Horror’s reign in October is one of the many delights of the spooky season. Recent blockbusters such as Smile, Halloween Ends, and Pearl have further cemented the genre’s status as the most entertaining and showcase why audiences keep coming back for more screams. As horror movies continue to rule the theaters and family room couches, it’s worth taking a trip down memory lane to see what films walked so modern monsters could run. HBO Max has more horror classics than most other streaming services with a thoughtfully curated library of scary stories, and to celebrate Halloween, here are 30 beloved horror classics to watch on the streamer right now.
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Beetlejuice (1988)
Director: Tim Burton | Run Time: 92 minutes
Cast: Michael Keaton, Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin, Winona Ryder, Catherine O'Hara, Jeffrey Jones
Beetlejuice practically screams spooky season and is arguably the ultimate Halloween movie (sorry Hocus Pocus). Delia (Catherine O’Hara) and Charles Deetz (Jeffrey Jones) move into their new home alongside their goth daughter Lydia, played by Winona Ryder in only her third feature film. Little do they know that the previous owners, Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin), died a terrible death and now haunt the house in hope of ridding it of new homeowners. Desperate to cling onto their home no matter the cost, Barbara and Adam make the mistake of calling upon Beetlejuice, a freelance bio-exorcist played by a mischievous Michael Keaton who does more harm than good as he invites demons of his own into the home.
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Directors: Eduardo Sánchez, Daniel Myrick | Run Time: 81 minutes
Cast: Heather Donahue, Michael Williams, Joshua Leonard
The Blair Witch Project came out of nowhere when it debuted in theatres in 1999 and shook audiences to their core. Formatted as found documentary footage of three college students filming themselves as they arrive in a small Maryland town, they interview town members to learn about a legendary local murderer, the fabled Blair Witch. Journeying into the haunted woods surrounding the town, they begin to experience terrifying things, and horrified audiences were unsure at first if what they were watching was real or fiction.
The Blob (1958)
Director: Irvin Yeaworth | Run Time: 86 minutes
Cast: Steve McQueen, Aneta Corsaut, George Karas, Albert Smith
The Blob is starving to take over the world one body at a time. After the Blob crashes down on Earth, it begins consuming everyone and everything from farmers to diners, leading it to grow at alarming rates. A young Steve McQueen stars in one of his first film roles as high schooler Steve Andrews, and he fights The Blob as he warns his small town of the danger it holds. The Blob has become a classic thanks to its strange monster and the outrageous ways in which it attacks its victims, and spawned the sequel Beware! The Blob.
The Brood (1979)
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Director: David Cronenberg | Run Time: 92 minutes
Cast: Oliver Reed, Samantha Eggar, Art Hindle
Writer and director David Cronenberg strikes a terrifying chord with The Brood, one of the great body horror films that slithers towards disturbing revelations. Oliver Reed stars as the mad Doctor Hal Ralgan, and he performs strange bodily experiments he calls psychoplasmic therapy on his crazed patient, Nola Carveth (Samantha Eggar). Divorced and going through a custody battle with her ex-husband Frank over their five-year-old daughter, Dr. Raglan makes startling revelations as a string of murders serves as the background for the suspenseful film.
Carnival of Souls (1962)
Director: Herk Harvey | Run Time: 80 minutes
Cast: Candace Hilligoss, Herk Harvey, Sidney Berger
Carnival of Souls follows one woman’s descent into madness after suffering a terrible car crash that results in strange hallucinations. A dreamlike nightmare, Mary Henry (Candace Hilligoss) moves to a small Utah town after surviving the deadly car accident to play the organ at the local church, but she is still haunted by the trauma she underwent. Beginning to see a chalk-white, raccoon-eyed man dressed in a suit everywhere she goes, she believes he’s stalking her despite being the only one able to see him. Clocking in at a tight 78 minutes, the shocking conclusion to the film is one you’ll never see coming.
Cat People (1942)
Director: Jacques Tourneur | Run Time: 73 minutes
Cast: Simone Simon, Val Lewton, Kent Smith, Jane Randolph, Tom Conway
Killer cats are on the prowl in New York City. Cat People stars Simone Simon as Irena Dubrovna, a Serbian artist living in the big apple with a deadly secret. Irena believes the legend from her hometown that states she's descended from cat people, and if she falls in love, it will transform her into a black panther. When she meets the charming Oliver Reed (Kent Smith), she's convinced she’s transforming while he and everyone around her believe her to be crazy. Irena marries Oliver despite her misgivings, and the shadows at night become more dangerous as a black panther begins stalking the streets.
