“Halloween” (1978)

Streaming on AMC+ and Fubo

The OG. The classic. The icon. John Carpenter’s “Halloween” was a small-budget indie that spawned a franchise as slow-moving serial killer Michael Myers tormented the sleepy town of Haddonfield, Illinois on Halloween night. Jamie Lee Curtis achieved “scream queen” status with her turn as a babysitter who stands off against Myers in this and five additional sequels. You’ll find more “Halloween” movies streaming on AMC+ and Fubo and the 2018 film, a direct sequel to the original, is streaming on Netflix.

“Scream” (1996)

Streaming on Max

Wes Craven reinvented the horror genre with 1996’s “Scream,” a slasher in which the bad guy has seen every iconic horror movie and taunts his victims with his cinephile knowhow. Countless ripoffs would follow in its wake, but “Scream” remains one of the best, scariest and funniest horror movies ever made.

“Trick ‘r Treat” (2007)

Streaming on Max

This anthology film, set on Halloween night, became a cult classic on home video and for good reason. The film tells a series of short stories all set in the same town on the same night – Halloween. We’re still waiting on that sequel.

“The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993)

Streaming on Disney+

The perfect bridge between Halloween and Christmas (sorry Thanksgiving), the Tim Burton-produced, Henry Selick-directed stop-motion musical remains one of Disney’s most valuable brands over three decades later.

“Halloweentown” (1998)

Streaming on Disney+

This Disney Channel Original Movie was a favorite of Millennials growing up and stands as a family friendly alternative to the nightmare-inducing classics on this list.

“Hocus Pocus” (1993)

Streaming on Disney+

A flop upon release, “Hocus Pocus” gained “icon” status in the years that followed thanks in part to countless airings on the Disney Channel every Halloween. The sequel, released in 2022, is on Disney+ as well but nothing touches the original.

“A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984)

Streaming on Max

If it’s iconic slasher villains you’re looking for, Freddy Kruger — a baddie who kills teenagers in their dreams — in Wes Craven’s “Nightmare on Elm Street” is a must.

“Friday the 13th” (1980)

Streaming on Paramount+, AMC+ and Shudder

And if you’re watching Freddy, you best be watching machete-wielding Jason too.

“The Exorcist” (1973)

Streaming on Max

For pure scares, William Friedkin’s possession film “The Exorcist” remains one of the most terrifying films ever made.

“The Shining” (1980)

Streaming on Max and AMC+

Ditto Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining,” which is terrifying for different reasons. Author Stephen King was notably not a fan of Kubrick’s interpretation of his book, which ditches the overt supernatural aspects for a more grounded take on a father going insane.

“Beetlejuice” (1988)

Streaming on Max

Few do “Halloween vibes” better than Tim Burton and his 1988 classic horror-comedy “Beetlejuice” is a great way to set the mood. Especially in the wake of the sequel’s release, which is not currently streaming but is available to purchase or rent on Digital. It’s solid!

“The Addams Family” (1991) and “Addams Family Values” (1993)

Streaming on Paramount+ and Fubo

They’re creepy and they’re kooky. While “The Addams Family” is a spooky delight, the sequel “Addams Family Values” is arguably even better with a pitch-perfect performance by Joan Cusack as a serial killer who weds Christopher Lloyd’s Uncle Fester in a bid to take his fortune – but he just won’t die!

“Shaun of the Dead” (2004)

Streaming on Peacock

There’s gotta be a zombie movie on this list, and Edgar Wright’s zom-rom-com “Shaun of the Dead” is a great way to spend Halloween week. Funny, spooky, romantic and altogether cool, it’s a classic for a reason.

“Practical Magic” (1998)

Streaming on Max

For witchy vibes, you cannot go wrong with “Practical Magic.” The ‘90s film stars Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as sisters/witches who navigate an abusive relationship with their witchy powers, all set against a perfect fall backdrop.

“Dawn of the Dead” (2007)

Of course, George A. Romero’s “Dawn of the Dead” will always stand the test of time, but let’s not act like Zack Synder didn’t do his thing with his remake of the film in 2004. In this new vision, an unlikely group of Milwaukeeans come together inside a local shopping mall in an effort to evade a zombie apocalypse. But as they welcome new folks in, it becomes harder to keep the virus out.

Streaming on: Peacock, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango at Home

“World War Z” (2013)

The “World War Z” zombies are probably the fastest and most strategic zombies in all zombie cinema or television — aside from the ones that appeared in Netflix’s series “Black Summer.” Seriously, who could forget that terrifying wall-climbing scene? Marc Foster directs Brad Pitt in the action-packed horror, who takes on the role of former U.N. investigator Gerry Lane. After a virus causes a zombie pandemic, Gerry embarks on a mission to find the root of the infection.

Streaming: Netflix, Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video, The Roku Channel, YouTube

“Shaun of the Dead” (2004)

You need some giggles with those screams, don’t ya? If so, go ahead and slot in Simon Pegg’s comedic horror “Shaun of the Dead.” The film takes you on a hilarious ride with characters Shaun and Ed, two lowly, everyday blokes who don’t expect much out of their dull lives. However, when their London town becomes overrun with zombies, they must take on a new role as leaders in order to protect their families and friends.

Streaming on: Peacock, Amazon Prime Video, Sling TV, Fandango at Home, Apple TV and Google Play Movies

“Night of the Living Dead” (1968)

There’s no way this list would be complete without one of George A. Romero’s masterpieces. If not for “Night of the Living Dead,” we’d never have the gem “Dawn of the Dead” (which is its sequel). The film is centered on a unique group of strangers who take refuge in an abandoned house to escape blood-thirsty zombies that have risen from a graveyard. But how long will their haven be able to keep the undead out?

Streaming on: Peacock, Pluto TV, Sling TV, Crackle, MGM+, Tubi, The Roku Channel, Max, Starz, AMC+, Hulu and Crackle

28 Days Later (2002)

Before he was playing physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, Cillian Murphy was running for his life as Jim away from zombies in Danny Boyle’s thrilling horror “28 Days Later.” When a group of animal rights activists free a chimp infected with a virus called “Rage,” the city eventually becomes completely ravaged by humans-turned-zombies. It’s all a surprise for a Jim, a bike courier, who’s just woken up from a month-long coma.

Streaming on: Prime Video and Apple TV

“Resident Evil” (2002)

“Resident Evil” isn’t quite the traditional zombie flick. It’s a horrifying biopunk action thriller that takes you on a wild ride alongside Milla Jovovich. Based on the popular video game, “Resident Evil” follows Alice as she leads a team to takedown the evil force behind a deadly virus that’s been released and is turning people into undead creatures.

Streaming on: Tubi, Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play Movies, Fandango at Home, Pluto TV, Paramount+, The Roku Channel and Apple TV

“Warm Bodies” (2013)

Nothing wrong with a little romance to sprinkle in with the spookiness. Humans and zombies inhabit the world in “Warm Bodies,” but unlike other zombie films, the only cure for this virus comes from within. When a zombie named R (Nicholas Hoult) saves a woman’s life, the two end up journeying through the undead world together, discovering that love may be the answer to recovering humanity.

