Britain’s top 10 most loved Halloween films – number 1 is 1988 classic | Films | Entertainment
As a nation, we are fond of a holiday. And though Halloween may not be our most celebrated occasion, it is certainly prevalent around this time of year in more than one medium. One of those media is film,, and a study has been released that reveals the UK’s most loved Halloween films.
The study, by OLBG, analysed UK Google search data of popular films, TV shows, and characters to reveal which are the most loved by the nation. It revealed that the TV show most loved by the UK at Halloween is Stranger Things, with more than three million annual searches. But without further ado, here is a ranking of the UK’s ten most loved Halloween films, and where to watch them.
10. The Shining
The Shining is a 1980 psychological horror film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick and co-written with novelist Diane Johnson. It is based on Stephen King’s 1977 novel and stars Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd and Scatman Crothers. The film’s synopsis reads: “Jack Torrance is a winter caretaker at the Overlook Hotel. He lives there with his wife Wendy and son Danny. However, things take a turn when Danny and his family start witnessing supernatural events.”
Where to watch: NOW TV.
9. Corpse Bride
Corpse Bride (also known as Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride) is a 2005 stop-motion animated Gothic fantasy musical film directed by Mike Johnson and Tim Burton from a screenplay by John August, Caroline Thompson, and Pamela Pettler, based on characters created by Burton and Carlos Grangel. It is set in an English village, and stars Johnny Depp as the voice of Victor, while Helena Bonham Carter voices Emily, the titular bride. The film’s synopsis reads: “A shy young man inadvertently brings a deceased woman to life when he practises his wedding vows near her grave. Trouble ensues when she thinks he is married to her.”
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
8. The Conjuring
The Conjuring is a 2013 supernatural horror film directed by James Wan and written by Chad Hayes and Carey W. Hayes. It is the inaugural film in The Conjuring Universe franchise. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga star as Ed and Lorraine Warren, paranormal investigators and authors associated with prominent cases of haunting. A summary of the film’s plot reads: “In 1986 paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren travel to Pennsylvania to vanquish a demon from a family’s home.”
Where to watch: Available for purchase on Apple TV and Amazon Prime
7. Hocus Pocus
Hocus Pocus is a 1993 fantasy comedy film directed by Kenny Ortega from a screenplay by Mick Garris and Neil Cuthbert, and a story by David Kirschner and Garris. It follows a villainous comedic trio of witches (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy) who are inadvertently resurrected by a teenage boy (Omri Katz) in Salem, Massachusetts, on Halloween night. The film’s synopsis reads: “Three witches resurrect after 300 years to exact revenge and begin a reign of terror after Max, a young boy who moves to Salem with his family, lights the cursed Candle of Black Flame.”
Where to watch: Disney+
6. Scream
Scream is a 1996 slasher film directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson. It stars David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Matthew Lillard, Rose McGowan, Skeet Ulrich, and Drew Barrymore. The film’s plot reads: “When Sidney receives a mysterious phone call and finds that her friends are being killed, she suspects that a serial killer may be on the prowl, who is also linked to her mother’s murder.”
Where to watch: Netflix
5. Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters is a 1984 supernatural comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. It stars Bill Murray, Aykroyd, and Ramis as Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, and Egon Spengler, alongside Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis, and features Annie Potts, Ernie Hudson, and William Atherton in supporting roles. A film’s plot is as follows: “When Peter Venkman, Raymond Stantz and Egon Spengler lose their jobs as scientists, they start an establishment called Ghostbusters to fight the evil ghosts lurking in New York City.”
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
4. Coraline
Coraline is a 2009 stop-motion animated dark fantasy horror film written and directed by Henry Selick, based on the 2002 novella by Neil Gaiman. The film features the voices of Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, and Ian McShane. The film’s plot reads: “An adventurous girl walks through a secret door in her new home and discovers a strangely idealized version of her frustrating home, but it has sinister secrets.”
Where to watch: ITVX and Amazon Prime
3. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a 2024 gothic dark fantasy comedy horror film directed by Tim Burton from a screenplay by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. A sequel to Beetlejuice (1988), the film stars Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara reprising their roles alongside new cast members Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Jenna Ortega and Willem Dafoe. The synopsis states: “Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s life gets turned upside down when her daughter discovers a portal to the afterlife. When someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times, the mischievous demon soon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.”
Where to watch: NOW TV
2. It
It is a 2017 supernatural horror film directed by Andy Muschietti and written by Chase Palmer, Cary Fukunaga, and Gary Dauberman. It is the first of a two-part adaptation of the 1986 novel of the same name by Stephen King, and stars Jaeden Lieberher and Bill Skarsgård. A sumary of the film’s plot states: “Seven helpless and bullied children are forced to face their worst nightmares when Pennywise, a shape-shifting clown, reappears. The clown, an ancient evil torments children before feeding on them.”
Where to watch: NOW TV
1. Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice is a 1988 gothic dark fantasy comedy horror film directed by Tim Burton from a screenplay by Michael McDowell and Warren Skaaren, and based on a story by McDowell and Larry Wilson. The film stars Michael Keaton as Betelgeuse, along with Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Jeffrey Jones, Catherine O’Hara and Winona Ryder in supporting roles. The film’s plot reads: “The ghosts of Barbara and Adam, a married couple, continue to live in their home. When Barbara’s sister sells the house to new people, they do their best to drive them out.”
Jake Ashton, Entertainment Expert at OLBG, added: “When it comes to the most loved Halloween films, Beetlejuice takes the top spot, showing that classic favourites still win over fans year after year. Its mix of humour and spookiness clearly stands the test of time. Also, with It and Stranger Things close behind, it’s clear the UK’s love for all things creepy isn’t going anywhere.”
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
