Photo Credit ( Pixels )

Horror movies have enthralled viewers since the beginning of cinema, providing unsettling thrills that play on our worst anxieties. These movies, from a century ago and even now, have long been the stuff of nightmares because of their unearthly creatures and strange human anomalies.

Some of the most well-known black-and-white horror movies are on this list. Some are cult classics, some are more recent works by filmmakers who understand the atmospheric power of monochrome film, and still others are well-known classics. These are all ideal to revisit this Halloween.

Dr. Caligari’s Cabinet (1920)
Robert Wiene’s The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, regarded as one of the first horror film examples, is a classic example of German expressionism. Its unnerving use of sharp angles and striking contrasts produces a warped and powerful visual experience that reflects the fears of the post-World War I era.
accessible on Shudder.

A Symphony of Horror, Nosferatu (1922)
F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu, an unapproved Dracula adaption, just almost avoided being destroyed during a lawsuit. Through the use of stylized sets mixed with real-world locations, the movie makes Count Orlok seem almost unearthly. It’s not only a vampire story; it’s also a pioneering study of horror as social criticism.
Watch on Tubi and Pluto TV.

The Laughing Man (1928)
The Man Who Laughs, while not exactly a horror movie, left a lasting impression on the genre, especially on the Joker’s appearance in the Batman series and on subsequent Universal Monster films. Its unsettling main character’s traits combined with the unsettling setting create a lingering sense of dread.
accessible through Prime Video on FilmBox.

Classic Monsters from Universal (1931–1954)
Universal’s Monster Movies, which included Frankenstein and The Wolf Man, set the stage for contemporary horror. These films used cutting-edge VFX and storytelling approaches that still have an impact on the genre to examine deep-seated social worries, ranging from xenophobia to the darker side of human nature.
Follow Peacock.

Freaks (1932)
Freaks, one of the most contentious horror movies ever created, compels audiences to face their prejudices against people who look different. Directed by Tod Browning, this unnerving story is still a chilling critique of human cruelty and the atrocities of the so-called “normal.”
Rent on Prime Video and Apple TV.

Murders at the 1933 Zoo
Murders in the Zoo, one of the first instances of the “animals on the loose” subgenre, was seen as extraordinarily gory for its day. This sinister story of murder and jealousy highlights the harsh reality of zoo life in the 1930s and has one of the most iconic opening shots of the time.
The Cat People (1942)
This low-budget RKO smash gained notoriety for its inventive “bus scene,” which employed the jump scare in one of the genre’s first and most successful ways. Because of its gripping narrative and impact on upcoming horror films, Cat People continues to be a seminal work in the genre.
Watch on HBO Max.

1943’s The Seventh Victim
The Seventh Victim was innovative in that it featured sophisticated female characters and themes of Satanism. This Val Lewton production is a must-watch for audiences today because it portrayed its female stars as strong, multifaceted people.
Rent on Prime Video and Apple TV.

1944’s The Uninvited
The Uninvited, one of the first haunted home movies to treat spirits seriously, had a big influence on directors like Guillermo del Toro. It remains a noteworthy addition to the genre thanks to its melancholic ambiance and realistic effects.
Dead of Night, 1945
This British anthology film, whose notable portion featured a spooky ventriloquist dummy, established the benchmark for horror anthologies. Even now, Dead of Night continues to have resonance, especially with fans of psychological horror.
Watch on Fandor.

Dorian Gray’s Portrait (1945)
This film, which is a terrifying rendition of Oscar Wilde’s novel, uses a Technicolor picture in an otherwise black-and-white setting to emphasize the misery of Dorian’s endless youth.
Rent on Prime Video and Apple TV.

Frankenstein Meets Abbott and Costello (1948)
This masterpiece, which used humor and terror to revive Universal’s monster series, is largely responsible for the resurgence of horror-comedies. It became the benchmark for packing a good scare with a laugh.
Rent on Prime Video and Apple TV.

They (1954)
Them! was a pioneering “nuclear monster” movie that helped establish the enormous creature picture genre. It eschewed the campy clichés of later B-movies in favor of treating its ant monsters as real threats.
Rent on Prime Video and Apple TV.

The Hunter’s Night (1955)
One of the creepiest and most visually spectacular horror films ever produced is The Night of the Hunter. Its thoughts and visuals are ageless even if it has been forgotten for the most part.
Rent on Prime Video and Apple TV.

1956’s Invasion of the Body Snatchers
This science fiction horror movie from the Cold War era plays on popular anxieties of the day by utilizing body snatchers as a symbol for identity loss and dread.
Watch via Paramount.