Following Halloween Traditions by Watching the Most Thrilling Horror Movies

Nothing beats buttery popcorn, an ice-cold Coca-Cola, and wearing your cozy pajamas while watching all the classic Halloween movies.

Halloween is the best time of year to dress in your favorite costume, eat as much candy as you want, and have fun. But homebodies can take advantage of all the classic scary movies that will give you nightmares… in a good way. Starting back in the 80s and 90s, (because we all know nothing beats a gruesome, bloody film) the true classics really give you goosebumps down your spine.

Starting with The Shining (1980), if you love a combination of horror and mystery, this is the perfect film for you. It’s set in the late 1970s, following Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson), a recovering alcoholic and aspiring writer who gets an opportunity to work as a winter caretaker at the isolated Overlook Hotel. Hoping the quiet environment can give him the chance to cure his writer’s block, Jack ignores the warnings about the dark past of the hotel and moves his family in for the season.

Upon their arrival, head chef Dick Hollorann (Scatman Crothers) greets them but finds himself telepathically connecting with Jack’s son, Danny. When they are alone, Hollorann warns Danny to stay out of room 237 and, if he sees spirits in the pictures, to just ignore them.

As weeks passed, turning into a month, paranoia started to affect each of the family members, especially Jack. He went from a kind-hearted father to an angry and scary man who tried to kill his wife and son towards the end. As Jack slashed the door with an axe, his gritted teeth and wide eyes peeked through the space between the door and his wife, shouting, “Hereeeeeees Johnnyyy!” It’s impossible not to love Jack Nicholson's iconic performance.

Remember when we mentioned nightmares? That’s Freddy Krueger's 9-to-5 job. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) sets a suspenseful tone that will have you afraid of going to sleep. It’s a classic slasher film that takes place in Springwood, Ohio, where Freddy stalks and kills teenagers inside their dreams. He has a burned face, wearing a red-and-green striped long-sleeve, a black fedora, and a glove with razor-sharp metal blades as fingers. As they close their eyes, a melody starts: “one, two, Freddy’s coming for you… three, four, better lock the door, five, six, better grab your crucifix…” but some never make it after “seven, eight, gonna stay up late…nine, ten, never sleep again”.

He taunts teenagers, making them afraid to go to sleep; whatever happens in the dream happens in real life —meaning if they die, they die in real life.

Are you the type to answer a call late at night or to let it ring? Scream (1996) starts with Casey Becker, played by Drew Barrymore, alone at night at her family's house. She’s heating up some popcorn when she gets a strange call. At first, she thinks nothing of it. The man on the other line claimed he dialed the wrong number, but then, he started up a converstation asking her about her favorite horror movie.

The converstation slowly switches from flirtatious to creepy as the caller asks her personal questions, revealing he is watching her every move. The call turns into horror trivia, life-or-death, featuring Casey's boyfriend. Scream is clever and suspenseful—making you question your friend group and boyfriend, but it’s always the boyfriend who's the killer. Who do you think is hiding behind the mask?

Watching scary movies and eating a bunch of your favorite candy is the ideal day for Halloween, either with friends and family or by yourself. Go heat up some popcorn, pour yourself an ice-cold soda and grab that warm blanket fresh out of the dryer. This Halloween is the time where you watch all the classics and hope you don’t find any cavities after the night is over!

Which movie will you be watching this Halloween? Leave a comment below!