Streaming on: Peacock, Hulu, YouTube TV, Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play Movies, Fandango at Home

“Zombieland” (2009)

Ruben Fleischner’s “Zombieland” gives you laughter, action and one hell of an amazing cast. Woody Harrelson leads a pack of four survivors who are trekking their way through a zombie apocalypse in an effort to make it to a rumored Los Angeles safe haven. On their way, they find themselves in a series of unfortunate events, including run-ins with the undead.

Streaming on: Netflix, YouTube, Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play Movies and Fandango at Home

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)

The best-remembered of Disney’s early animated anthology films (unless you count “Fantasia”) is a double feature of classic literature adaptations. The first half, based on Kenneth Grahame’s “The Wind in the Willows” and narrated by Basil Rathbone, is a perfectly respectable fantasy about anthropomorphic animals and the dangers of reckless driving. But the second is a spectacular interpretation of Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” narrated by Bing Crosby, which features spooky Halloween music and a terrifying Headless Horseman who throws a flaming Jack O’Lantern right at the audience. It’s not the only great “Sleepy Hollow” adaptation (we’ll get to another one later), but it remains the most iconic interpretation of the decapitated Halloween specter.

“The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad” is streaming on Disney+.

Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

Frank Capra is best known for his romanticized visions of Americana in classics like “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” but he had a freaky streak too. His classic screwball horror-comedy “Arsenic and Old Lace” stars Cary Grant as a hapless writer who visits his two kindly aunts on Halloween, only to discover they have a shocking secret: They’re both serial killers. Grant is at his befuddled best as he runs around finding hidden corpses, and the film has a brilliant meta twist in the second half where his long-lost brother arrives, having just had plastic surgery to look just like Boris Karloff.

Betty Boop’s Hallowe’en Party (1933)

Iconic cartoon flapper Betty Boop ruled the silver screen in the early 1930s, but her brand of humor was more playfully suggestive than anything Disney was doing. (It’s very tame by modern standards.) Her adventures often skewed fantastical — “Minnie the Moocher,” arguably her most memorable short, features Cab Calloway as a dancing ghost — but she didn’t hold a proper “Hallowe’en Party” until 1933. Betty invites all the local animals, a scarecrow named Scary, and even some bonafide monsters to her hilarious bash, while she decorates for the season and fends off the advances of a brute who, don’t worry, gets his spine-tingling comeuppance. Betty Boop declined in popularity after the Production Code watered down her entire appeal, and to newer audiences she may be obscure, but her cartoons are still as funny as ever.

Cobweb (2023)

Take about lousy timing: Samuel Bodin’s excellent directorial debut “Cobweb” came out the same weekend as “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” so nobody noticed it. At all. And that’s a shame because it’s a frightfully devious film. Woody Norman stars as a boy whose overprotective parents, played by Lizzy Caplan and Antony Starr, won’t let him go out on Halloween and lock him in the basement when he talks back. As he tries to escape his increasingly disturbing home life, he starts hearing voices inside the walls, telling him to do terrible things. Caplan and Starr are both horrifying, Bodin fills the first two-thirds of the movie with absolute dread, and the third act is a wild showstopper.

“Cobweb” is streaming on Hulu.

Dark Harvest (2023)

Another overlooked treat, David Slade’s “Dark Harvest” takes place in a small midwestern town in the early 1960s. Every Halloween the local teenage boys have to protect the community from Sawtooth Jack, a demonic scarecrow who grows out in the fields all year, and threatens to kill anyone in his path to the center of town. Slade’s film, based on a novel by Norman Partridge, combines iconic Halloween horrors with creepy YA conspiracies, as the teenaged heroes gradually realize their parents aren’t telling them the whole story, and that Sawtooth Jack might have a very good reason to want all the townsfolk dead. A fantastic modern Halloween campfire story, filmed with panache, and boasting one of the most memorable movie monsters in recent memory.

“Dark Harvest” is streaming on Prime Video.

Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981)

There’s no shortage of killer Halloween scarecrow movies. We didn’t even have room for all of them on this list. But no retrospective of Halloween classics would be complete without the 1981 made-for-tv slasher “Dark Night of the Scarecrow.” Larry Drake stars as an intellectually disabled man living in a small town, who tries to rescue a little girl from a vicious dog but gets accused of attacking her himself, and gets lynched by an angry mob. The next year, he returns from the grave to kill the people responsible, including an absolutely despicable, hateful monster of a man played by Charles Durning. Don’t be fooled by the network television origins: “Dark Night of the Scarecrow” may not be very gory but it is surprisingly sinister, and ranks among the best films in the early slasher cycle.

“Dark Night of the Scarecrow” is streaming on Prime Video and Shudder.

Donnie Darko (2001)

Richard Kelly’s career went in odd directions but his first film remains one of the most striking debuts of the century so far. Jake Gyllenhaal plays the title character, a teenager in the 1980s who keeps seeing a horrifying entity in a rabbit costume named Frank, who tells him the world will end on the night of a Halloween party. Soon, Donnie begins doing strange things he cannot explain, like flooding his high school, burning down a local celebrity’s house, and learning the secrets of time travel. “Donnie Darko” is a gloomy, smart film about teenage angst and the mysteries of the universe. And, of course, about Halloween… the time when all the masks come off.

“Donnie Darko” is streaming on Prime Video.

Ernest Scared Stupid (1991)

It’s easy to overlook them nowadays but the first few “Ernest P. Worrell” movies were actually quite good. Jim Varney successfully translated his TV commercial persona, that of a lovable working class goofball who accidentally breaks everything he touches, into a series of films about saving summer camps, saving Christmas, saving his girlfriend from an evil doppelganger, and saving Halloween from magical trolls. This title is accurate: “Ernest Scared Stupid” is an incredibly silly film, aimed entirely at children, but even adults can get a good chuckle out of the film’s weirdest moments. If you’ve always wondered why your friends sometimes refer to milk as “miak” like it’s the funniest thing in the world, this movie is why.

“Ernest Scared Stupid” is streaming on Hoopla.

Ghostwatch (1992)

The year was 1992, and BBC1 decided to air a TV movie designed to look like a live television event, complete with real talk show host Michael Parkinson, “live” calls from the public, and a tour through an honest-to-goodness haunted house. Lesley Manning’s film, written by Stephen Volk, gradually mutates into a terrifying horror thriller that genuinely convinced many people in the audience that the nightmare was real, forcing the filmmakers to later apologize, and keeping “Ghostwatch” off the air for many years. It remains, to this day, one of the most frightening Halloween movies ever made, and the obvious inspiration for future Halloween cult classics like “WNUF Halloween Special” and “Late Night with the Devil.”

“Ghostwatch” is streaming on AMC+ and Shudder.

Ginger Snaps (2000)

Of all the classic movie monsters, werewolves somehow get the shortest end of the stick. It’s hard to count how many classic vampire movies, ghost movies, and Frankenstein movies there are, but for some reason great werewolf movies tap out at — if we’re being extremely generous — maybe a dozen. But “Ginger Snaps” is definitely one of the best. Emily Perkins and Katharine Isabelle star as Brigitte and Ginger, two gloomy, death-obsessed sisters who think they’ll be close forever. But after Ginger is attacked by a dog she experiences strange new urges and physical transformations, which make Brigitte think her sister might really be cursed. The allegory for puberty is on the nose but extremely clever, Perkins and Isabelle give heartbreaking performances, and the climax on Halloween night is harrowing. (The sequel and prequel are worth checking out too.)

