Horror movies are the best movies to watch in the fall time. They aren’t all about screams; they push at fear, build suspense, and make the audience use their imagination in ways that thrill audiences year after year. If you’re looking for the perfect lineup of films to watch this spooky season, here are some horror movie classics that every fan should see.

The Shining, directed by Stanley Kubrick and based on Stephen King’s novel, is one of the most classic horror movies ever made. It tells the story of Jack Torrance, a writer who becomes the winter caretaker of the isolated Overlook Hotel. When inexplicable supernatural forces begin to creep in, Jack slowly loses his grip on reality, putting his wife and son in danger. The creepy atmosphere and detailed gore have made it a lasting work of horror legend. 

It isn’t filled with jump scares, but the psychological tension and amount of isolation make it eerie.

No Halloween is complete without the movie Halloween. Directed by John Carpenter, this film is about Michael Myers, a masked murderer who escapes from an insane asylum and returns to his hometown to kill babysitters and people around the town on Halloween night. This movie is one of the most recognizable horror movies ever.

If you enjoy supernatural scares, The Conjuring is a must-watch. Based on the real-life experiences of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, the film follows a family that occupies a farmhouse and discovers supernatural beings haunting it. The film builds itself up over time, using jump scares to get the audience to jump at exactly the moment they are supposed to.

Its mix of realism and supernatural horror has the perfect balance to give the viewers suspense.

Annabelle, a spinoff of The Conjuring, dives deeper into one of the scariest objects of horror, the demon-possessed doll. The film provides the backstory of Annabelle, detailing how the doll became haunted and caused havoc for everyone who owned it. While it’s a part of The Conjuring Universe, it stands on its own, with disturbing images and leaves you sitting on the edge of your seat.

The doll’s blank stare and unexplained movements contribute to the overall spookiness of this film.

It, based on another Stephen King book, explores the everyday phobias of being a child and warps them into a nightmare. The movie tracks a young group of kids in Derry, Maine, fighting against a shape-shifting monster that is prone to appearing in the form of Pennywise, the clown. The film blends instances of friendship with straight-up horror, creating an emotionally invested story that frightens you.

The Exorcist is often called the most frightening film ever made. The Exorcist remains a horror movie classic years after it was released. The story of a demon-possessed young girl and the desperate measures of two priests to save her, the film shocked people when first released and still shocks people today with its realistic performances and graphic content.

Scream is the perfect mix of horror and entertainment. It’s about a crew of teens hunted by a masked slasher who will not be satisfied until they are dead. It gives you a sense of discomfort and makes you jump.

Every one of these films offers a unique kind of horror. Anything from the psychological unease of The Shining to the supernatural terror of The Conjuring and the tension of Halloween will leave you scared. So this October, go grab some snacks and queue up a few of these spooky classics. Whether you’re in the mood for ghosts, killers, or creepy clowns, these movies are guaranteed to make your Halloween much scarier.