It’s that time of year again; that time filled with ghosts, goblins, and tasty candy.  It’s also a great time to sit down with a bowl of popcorn with some friends and watch some great horror films.  This is why we’ve put together a list of some great horror films you just have to watch to get into the Halloween spirit.

1.    Halloween

This 1978 John Carpenter Film brought about the reign of Michael Myers, perhaps the scariest evildoer in a horror film to date.  No one can deny that the white mask and the blue jumpsuit doesn’t scare them.  It’s also doesn’t hurt that it’s appropriately named for the occasion.

2.    The Exorcist

The film tells the story of a girl who gets possessed by an evil entity, and will literally send chills down your spine.  The Exorcist is perhaps one of the most iconic films of all time.

3.     The Last Man on Earth

This 1964 film with the legendary Vincent Price tells the story of the last man on Earth and how he combats the nightmarish vampires that seek to kill him.

4.    The Shining

Perhaps Jack Nicholson at his most terrifying, and is based on the Steven King classic.  This film tells the story of family who is isolated in a mountain hotel, and the horrors that await them during their stay.

5.    Silence of the Lambs

Silence of the Lambs was the film that brought us Hannibal Lector, the cannibalistic serial killer, played by Anthony Hopkins.  This movie is not only entirely creepy, but it was also inspired by real-life serial killer, Ed Gein.

6.    Psycho

Ed Gein was not only the inspiration of Silence of the Lambs, but he’s also the inspiration for the murderous Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock’s film, Psycho.  One of the most classic of the Hitchcock films, the film follows the story of the deranged motel owner and the individuals who are onto his dirty secret.

7.    Nightmare on Elm Street

One of the freakiest horror villains, Freddy Krueger, was a murderer with knives for hands (kind of like an evil Edward Scissorhands).  The scariest thing about Freddy was that he attacked you at your weakest:  When you’re asleep.

8.    28 Days Later

Perhaps the ultimate zombie film, 28 Weeks Later follows a group of survivors after the rage virus spreads throughout the UK turning everyone into angry zombies.

9.    30 Days of Night

Forget those sparkly, vegetarian vampires!  30 Days of Night is based on a graphic novel about a small town in Alaska that is attacked by a group of vicious vampires.

10. The Strangers

The Strangers follows the story of a couple whose trip to their family’s cabin turns deadly when they receive a mysterious knock at the door in the middle of the night.

These are just ten of our favorite horror films.  To find more, check out Boston.com’s list of Top 50 Scariest Movies of All Time.

 Have a fun and safe Halloween everyone!

Other References:

“All About Hannibal Lecter – Fact and Fiction” by Anthony Bruno