While trick-or-treating, carving pumpkins, and wearing costumes are exciting holiday traditions to experience in All Hallow’s Eve month, the one thing I look forward to the most during this festive season is the movies.
I have to thank ABC Family’s 13 Nights of Halloween for this. Back when cable television was my primary source of entertainment and companionship as my parents were at work most of the time, the employees behind ABC Family enticed excitement when it came to Spooky Month. I always looked forward to watching their program lineup.
This year, I wanted to create my own Spooky lineup to ignite the Halloween spirit.
With streaming services being more of a household name, the movies below are ones that I was able to locate in the more popular streaming services available – Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, Max, Peacock, Paramount+, AMC+, and Apple TV+.
Each day consists of four different movies, three of which correspond to different maturity ratings – G/PG, PG-13/TV-14, and R/NC-17/TV-MA. The fourth movies are spooky non-English/international movies.
The main goal of the list is to watch at least one movie each day, especially considering that not everyone will have access to multiple streaming services. If we want more of a challenge, we can always try watching all four per day or finish the entire list in however viewing schedule we choose.
A Bit of Halloween History
About 2,000 years ago, in areas that are now known as Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, there was a group of people known as the Celts who believed that on the night of October 31, the day before their new year (November 1), the border between the living and the dead became blurred and that the spirits of the dead roamed the earth.
As part of their beliefs, the Celts celebrated an ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain on October 31, the day known as All Hallows Eve. To commemorate the event, the Celts would light huge sacred bonfires where people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic gods. They also wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins. They would extinguish their fire sometime during the festival, and by the end of the festival, they would re-light it as it was believed to help protect them during the coming winter.
Halloween in the Americas was initially common in Maryland and the southern colonies. Eventually, as the beliefs and customs of different European ethnic groups and the American Indians meshed, a distinctly American version of Halloween began to emerge. The early celebrations of Halloween were to honor harvest season, and were known as “play parties,” and neighbors shared stories of the dead, told each other’s fortunes, danced, and sang.
In the second half of the 19th century, America was flooded with millions of Irish immigrants, which helped popularize the celebration of Halloween nationally. By the late 1800s, there was a move to make Halloween into a holiday that focused more on community and neighborly get-togethers than on ghosts, pranks, and witchcraft. At the turn of the century, Halloween became a household festivity that focused on games, foods, and costumes. Many themes of horror and grotesque were soon removed, thus Halloween began to lose most of its superstitious and religious overtones by the beginning of the 20th century. Between 1920 and 1950, the practice of trick-or-treating was revived as it was a relatively inexpensive way for a community to celebrate Halloween.
Today, the day of the Samhain Festival is popularly known as Halloween and is celebrated annually on October 31. It is a day when people commonly go trick-or-treating, carve jack-o-lanterns, have festive gatherings, wear costumes, and eat treats. It is estimated that Americans spend about $6 billion annually on Halloween, making it the country’s second-largest commercial holiday after Christmas.
SOURCE: HISTORY CHANNEL
A Bit of Maturity Ratings Explained
MOVIE RATINGS
G: General audiences – All ages admitted. Nothing that would offend parents for viewing by children.
PG: Parental guidance suggested – Parents urged to give “parental guidance.” May contain some material parents might not like for their young children.
PG-13: Parents strongly cautioned – Parents are urged to be cautious. Some material may be inappropriate for pre-teenagers.
R: Restricted – Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. Contains adult material. Parents are urged to learn more about the film before taking their young children with them.
NC-17: Adults Only – No one 17 and under admitted. Clearly adult. Children are not admitted.
SOURCE: MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION
TELEVISION RATINGS
TV-Y – Programs aimed at a very young audience, including children from ages 2-6.
TV-Y7 – Programs most appropriate for children aged 7 and up.
TV-Y7-FV – Programming with fantasy violence that may be more intense or more combative than other programming in the TV-Y7 category.
TV-G – Programs suitable for all ages; these are not necessarily children’s shows.
TV-PG – Parental guidance is recommended; these programs may be unsuitable for younger children.
TV-14 – These shows may be unsuitable for children under 14.
TV-MA – These programs are intended to be viewed by mature, adult audiences and may be unsuitable for children under 17.
124 Movies To Stream For Halloween
Streaming service(s) might change from the time of writing this post due to the services’ contract with the movie/TV show networks.
