Two, Freddie's coming for you...' song still has the power to give you goosebumps.




3. The Shining (1980)

Stephen King may have hated Stanley Kubrick's film adaptation of his novel, but it's widely recognised as one of the scariest horror films of all time. And little wonder – whether it's Jack Nicholson's 'Here's Johnny' moment, the chase scene in the maze, or the first shot of the young twins - this is still an incredibly chilling movie.




2. The Blair Witch Project (1999)

It may have polarized opinion when it was released, with critics calling it not very scary at all – but The Blair Witch Project is in fact a wonderfully well-made and intense story of a group of amateur filmmakers trying to find a witch. Preferring atmosphere over genuine jump in the seat moments, this is a slow burning little treat that has an ending that chills the bones.




1. Halloween (1978)

An obvious choice maybe, but Halloween still has the power to terrify. The spine tingling theme tune, John Carpenter's voyeuristic camera spying around the corners and the jump out of your seat moment with Michael Myers appearing from the shadows means it's the most perfect horror movie ever made.

Do you agree with our top ten count down of horror films? What will you be watching this Halloween?