If you’re looking for the best horror movies to watch this Halloween, BBC iPlayer has a handful of great choices. Here are my favourites, award winners and highly rated horror movies you should add to your watchlist.
WYALAN Ranked, Rated and Recommended
WYALAN star rating explained:
- 5 stars – Highly enjoyed and would highly recommend as a must watch
- 4 stars – Enjoyed and would watch again in the future
- 3 stars – Glad I watched it once, but I’ll probably never watch it again
- 2 stars – Watched to the end, but I wouldn’t watch it again
- 1 star – DNF (did not finish)
Alien (1979) – [Sci-Fi/Horror]
For fans of: The Thing, Event Horizon, Prometheus
Ridley Scott’s genre-defining masterpiece blends claustrophobic terror with sleek sci-fi design. Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley became an icon, and H.R. Giger’s creature design won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. WYALAN Rating – 5/5
Misery (1990) – [Psychological Horror/Thriller]
For fans of: The Shining, Gerald’s Game, Black Swan
Kathy Bates won an Oscar for her chilling portrayal of Annie Wilkes, a fan with deadly devotion. Based on Stephen King’s novel, it’s tense, intimate, and unforgettable. WYALAN Rating – 5/5
The Blair Witch Project (1999) – [Found Footage/Horror]
For fans of: Paranormal Activity, REC, Lake Mungo
This Sundance sensation redefined indie horror with its lo-fi realism and viral marketing. It’s minimalist, terrifying, and historically influential. WYALAN Rating – 4.5/5
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Award-Winning Horror Movies
Edward Scissorhands (1990) – [Fantasy/Horror/Romance]
For fans of: Beetlejuice, Crimson Peak, Pan’s Labyrinth
Tim Burton’s gothic fairy tale stars Johnny Depp as a gentle creation with blades for hands. BAFTA-winning for production design, it’s whimsical, eerie, and deeply emotional.
The Others (2001) – [Supernatural Horror/Drama]
For fans of: The Innocents, The Sixth Sense, The Orphanage
Nicole Kidman stars in this atmospheric ghost story set in a fog-shrouded mansion. BAFTA-nominated and praised for its slow-burn suspense and twist ending.
His House (2020) – [Supernatural Horror/Drama]
For fans of: Get Out, The Night House, Under the Shadow
A refugee couple faces trauma and haunting in a London council house in this BAFTA-winning debut. It’s socially sharp, emotionally devastating, and genuinely terrifying.
Bones and All (2022) – [Romantic Horror/Drama]
For fans of: Let the Right One In, Raw, Call Me by Your Name
Taylor Russell and Timothée Chalamet star in Luca Guadagnino’s haunting tale of young cannibals in love. Winner of the Silver Lion at Venice, it’s lyrical, brutal, and strangely tender.
Crimes of the Future (2022) – [Body Horror/Sci-Fi]
For fans of: Videodrome, Possessor, Titane
David Cronenberg returns to body horror with a dystopian tale of organ evolution and performance art. It’s cerebral, grotesque, and Cannes-premiered.
Highly Rated Horror Movies
Halloween (1978) – [Slasher/Classic Horror]
For fans of: Friday the 13th, Scream, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
John Carpenter’s minimalist masterpiece introduced Michael Myers and redefined the slasher genre. It’s iconic, terrifying, and endlessly imitated.
Carrie (1976) – [Horror/Coming-of-Age]
For fans of: Rosemary’s Baby, Hereditary, The Babadook
Brian De Palma’s adaptation of Stephen King’s debut novel earned Oscar nods for Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie. It’s bloody, tragic, and culturally iconic.
Scream (1996) – [Slasher/Meta Horror]
For fans of: Halloween, Cabin in the Woods, Final Destination
Wes Craven’s genre-reviving hit blends brutal kills with razor-sharp satire. It’s clever, scary, and endlessly quotable.
Scream 2 (1997) – [Slasher/Meta Horror]
For fans of: Urban Legend, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Scream
The sequel ups the stakes with college carnage and commentary on horror follow-ups. It’s smart, stylish, and surprisingly strong.
The Haunting (1963) – [Psychological Horror]
For fans of: The Innocents, The Shining, The Others
Robert Wise’s adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s novel is a masterclass in suggestion and dread. Often cited among the greatest horror films ever made.
Cat People (1942) – [Atmospheric Horror]
For fans of: The Uninvited, The Leopard Man, The Haunting
Val Lewton’s RKO classic uses shadow and suggestion to evoke primal fear. It’s elegant, eerie, and deeply influential.
I Walked with a Zombie (1943) – [Supernatural Horror]
For fans of: White Zombie, The Skeleton Key, Cat People
Another Lewton production, this poetic tale blends voodoo myth with colonial critique. It’s moody, restrained, and haunting.
World War Z (2013) – [Action Horror/Apocalyptic]
For fans of: 28 Days Later, Train to Busan, Contagion
Brad Pitt battles a global zombie outbreak in this fast-paced blockbuster. It’s slick, suspenseful, and surprisingly smart.
Ghost Stories (2017) – [Anthology Horror/Thriller]
For fans of: The Woman in Black, The Haunting of Bly Manor, Dead of Night
Adapted from the hit stage play, this BAFTA-nominated British horror weaves three chilling tales into one eerie narrative. With Martin Freeman and Andy Nyman, it’s cerebral and unsettling.
Housebound (2014) – [Horror/Comedy]
For fans of: What We Do in the Shadows, Shaun of the Dead, The Frighteners
A woman under house arrest suspects her childhood home is haunted in this New Zealand gem. It’s inventive, funny, and genuinely creepy.
The Curse of the Cat People (1944) – [Psychological Horror/Fantasy]
For fans of: The Innocents, The Others, A Ghost Story
A poetic sequel to Cat People, this quiet tale explores childhood imagination and emotional isolation. It’s haunting, gentle, and critically reappraised.
The Gift (2000) – [Supernatural Thriller]
For fans of: The Sixth Sense, The Others, Stir of Echoes
Cate Blanchett plays a psychic entangled in a murder mystery in Sam Raimi’s Southern Gothic thriller. It’s moody, well-acted, and underrated.
The Witches (1990) – [Fantasy Horror/Family]
For fans of: Coraline, Matilda, Goosebumps
Anjelica Huston stars as the Grand High Witch in this darkly whimsical Roald Dahl adaptation. With grotesque makeup and a genuinely creepy tone, it terrified a generation of kids—and delighted them too.
Horror Express (1972) – [Cult Horror/Mystery]
For fans of: The Thing, Dracula, Murder on the Orient Express
Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing face off against a prehistoric alien on a trans-Siberian train. It’s atmospheric, eerie, and a cult classic.
In Fabric (2018) – [Surreal Horror/Satire]
For fans of: Suspiria, The Love Witch, Berberian Sound Studio
Peter Strickland’s tale of a cursed red dress is hypnotic, stylish, and darkly comic. A festival favorite with cult appeal.
Relic (2020) – [Psychological Horror/Drama]
For fans of: The Babadook, Hereditary, Saint Maud
Three generations confront grief and decay in this Sundance standout. It’s slow, symbolic, and emotionally devastating.
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