OCTOBER 1:
The Haunted Mansion (2003) | PG | Stream On: Disney+
The Curse of Bridge Hollow (2022) | TV-14 | Stream On: Netflix
Halloween (1978) | R | Stream On: AMC+
Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) | G | Stream On: Max
OCTOBER 2:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) | PG | Stream On: Max
The Grudge (2004) | PG-13 | Stream On: Paramount+
Halloween II (1981) | R | Stream On: AMC+, Peacock TV
Re/Member (2022) | TV-MA | Stream On: Netflix
OCTOBER 3:
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) | PG | Stream On: Max
Clue (1985) | PG-13 | Stream On: Paramount+
Friday The 13th (1980) | R | Stream On: Max
Don’t Listen (2020) | TV-MA | Stream On: Netflix
OCTOBER 4:
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) | PG | Stream On: Max
Practical Magic (1998) | PG-13 | Stream On: Hulu
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) | R | Stream On: Max
#Alive (2020) | TV-MA | Stream On: Netflix
OCTOBER 5:
Twitches (2005) | TV-PG | Stream On: Disney+
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) | PG-13 | Stream On: Max
The Exorcist (1973) | R | Stream On: Max
The 8th Night (2021) | TV-14 | Stream On: Netflix
OCTOBER 6:
Twitches Two (2007) | TV-PG | Stream On: Disney+
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) | PG-13 | Stream On: Max
The Shining (1980) | R | Stream On: Hulu
Incantation (2022) | TV-MA | Stream On: Netflix
OCTOBER 7:
Harry Potter And the Half-Blood Prince (2009) | PG | Stream On: Max
Beautiful Creatures (2013) | PG-13 | Stream On: Max
It (2017) | R | Stream On: Max
Sabrina (2018) | TV-MA | Stream On: Netflix
OCTOBER 8:
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966) | TV-G | Stream On: Apple TV+
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt.1 (2010) | PG-13 | Stream On: Max
It: Chapter Two (2019) | R | Stream On: Max
Tumbbad (2018) | R | Stream On: Prime Video
OCTOBER 9:
Monsters, Inc. (2001) | G | Stream On: Disney+
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2 (2011) | PG-13 | Stream On: Max
The Wicker Man | R | Stream On: Apple TV+
The Oskars Fantasy (2023) | TV-MA | Stream On: Netflix
OCTOBER 10:
Nightbooks (2021) | TV-PG | Stream On: Netflix
The Woman in Black (2012) | PG-13 | Stream On Paramount+
Carrie (1976) | R | Stream On: Hulu
Kuntilanak (2018) | TV-14 | Stream On: Netflix (Last Day To Watch On Netflix: October 11)
OCTOBER 11:
The Book of Life (2014) | TV-PG | Stream On: Hulu
The Woman in Black 2: Angel Of Death (2014) | PG-13 | Stream On: Hulu
Sleepy Hollow (1999) | R | Stream On: Max
Goodnight Mommy (2022) | R | Stream On: Prime Video
OCTOBER 12:
Hotel Transylvania (2012) | PG | Stream On: Hulu
Carved (2018) | PG-13 | Stream On: Hulu
Barbarian (2022) | R | Stream On: Max
Veronica (2017) | TV-MA | Stream On: Netflix
OCTOBER 13:
Monster House (2006) | PG | Stream On: Hulu
We Have a Ghost (2023) | PG-13 | Stream On: Netflix
Trick ‘R Treat (2007) | R | Stream On: Max
The Bridge Curse (2020) | TV-MA | Stream On: Netflix
OCTOBER 14:
Ghostbusters (1984) | PG | Stream On: Peacock TV
Bewitched (2005) | PG-13 | Stream On: Prime Video
Blood Moon (2021) | TV-MA | Stream On: Hulu
Ghost Stories (2020) | TV-MA | Stream On: Netflix
OCTOBER 15:
Halloweentown (1998) | TV-PG | Stream On: Disney+
Ouija (2014) | PG-13 | Stream On: Netflix
Thir13en Ghosts (2001) | R | Stream On: Max
Pee Mak (2013) | PG-13 | Stream On: Apple TV+
OCTOBER 16:
Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge (2001) | TV-G | Stream On: Disney+
The Haunting in Connecticut (2009) | PG-13 | Stream On: Hulu
Evil Dead Rise (2023) | R | Stream On: Max
Spirited (2022) | TV-14 | Stream On: Netflix
OCTOBER 17:
