Best horror films to watch on Amazon Prime Video this Halloween

From chilling ghost stories to gory slasher films, here are the best flicks for a fright night

Samuel Mathewson
Thursday 26 October 2023 13:54 BST
Popcorn at the ready...
Popcorn at the ready... (The Independent)

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Any fan of scary movies knows you have to filter through a lot of duds to find the best horror films around and, when checking streaming services, you can get lost in the abundance of offerings.

Amazon Prime Video has some frighteningly good options in its library – from vintage horror to brand-new monster flicks, there’s plenty to watch this Halloween (and beyond).

Here, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite horror movies, including all-time classics, so you can go ahead and hit ‘play’ without first having to spend ages cycling through a seemingly never-ending selection of films.

All the movies within the list are available to watch with an Amazon Prime membership. If you don’t have one already, you can easily sign up now for £8.99 per month. As well as gaining you access to all the films, TV series and documentaries on Prime Video, your Prime membership will give you free delivery on your Amazon orders, plus access to Prime Gaming, Prime Student, Prime Music and more.

Keep reading for the best horror films on Amazon Prime Video right now.

The best horror films on Amazon Prime Video for Halloween

‘The Babadook’ (2014)

The Babadook on Amazon Prime Video
The Babadook on Amazon Prime Video (Amazon Prime Video)

This surprising Australian story is about a lady who, following the death of her husband in a car accident, discovers a creepy book left outside her home one day. When the main character, the eponymous Babadook, starts haunting her son, there are serious psychological ramifications for his mother. One part exploration of grief, another part monster flick, this low-budget film shouldn’t be scary given the almost comical Babadook character, but it’s genuinely unnerving and gets under your skin.

Watch on Prime Video

‘Teeth’ (2007)

Teeth (2007) on Amazon Prime Video
Teeth (2007) on Amazon Prime Video (Amazon Prime Video)

This unique film has become a cult classic. It made waves when it came out in 2007, which is unsurprising, given the premise: a young woman with teeth in her vagina. The film is based loosely on the ancient folklore concept of vagina dentata, which has been explored in psychology and fiction for centuries. The protagonist (played by Jess Weixler) suffers from a condition that spells misfortune for her lovers. Expect some serious shock factor.

Watch on Prime Video

‘The Blair Witch Project’ (1999)

Blair Witch Project (1999) on Amazon Prime Video
Blair Witch Project (1999) on Amazon Prime Video (Amazon Prime Video)

The ultimate found-footage horror film, The Blair Witch Project sees a trio of filmmakers venture into the woods to try and capture a glimpse of the legendary Blair Witch, who supposedly lives there. The group get more than they bargained for when they lose their way and begin to hear inhuman sounds at night. This film had a budget of less than $60,000 but had staggering box-office success, grossing more than $248m – proving you don’t need lots of expensive visual effects for effective chills.

Watch on Prime Video

‘Little Shop of Horrors’ (1986)

Little Shop of Horrors (1986) on Amazon Prime Video
Little Shop of Horrors (1986) on Amazon Prime Video (Amazon Prime Video)

This twice-Oscar-nominated musical (based on the stage musical of the same name) is a fun, family-friendly flick that will be perfect to put on with kids or those who aren’t huge fans of gritty horror films. Seymour Krelborn is the owner of a failing flower shop and buys what turns out to be a monstrous alien plant with an insatiable hunger for human flesh. The musical score is addictive and will be ringing in your head for weeks.

Watch on Prime Video

‘Paranormal Activity’ (2009)

Paranormal Activity (2009) on Amazon Prime Video
Paranormal Activity (2009) on Amazon Prime Video (Amazon Prime Video)

Prepare for a genuinely scary, well-acted found-footage horror. A couple set up cameras to try and capture the spooky goings on in their home. What starts out as relatively low-level – cupboards opening and closing – begins to escalate, as the entity continues haunting their house. There are quite a few jump scares, plenty of tension and some scary timelapse footage.

Watch on Prime Video

‘Final Destination’ (2000)

Final Destination (2000) on Amazon Prime Video
Final Destination (2000) on Amazon Prime Video (Amazon Prime Video)

The first film in the smash-hit horror series was a phenomenon in the 2000s. A particular formula – tongue-in-cheek comedy mixed with gruesome, sometimes slapstick, deaths – gained the franchise a cult fanbase that is still going strong. After boarding a flight, student Alex has a premonition the plane he’s on will crash and everyone will die horribly. When he panics and gets off the flight before take-off, a group of his classmates and other passengers follow suit, then witness the flight exploding shortly after leaving the ground. But Death will still come for them, one by one.

Watch on Prime Video

‘Suspiria’ (2018)

‘Suspiria’ (2018) on Amazon Prime Video
‘Suspiria’ (2018) on Amazon Prime Video (Amazon Prime Video)

A remake of the 1977 Dario Argento horror classic (which is also available on Prime Video - and highly recommended), the 2018 iteration of Suspiria takes place at a dance school in Berlin where a new student, played by Dakota Johnson, discovers all is not as it seems. Packed with shocking and twisted scenes, this female led horror left us constantly guessing what dark forces lurk in the school. The star studded cast includes Tilda Swinton, Chloe Grace Moretz and Mia Goth.

Watch on Prime Video

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