“Ginger Snaps” is streaming on Shudder and Fubo.

Halloween (1978)

John Carpenter’s “Halloween” really staked a claim on the holiday, not just by calling itself “Halloween” (which was rather bold), but by being one of the best and most influential horror movies ever crafted. You probably know the story: A young boy murders his sister on Halloween night, and returns decades later to wreak havoc on more teenage girls. The simplicity gives “Halloween” its enduring power: It’s always scary, always relevant. Jamie Lee Curtis’ performance as the heroic babysitter Laurie Strode shot her to stardom, and serial killer Michael Meyers — along with John Carpenter’s easy-to-replicate, low-budget slasher formula — have inspired knockoffs every year since. Heck, practically every month. “Halloween” isn’t just a historically significant movie, it’s one of the load-bearing walls for the entire motion picture medium.

“Halloween” is streaming on Shudder, Fubo and AMC+.

Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)

The “Halloween” sequels and remakes are extremely hit-and-miss, and they’re not even all equally Halloween-y. While “Halloween 4,” “Halloween H20,” Rob Zombie’s “Halloween II” and the first two David Gordon Green movies deserve honorable mentions, it’s Tommy Lee Wallace’s “Halloween III: Season of the Witch” that qualifies as another, proper ghoul-tide classic. The film stars Tom Atkins as a doctor investigating mysterious deaths in the days leading up to October 31st, who uncovers a bizarre supernatural/sci-fi conspiracy involving human sacrifice and killer Halloween masks. Audiences initially balked at “Season of the Witch” for having nothing to do with Michael Myers, but future generations have recognized the film as an entertainingly weird holiday treat in its own right. No, it’s as good as the original, and it sure as hell ain’t better, but it’s so darned fun it doesn’t matter.

“Halloween III” is streaming on Peacock and AMC+.

Halloweentown (1998)

Hey, remember, these aren’t all horror movies! Halloween is a night for children to play dress up and extort their neighbors for free candy, and they deserve fun holiday films that won’t give them nightmares. This Disney Channel Original stars Debbie Reynolds as the grandmother of three kids who don’t know they come from a long line of witches. When they follow her back to her hometown — her Halloween town — they find a lovable cavalcade of monsters and oddballs. And, naturally, they save the whole place using the magical power of family, and also literal magic. It’s very family friendly fluff, but the ingenuity and handmade quality of “Halloweentown’s” many creatures (you gotta love that skeleton cab driver) makes it a memorable slumber party staple.

“Halloweentown” is streaming on Disney+.

A Haunting in Venice (2023)

Kenneth Branagh’s third Agatha Christie adaptation is an ominously eerie murder mystery, set in a haunted Italian palazzo on Halloween night. Famed detective Hercule Poirot (Branagh) has been invited to debunk a world-famous spiritualist (Michelle Yeoh), but when she turns up dead he must solve the crime while, he is increasingly afraid, encountering what may very well be the actual spirit realm. The cast is another litany of memorable suspects — Tina Fey, Jamie Dornan, Kelly Reilly, Jude Hill, etc. — and Branagh smartly abandons the lavish approach he adopted for “Murder on the Orient Express” and “Death on the Nile” in favor of a claustrophobic, shadowy, chilling atmosphere. It’s the best of his Poirot films so far, and an instant Halloween classic.

“A Haunting in Venice” is streaming on Hulu.

Hocus Pocus (1993)

Disney’s “Hocus Pocus” was initially quite unpopular. Decades later, it was declared a cult classic. Now it’s just a plain ol’ Disney classic. Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker star as The Sanderson Sisters, a coven of 17th century witches who are resurrected on Halloween night in 1990s and wreak havoc on the modern world. They’re practically the supernatural Three Stooges, but Kenny Ortega’s film finds the right balance, keeping them a very real threat to the film’s teen leads, even though they’re whimsically befuddled by modern culture and technology. Surprisingly mature by modern Disney standards — there’s a plot point about virginity, which would never fly with the Mouse House today — and loaded with grim and groovy Halloween imagery. (The 2022 sequel “Hocus Pocus 2” wasn’t worth the wait, but it makes for an okay double feature.)

“Hocus Pocus” is streaming on Disney+.

Hubie Halloween (2020)

Don’t laugh. Actually, do laugh. Adam Sandler’s late-era comedies are often excruciatingly terrible but “Hubie Halloween” is another story. It’s a satisfying and good-natured holiday romp that ranks among his funnier farces. Sandler stars as Hubie, a small town goofball who works tirelessly every year to make sure everyone has a safe Halloween, including the people who bully him, which is almost everybody. He’s got his job cut out for him this year because the residents of Salem, MA are going missing, and he thinks his neighbor Walter (Steve Buscemi) — who is obviously a werewolf — might be responsible. Steve Brill’s comedy has a stacked cast, including Ray Liotta, June Squibb, Michael Chiklis, Maya Rudolph, and Kenan Thompson, along with the usual parade of Sandler’s regulars. Oh yes, and the costume department deserves an extra special shout out: Everybody’s Halloween costumes are a hoot and a half.

“Hubie Halloween” is streaming on Netflix.

Lady in White (1988)

The 1980s were a great time for scary kids movies — films that were technically supposed to be for all ages, but rode a thin line between terrifying and fun — and while not all of them belong on this list, Frank LaLoggia’s “Lady in White” is required Halloween viewing. Lukas Haas stars as Frankie, a 9-year-old boy who gets trapped in his school on Halloween night, and watches the ghost of a little girl relive her horrible murder. It turns out she was the victim of a serial killer who has plagued this town for years, and it’s up to Frankie to uncover everyone’s secrets and save the girl’s soul and, eventually, his own life. It’s a hard PG-13, with at least one act of surprising, serious violence, but it’s a fantastic gateway for young horror fans who are looking to transition from sleepover monster flicks to the real, scary deal.

“Lady in White” is streaming on Screenpix.

May (2001)

Angela Bettis gives one of the horror genre’s most haunting performances in Lucky McKee’s debut feature, about a shy girl who can’t seem to connect with anybody. She loves parts of them, but the rest of them always let her down. So one day she finally gets it into her head to take all those best parts, cut them off, and sew them together to create the perfect partner. “May” culminates in one particularly disturbing Halloween night, as she carts severed limbs down the street in a cooler and drunk college kids ask her, “Got any cold ones in there?” The cult of “May” has grown for the last 20+ years, turning this obscure indie gem into one of the 21st century’s most significant horror movies. By the time you witness the film’s incredible final moments, you’ll understand why.

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)

Vincente Minnelli’s musical is often considered a Christmas classic because the ending takes place at Christmastime. Well, two can play at that game. “Meet Me in St. Louis” covers the life of a family over half a calendar year, and the middle of the movie takes place during Halloween, so we’re claiming for Halloween too. Tootie (Margaret O’Brien), the future murderer of snowmen, attends a Halloween bonfire and goes out pranking the neighborhood, which leads to a terrible misunderstanding that almost derails the whole love story between her older sister Esther (Judy Garland) and their neighbor John (Tom Drake). It’s mostly a lovely movie, but be warned — the song “Under the Bamboo Tree”’ is more racist than you might have remembered.

