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Halloweentown is a must-watch every October. (Screenshot provided by Disney+). 

13 classic Halloween movies you should watch to get in the spooky season spirit

Spooky season is finally upon us. 

For many, this means watching every scary movie that exists. However, some people don’t enjoy jumping out of their skin when they sit down to watch a movie.

People like to acknowledge the Halloween season in different ways. There are the thrill-seekers-- those who will watch every horror film and go to every haunted house. But there are also those who just want to carve pumpkins, eat Halloween candy and sip on pumpkin spice lattes.

Not everyone is seeking a thrill when trying to get in the Halloween spirit. The nostalgic feeling of old Disney Halloween movies can often do the trick, too.

Watching these classic movies can take you back to the days of your youth. You can almost hear your mom yelling at you to put on a coat over your super awesome pirate costume before trick-or-treating. 

With these movies, you can kick back and relax with a bowl of candy corn, just like you used to do in your living room with Disney’s HauntoberFest.

Hocus Pocus (1993)

Gather your “sistaaahs” for a fun, magical movie night with Hocus Pocus. There can’t be a list of Halloween movies without Hocus Pocus on it. This movie might be one of the most well-known Halloween movies of all time. The Sanderson sisters are icons of the spooky season. This movie has been so successful it has left many awaiting the sequel, Hocus Pocus 2

Streaming on: Disney+

Twitches (2005)

If you ever watched Disney Channel in October, you have probably seen this movie a thousand times, along with its sequel, Twitches Too. Two twin witches separated at birth, played by Tia and Tamera Mowry, must save their magical homeland, Coventry, from the dangerous Darkness. 

Streaming on: Hulu, Disney+, Sling TV, fuboTV

Ghostbusters (1984)

1984. What a year of movies. Sixteen Candles, Gremlins, Footloose and this Halloween classic. This team of scientists fighting supernatural activity will have you cracking up all night long. Warning: You will probably have the Ghostbusters song stuck in your head for the next week.

Streaming on: Hulu and Sling TV

The Addams Family (1991)

We can probably all relate to Wednesday Addams on one occasion or the other . If you think your family is weird, go ahead and give this movie a watch and you might feel otherwise. Warning: You will probably have The Addams Family Theme song stuck in your head as well. The snapping never seems to go away. 

Streaming on: Youtube, Amazon Prime Video and Google Play for $2.99

Casper (1995)

Not all ghosts have to be scary like they are in horror films. There isn’t a more wholesome Halloween character than Casper the Friendly Ghost. This movie is a guaranteed pick-me-up during the Halloween season.

Streaming on: Hulu, Sling TV, fuboTV

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1965)

Is it really Halloween if you don’t watch this Peanuts program at least once? None of the holiday seasons are complete without watching the corresponding Peanuts program. Hopefully your Halloween ends up better than Charlie Brown’s bag full of rocks. 

Streaming on: AppleTV+ 

Corpse Bride (2005)

You can’t go through a spooky season without watching at least one movie directed by Tim Burton. If you are looking for a somewhat tragic and complex love story that transcends the barriers of living and dead, this movie is for you. 

Streaming on: HBO Max

Monster House (2006)

You may have considered this a horror movie as a child, but now it is deemed a Halloween classic. If this movie scared you when you were younger, hopefully it can give you a good laugh now. The lesson to be learned here-- never spy on your neighbors.

Streaming on: Netflix

Coraline (2009)

This may also have traumatized you as a child, but now we all kind of love the Coraline aesthetic. This movie would probably be a full-on horror movie if it wasn’t animated, but it can still be enjoyed on a relaxing Halloween movie night.

Streaming on: YouTube, Amazon Prime Video and Google Play for $2.99

Frankenweenie (2012) 

Tim Burton strikes again with this newer version of Frankenweenie. This movie is just a heartfelt tale of a boy and his dog, and a bit of a tearjerker. Be prepared to see lots of children who look severely sleep-deprived.

Streaming on: Disney+

Beetlejuice (1988)


Yet another Halloween classic from the 80s, this movie is sure to give you a laugh as well. With a cast of Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Alec Baldwin and Catherine O’Hara, what’s not to love about this haunting tale?

Streaming on: YouTube, Amazon Prime Video and Google Play for $3.99

Halloweentown (1998)

Perhaps one of the most classic Disney Halloween movies of all time, Halloweentown is a must-watch every October. What can get you in the spooky spirit more than a movie about a town of everything Halloween?

Streaming on: Hulu, Disney+, Sling TV, fuboTV

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

While it is often debated whether this is a Christmas or Halloween movie, for the purposes of this listicle, it is a Halloween movie. After all, the opening song is called “This Is Halloween.” Tim Burton is the king of Halloween movies at this point. This movie is the perfect segue from Halloween to the Christmas season.

Streaming on: Disney+

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@carolinekam12

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