Classic Horror movies to watch before Halloween
Classic horror movies to watch before Halloween
As a huge horror movie fan, I’ve watched a ridiculous number of movies. Today, I will rank my favorites so you have plenty to watch for this spooky season.
The Shining (1980)
This is the movie I recommend to anyone who asks. I find it more creepy than scary so it’s a perfect beginner film. There aren’t many jump scares, just an overwhelming feeling of dread. This film is also a Stephen King classic, and there is a lot of lore and fan groups out there for hardcore fans.
Score: 8.5/10
Pet Sematary (1989)
Pet Sematary was one of the first horror movies I watched, and it definitely gave me nightmares. To quickly summarize, there’s an Indian burial ground on this family’s property (why is it always an Indian burial ground?). And when you bury dead things there, they come back…
WARNING: there is a 2019 remake of this movie, but it is absolutely awful and you should only watch it if you feel like punishing yourself.
Score: 8/10
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
I love this movie, it’s not the best by any means, but it’s a classic. I wouldn’t exactly call it scary, I’m sure in 1984 it was much scarier. The special effects are so creative and interesting, having a small budget really makes people think outside the box. A quick summary of this movie, a horrifying monster is haunting the dreams of several teens, they try to find a way to kill him.
Score: 7/10
IT (2017)
The only time I will say the remake is better than the original is with this movie. The plot is mostly the same, save a few small details, but the actors absolutely make this movie. The acting is amazing, and the CGI isn’t super noticeable and awful. *cough* Star Wars *cough*
This is another Stephen King story, so you know it’ll be good. As a seasoned horror movie watcher, there’s really only one thing that scares me; I HATE when things walk wrong. Pennywise the clown checks all the boxes for that.
Score: 8/10
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
This is my all-time favorite Halloween movie and it isn’t even horror. This movie/ musical is so weird and crazy. You just can’t beat Tim Curry singing as a cross dressing mad scientist. What really makes this movie is the fans. Live showings don’t start till midnight, you must be in costume, the audience screams profane things at the actors/ screen, and there is a lot of audience participation.
Score: 9/10
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Madeline Kraemer is Editor in Chief of The Dakota Planet. Madeline works on broadcasting and writes stories for the newspaper. During her free time she...
Tyler Sam • Oct 28, 2020 at 11:29 am
I like your list but I really think u should have added the Halloween (1978) original. This movie was a classic and the first truly scary movie for its time. This has to be my favorite scary movie.
Josh Voss • Oct 26, 2020 at 9:19 am
Halloween (1978) is iconic and an absolute 11/10. That theme song… chilling. Shame on you, Kraemer, for omitting this masterpiece.