The Munsters (2022)

Rob Zombie is no stranger to Halloween movies. He made two remakes of the classic Michael Myers films, the roadside attraction horror hit “House of 1,000 Corpses,” a brutal killer clown movie called “31,” and heck, even his best film “Lords of Salem” makes for a fitting double feature with “Hocus Pocus.” But his greatest Halloween classic is the one he made for all ages, a goofy and good-natured prequel to the classic TV series “The Munsters.” Jeff Daniel Phillips and Sheri Moon Zombie are perfectly cast as Herman and Lily, a Frankenstein and a vampire who fall in love and overcome all odds to get married. Eventually they move to the suburbs, where a wild Halloween party accidentally convinces them that all their neighbors are also fun-loving monsters. Colorful and creative, and shockingly mild-mannered for a Rob Zombie joint, “The Munsters” may not be brilliant cinema but it’s infectiously Halloween-y.

“The Munsters” is streaming on Netflix.

Murder Party (2007)

Before Jeremy Saulnier earned critical acclaim for his intense thrillers “Blue Ruin,” “Green Room” and “Rebel Ridge,” he cut his teeth on a low budget horror comedy that is, you might be surprised to learn, somehow his most cynical movie so far. Chris Sharp stars as a friendly but friendless guy who accepts an invitation to a Halloween party, only to discover that he’s the party favor. All the other attendees are demented artistes who plan to kill him in a desperate attempt to win a large grant from a sinister millionaire. “Murder Party” is every horrible Halloween party you’ve ever attended, filled with the most terrible people you’ve ever met, but the movie has plenty of tricks in store for them, culminating in a violent catharsis that unleashes hell on high art.

“Murder Party” is streaming on Fubo.

Night of the Demons (1988)

Have you ever wondered what the “Evil Dead” movies would look like if they were a whole lot hornier and took place on Halloween? Let me introduce you to “Night of the Demons,” a cult horror classic about a bunch of teenagers who break into a funeral parlor on October 31st, get possessed by evil forces and then murder each other when they’re not having sex (and sometimes during. B-movie icon Linnea Quigley and future animal psychic Amelia Kinkade (yes, really!) steal the film as two of the nastier and funnier — and in Quigley’s case, nakeder — monsters. “Night of the Demons” is shamelessly prurient, and there’s no better night for that kind of thing than Halloween.

“Night of the Demons” is streaming on Prime Video, Peacock and AMC+.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Is “The Nightmare Before Christmas” a Christmas movie or a Halloween movie? If you answered “yes,” you are correct. The two holidays are inextricably linked in Henry Selick’s classic stop-motion animated adaptation of a Tim Burton poem. The story of a skeleton with a mid-life crisis who decides to skip Halloween and hijack someone else’s holiday is a masterpiece of character and production design, with eye-popping imagery in every shot, and deliriously demented songs by Danny Elfman. Disney panicked and took the studio’s name off of the PG-rated “The Nightmare Before Christmas” in 1993, releasing it under their Touchstone banner instead. Now it’s one of their signature classics, with the Disney name proudly displayed. (What is it about Disney Halloween movies from 1993, anyway?)

“The Nightmare Before Christmas” is streaming on Disney+.

Rockula (1990)

Perhaps the greatest of all the unsung horror musicals, “Rockula” stars Dean Cameron as Ralphie, a 400-year-old virgin whose true love keeps getting reincarnated every 22 years, and keeps getting murdered by a pirate on Halloween night. In the 1980s she’s a rock star named Mona (Tawny Fere), so Ralphie starts his own vampire-themed rock band to catch her attention. Wonderfully kitschy, with over-the-top performances by famed one-hit-wonders Toni Basil (“Hey Mickey”) and Thomas Dolby (“She Blinded Me With Science”), and cameos by the great Bo Diddley and Susan Tyrell as members of Ralphie’s band. The songs are dorky and catchy, the humor is wacky and weird, and everyone’s having a great time — especially the audience.

“Rockula” is streaming on Prime Video, Fubo and MGM+.

Sleepy Hollow (1999)

It’s no surprise that Tim Burton, cinema’s most lucrative and popular goth, loves Halloween. He’s revisited the holiday many times over the years, but while “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is the best Halloween movie he’s ever been associated with, “Sleepy Hollow” is the best one he’s ever directed. An ingenious adaptation of Washington Irving’s classic ghost story stars Johnny Depp as Ichabod Crane, a detective investigating a series of mysterious beheadings in the title town. The plot is more convoluted than necessary but the film’s incredible aesthetic beautifully captures the allure of a classic Hammer Horror movie, and the decision to play Ichabod as a shameless coward adds humorous contrast to the film’s otherwise grim aesthetic and tone.

“Sleepy Hollow” is streaming on Paramount+ and AMC+.

Tales of Halloween (2015)

Michael Dougherty’s “Trick ‘r Treat” is the most popular Halloween horror anthology — don’t worry, we’re getting to it later — but “Tales of Halloween” is just as good, and arguably even better. Horror filmmakers like Lucky McKee, Darren Lynn Bousman, Axelle Carolyn and Mike Mendez (to name a few) teamed up for a series of 10 interconnected scary stories, all taking place on the same night. There’s a slasher villain running afoul of a trick or treating alien, man-eating Jack O’Lanterns, a deadly war over who’s got the best Halloween decorations, and lots more besides. For an anthology film with 10 shorts the level of quality remains incredibly high, and because they’re so brief, even if you don’t love one of them, another is coming up in just a few minutes. Inspired holiday mischief from beginning to end, with a memorable cast of horror icons like Adrienne Barbeau, Lin Shaye, Barbara Crampton, and Barry Bostwick, and cameos from fan-favorite directors Joe Dante, Stuart Gordon, Adam Green and Mick Garris.

“Tales of Halloween” is streaming on Prime Video.

Trick or Treat (1952, short)

Donald Duck pranks his trick or treating nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie instead of giving them candy, and that just won’t do. Witch Hazel — the rare cartoon character who seems to exist in both the Disney and Warner Bros. universes — decides to teach Donald a lesson by using magic to wallop him senseless until he finally gives up his hoard of treats. Gorgeously animated and with an unforgettable theme song, “Trick or Treat” is still one of Disney’s best cartoon shorts. (Other spooky Disney shorts — like 1929’s “Skeleton Dance,” and 1937’s “The Old Mill” and “Lonesome Ghosts” — are also perfect for the holiday season, but they’re disqualified on a technicality: None of them take place on Halloween.)

Trick or Treat (1986)

Oh yes, quite a lot of Halloween movies are called “Trick or Treat.” (We even wanted to include at least one more but we ran out of room.) This Charles Martin Smith film doesn’t get nearly as much press as the others, and that’s a shame because it’s a heavy metal blast. Marc Price stars as a teenaged outcast whose favorite rock star, Sammi Curr (Tony Fields), dies and comes back as a demon when his final record is played backwards. Oh, you’d better believe mayhem ensues, peaking at a Halloween concert where Sammi murders his audience by shooting lightning out of a magic guitar. Smith’s “Trick or Treat” mercilessly lampoons the conservative “Satanic Panic” of the 1980s, and even enlists Ozzy Osbourne — the “Prince of F–ing Darkness” himself — to play a finger-wagging Reverend.

