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Halloween season is upon us, and that means it's time to curl up on the couch and watch some scary movies. Every year, there are plenty of horror movies that come out every year, and within the hundreds that exist, there are some major standouts. But in the age of streaming, where do you go to watch some of the most notable horror movies? Don't worry, as GameSpot has all the answers you need. Whether you're looking for one of the various '80s slasher movies with a notorious killers or spooky ghost story with someone spitting up pea soup, we know where you can stream them. And most of the movies on this list can be streamed at well-known streaming services for no additional cost to your monthly service fees. And we're here for some of the best of the best in horror--and some of the most well-known. Why risk wasting your time with something bad when there are so many acknowledged masterpieces? We've rounded up 24 of the best horror movies of all time and listed which streaming service you can find them on. Check them all out below. And if you're looking for more horror movie lists, check out horror movies to watch on Shudder, horror anime you need to watch, Peacock's best horror movies, and HBO Max's best horror movies.
1. Carrie (1976)
Streaming: Fubo TV Carrie was the first ever Stephen King adaptation, directed by the great Brian De Palma. From Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie's powerful performances to the unforgettable split-screen mayhem of the climax, this is still one the best ever King movies.
2. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Streaming: HBO Max Wes Craven's original Nightmare on Elm Street introduced the world to one of horror's greatest icons--vengeful razor-fingered child killer Feddy Krugger, who haunts the dreams of his teenage victims. The huge success of Craven's scary and imaginative film led to five sequels over the next few years, but the original remains the best.
3. Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Streaming: Tubi James Whale's Bride of Frankenstein is perhaps the best film of Universal's classic monster movies. By introducing the concept of the monster's mate, Whale added an extra level of drama and emotion to this classic story, with Elsa Lanchester and Boris Karloff making one of the screen's strangest, most iconic couples.
4. Psycho (1960)
Streaming: Peacock Alfred Hitchcock was at the height of his powers as a director of hugely popular glossy Hollywood thrillers, when he took a left turn into darker, scarier territory with the low budget, black and white Psycho. Anthony Perkins is unforgettably creepy as murderous motel owner Norman Bates, while the shocks, surprises, and legendary set-pieces still have an impact 60 years later.
5. Scream (1996)
Streaming: Paramount+ Director Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson reinvented the slasher movie with this horror blockbuster, which works brilliantly as both a deconstruction of the genre and a scary experience in its own right. With the fifth movie due in theaters in January, it's a great time to revisit the iconic original.
6. Eraserhead (1976)
Streaming: HBO Max David Lynch made his debut with the terrifying weird Eraserhead. Like many of Lynch's subsequent films, it's both nightmarish and strangely funny, as we follow Henry Spencer (Jack Nance) as he struggles to raise a mutant baby in his tiny apartment. From the "man-made" chicken dinner to the Lady in the Radiator, there's been nothing else quite like it before or since.
7. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Streaming: Peacock/HBO Max/Shudder/Vudu Free/Tubi George Romero's classic wasn't the first zombie movie, but it laid the groundwork for the entire genre as we know it. It's still a remarkably effective film, as a group of strangers hide out in a farmhouse overnight while the flesh-eating undead roam the countryside. Like all of Romero's films, it has a strong social undercurrent--Duane Jones was the first Black leading man in a horror movie, and the tragic final scene still packs an incredible punch.
8. Alien (1979)
Streaming: Starz One of the most influential movies of the '70s, Ridley Scott's sci-fi horror is no less scary than it was 40 years ago. Many of the scares come from the way Scott refrains from showing us much of the alien, leading to some incredibly tense sequences as the crew of the Nostromo attempt to get it before it gets them.
9. The Witch (2015)
Streaming: Kanopy Robert Eggar's period chiller focuses on a Puritan family which is banished from its community and ends up living on the edge of a huge, dark forest, in which a baby-snatching witch is rumored to live. It's an oppressive, spooky woodland horror and perfect for a Fall horror viewing.
10. The Exorcist (1973)
Streaming: HBO Max The Exorcist still holds the power to unsettle like nothing else. It's both a powerful drama about faith and parenthood as well as a terrifying demonic chiller. From the profanity and spinning heads, to pea-soup vomiting and unmentionable acts with a crucifix, Linda Blair's performance (aided by the unforgettable voice of Mercedes McCambridge) terrified an entire generation of moviegoers.
11. The Shining (1980)
Streaming: HBO Max Stephen King might have been unhappy with Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of his supernatural novel The Shining, but it stands as an much imitated but never equalled horror classic. Jack Nicholson is terrifying as the writer losing his mind in the remote mountain hotel that he has taken his family to over a long winter, and the movie is absolutely packed with iconic imagery.
12. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
Streaming: Showtime, Tubi TV, Freevee Tobe Hooper's debut film introduced the world to chainsaw-waving psycho Leatherface and his equally deranged cannibalistic family. The film is relentlessly scary but also darkly funny, as a group of vacationing kids attempt to escape from the clutches of the Sawyer clan.
13. The Wicker Man (1973)
Streaming: Available for rent and purchase on Vudu, Amazon, Apple TV, YouTube One of the greatest British horror movies ever made, The Wicker Man stars Edward Woodward as a cop investigating a sinister cult on a Scottish island, who use human sacrifice to bring prosperity to their isolated island community. Christopher Lee was never more imposing than he is playing Lord Summerisle, the leader of the movie's cult, and the ending is one of the most shocking in the genre.
14. Rosemary's Baby (1969)
Streaming: Fubo TV, Showtime Mia Farrow stars as a pregnant woman who moves into a new apartment with her husband, but unfortunately, her neighbors are not the friendly, caring old folks they seem to be. Farrow's performance, Roman Polanski's masterful direction, and the general air of deep unease help make this an absolute masterpiece.
15. Mandy (2018)
Streaming: Shudder, Tubi, Hoopla, AMC+ There's nothing quite like Panos Cosmatos's amazing psychedelic revenge epic Mandy. Nicolas Cage takes on the demonic biker gang responsible for his wife's death, leading to some insanely violent and wild, trippy sequences.
16. The Thing (1982)
Streaming: Peacock John Carpenter's remake of the '50s sci-fi horror The Thing From Another World was a box office bomb on release, but is now considered one of the best horror movies of the '80s. It's a tense and paranoid monster movie, as Kurt Russell and a team of scientists face off against a shapeshifting alien predator, courtesy of Rob Bottin's incredible prosthetic effects.
17. Suspiria (1977)
Streaming: Tubi, Kanopy Italian horror maestro Dario Argento's dreamlike supernatural shocker is one of the most visually striking horror movies you'll ever see. The plot might be slight--a ballerina discovers that her ballet school is a front for a coven of witches--but the stunning lighting and cinematography, gory set pieces, and thunderous score from Goblin make it a visual and aural treat.
18. Get Out (2017)
Streaming: Available for rent and purchase on Vudu, Amazon, Apple TV, YouTube Jordan Peele's directorial debut is a superbly balanced mix of social satire, dark humor, and nightmarish scares. Daniel Kaluuya is fantastic as the young man who discovers a dark truth about his girlfriend's family, and the supporting cast--including Kaluua's Judas and the Black Messiah co-star LaKeith Stanfield--are equally good.
19. Halloween (1978)
Streaming: Shudder, Fubo TV, AMC+, Redbox John Carpenter's Halloween might not have invented the stalk'n'slash movie, but its huge success laid the groundwork for the next 40 years of slashers. Compared to many of the later entries in the series it's relatively restrained, relying more on atmosphere than bloody shocks, as Carpenter slowly cranks the tension to the terrifying climax.
20. Videodrome (1982)
Streaming: Peacock For many fans, Canadian body horror master David Cronenberg's finest movie is the mind-warping thriller Videodrome. James Woods is the cable TV boss looking for the next shocking show to bring in the viewers, who stumbles upon a sinister broadcast of seemingly torture and murder. Unfortunately, the signal induces horrific hallucinations, leading to a series of increasingly disturbing sequences and reality and gloopy fantasy start to merge.
21. Evil Dead 2 (1987)
Streaming: Available for rent and purchase on Vudu, Amazon, Apple TV, YouTube One of the few horror sequels that improves on the original. Sam Raimi remade his breakthrough indie horror with more gore, more gags, and more crazy camerawork. Bruce Campbell is incredible as a hapless hero Ash, overcoming demonic possession to take on the ancient evil Deadites with his trusty chainsaw-hand. Groovy!
22. An American Werewolf in London (1981)
Streaming: Prime Video, Fubo TV, AMC+, Roku Horror comedies are hard to get right, but John Landis' classic is a masterclass in knowing when to be funny, and when to scare. There's loads of memorably amusing scenes and quotable dialogue, but at heart, this is also a tragic and terrifying werewolf story.
23. Child's Play (1988)
Streaming: Fubo TV, AMC+, Sling On paper, Child's Play is pretty silly. It's about a serial killer whose soul gets trapped in a doll--which is totally not a My Buddy--and he goes on a killing spree. Obviously, he wants to get out of the toy body and wants to trade bodies with a young kid. It's a new take on the slasher genre, which was already losing a lot of steam and luster by the late '80s.
24. Friday the 13th (1980)
Streaming: Fubo TV, AMC+ While the Friday the 13th series would go on to revolve around the undead, hockey-mask wearing monster known as Jason Voorhees, the first movie was quite a shock when it came out. The film followed a group of teens at a summer camp being killed off one-by-one by a mysterious murderer.
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