‘Hocus Pocus’ Is Not the Only Halloween Cult Classic Fans Can Stream This October

Halloween is just around the corner, and though horror fans tend to like their scares all year long, it’s an especially great time of year to stream a horror cult classic, like Hocus Pocus. Luckily, with the plethora of streaming services available (and some services focused specifically on horror), there’s no shortage of options. And if you don’t want scares, don’t worry! There are just as many family-friendly and lightly spooky movies available on your streaming service of choice. Here are 10 options to choose from.

‘The Witch’

This film is recent compared to many on this list. But it’s already achieved both cult and meme status. If thou wouldst like to live deliciously, check out this period horror film set in Puritan New England. This movie is filled with scares, and will make you wonder who’s really worse: the eponymous witches? Or the repressive religious patriarchy that the characters live in?

Stream The Witch on Kanopy, Spectrum, Showtime, and the Roku Channel.

‘House’

If you really want to go off the beaten path, check out House from 1977. This Japanese horror film is guaranteed to be unlike anything you’ve seen before. Though it follows the familiar premise of a group of teenage girls visiting a strange, secluded house, the way the film is made and edited is one-of-a-kind and brings a heavy dose of surrealism to horror.

Stream House on HBO Max and The Criterion Channel.

‘Re-Animator’

H.P. Lovecraft is one of the biggest names in horror fiction, so it follows that an adaptation of one of his works would become a horror classic. Re-Animator is darkly comedic horror with no shortage of blood and gore, led by the strangely charming Jeffrey Combs as Herbert West.

Stream Re-Animator on Tubi and Shudder.

‘Jennifer’s Body’

Jennifer’s Body may not have gotten the recognition it deserved when it came out, but it’s recently received a resurgence in popularity (especially among queer women). This film about a cheerleader developing a taste for human flesh is both bloody and funny, and definitely worth a watch.

Stream Jennifer’s Body on Prime Video.

‘The Babadook’

The Babadook has the aesthetics of something spooky and perhaps comic, however, it’s anything but that. This film is a serious exploration of grief and trauma, with scares that will keep you looking over your shoulder. It also became a Halloween cult classic in the LGBTQ community, who have adopted the titular Babadook as a symbol.

Stream The Babadook on the Roku Channel.

‘Beetlejuice’

Beetlejuice is a comic ghost story that was one of Tim Burton’s first big hits and helped put him on the map. If you want a movie that’s spooky without being too scary, this is a great flick to check out, and is worth watching with the whole family.

Stream Beetlejuice on Peacock.

‘Elvira, Mistress of the Dark’

If you want a movie that’s not too scary, but that’s more fun for adults, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark is a great bet. This comedy invokes a lot of horror staples and pokes fun at suburban conformity.

Stream Elvira, Mistress of the Dark on Tubi, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Shudder, and Roku.

‘Hocus Pocus’

Did you know Hocus Pocus was panned when it first came out? Today, it’s a Halloween cult classic, with a sequel in the works. If you want a combination of a teen comedy and spooky horror, Hocus Pocus is the film for you.

Stream Hocus Pocus on Disney+.

‘Goosebumps’

OK, this one isn’t a movie — it’s a TV show. This horror anthology is based on the children’s horror series by R.L. Stine, and has become a cult classic in its own right. If you want to scare your kids in an age-appropriate way, try Goosebumps. Sony also released two Goosebumps movies in recent years to capitalize on the series’ fame, but they didn’t bring in the same cult audience.

Stream Goosebumps on Netflix.

‘ParaNorman’

Though ParaNorman was made for children, its thoughtful storyline and gorgeous stop-motion animation made it a favorite of many adults looking for a family-oriented Halloween cult classic. If you want to see a psychic kid save the day among an ignorant town, check out this creatively designed film!

Stream ParaNorman on Netflix.