Trick ‘r Treat (2007)

Writer/director Michael Dougherty transformed his scary 1996 animated short “Season’s Greetings” into an ambitious Halloween horror anthology film, with a big ensemble cast — Anna Paquin, Dylan Baker, Leslie Bibb, etc. — and holiday atmosphere galore. Ghost children, old-fashioned monsters, the gruesomest of all Jack O’Lanterns, and a bravura finale in which Brian Cox finds out the hard way why you should always give out candy on October 31st. Inexplicably shelved for two years before barely eking its way into theaters, “Trick ‘r Treat” quickly blew past cult movie status and has now established itself as one of the most popular Halloween movies of them all.

“Trick ‘r Treat” is streaming on Max.

2 in the AM PM (2007)

Before J.G. Quintel created the beloved animated kids series “Regular Show,” he submitted a weird little short to Spike & Mike’s Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation, and a cult classic was born. “2 in the AM PM” stars Quintel and fellow animator Sam Marin as gas station clerks working the graveyard shift on Halloween. They accidentally eat candy laced with LSD and hallucinatory hijinks commence, including memorable transformations into Quintel and Marin’s future “Regular Show” characters, and a suspenseful interaction with an oblivious cop. Lo-fi animation + high energy humor = Halloween magic.

“2 in the AM PM” is streaming on YouTube.

The Worst Witch (1986)

Jill Murphy’s children’s book series “The Worst Witch” has been adapted several times, including two TV series co-starring future stars Felicity Jones and Bella Ramsey. But the original TV movie is a nostalgic favorite, and remains a perfect Halloween staple. Fairuza Balk, who would eventually return to these witchy roots in “The Craft,” stars as Mildred Hubble, a student at a school for witches. She infuriates her mean potions teacher Miss Hardbroom (Diana Rigg) and gets her broom sabotaged at a public event and, oh yeah, it does sound like it inspired a certain other fantasy series, doesn’t it? In any case this low, low, low budget TV classic is adorable at every turn, and Tim Curry steals the whole thing with a Halloween theme song you have to see to believe.

“The Worst Witch” is streaming on Prime Video and Tubi.

Sandy Lester in “Tootsie”

Garr received her only Oscar nomination for her role as Dustin Hoffman’s supportive friend Sandy in comedy classic “Tootsie.” After Hoffman’s character has created his successful Dorothy persona, he’s caught trying on one of Sandy’s dresses, and turns the awkward situation into a seduction. Naturally, he lies that he’s going to call her when he’s really only interested in Jessica Lange’s character. She’s not the only person who is shocked by Michael’s cross-dressing betrayal in the final reveal, but we feel her pain at being used and tossed aside the most.

Inga in “Young Frankenstein”

Garr perfectly hit every note of sexy, silly and scared in Mel Brooks’ comedy horror classic. We first meet Inga, Victor Frankenstein (Gene Wilder)’s new lab assistant, when she invites him for a “roll in ze hay,” and then demonstrates she means that literally by happily rolling back and forth in the hay-piled cart taking them to the castle. And who else could deliver a word like “schwanzstucker” with a straight face?

Phoebe Abbott on “Friends”

When it came time to cast the mother of Lisa Kudrow’s kooky character Phoebe Buffay, there was no question it had to be the gifted Garr, who had exactly the right blend of smarts and ditziness for the role. Although she only appeared in three episodes, she immediately became part of the show’s DNA.

Ronnie Neary in “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”

The farther Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) dives into his UFO obsession, the more concerned his wife Ronnie becomes. Her face during the famous mashed potato scene at dinner — where he begins sculpting Devil’s Tower out of his dinner — is an all-timer. When he starts throwing dirt, fencing and plants into the house to build an even bigger model, she grabs the kids and the car and leaves him. Who can blame her? In 1997, Steven Spielberg said he regretted portraying Ronnie in an unsympathetic light and re-edited the movie to call Roy’s decision to abandon his family more into question.

Caroline Butler in “Mr. Mom”

This 1983 role-reversal comedy, which was written by John Hughes, finds Garr’s mother of three Caroline butler landing a well-paying gig with an advertising agency, while her out-of-work engineer husband Jack (Michael Keaton) is tasked with raising the kids, cooking and cleaning. By the film’s end, Caroline has negotiated a raise and the perk of working from home two days a week and earned a new appreciation for her family as a working mom.

Frannie in “One From the Heart”

One of Garr’s best dramatic roles was in Francis Ford Coppola’s ultra-stylized musical drama. She plays Frannie, who ends things with Hank (Frederic Forrest) after a tumultuous five years, but finds she can’t leave him after all. The 1982 movie, which bankrupted Coppola’s Zoetrope Studios, was out of print for several years, but is now available to rent online. Besides the rare opportunity to show off her dramatic chops, it also gave her a chance to return to her roots as a dancer. Watch a scene from the movie here.

Julie in “After Hours”

Martin Scorsese’s 1985 black comedy is packed with oddball characters, but Garr’s embittered waitress takes the cake: Stranded-in-Soho Manhattanite Paul (Griffin Dunne) immediately hits it off with her and then flees because of her strange behavior. Furious, she puts up “wanted” posters of him, claiming he’s a thief, which leads to him being pursued by an angry mob.

Roberta Lincoln on “Star Trek”

Garr’s role as secretary who’s mistaken for an agent from the future was a pivotal one, leading to her being “cast as birdbrained lasses,” for much of her career. Originally intended as the pilot for a “Star Trek” spinoff that didn’t happen, it still showcased Garr’s perfect comedic timing.

Salem’s Lot (2024)

Welcome (back) to “’Salem’s Lot.” While this new adaptation of Stephen King’s 1975 novel was originally meant for theatrical exhibition, it finally debuted this month on Max. In this latest iteration, Lewis Pullman stars as Ben Mears, the Soul/Lowe character, a novelist who returns to his sleepy (and potentially doomed) home town of Jerusalem’s Lot to work on a new novel and finds that this hamlet has been taken over by filthy vampires. (Don’t you hate when that happens?) Writer/director Gary Dauberman seems to be updating the original 1979 as much as he is attempting to capture the soul of King’s original novel. The results are somewhat mixed, with the story feeling at times rushed (there was a reason every other adaptation stretched across multiple broadcast nights), but it is also undoubtedly thrilling, with a killer cast that includes Alfre Woodard, King regular William Sadler, Bill Camp, Pilou Asbæk and Makenzie Leigh. And Dauberman and his collaborators (including “The Conjuring” mastermind James Wan) do stage some nifty set pieces, like a climactic vampire battle at the local drive-in (the story’s 1970’s setting is mercifully maintained). This will get you some much-needed, pre-Halloween thrills. Boo!

“A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984)

Wes Craven’s iconic fantasy slasher “A Nightmare on Elm Street” was one of the most creative and influential films to come out of the post-“Halloween” slasher boom (not for nothing, current horror maestro Jordan Peele just put it at No. 1 in a horror movie blind ranking). The film that introduced Freddy Krueger to haunt countless nightmares in real life, “A Nightmare on Elm Street” endures as one of the greats. While the sequels vary in quality, there’s something special about all of them (yes, even “The Final Nightmare”) and Max is currently streaming 1-5, along with “Freddy vs. Jason.”

