Dane and I both love classic movies, so much so that we added a DVD player in each of the hotel rooms, along with a collection of some of our favorites! And with Halloween being here in just a few days, I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite classic scary movies that I always make sure to fit in between the rest of the chaos.
If you’re not a big fan of horror, don’t worry. I promise they’re not too scary, more suspenseful than anything.
1. Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
This is a perfect movie for Halloween, especially if you don’t really like scary movies. This film is based on a play and will take you on a crazy ride, having you laugh one minute and holding your breath the next! This story takes place on Halloween day and follows Mortimer Brewster, played by the fabulous young Cary Grant, as he’s trying desperately to get to his honeymoon, but then finds out a secret his aunts have been keeping, forcing him to handle an urgent matter before starting his marriage.
Where to watch: This film is available to stream on AppleTV (with subscription), or you can rent it on Amazon Prime, or purchase the DVD here.
2. Rear Window (1954)
Out of all the Alfred Hitchcock films I’ve seen, this is still my favorite! This film has a star-studded cast, with James Stewart and Grace Kelly. In Rear Window, James Stewart’s character had an accident and is stuck in his apartment while he recovers, so the only entertainment he has is watching his neighbors. However, he thinks may have witnessed something awful! With help from his love interest, Grace Kelly, they try to figure out if what he saw was true.
And aside from the great filming techniques and storyline, this film is also at the top of my list because of Grace Kelly’s wardrobe! She is absolutely stunning and if I could have a replica of her black and white dress, all my dreams would have come true!
Where to watch: This film is available to stream on AppleTV (with subscription), or you can rent this film on Amazon Prime, or purchase the DVD here.
3. Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
This is my second favorite Hitchcock film, but it is also (in my opinion) one of his most underrated films. Shadow of a Doubt takes place in the sweet town of Santa Rosa, California, and follows a young girl named Charlie, and her uncle Charlie. Charlie and her uncle have a special bond, seeing that she was named after him. When he comes to visit, everything is great… until Charlie suspects her uncle of something terrifying.
Hitchcock does a wonderful job of building suspense in this film, while also adding some humor throughout! I hosted a Movie Club with my high schoolers last year and showed this film, they all LOVED IT! It was so fun to watch with them and see their appreciation of Hitchcock’s style and to quote some of my high school students, “They don’t make movies like that anymore!” They aren’t wrong!
Where to watch: This film is available to stream on Peacock and AppleTV (with a subscription), or you can rent it on Amazon Prime, or purchase the DVD here.
Upgrade Your Movie Experience
At the Knox, we use the Samsung Frame TV, pair with a DecoTV frame. It’s perfect for movie night or as a Victorian painting!
Shop the collection!
4. Frankenstein (1931)
Well, I couldn’t create this list and include Arsenic and Old Lace and not Frankenstein (although Dane prefer’s Young Frankenstein, another classic in its own right)! The original Frankenstein is a fun one; it follows Dr. Frankenstein as he obsesses over creating a living being from parts of several exhumed corpses. A true classic in my opinion and Boris Karloff does a great job as the monster!
Where to watch: This film is available to stream on Peacock (with a subscription), or you can rent it on Amazon Prime, or purchase the DVD here.
5. The Fly (1958)
I was in high school when my love for classic movies started. I also really enjoyed watching scary movies with friends, and since my mom knew that, one year she bought me the movie The Fly. This film follows a scientist as he is working on his teleportation device, but then just when he thought he fixed it, a fly enters the device with him and disaster strikes!
Where to watch: This film is available to stream on Max (with a subscription), or you can rent it on Amazon Prime, or purchase the DVD here.
HAPPY WATCHING
If you get a chance to watch one of these, I really hope you enjoy it! My love for classic movies started a while ago and it brings me so much joy to have a space to share some of my favorites with all of you!
Let me know about your favorite Halloween movies in the comments!
Kelsey is a Christian, mom to two little boys, and oh yeah, hotel renovator! She loves all things vintage and creating welcoming spaces for people to enjoy.
My favorite halloween movie is hocus pocus!
Yes, such a fun movie for Halloween!
So cool that you have DVD players in all the hotel rooms!! I have a pretty low tolerance for spooky but I remember owning Red Eye (with Rachel McAdams) and Disturbia (with Shia LaBeouf) on DVD as a teenager 😅
Thank you!! And yes, those are fun ones!! 🙂
Thank you for the ideas!
The lamp in your photo is outrageously beautiful!!!!
You’re so welcome! And thank you, a great Facebook Marketplace find! 🙂