Classic Halloween movies hit differently when you remember renting them on a Friday night. These are the 80s and 90s Halloween classics worth rewatching, from Ghostbusters and Beetlejuice to Hocus Pocus and Scream, split by decade with a quick note on who each one suits.
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80s Halloween Classics
1. The Shining (1980)
Rated: R. The definition of slow-burn dread.
Shop The Shining (1980) on Blu-ray and DVD
2. Poltergeist (1982)
Rated: PG. The TV static, the clown, the tree. A PG movie that terrified a generation.
Shop Poltergeist (1982) on Blu-ray and DVD
3. Ghostbusters (1984)
Rated: PG. Comedy, ghosts and the most famous theme song of the decade.
Shop Ghostbusters (1984) on Blu-ray and DVD
4. Gremlins (1984)
Rated: PG. Small-town chaos with very naughty monsters.
Shop Gremlins (1984) on Blu-ray and DVD
5. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Rated: R. The 80s horror icon for adults.
Shop A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) on Blu-ray and DVD
6. The Lost Boys (1987)
Rated: R. Teen vampires on a California boardwalk. Peak 80s style.
Shop The Lost Boys (1987) on Blu-ray and DVD
7. The Monster Squad (1987)
Rated: PG-13. Kids against Dracula, the Wolf Man and friends. A cult favorite.
Shop The Monster Squad (1987) on Blu-ray and DVD
8. Beetlejuice (1988)
Rated: PG. Tim Burton's afterlife comedy, still wonderfully weird.
Shop Beetlejuice (1988) on Blu-ray and DVD
9. Child's Play (1988)
Rated: R. The killer doll that ruined toy stores for everyone.
Shop Child's Play (1988) on Blu-ray and DVD
90s Halloween Classics
10. The Witches (1990)
Rated: PG. Anjelica Huston as the Grand High Witch. Scarier than many R-rated films.
Shop The Witches (1990) on Blu-ray and DVD
11. The Addams Family (1991)
Rated: PG-13. Gothic, deadpan and very funny.
Shop The Addams Family (1991) on Blu-ray and DVD
12. Hocus Pocus (1993)
Rated: PG. The 90s Halloween classic, still watched every October.
Shop Hocus Pocus (1993) on Blu-ray and DVD
13. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Rated: PG. Halloween Town in gorgeous stop-motion.
Shop The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) on Blu-ray and DVD
14. Casper (1995)
Rated: PG. The friendly ghost, with surprisingly sad moments.
Shop Casper (1995) on Blu-ray and DVD
15. Scream (1996)
Rated: R. The film that made horror smart again in the late 90s.
Shop Scream (1996) on Blu-ray and DVD
16. The Craft (1996)
Rated: R. Four teen witches whose spells get out of hand.
Shop The Craft (1996) on Blu-ray and DVD
17. Halloweentown (1998)
Rated: TV-G. The Disney Channel October tradition.
Shop Halloweentown (1998) on Blu-ray and DVD
18. Practical Magic (1998)
Rated: PG-13. Cozy witchcraft and the best kitchen scene in movies.
Shop Practical Magic (1998) on Blu-ray and DVD
19. Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Rated: R. Foggy, gothic and full of autumn colors.
Shop Sleepy Hollow (1999) on Blu-ray and DVD
Bonus: The 1978 Original
Technically late 70s, but no classic Halloween list is complete without John Carpenter's Halloween (1978). If you have never seen it, make it your first watch. Get Halloween (1978) on Blu-ray.
Pick by Who Is Watching
- Nostalgic family night: Hocus Pocus, Casper, Halloweentown
- Old friends, horror comedy: Ghostbusters, Beetlejuice, The Lost Boys
- Proper scares: The Shining, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Scream
Make It a Retro Movie Night
Go full 80s: a bowl of candy corn, popcorn from the Presto hot air popcorn popper, orange string lights in orange and a chunky knit throw on the sofa. Hunting the old tapes? Our Amazon links above go to the Blu-ray and DVD versions, which look much better on a modern TV than VHS ever did.
Where to Watch 80s and 90s Halloween Movies
Streaming libraries change every month, so check a free tracker like JustWatch before movie night to see which app has each film right now. Most of these titles can also be rented for a few dollars, and the Amazon links above take you to the Blu-ray or DVD if you want to own them.
If you would rather have one place for films and live channels, Ovello TV and ScreenHouse are two streaming services we partner with. Both work on Fire TV, smart TVs, Apple TV and Android, and you can message them before you sign up. No smart apps on the TV? An Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max plugs into any HDMI port.
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