The Boy Who Cried Werewolf (2010) | TV-Y | Stream On: Netflix
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019) | PG-13 | Stream On: Hulu
The Craft (1996) | R | Stream On: Hulu
The Womb (2022) | TV-MA | Stream On: Netflix
OCTOBER 18:
A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting (2020) | TV-PG | Stream On: Netflix
Insidious (2010) | PG-13 | Stream On: Max
Get Out (2017) | R | Stream On: Peacock TV
Homunculus (2021) | TV-MA | Stream On: Netflix
OCTOBER 19:
Goosebumps (2015) | PG | Stream On: Netflix
The Grudge 2 (2006) | PG-13 | Stream On: Hulu, Peacock TV
Uncanny Annie (2019) | TV-MA | Stream On: Hulu
Secrets In the Hot Spring (2018) | TV-14 | Stream On: Netflix
OCTOBER 20:
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) | PG | Stream On: Disney+
Ouija: Origin Of Evil (2016) | PG-13 | Stream On: Netflix
The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016) | R | Stream On: Hulu
Spirited Away (2001) | PG | Stream On: Max
OCTOBER 21:
Casper (1995) | PG | Stream On: Netflix
You Are Not My Mother (2021) | PG-13 | Stream On: Hulu
Eli (2019) | TV-MA | Stream On: Netflix
The 3rd Eye (2018) | TV-MA | Stream On: Netflix
OCTOBER 22:
Frankenweenie (2012) | PG | Stream On: Max
Haunted Mansion (2023) | PG-13 | Stream On: Disney+
The Witches of Eastwick (1987) | R | Stream On: Max
The 3rd Eye 2 (2019) | TV-MA | Stream On: Netflix
OCTOBER 23:
Scooby-Doo (2002) | PG | Stream On: Max
Mama (2013) | PG-13 | Stream On: Prime Video
Ghost Ship (2002) | R | Stream On: Max
Eerie (2019) | TV-14 | Stream On: Netflix
OCTOBER 24:
Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004) | PG | Stream On: Max
Umma (2022) | PG-13 | Stream On: Netflix
Crimson Peak (2015) | R | Stream On: Netflix
The Influence (2019) | TV-MA | Stream On: Netflix
OCTOBER 25:
Spooky Buddies (2011) | G | Stream On: Disney+
The Addams Family (1991) | PG-13 | Stream On: Paramount+
The Nun (2018) | R | Stream On: Max
Bulbbul (2020) | TV-MA | Stream On: Netflix
OCTOBER 26:
Paranorman (2012) | PG | Stream On: Hulu (Starz Add-On)
Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them (2016) | PG-13 | Stream On: Max
Annabelle Creation (2017) | R | Stream On: Max
Zom 100: Bucket List Of The Dead | TV-MA | Stream On: Netflix
OCTOBER 27:
Matilda (1996) | PG | Stream On: Netflix
Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children (2016) | PG-13 | Stream On: Disney+
Annabelle (2014) | R | Stream On: Max, Hulu
Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (2018) | NR | Stream On: Peacock TV, Freevee
OCTOBER 28:
Beetlejuice (1988) | PG | Stream On: Max
Teen Witch (1989) | PG-13 | Stream On: Max
The Conjuring (2013) | R | Stream On: Max
The Doll (2016) | TV-MA | Stream On: Netflix
OCTOBER 29:
Coraline (2009) | PG | Stream On: Max
Cruella (2021) | PG-13 | Stream On: Disney+
Annabelle Comes Home (2019) | R | Stream On: Max
The Doll 2 (2017) | TV-MA | Stream On: Netflix
OCTOBER 30:
Hocus Pocus (1993) | PG | Stream On: Disney+
Hubie Halloween (2020) | PG-13 | Stream On: Netflix
The Curse Of La Llorona (2019) | R | Stream On: Max
The Wailing (2016) | R | Stream On: Prime Video
OCTOBER 31:
Hocus Pocus 2 (2022) | PG | Stream On: Disney+
Edward Scissorhands (1990) | PG-13 | Stream On: Max
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021) | R | Stream On: Max
Train To Busan (2016) | PG-13 | Stream On: Prime Video
I hope that these tales will awaken the spirit of All Hallow’s Eve within us.
Behind the tricks, treats, decorations, and costumes, I hope that many of us will allow our inner child to come through and enjoy the lightness that the holiday brings.
Let's Chat!
What Spooky tales are you looking forward to watching in October?