Cronos (1993)
Director: Guillermo Del Toro | Run Time: 92 minutes
Cast: Federico Luppi, Ron Pearlman, Claudio Brook, Tamara Shanath,
Guillermo del Toro’s directorial debut, Cronos,announced his triumphant arrival in the horror genre and foreshadowed the success he would have in the future. Federico Luppi stars as antique shop owner Jesús Gris, and he stumbles upon the ancient advice, Cronos, that grants immortality. As Jesús uses the device, he discovers the catch to immortal life is an undeniable thirst for blood, and fighting temptation proves to be near impossible. Ron Pearlman co-stars as the nephew of a dying man who’s been searching for the device for decades, and he hounds Jesús to hand it over in violent ways in pursuit of immortality.
The Dead Zone (1983)
Director: David Cronenberg | Run Time: 103 minutes
Cast: Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen, Brooke Adams, Herbert Lom, Anthony Zerbe
Christopher Walken gives one of his defining performances in the supernatural thriller, The Dead Zone. Walken stars as the psychic Johnny Smith, and after a car crash leaves him in a coma for five years, he awakens to discover he can see people’s futures if he touches them. When various prophecies turn out to be true, he must decide whether to kill politician Greg Stillson (Martin Sheen) after shaking his hand and foreseeing all the terrible acts he will commit once he comes to power.
The Exorcist (1973)
Director: William Friedkin | Run Time: 132 minutes
Cast: Ellen Burstyn, Jason Miller, Linda Blair
The horror genre was brought to new heights thanks to the William Friedkin-directed Academy Award-winning film, The Exorcist. An adaptation of the best-selling novel, Ellen Burstyn stars as Hollywood actress Chris McNeil, and she becomes terrified when she believes her daughter Regan (Linda Blair) has been possessed by a demon. Calling on the help of Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller), she begs him to perform an exorcism as Regan becomes increasingly unhinged and dangerous.
Disturbing Behavior (1998)
Director: David Nutter | Run Time: 84 minutes
Cast: James Marsden, Katie Holmes, Nick Stahl, Bruce Greenwood, Ethan Embry
Katie Holmes and James Marsden play angsty 90s teens in the coming-of-age horror film, Disturbing Behavior. The movie marked Marsden’s first major leading role, and he plays the new kid in town, Steve Clark, who is befriended by fellow outsiders Rachel (Katie Holmes) and Gavin (Nick Stahl). The clean-cut town and high school are ruled by a group of students belonging to the elite Blue Ribbon club, and the trio soon finds out that they are a bunch of monstrous, murderous kids participating in a cruel mind experiment. A wild ride, the wacky 90s flick follows the misfits as they attempt to take down the cool kids once and for all.
Eraserhead (1977)
Director: David Lynch | Run Time: 89 minutes
Cast: Jack Nance, Laurel Near, Charlotte Stewart
David Lynch announced his arrival in the film world with his strange and dreamlike, Eraserhead. Shot in black and white on a tiny budget, it stars Jack Nance (Twin Peaks) as an anxiety-ridden lonely man who takes on fatherhood despite his reservations. The horror lies in his terror of being a parent, and the baby itself is a monster-like creature that cries and moans all night long. To this day, Lynch has not revealed the materials he used to create the baby, and many conspiracies among cinephiles have been explored as the cult classic has continued to mystify audiences.
Eyes Without a Face (1960)
Director: Georges Franju | Run Time: 88 minutes
Cast: Édith Scob, Pierre Brasseur, Alida Valli
The French filmEyes Without a Face is not for the faint of heart. Dr. Génessier (Pierre Brasseur), a gifted plastic surgeon, hunts for beautiful women with the help of his assistant Louise (Alida Valli) in the aftermath of a terrible car crash that leaves his daughter Christine’s (Édith Scob) face terribly disfigured. Performing face transplants by stealing the faces of his victims and sowing them onto Christine’s face, the surgeries continuously fail, but he never stops trying. A dark, twisted fairytale, Eyes Without a Face is as heartbreaking as it is terrifying in its ruminations on society’s toxic beauty standards.
The Fly (1986)
Director: David Cronenberg | Run Time: 96 minutes
Cast: Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis, Vincent Price, Eric Stoltz, John Getz
Watch The Fly at your own peril. Directed by David Cronenberg, the body horror film stars Jeff Goldblum as eccentric scientist Seth Brundle and Geena Davisas science journalist Veronica Quaife. After meeting at a press event, the couple falls in love, just as Brundle is working on his latest invention. Attempting to invent a device that transports an object from one pod to another, Brundle’s experiment goes wrong when he tries it on himself and a fly inadvertently gets transported with him. Now transforming into a fly, the film has some of the scariest visual effects ever put to screen as Veronica witnesses his transformation into a terrifying creature.
