How to throw the spookiest Halloween movie party this October

From flicks to decor, your Halloween movie party will be the talk of the spooky season

American actress Vera Miles stars as Lila Crane in the horror classic 'Psycho', directed by Alfred Hitchcock, 1960.
(Image credit: Archive Photos/Getty Images)

The spookiest time of year is upon us, and a Halloween movie party is a must for those who revel in all-things creepy and kooky. From classic horror films to creepy new favorites, there are plenty of flicks to keep you and your group of ghouls entertained.

If you want to make up for 2020's lack of frightening festivities, now's the time to indulge like kids digging into their candy stashes. We'll ensure that your get-together is a scary-good celebration, from movie selections to decor picks. 

Check out some of our picks for the best Halloween movies out there—for every type of horror fan or foe—and prepare accordingly with our party tips. Chances are you're going to be on hosting duties long after your debut watch party. 

A not-so-spooky Halloween movie party

NAJIMY,MIDLER,PARKER, HOCUS POCUS, 1993

(Image credit: Allstar Picture Library Ltd. / Alamy Stock Photo)

Some of us are not here for the boos, and we sympathize with those who can't appreciate a good horror film. (Just kidding, we totally get it!) If masked murderers and haunted houses aren't your thing, you'll enjoy some of these less-intimidating picks during your not-so-scary movie marathon:

  • The Nightmare Before Christmas
  • It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
  • Coraline 
  • Casper
  • Frankenweenie 
  • Monster House
  • Hocus Pocus 
  • Halloweentown 
  • Beetlejuice
  • Edward Scissorhands
  • The Addams Family + The Addams Family Values

A classic horror Halloween movie party 

JAMIE LEE CURTIS, HALLOWEEN, 1978

(Image credit: AA Film Archive / Alamy Stock Photo)

What more festive way to enjoy Halloween than with iconic horror movies? There's a reason these picks live on in infamy—and keep getting reboots. (But let's be honest: the originals are always the way to go!) See what OG's you need to stream this year: 

  • Friday the 13th 
  • Halloween
  • The Exorcist 
  • The Amityville Horror 
  • The Shining 
  • A Nightmare on Elm Street
  • The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
  • Rosemary's Baby
  • Poltergeist 
  • The Silence of the Lambs
  • Scream
  • The Blair Witch Project
  • Child's Play
  • It 
  • Misery
  • Psycho

A new-school Halloween movie party

DANIEL KALUUYA, GET OUT, 2017

(Image credit: AF archive / Alamy Stock Photo)

While we certainly love a marathon of the Halloween movies and other old-school picks, there are new films that have rightfully earned a spot on the horror roster. Check out some new movies that you'll scream for!

  • Us
  • Get Out
  • The Babadook
  • A Quiet Place 
  • A Quiet Place 2
  • Hereditary
  • Insidious
  • The Conjuring
  • Midsommar 

A retro Halloween movie party

Bride of Frankenstein, USA 1935, aka: Frankensteins Braut, Regie: James Whale, Darsteller: Boris Karloff, Elsa Lanchester

(Image credit: United Archives GmbH / Alamy Stock Photo)

Before there was Freddie or Jason, there was Nosferatu. Take a step back in time with some of these scary movies from the 1920s and '30s!

  • King Kong (1933) 
  • Frankenstein (1931)
  • The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) 
  • Freaks (1932) 
  • The Invisible Man (1933) 
  • Dracula (1931) 
  • The Mummy (1932) 
  • Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) 
  • Island of Lost Souls (1933) 
  • Nosferatu (1922) 
  • The Magician (1926) 

If you can't decide on one theme verses another, we highly recommend selecting a few options from each category for one big, super-sized watch party.

What you'll need for an epic Halloween movie party

Well, you have the movies for your Halloween watch party on lock, so now it's time to accessorize. 

Be sure your house is filled with the creepiest decor: black and orange streamers, witch hats, eerie-looking party lights. Naturally, anything pumpkin-related is a must and we'd like to emphasize "the more the merrier" mentality. 

When it comes time to serving food (and candy, of course), we suggest that your plates, glasses and other kitchenware items get the spooky treatment as well. It'll show that extra effort. 

And, if you choose not to go in costume (understandable, you'll want to be comfy for back-to-back hours of horror) make sure to at least have a Halloween-colored sweatshirt for good measure!

Danielle Valente
Digital News Writer

Need a TV show recommendation? Maybe a few decor tips? Danielle, a digital news writer at Future, has you covered. Her work appears throughout the company’s lifestyle brands, including My Imperfect Life, Real Homes, and woman&home. Mainly, her time is spent at My Imperfect Life, where she’s attuned to the latest entertainment trends and dating advice for Gen Z.

Before her time at Future, Danielle was the editor of Time Out New York Kids, where she got to experience the best of the city from the point of view of its littlest residents. Before that, she was a news editor at Elite Daily. Her work has also appeared in Domino, Chowhound, and amNewYork, to name a few. 

When Danielle’s not writing, you can find her testing out a new recipe, reading a book (suggestions always welcome), or rearranging the furniture in her apartment…again.