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17 must-watch scary movies to stream right now
Check out the top reader-recommended scariest movies, and how to watch them.
The spookiest day of the year is fast approaching. With Halloween just a few weeks away, people are looking for ways to celebrate, whether it be pumpkin picking or traveling to Salem (though getting a train may not be easy).
Another immensely popular way to celebrate the haunted holiday is by watching a scary movie. Horror is a popular genre in Hollywood, with many new thrillers arriving just in time for spooky season — this year, some of those films include “The Exorcist: Believer” and “Saw X.”
To get into the Halloween spirit, we asked readers for the scariest movie they’ve ever seen. Below, we’ve compiled a list of reader-recommended movies that will get your adrenaline rushing, from 1980s classics such as “Halloween II” to more recent psychological thrillers, such as “Hereditary.”
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In addition, we’ve also included where you can stream or rent the movie, as well as trailers, so you can see what you’re getting into before you hit play.
Some responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
“The Amityville Horror” (1979)
“It was the right mix of the wrong ingredients. Watched it during a snow day in the early 90s and didn’t sleep well for weeks after (was in middle school). The finale’s glowing eyes in the window were psychologically brutal.”
—Ryan, Shrewsbury
Stream on Hulu or Max, or rent on Amazon or iTunes.
“The Birds” (1963)
“Unlike zombies, werewolves, and other entities, the terror of killer birds is plausible.”
—Anonymous
Stream on Peacock, or rent on Amazon, iTunes, or Vudu.
“The Conjuring” (2013)
“I’ve never screamed out loud so much as I did during that movie. The scariest part was the hanged ghost in the basement who turns slowly around on her rope to face the female protagonist.”
—Maureen B., Dorchester
Stream on Hulu, Max, or Prime Video, or rent on iTunes.
“Darby O’Gill and the Little People” (1959)
“Bar none (none even close). That Banshee’s wail and the headless horsemen were absolutely terrifying. It may a testimony to this fact that Disney has never brought the film back. Too scary?! Fun fact: It has the very, very early star turn than none of other than Sean Connery!”
—Rick, Back Bay
Stream on Disney+, or rent on Amazon, iTunes, YouTube, or Google Play.
Darby O’Gill and the Little People Trailer
“The Exorcist” (1973)
“The suspense and how you did not know what would occur from one point to the next. The scariest part for me was the actual exorcism, when the demon left the girl and into the priest.”
—David B., Hyannis
Stream on Max, or rent on Amazon or iTunes.
“Halloween II” (1981)
“Scary hospital situations which we can connect to predating our current real-time surveillance system which would better help track down escapee Michael Myers like we do nowadays […].”
—Beth B., Auburndale
Stream on Peacock, Prime Video, or AMC+, or rent on iTunes or Google Play.
“Hellraiser” (1987)
“There was a scene where one of the demons came around and he was missing his lips and he was clamming his teeth together and then said ‘I will eat your soul.’ I’ve never been so scared in my entire life. It scared me so bad I turned the channel and started watching something else. Never watched another Hellraiser after that. Oh my God.”
—Lady B., Boston
Stream on Hulu, Prime Video, or Tubi, or rent on iTunes or Google Play.
“Hereditary” (2018)
“It is the most disturbing movie ever. Nothing usually scares me but this did. Scariest part … just one? When Annie cuts her own head off.”
—Anne, East Boston
Stream on Max or Hulu, or rent on iTunes.
“Jaws” (1975)
“It’s been happening all over the Cape for the past few summers. Wake up, fish food!”
—M.B. Wilson, Brighton
Stream on Netflix, or rent on Amazon, iTunes, or Google Play.
“Night of the Living Dead” (1968)
“I saw it at a local movie theater that was full of people (mostly kids) who were screaming and crying in fear. I couldn’t sleep for days (OK actually nights). There was a scene where you could only see the shadow of someone repeatedly being stabbed with a gardening tool.”
—Bill, Dorchester
Stream on Hulu, Max, Peacock, or Prime Video, or rent on iTunes.
“Pet Sematary” (1989)
“I saw Pet Sematary when I was 11 years old. I saw it at a friend’s house because my parents wouldn’t let me see it. The kid and the truck, the funeral, the scalpel and achilles. Those scenes stuck with me … still.”
—George, Milton
Stream on Hulu or Max, or rent on Amazon or iTunes.
“The Ring” (2002)
“It may have to do with the fact I was 12 when I saw ‘The Ring’ in theaters but I am still terrified of this movie. Between the blueish tint of the film, the flashes of disturbing images, and the sound effects, I’m not surprised that I didn’t sleep for days after seeing it. From the opening scene to the end of the movie, my heart was pounding. It’s a great example of a hauntingly good horror film that doesn’t have much blood or gore.”
—Deirdre, Beacon Hill
Stream on Prime Video or Paramount+, or rent on iTunes or Google Play.
“Session 9” (2001)
“Set right here in Danvers, at the Danvers State Hospital, the cast experienced actual paranormal activity during filming! This isn’t a gore-filled slasher film but rather it slowly and subtly builds tension without resorting to cheap effects and jump-scares. You don’t even realize you’re scared until suddenly you are. It’s just a very clever thriller and who doesn’t like a story set close to home?”
—Sara, Fall River
Rent on Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, or Google Play.
“Silence of the Lambs” (1991)
“I had nightmares or days! I watched it alone (first mistake) and the psychological aspect of ALL of the movie freaked me out.”
—Dana, Burlington
Stream on Hulu or Max, or rent on Amazon, iTunes, or Google Play.
“Slither” (2006)
“Although heavily comedic and lovingly modeled after the prosthetic fests of ’80s body horror, Slither’s antagonist, a tumescent alien parasite intent on consuming all life in the universe, is genuinely disturbing. It functions effectively like an intergalactic serial killer, methodical, patient, and completely unfeeling. It works surreptitiously through Michael Rook’s Grant, hiding its morbid work away until it silently gains the upper hand over humanity. Add to that the countless bodily aberrations, general gross-outs, and wriggling foes and you’ve got yourself a film unfit for the faint of heart and/or stomach. Most disturbing scene: The Grant creature reveals itself to its unwitting first victim and violates them in the most abstract and sickening way imaginable.”
—Ross G., Manchester, N.H.
Stream on Peacock, or rent on Amazon, iTunes, or Google Play.
“The Strangers” (2008)
“The ending is horrifying and completely realistic.”
—David, Allston
Stream on Netflix, or rent on Amazon, iTunes, or Google Play.
“Wolf Creek” (2005)
“Wolf Creek is such a realistically macabre story about stranded backpackers who get into a horrific situation after asking for help. The sexual assault scene has haunted my dreams for years since watching it.”
—Sandy C.
Stream on Tubi, or rent on Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, or Google Play.
Editor’s Note: This list previously included a reader recommendation that is not considered a horror film.
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