MaXXXine (2024)

Ti West’s ”X” trilogy concludes in typically gonzo, gory fashion. 2022’s “X” was a new horror classic, following a group of charming pornographers (led by Mia Goth’s Maxine Minx) as they attempted to film a smutty movie in a Texas farmhouse sometimes in the 1970’s. (Of course, the farmhouse turned out to be owned by a couple of murderous old coots.) “Pearl,” also released in 2022, focused on the title character (also played by Goth), as her taste for blood developed around World War I. Now, with the third film, the aesthetic particulars have shifted from “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” grindhouse movie to sparkly Technicolor musical to, now, grimy 1980’s direct-to-video slasher movie. In “MaXXXine,” our title character has survived the carnage in Texas and taken to working as an adult actress in the Los Angeles underground. She strives for legitimacy, landing a role in a mainstream horror movie, just as the demons of her past start to show themselves in increasingly brutal ways. While “MaXXXine” wasn’t as lovingly received as the earlier chapters of the saga, it still feels like a fine ending to the unexpected trilogy (A24’s first horror franchise), full of sex and blood and banging soundtrack cuts (Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s “Welcome to the Pleasuredome” is a particular highlight). Kevin Bacon shows up as a sleazy private detective, there’s a chase through the Universal backlot (including the “Psycho” house) and somebody gets murdered in a video store. What more do you want?

Practical Magic (1998)

The perfect seasonal pick for viewers who don’t mind getting spooky but never want to get scared, “Practical Magic” has become an enduring classic of the season. Part rom-com, part autumnal delight, part witch-fest, the 1998 film stars Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock as sisters descended from a long line of witches who attempt to use their magic to destroy the evil spirit of an abusive boyfriend. The vibes are ever-present here, and the top-notch supporting cast includes Stockard Channing, Dianne Wiest, Aidan Quinn and Evan Rachel Wood.

Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride (2005)

While Tim Burton’s name is plastered all over “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” he didn’t direct that stop-motion classic (the great Henry Selick did). Burton did direct this 2005 stop-motion film “Corpse Bride” alongside Mike Johnson, which carries with it all the hallmarks of a Burton spook-fest with some added Gothic charms for good measure. Set in the Victorian era, the story follows a shy man named Victor who’s preparing to marry his love, but while practicing his vows he ends up accidentally marrying a dead woman who is then brought back to life. It’s a comedy of errors and a Gothic romance all roped into one. Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Tracey Ullman and Albert Finney all feature in the voice cast.

Caddo Lake (2024)

I cannot tell you about “Caddo Lake.” You don’t want me to tell you anything about “Caddo Lake.” This is a film best experienced as cold as possible. There are neat twists. It stars Dylan O’Brien and Eliza Scanlen, it takes place along the Louisiana/Texas border, and it is both thrilling and moving. That’s all you need to know. Don’t watch the trailer, don’t read the synopsis, just watch it. Trust!

Trap (2024)

M. Night Shyamalan returns with one of his oddest and most endearing movies ever. “Trap” follows Cooper (Josh Hartnett) as he takes his young daughter to a concert put on by her favorite artist Lady Raven (Saleka Night Shyamalan). What Cooper doesn’t know is that the concert is an elaborate ruse to catch a notorious serial killer only known as The Butcher. You see, Cooper is The Butcher. And he’s going to squirm. (This is all revealed in the first trailer, don’t worry, we’re not spoiling anything.) From that simple premise, Shyamalan spins an appropriately knotty web for Cooper, as he tries to escape detection – of both the police and his young daughter, who he clearly loves. (Hayley Mills, a veteran of “The Parent Trap,” shows up here as a dogged FBI profiler. She’s trying to trap a parent. Get it?).

“How to Get Away With Murder”

In Shonda Rhime’s “How to Get Away With Murder” Viola Davis stars as Annalise Keating, a brilliant criminal defense attorney who also serves as a law professor. When she enlists some of her best and brightest students to help her solve some cases at her firm, the group eventually reveals dark secrets that puts everyone’s legal skills to the test.

Where to watch: Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV, YouTube, Fandango at Home

“Boston Legal” (2004)

David E. Kelley’s hit series “Boston Legal” follows the professional relationship of lawyer Alan Shore (James Spader) and the eccentric veteran attorney Denny Crane (William Shatner), who runs the prestigious Boston-based law firm Crane, Poole and Schmidt. All of its members do their best to keep Crane, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, in order.

Where to watch: Hulu, Disney+

“Suits” (2011)

A courtroom drama that’s getting some newfound love since landing on Netflix is USA’s Manhattan-based drama “Suits.” Created by Christopher Tyng, the series follows big-time corporate lawyer and his top-notch legal team as they navigate a new normal, including resurfaced beefs and betrayals, after a new partner joins their firm.

Where to watch: Netflix, Peacock

“Law & Order” (1990)

Now you know “Law & Order” is the holy grail of legal shows. It may be the most iconic legal drama of all time. Between its more than two-decade-long run, ensemble cast, hit spinoffs and that iconic opening/theme song, there was no way it wouldn’t make the list.

The Dick Wolf series centers in on the cases prosecutors and detectives crack down on criminals and pursue justice in the streets of New York City.

Where to watch: Peacock, Hulu

“The Practice” (1997)

Before David E. Kelley did his big one with Boston Legal, he served audiences with ABC’s hit show “The Practice.” Taking back to Boston, the series is about a passionate lawyer Bobby Donnell (Dylan McDermott) who believes high-profile cases aren’t just about financial gain. LisaGay Hamilton stars as Rebecca Washington, the receptionist-turned-lawyer who keeps everyone in check at the firm as they navigate their tough cases.

Where to watch: Apple TV

“Ally McBeal”

We’re hitting you with another David E. Kelley classic in “Ally McBeal.” It gives viewers a more comedy-driven side of the courtroom while still some providing you with some dramatic story plots. Calista Flockhart comes in as Ally McBeal, a young lawyer who enters a prestigious, yet hyper-sexual law firm where her ex-boyfriend is also employed.

Where to watch: Disney+

“The Good Wife”

“The Good Wife” is one of the juiciest legal dramas ever. Robert King and Michelle King bring viewers into the life of Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies), a defense attorney who is thrust into public humiliation after her husband becomes involved in a sex and politics-centered scandal. As she maintains her career, she struggles to keep her cool as her husband evolves to Illinois’ newest governor.

