It’s not just the proliferation of horror that makes October the best time of the year; it’s also the arrival of autumn at its most scenic and cozy. The cooler weather, the turning leaves, and classic Fall imagery have all become synonymous with Halloween, and this week’s streaming picks aim to immerse you further in […]
It’s not just the proliferation of horror that makes October the best time of the year; it’s also the arrival of autumn at its most scenic and cozy.
The cooler weather, the turning leaves, and classic Fall imagery have all become synonymous with Halloween, and this week’s streaming picks aim to immerse you further in those vibes with atmospheric Halloween horror movies that fully embrace the holiday theme.
Because it’s Halloween, we’re doubling up on selections this week. Here’s where to stream these ten atmospheric Halloween horror movies.
It doesn’t get more seasonal than the feature directorial debut of Samuel Bodin, creator of Netflix’s “Marianne.” Lizzy Caplan (“Castle Rock”) and Antony Starr (“The Boys”) star as parents who seemingly can’t be trusted when their young son Peter (Woody Norman) gets tormented by mysterious knocking on his bedroom walls. Bodin and screenwriter Chris Thomas Devlin’s R-rated horror fairy tale massively embraces its Halloween atmosphere. If you want full throttle scares, watch “Marianne.” For gateway thrills that go big on Halloween, get cozy with Cobweb.
Dark Night of the Scarecrow – Fandango at Home, Fawesome, Kanopy, Midnight Pulp, Night Flight+, Pluto TV, Roku Channel, Screambox
Don’t let the simplicity of this made-for-TV movie fool you; Dark Night of the Scarecrow is compelling storytelling. Set in a small Southern town over the Halloween season, a mentally challenged man is wrongfully murdered for a crime he didn’t commit. When his murderers evade justice, a mysterious scarecrow systematically takes them out. Halloween décor, scarecrows, farmland, and a fantastic performance by horror stalwart Larry Drake make for one perfect Halloween season movie. It’s a Southern type of Fall-set horror movie, with distinct Halloween flair.
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers – AMC+, Shudder
After sitting out the previous entry, Halloween III: Season of the Witch, Michael Myers returns to Haddonfield once more on All Hallow’s Eve with murder on his mind. This time, the Boogeyman targets his telepathically linked niece, Jamie Lloyd (Danielle Harris). Not only does the fourth entry have a great final girl in Rachel (Ellie Cornell), but its Autumnal atmosphere grabs you from the opening credits and never lets go. What’s a Fall horror list without a Halloween entry, anyway?
Lady in White – MGM+, Prime Video, Roku Channel
Based on the legend of “The Lady in White,” in which a ghost searches for her daughter in Rochester, New York, the film begins on Halloween in 1962, where 9-year-old Frankie (Lukas Haas) gets locked in the schoolroom closet by bullies and witnesses the ghost of a young girl getting murdered. This event sets off a murder mystery full of spirits that are spooky and entertaining enough for kids yet layered with complex social themes for grown-ups. Paralleling Frankie’s journey, it’s the type of film that will teach budding horror fans that perhaps ghosts aren’t so scary after all.
Late Night with the Devil – AMC+, Hulu, Kanopy, Shudder
Talk show host Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian) goes all in on a Halloween special that includes psychics, skeptics, and parapsychologists in a desperate bid to stave off cancellation. Coordinating all of the bold personalities and moving parts of live television becomes all the more unpredictably stressful when a demonic entity disrupts the event. Writers/Directors Colin Cairnes and Cameron Cairnes hit the ground running with a rapid-fire documentary-style setup introducing essential exposition and personal stakes for Jack a year before the ill-fated event. The gradual build from pastiche into full-blown nightmare comes fast like a freight train, making for a unique and fun Halloween romp through ’70s TV.
Night of the Demons – AMC+, Fawesome, Midnight Pulp, Night Flight+, Pluto TV, Prime Video, Roku Channel, Screambox, Shout TV
In what is arguably the quintessential Halloween creature feature, Angela Franklin (Amelia Kinkade) and her best bud Suzanne (Linnea Quigley) decide to throw their Halloween party at Hull House, an abandoned mortuary with a dark past. Sure enough, an evil presence awakens after a séance, and their group is trapped inside Hull House while demonic spirits prey on them. Night of the Demons offers a spooky, fun title sequence, cool demon FX, a memorable villainess, and a wide embrace of horror iconography- right down to a bookended trick-or-treating tale. It’s a holiday cult classic that embraces Halloween at every turn.
Pumpkinhead – AMC+, Tubi
Pumpkinhead captures the essence of Halloween well, despite its sunny Southern setting. After a tragic accident, a man seeks revenge against the teens involved by invoking a curse in the form of a demon. But the toll of vengeance will cost him his soul and others their lives. It’s a fable set against a Southern Gothic backdrop, full of witches, ghosts, and pumpkin patches. The eponymous Pumpkinhead might be the showpiece, but the swamp witch manages to terrify more than the demon.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark – Peacock
On Halloween 1968, Stella (Zoe Margaret Colletti) and her two friends meet drifter Ramon (Michael Garza) while fleeing bullies. They invite Ramon to explore a local haunted house, where Stella discovers a mysterious book containing horror stories that seem to write themselves in real-time. Director André Øvredal brings the nightmarish illustrations by Stephen Gammell and stories by Alvin Schwartz to life. Harold the scarecrow, the Pale Lady, the Big Toe corpse (Javier Botet), and the Jangly Man (Troy James) terrorize Mill Valley’s teens in this recent Halloween treat. It’s the perfect October movie full of chills for the older kid or kid at heart, with Mill Valley a picture-perfect vision of Fall.
Something Wicked This Way Comes – Disney+
This quintessential gateway horror movie has finally made its way to streaming, and it brings the Halloween atmosphere in spades. Based on Ray Bradbury’s novel of the same name, director Jack Clayton’s horror/dark fantasy film Something Wicked This Way Comes didn’t shy away from getting pretty dark. Set in late October, two young boys visit a traveling carnival, led by the mysterious and ominous Mr. Dark. Faustian offers of wishes granted curdle the boys’ fantasies into waking nightmares. A haunting carousel, a blind witch, autumnal vibes, and more ensure there’s enough Halloween tricks and treats here for all.
Trick ‘r Treat – AMC+, HBO Max
It’s near impossible to exclude Trick’ r Treat from any Halloween horror watchlist when it comes to immersive theming; it’s the perfect genre interpretation of the holiday in every way. Writer/Director Michael Dougherty seamlessly interweaves five tales of terror, all set on Halloween night, each representing a different rule or facet of the holiday. And then there’s Sam, the physical embodiment of Samhain, who’s crossed over from celluloid into reality to become a proper Halloween mascot, merch and all.
