10 Horror Films Set At Halloween To Scare You Perfectly In The Mood

It's an obvious one, but the original Halloween still absolutely holds up and makes for essential fall viewing, no matter how many times you've seen it. While the later sequels went downhill and aren't really worth seeing, Carpenter's classic still really puts you in the mood for October, even while not being specifically about the holiday that much.

The film opens on October 30 when Michael Myers escapes from an insane asylum and begins to stalk high school student Laurie Strode. From the beginning, the film is beautiful to look at, with thoughtfully composed shots of the innocent town of Haddonfield covered with piles of leaves and ready for the 31st. If you ever experienced Halloween in a small town, this will bring back some memories. 

That's part of what the movie does so well: its depiction of a quiet suburban environment feels incredibly authentic, and it's like you're with Laurie as she babysits and feels isolated from the rest of the world. Because of this authenticity, when things start going wrong, it's that much more terrifying.

Everything from the music to the pumpkins to the rainy driving sequence gets across a sinister vibe, and although there are better movies to watch that are actually about Halloween, putting this on at some point during October is an absolute must.