10 Classic Halloween Movies To Watch This October 2021

10. Poltergeist

Some people refer to Tobe Hooper's Poltergeist as the scariest film ever made where nobody dies. Despite lacking a single fatality, this classic retelling of 'the haunted house' story is responsible for giving millions of viewers sleepless nights.

The face-melting sequence, the imploding house, and the skeleton-filled pool are among many scenes etched into viewers' minds for life. (Also, the clown doll is one of the best jump scares of all time.)

But Poltergeist is so genuinely haunting, it's easy to forget what a technical marvel it is. As horrifying as it is to see screaming ghosts and child-eating trees, Hooper uses precise editing and camera shots to help elevate the terror, as is demonstrated in the iconic expanding hallway scene.

The script (co-written by some guy called Steven Spielberg) is tight as literal hell, constantly focusing on the family's dynamic, which makes the viewers care about them much more, especially when the children are in danger.

Some of the special effects haven't aged gracefully but Poltergeist has ten times the scares of the average modern horror (and that includes the diabolical 2015 remake).