Gremlins (1984)
Director: Joe Dante | Run Time: 106 minutes
Cast: Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Corey Feldman, Jonathan Banks, Hoyt Axton
Buying presents for loved ones over the holidays can be a headache, just ask family man Randall Peltzer (Hoyt Axton). After visiting a shop in Chinatown, he buys a mischievous furry creature for his son, and all hell breaks loose in his nice quiet town on Christmas Eve. Produced by Steven Spielberg, it’s just another reason why he ruled the 80s and all the monsters that lurked under beds. Gremlins is an unforgettable, silly black comedy horror movie that can be watched for Halloween or Christmas. Take your pick.
Horror of Dracula (1958)
Director: Terence Fisher | Run Time: 82 minutes
Cast: Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Carol Marsh, Melissa Stribling, Jon Van Eyssen
Christopher Lee cemented himself as one of horror’s greatest actors thanks to his turn as the iconic Count Dracula in the Hammer Horror films featuring him as the bloodthirsty vampire. Based upon the 1897 novel under the same name, vampire hunter Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) is once again on the hunt for Dracula after he murders his friend Jonathon Harper and falls in love with his fiancé, Lucy Holmwood (Carol Marsh). Lee is as charming and spooky as ever, and the first installment within the series foreshadowed the massive success the gothic horror films would have.
The Hunger (1983)
Director: Tony Scott | Run Time: 97 minutes
Cast: Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie, Susan Sarandon
Catherine Deneuve plays a ravenous, fabulously styled vampire in the erotic horror film, The Hunger. Falsely promising her centuries-long companion John Block (David Bowie) eternal life by sucking humans dry, he believes himself to be a full-blown vampire. Dripping in black lace, leather, and blood, the couple hunts down humans every night in New York City but, to John’s terror, he begins to age. Seeking out the help of Dr. Sarah Roberts (Susan Sarandon), a dangerous love triangle is born as she begins to uncover who they really are.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
Director: Phillip Kaufman | Run Time: 115 minutes
Cast: Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Jeff Goldblum, Veronica Cartwright
Nothing is as it seems in the body horror film, Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Aliens begin taking over the bodies of the human population, and soon there will be no humans left on Earth. A group of survivors tries to make it through the night without being detected, led by Donald Sutherland as Matthew Bennell, and actors Brooke Adams, Jeff Goldblum, and Veronica Cartwright co-star as fellow New Yorkers battling to stay alive. A remake of the 1956 film, Invasion of the Body Snatchers went on to become one of the biggest and most acclaimed horror films of the 70s.
Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
Director: Frank Oz | Run Time: 94 minutes
Cast: Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Steve Martin, Vincet Gardenia, Jim Belushi, Tisha Campbell
Little Shop of Horrors is unlike any other scary movie out there, thanks to a human-eating plant, a singing dentist, and a pair of star-crossed lovers. Mushnik’s flower-shop worker Seymour (Rick Moranis) buys a magical plant from a Chinese flower shop during a solar eclipse, and it becomes a hungry, murderous talking plant. In love with his co-worker Audrey (Ellen Greene) even though she’s in a relationship with sadistic dentist Orin (Steve Martin), Seymour names the plant Audrey II and puts it on display in the store in hopes of winning her affection. Audrey II attracts hundreds of new customers, but Seymour soon discovers its dangerous cravings and must figure out a way to end Audrey II’s killing rampage.
Misery (1990)
Director: Rob Reiner | Run Time: 107 minutes
Cast: James Caan, Kathy Bates, Lauren Bacall, Frances Sterghagen, Richard Farnsworth
Kathy Bates won the Oscar for Best Actress in 1990 thanks to her fearless take on Stephen King’s infamous villain, Annie Wilkes. When best-selling novelist Paul Sheldon (James Caan) gets into a terrible accident during a snowstorm which results in a broken leg, he’s rescued by Annie and taken back to her secluded home. Known for his book series that features protagonist Misery Chastain, Annie turns out to be Paul’s number one fan and keeps him hostage in violent, cruel ways. Bates and Caan are electrifying on screen together, and the Rob Reiner-directed flick is one of the best adaptations of King’s work.
My Bloody Valentine (1981)
Director: George Mihalka | Run Time: 90 minutes
Cast: Paul Kelman, Lori Hallier, Neil Affleck, Don Francks, Cynthia Dale
Love can be a messy, messy affair. In My Bloody Valentine, hearts are literally ripped apart as a coal miner mask-wearing serial killer rages against the people in the small Canadian town of Valentine Bluff. Reinstating the annual Valentine’s Day Dance 20 years after a catastrophic mining accident due to some minors leaving their posts to attend the party, the mayor’s decision proves to be deadly. As Valentine’s Day gets underway, town members begin to get murdered by the mask-wearing man who removes the hearts of his victims, and the result is a gory, bloody affair.
