Halloween is all about ghouls, ghosts, and getting scared.

So it is only appropriate that the season is filled with watching scary movies.

There are many films out there sure to make you feel afraid, but which ones are worth watching?

“Halloween”

If you are looking for a classic flick, I recommend “Halloween” — the original 1978 version.

In this movie, the Michael Meyers, who stabbed his sister to death when he was 6 on Halloween, escapes 15 years later from from a mental institute. After he escapes, he is determined to cause more terror and death for the people of Haddonfield.

Upon his return, he goes out on Halloween night on a murdering rampage.

Meyers kills a lot of people until he is finally put to rest, or so the people of Haddonfield think.

With eight “Halloween” remakes and sequels in total, the first one is by far the best.

But if not a fan of older movies, the newer version directed by Rob Zombie is also a good alternative.

Both versions are R-rated, so this movie may not be appropriate for younger viewers.

“Sleepy Hallow”

My next pick would have to be “Sleepy Hallow” (1999).

In the movie, Ichabod Crane (Johnny Depp) is sent to Sleepy Hallow in order to investigate the murders of three people who have been decapitated.  All of the town’s people claim that the culprit is the legendary headless horseman.

After the head of the Heisman horseman is stolen from its grave, the horseman returns from hell to find his head.

In the process, he takes the heads of innocent townspeople until his own head is found.

Upon first arriving, Crane feels the headless horseman is just an urban legend. His mind is changed when the horseman decapitates an older man in front of his very eyes.

Crane rushes to figure out how to send the horseman back to hell and to find who stole his head.

This mystery will draw out viewer’s emotions until the very end.

“The Blair Witch Project”

Another movie that is terrifying is  “The Blair Witch Project” (1999).

In this movie, three film students go into a Maryland forest in order to film a documentary on the legendary Blair Witch.

Heather (Heather Donahue), Josh (Joshua Leonard) and Mike (Michael Williams)  are warned not to go into the woods, but they venture into the woods despite the warnings.

While in the forest, strange things happen and the students are tormented by what they believe is the Blair Witch, who is a murderer, according to local legend.

Soon after entering the forest, they disappear one by one.

Viewers are told that none of the three students was ever found, only their camera and footage.

While this movie is not gory or graphically disturbing, it is very suspenseful and eerie.

“A Nightmare on Elm Street”

My fourth choice would have to be “A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984).

Seven young adults in this film are hunted in their dreams by serial killer Freddie Krueger (Robert Englund), and struggle to stay awake in order to avoid their deaths.

Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp) and her friends, tormented by Krueger, are picked off one at a time.

Thompson rushes to find a way for her and her friends to survive against Krueger’s attacks, but it gets harder and harder to stay awake.

This film is also a classic and is worth the watch.

“The Shining”

My final pick would have to be “The Shining” (1980), directed by Stanley Kubrick.

In the movie, a family heads to a vacant hotel where an evil presence makes the father, Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson), act violent and the son, Danny (Danny Lloyed), see strange past and future events with his psychic abilities.

As Jack goes completely insane, it is up to Danny to use his telepathic gift, called “the shining,” in order to save himself, his mother, and even his father.

This thriller leaves audiences on the edge of their seat wanting more.

Five other Halloween thrillers

I would also recommend watching “Children of the Corn” (1984), “Rosemary’s Baby” (1968), “Scream” (1996), “The Ring” (2002), and “The Exorcist” (1973).

All of these movies are worth the watch and fit into the spirit of Halloween.