Where to watch: Prime Video, Paramount+, Pluto TV

The Terror

Based on the real-life doomed arctic expedition of Captain Sir John Franklin (played here by Ciarán Hinds): We see the men aboard two ships, one of which is unwisely named the HMS Terror (yes, really), struggle as they slowly try to carve a path through the ice. But there’s something (or things) much more sinister plaguing the journey. Jared Harris and Tobias Menzies costar. Number of episodes: 10 — Sharon Knolle

Stream on Netflix

The Terror: Infamy

The second season of the AMC series is set at a WWII Japanese internment camp, where a series of bizarre deaths occur and one man (Derek Mio) is haunted by a more than usually vengeful ghost. “Star Trek” icon George Takei, who has written about his family’s own imprisonment during the war, served as a consultant and also costars. Number of episodes: 10 — SK

Stream on Netflix

True Detective: Night Country

“Tigers Are Not Afraid” director Issa López served as writer, director and showrunner of the most recent installment of the acclaimed series, the eerie setting is an isolated Alaskan town where an entire team of scientists mysteriously go missing from the local research station one night. Jodie Foster won her first-ever Emmy for her role as the wildly unsympathetic police chief Liz Danvers who ends up teaming with former colleague Trooper Evangeline Navarro (the terrific and Emmy-nominated Kali Reis) whose connections to the local indigenous community might help them crack the increasingly dangerous case. Number of episodes: 6 — Sharon Knolle

Stream on Max

Shining Girls

Elsbeth Moss stars as Kirby Mazrachi, a former journalist who is still recovering from a brutal attack that nearly killed her – and trying to live with a reality where everything — where she lives, who she’s dating, even what kind of pet she has — can change at a moment’s notice. Jamie Bell costars as the time-traveling serial killer who also has Dr. Jin-Sook Gwansun (Phillipa Soo) in his sights. It’s based on the novel of the same name by Lauren Beukes. Number of episodes: 8 — SK

Stream on Apple TV+

Archive 81

This incredibly addictive series played out in two timelines: the present, where video archivist Dan (Mamoudou Athie) is hired to restore fire-damaged videos shot in 1994 by Melody (Dina Shihabi), who presumably perished in the same disaster that claimed the historic apartment building where she lived, along with a number of neighbors who’d feel right at home living next door to Minnie Castevet (Ruth Gordon) from “Rosemary’s Baby.” Sadly, the show, which ends on an unexpected twist, was not renewed for Season 2. Number of episodes: 8 — SK

Stream on Netflix

The Enfield Haunting

Yes, it’s the same story as “The Conjuring 2,” but more accurately sans Ed and Lorraine Warren (who were reportedly at the site of the real-life haunting for less than a day). No upside-down crosses or evil nuns, but a solid look at a famous incident — which people still can’t decide was a hoax or not. Timothy Spall, Matthew Mcfadyen and Juliet Stevenson star. Number of episodes: 3 — SK

Stream on Prime Video, Freevee, Tubi or Dailymotion

Salem’s Lot (1979)

Tobe Hooper’s definitive version of the Stephen King novel gives the story more time to develop than the new film version, with iconic scenes such as Mark Petrie (Lance Kerwin) warding off a late-night visitor at his window and a no-longer alive gravedigger who pays an unwelcome visit Also, Brit James Mason is smoothness itself as Richard K. Straker. Number of episodes: Originally shown in two 90-minute episodes. — SK

Stream on Max.

The Haunting of Hill House (2018)

The first of Mike Flanagan’s horror series on Netflix, “The Haunting of Hill House” adapts and modernizes the story of the same name by Shirley Jackson. Another story that takes place in two timelines follows a family moving into a home that slowly ruins their lives as they deal with tragedy. The present storyline reunites the family’s children to confront their traumatic childhood. Number of episodes: 10 — Jacob Bryant

Stream on Netflix.

Swarm (2023)

“Swarm” examines the dangerous and downright scary side of rabid fanbases. Dominique Fishback stuns as the obsessive fan of an R&B singer whose fandom takes increasingly darker turns. Number of episodes: 7 — JB

Stream on Prime Video.

Midnight Mass (2021)

Another Mike Flanagan outing, “Midnight Mass” finds a small island community rocked by a charismatic priest’s arrival that reinvigorates a religious fervor as miracles start happening. The dying community begins to trust the newcomer openly despite a number of omens also following the miracles. Number of episodes: 7 — JB

Stream on Netflix.

Possession (1981)

Isabelle Adjani has the mother of all freakouts in a subway in this role that earned her a César for Best Actress (the French equivalent of the Oscars) and Best Actress at the Cannes Film Fest that year, but that’s not even the most mind-blowing part of the movie form Polish director Andrzej Żuławski. She’s also cheating on her husband (Sam Neill) with something that isn’t really human.

Stream on AMC+, Philo or Shudder

Malignant (2021)

Madison (Annabelle Wallis) suddenly begins having paralyzing visions of an unknown killer’s crimes, but is powerless to stop them in this deliciously demented entry from horror maestro James Wan.

Stream on Max or Peacock

Scanners (1981)

You can’t really go wrong with any movies from body horror king David Cronenberg, but this early movie of his, in which a few select people have the power to literally make heads explode, is a great place to start.

Stream on Hulu or Max

The Fly (1986)

Another key Cronenberg horror offering: Jeff Goldblum’s scientist Seth Brundle goes through some things after accidentally merging with a common housefly, including transforming into what he calls the “Brundlefly.” Cover-your-eyes levels of gore and goo, presented with a sly sense of humor.

Stream on Hulu or Max

Altered States (1980)

In “Stranger Things,” a sensory deprivation tank allows Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) to enter another dimension, but in Ken Russell’s ultra-trippy 1980 movie, it allows psychology professor Edward Jessup (William Hurt) to enter a different state of consciousness… and maybe even a different body – aided by the considerable amount of hallucinogenic drugs he’s also taking.

Rent from Apple TV+, Google Play, Prime Video or YouTube

Santa Sangre (1989)

Alejandro Jodorowsky’s hauntingly wild, weird film is set at a traveling Mexican circus and follows young Fenix, a child magician who loves Alma, a deaf-mute tightrope walker. There’s knife-throwing, a tattooed lady, an elephant funeral and more than a touch of “Psycho.” Fenix is played as a boy and a young man by Jodorowsky’s sons Adén and Axel.

Stream on Prime Video, Tubi or Freevee

In Fabric (2018)

A beautiful red dress — from a really strange store — kills whoever wears it in Peter Strickland’s nightmarish black comedy, with Marianne Jean-Baptiste as its unlucky latest owner.

Stream on Prime Video

The Neon Demon (2016)

This visually intense movie from the director of “Drive” (Nicolas Winding Refn) is set in the competitive world of modeling in Los Angeles, where newcomer Jesse (Elle Fanning) is the envy of every other established model. The competition is unusually… fierce.

Stream on Prime Video

14. “Halloween: Resurrection” (2002)

The worst “Halloween” movie commits two cardinal sins. First, it nullifies the intense and satisfying finale of “Halloween H20” by striking Laurie Strode’s personal victory from the record; now, not only did she kill an innocent man instead of Michael Myers, but Myers destroys her instead. Second, and perhaps more laughably, the eighth film in the series desperately tries to be “hip” and “now” by building a limp narrative around an online reality TV series set in Myers’ actual house. “Resurrection” isn’t smart enough to be meta, nor is it scary enough to be engaging. (But it does have Busta Rhymes roundhouse kicking Michael Myers in the face, so it’s not a total waste.)

13. “Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers” (1995)

The sixth “Halloween” film is where the franchise completely flew off the rails by introducing the Cult of Thorne, a supernatural organization that needs Michael Myers to kill every member of his family in order to stave off the apocalypse. Paul Rudd stars as Tommy Doyle, the little boy who survived Myers’ attacks in the original “Halloween,” and Donald Pleasance returns for one last film as Dr. Loomis — only to be killed confusingly off-camera during the closing credits. “The Curse of Michael Myers” is confusing, choppy, and utterly absurd.

