10 Terrifying Halloween-Set Horror Movies

A number of anthology films were considered for this list, but Trick 'r Treat remains the Halloween anthology with more staying power than any other. It achieves an amazing balance that most anthology films don't, cobbling together several stories that feel consistent with the overall theme yet still offering a wide variety of scare factors.

Since each short looks at Halloween from a different age perspective, there's a bit of something here for everyone. The shorts range in feel from two Tales from the Crypt-style shorts to a somewhat more child-friendly piece that wouldn't feel out of place on Are You Afraid of the Dark?, as well as a twist-ending teen horror starring Anna Paquin.

While each film varies in terms of its central antagonists, their stories connect in little ways that you won't always catch the first time around, making this a great film for annual viewings. The main draw for many, however, is central antagonist Sam.

Sam's face reveal toward the end may dissolve some of the initial tension, but his introduction at the very beginning is one of the greatest scares of the film. Hearing the grunts of a human child emanate from the hidden visage of an otherworldly slayer might make you think twice before blowing off those trick-or-treaters. Will they egg your window, or will they opt for a grislier trick that leaves you in pieces?