The 5 best films to watch at Halloween

Staying in this weekend? You can still get in on the Halloween fun by putting on a scary horror film and here are five of the best – be warned though, they’re not for the fainthearted!

FRIDAY THE 13TH (1980)

One of the first ‘slasher’ films, Friday the 13th was poorly reviewed upon its release but it stormed the box office and is now a cult classic. Set in a quintessentially American summer camp, an antagonist begins to kill off camp counsellors nobody is able to stop his reign of terror. A fantastically watchable horror that, by today’s standards, isn’t too frightening.

AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (1981)

An endearing horror-comedy, An American Werewolf in London is enjoyable even for those who don’t consider themselves fans of the genre. An American tourist gets bitten by a werewolf whilst hiking in the English countryside, after which he is taken to hospital in London and develops his own lupine inclinations.

WOLF CREEK (2005)

A genuinely terrifying film, Quentin Tarantino cited it as being one of the scariest movies he’d ever seen and the fact that it was based on true events possibly makes it even scarier. The plot follows a psychopathic Australian’s killing spree in the outback and is deeply disturbing. Do not watch if you scare easily.

HALLOWEEN (1978)

What better film to watch on the Halloween weekend than Halloween itself? This extraordinary film set the standard for the horror genre for years and is, to date, one of the most critically acclaimed horror films of all time. Escaped mental patient, Michael Myers becomes obsessed with a high school student and plans to murder her – his psychiatrist is the only one who can stop him, setting up a deadly game of cat and mouse.

SHAUN OF THE DEAD (2004)

Widely considered to be one of the funniest films of the last decade, Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead was a critical and commercial hit. Shaun, leading a deadpan life in South London, suddenly has to realise his leadership skills when a zombie apocalypse overcomes the country. Sidesplittingly funny, Shaun of the Dead is a Halloween film for those who don’t like horror.