Spooky season is here, and there's no better way to spend it than wrapped up on the sofa, in front of the TV, with a film scary enough to fit the mood.
So we've done you the favor of compiling a list of the best films that streaming has to offer this spooky season, and some of them are free.
Read on to see how to watch some classic halloween flicks from anywhere...
Get Out (2017) – BBC iPlayer
Jordan Peele's award-winning directorial debut starring Daniel Kaluuya isn't just scary; it's a movie that'll leave you thinking about it for days. A suspenseful, psychological horror, you don't really have to worry too much about jump scares, if that's not your bag.
Get Out is available for free on BBC iPlayer, as long as you have a valid TV license. You will also need an account with a UK postcode (e.g. SE1 7PB).
UK viewer away from home? Use a VPN to access iPlayer as you normally would at home.
Need more info on how to watch BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world? Use this handy guide.
The Silence of the Lambs (1991) – BBC iPlayer
There are few villains as well known, feared and parodied as Hannibal Lecter, and for good reason. The 1991 classic Silence of the Lambs sees Jodie Foster, playing a young FBI agent, star opposite an acting giant on the top of his game. Anthony Hopkins delivers an absolute masterclass in this crime thriller that will have you glued to the edge of your seat.
Available for free to BBC iPlayer users. All you need is an account with a valid TV License and a UK postode (e.g. SE1 7PB).
More tips on how to watch BBC iPlayer from anywhere.
The Wicker Man (1973) – BBC iPlayer
The absolute blueprint of folk horror. Fans of Midsommar (2019) should treat this film as a kind of pilgrimage that they need to undertake; Homage must be paid.
The Wicker Man perfected what films like Witchfinder General (1968) and — a favorite of mine — The Blood on Satan's Claw (1971) laid the groundwork for.
With British horror icon Sir Christopher Lee giving a commanding performance as Lord Summerisle, it's definitely one to add to your list this spooky season.
(fun fact: it is widely reported, though unconfirmed, that the character of James Bond was based on Lee, as he and Ian Flemming were step-cousins)
Available for free via BBC iPlayer, as long as users have an account with a valid license and a UK postcode. More info here...
Viewers outside the UK can use a VPN to access BBC iPlayer.
Want to watch iPlayer abroad? Here's a handy video explainer...
Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) – BBC iPlayer
When someone says the word Halloween, one of the universal images that springs to mind is a vampire. Who, you might ask, is the most famous of all the vampires? Well it's not Count Von Count, nor is it Count Orlok. No, the world's most famous vampire, undeniably, is Count Dracula.
First appearing in Bram Stoker's 1897 novel of the same name, Dracula has captured imagination's ever since, said to be loosely based on Vlad the Impaler.
The 1992 adaptation stars Gary Oldman, Winona Rider, Keanu Reaves and Anthony Hopkins, and it's mandatory viewing every spooky season.
Available for free via iPlayer. Remember, you can watch iPlayer from anywhere in the world with a VPN. More on that here.
Heretic (2025) – Amazon Prime
Hugh Grant is normally a staple of cosy Christmas films — think Love Actually and others of that ilk. I know that round my house one of the Bridget Jones' usually makes an appearance in that liminal limbo-time between Christmas Day and New Years'. It's for that reason that you'd be forgiven to not expect to see him on this list.
HOWEVER, in a huge change of pace, he stepped away from the foppish, mumbling Hugh Grant-isms of Four Weddings and into a seriously creepy role for A24's Heretic.
Psychological, tense and downright unsettling, It's the prefect film to get your brain working while you tuck into your takeaway of choice.
And you can watch it for free with a 30-day free trial with Amazon Prime, assuming you haven't signed up for one in the past.
Invasion of The Body Snatchers (1978) – Amazon Prime
Donald Sutherland doing that scream. It's an image that will be plastered in the minds of sci-fi and horror fans of a certain age. The second remake of Jack Finney's 1955 book, it's a classic sci-fi/horror movie. There's social commentary that — depressingly — still rings true to this day, but besides that it's just a good film (sometimes things can be just good, y'know).
And, at time of writing, you can watch it free on Amazon Prime, with a 30-day free trial for new customers.
Geo-blocked where you are? You can always use a VPN to access all your regular streams.
Which VPN is the best to use?
For streaming, we suggest using Nord. Currently, they're offering 3 months free, as well as 75% off.
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