12. “Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers” (Producer’s Cut)

The original, substantially different “Producer’s Cut” of “The Curse of Michael Myers” was a bootleg cult commodity for many years, and it was finally officially released on home video in 2014. It’s still a fundamentally strange motion picture, but at least this version makes more sense, revealing more disturbing truths about the Cult of Thorne and giving Dr. Loomis an interesting cliffhanger to go out on, as opposed to the frustrating anti-death of the theatrical release. The “Producer’s Cut” still isn’t good, per se, but it’s a lot more effective and entertaining.

11. “Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers” (1989)

Michael Myers returns to finish the job he started in “Halloween 4,” by killing his niece, Jamie, once again played by Danielle Harris. This time, Jamie is trapped in a mental hospital, and she’s got psychic powers, which don’t always help her friends survive Myers’ latest murder spree. The scene with young Jamie trapped in a laundry chute is genuinely terrifying, and Pleasance adds some real emotion to his climactic confrontation with Myers. It’s an eccentric, somewhat enjoyable slasher sequel, but the goofiness ultimately bogs it down.

10. “Halloween Ends” (2022)

The conclusion to David Gordon Green’s “requel” trilogy brings the saga of Michael Myers and Laurie Strode to an end (for now), and not with a bang but with a halfhearted, half-developed whimper. Taking place years after “Halloween Kills,” the film finds Michael Myers returning, but more time is spent on other characters whose tales feel anecdotal and take up large, unnecessary amounts of screen time. The film finally delivers some memorable gore and also a sense of closure which, unfortunately, Gordon’s mean-spirited version of Haddonfield doesn’t even seem to have earned. This movie doesn’t feel like an ending. It mostly just feels like padding.

9. “Halloween” (2007)

Rob Zombie rebooted the whole “Halloween” franchise with a remake that tried, for better or worse, to finally get inside Michael Myers’ head. The remake shows Myers growing up in an abusive household, showing early warning signs of becoming a serial killer, and then relegates the majority of John Carpenter’s original film to a third-act murder spree. It can be argued that Zombie completely missed the point by trying to explain the unexplained, thus making Myers just another serial killer. But perhaps, by not repeating what had been produced before, he was actually preserving the original film’s integrity. Taken on its own, Zombie’s “Halloween” is a satisfying, albeit cynical and depressing horror movie. But for fans of the originals, it’s hard to accept, let alone appreciate.

8. “Halloween II” (1981)

The first “Halloween” sequel picks right up where the original left off, with Michael Myers skulking into the shadows and resuming his murder spree. It’s a lean, mean slasher, but it’s also where the franchise’s problems started to develop. The revelation that Laurie Strode was Michael’s sister had the same impact as Zombie’s “Halloween,” revealing too much about the killer’s motives and telling the audience that they’re basically safe unless they’re either related to the killer or standing near someone who is. Throw in some frustrating pacing issues, and you’ve got a sporadically satisfying but flawed follow-up.

7. “Halloween III: Season of the Witch” (1982)

John Carpenter envisioned “Halloween” as a series of unrelated horror movies set on or around October 31, and if they’d released “Season of the Witch” instead of “Halloween II,” he might have gotten away with it. But after two Myers movies, fans balked at Tommy Lee Wallace’s unusual flick, about evil Halloween masks designed to murder people in a mass pagan sacrifice. And yet time has been relatively kind to “Season of the Witch,” a highly entertaining and spectacularly weird motion picture with a killer ending, oddball performances and memorable murders. It’s nowhere near as well crafted as the original “Halloween,” and it’s exceptionally hard to take seriously, but it’s nevertheless a hoot.

6. “Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers” (1988)

Michael Myers returns after taking a season (of the witch) off in “Halloween 4,” an impressively scary, rock-solid slasher. Myers is back to kill the rest of his family, specifically Jamie, the daughter of Laurie Strode (who died between films), and it’s up to her babysitter to save her. Creepy cinematography and suspenseful set pieces help bolster a film that builds to a terrifying finale… which “Halloween 5” almost completely ignored. But taken on its own, “Halloween 4” is one of the best and scariest films in the series. It sticks to the fundamentals of the franchise and reaps all the rewards.

5. “Halloween” (2018)

David Gordon Green’s “Halloween” isn’t the first film to ignore the majority of the franchise’s continuity, and it’s not the best either. But it’s an impeccably stylish slasher thriller, in which Myers returns to Haddonfield 40 years after the massacre, where Laurie Strode is waiting for him along with her estranged daughter, played by Judy Greer, and her loving granddaughter, played by Andi Matichak. The scares are freaky, the dynamic between all three generations of the Strode family is honest and mature, the cinematography and score are absolutely spectacular. If only the story weren’t so incredibly contrived, and if the film’s themes were actually explored instead of just awkwardly spoken aloud, it might have been the second-best film in the series.

4. “Halloween Kills” (2021)

Green’s follow-up to “Halloween” (2018) has all the style of its predecessor, but it’s got something much more insidious on its mind this time. Michael Meyers has escaped — no surprise there — and “Halloween Kills” follows his increasingly elaborate and grotesque killing spree while the townsfolk of Haddonfield deteriorate into a homicidal mob, desperate to destroy the cause of their pain, unaware that they are trapped in a generational, and now self-perpetuating, cycle of pain and trauma. Sloppy but ambitious, “Kills” does a satisfying job of turning Meyers into a proper boogeyman once again.

3. “Halloween: H20” (1998)

The first “Halloween” film to completely reset the franchise continuity (and to depict Laurie Strode as a traumatized woman living in fear of Michael’s return) is a slick and emotionally satisfying finale to the franchise — even though it turned out not to be the finale. Myers finally tracks down Laurie, living under a new name and working at a private school, where her son (Josh Harnett) and his girlfriend (Michelle Williams) are hiding out for Halloween when they should be on a field trip. Myers attacks and gets a few bloody kills in before Laurie rescues the kids and walks right back inside, with the sinister “Halloween” orchestral theme now playing as her empowering ballad. The slasher elements are above average, but it’s Jaime Lee Curtis who brings “H20” to life by delivering one of the finest performances of her career.

2. “Halloween II” (2009)

Rob Zombie played with fire by remaking John Carpenter’s “Halloween,” one of the most celebrated horror movies ever made. But the “Halloween” sequels were always a hodgepodge of disjointed ideas, and here Zombie’s efforts to condense all those weird elements into one single film is actually a major improvement. “Halloween II” shoves the hospital attacks, psychic connections, scary evolutions of innocent characters, and Dr. Loomis’s strange post-Myers adventures together and creates a hypnotic, trippy, disturbing motion picture that could have sent the whole rebooted franchise into a fascinating new direction. (Even though it didn’t.)

1. “Halloween” (1978)

Turn off the background noise of the sequels, reboots and retcons, and just watch John Carpenter’s “Halloween” for what it always was: a terrifying urban legend come to life. Carpenter films the hell out of “Halloween,” with eerie Panaglide shots from Myers’ point of view, giving him a wraithlike quality, and masterful editing that builds and builds and builds the suspense until Myers’ wrath finally, brutally breaks the tension. It’s a smart, earnest, believable horror movie, the sort of tale that could easily happen anywhere. “Halloween” has always been terrifying. It probably always will be.