Maybe you’re tired of the same-old October horror movie watchlists. And maybe, like me, you think international horror films are both excellent and terrifying.
If that sounds like you, you’re in the right place. I put together a 31-day Halloween/October watchlist of the best international horror movies there are. Watch one each day of October to lead up to the best holiday of the year.
Enjoy.
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Week 1: Asia’s Terrifying Roots
Oct. 1 – Kwaidan (Japan, 1964)
A stunning anthology of ghost stories, blending traditional folklore with breathtaking visuals.
—> Watch it online.
Oct. 2 – Ringu (Japan, 1998)
The cursed videotape that terrified the world and sparked a J-horror boom.
—> Watch it online.
Oct. 3 – Ju-On: The Grudge (Japan, 2002)
A chilling tale of curses that cling to everyone they touch.
—> Watch it online.
Oct. 4 – Noroi: The Curse (Japan, 2005)
Found-footage horror steeped in Japanese occult lore, unnerving in its realism.
—> Watch it online.
Oct. 5 – A Tale of Two Sisters (South Korea, 2003)
A gothic family tragedy layered with mystery and devastating twists.
—> Watch it online.
Oct. 6 – The Wailing (South Korea, 2016)
A masterful blend of possession, folklore, and police procedural that leaves you shaken.
—> Watch it online.
Oct. 7 – Shutter (Thailand, 2004)
Every photograph hides something sinister in this iconic Thai ghost story.
—> Watch it online.
Week 2: Europe’s Dark Legends
Oct. 8 – Nosferatu (Germany, 1922)
Expressionist horror that set the standard for cinematic vampires. The original is available on YouTube. And the new Nosferatu (2024) is amazing; don’t miss it.
—> Watch it online.
Oct. 9 – Suspiria (Italy, 1977)
Dario Argento’s kaleidoscope of witches, color, and blood.
—> Watch it online.
Oct. 10 – The Beyond (Italy, 1981)
Lucio Fulci’s surreal gore-fest feels like watching a nightmare unravel.
—> Watch it online.
Oct. 11 – Let the Right One In (Sweden, 2008)
A tender and chilling vampire story about childhood loneliness.
—> Watch it online.
Oct. 12 – Goodnight Mommy (Austria, 2014)
Two children suspect their mother isn’t who she seems in this disturbing psychological tale.
—> Watch it online.
Oct. 13 – Raw (France, 2016)
A cannibalistic coming-of-age story that’s equal parts grotesque and poignant.
Oct. 14 – Saint Maud (UK, 2020)
Religious devotion curdles into obsession in this slow-burn character study.
—> Watch it online.
Week 3: The Americas Beyond Hollywood
Oct. 15 – At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul (Brazil, 1964)
Brazil’s infamous Coffin Joe makes his horrifying debut.
—> Watch it online.
Oct. 16 – Alucarda (Mexico, 1977)
A fever-dream mix of convent horror and demonic possession.
Oct. 17 – We Are What We Are (Mexico, 2010)
A family’s cannibalistic traditions collide with modern society.
—> Watch it online.
Oct. 18 – Terrified (Argentina, 2017)
A relentless and inventive ghost story that earns its title.
—> Watch it online.
Oct. 19 – Tigers Are Not Afraid (Mexico, 2017)
A heartbreaking blend of fairy tale magic and cartel-era horror.
—> Watch it online.
Oct. 20 – La Llorona (Guatemala, 2019)
A powerful reimagining of the ghostly folk tale through the lens of political atrocity.
—> Watch it online.
Oct. 21 – Huesera: The Bone Woman (Mexico, 2022)
Motherhood and body horror entwine with Mexican folklore.
—> Watch it online.
Week 4: Global Frights & Hidden Gems
Oct. 22 – The Babadook (Australia, 2014)
A modern allegory of grief and motherhood that became an instant classic.
—> Watch it online.
Oct. 23 – Lake Mungo (Australia, 2008)
A faux documentary that’s quietly devastating and deeply chilling.
—> Watch it online.
Oct. 24 – The Dead (Nigeria/UK, 2010)
A fresh zombie perspective set against the backdrop of West Africa.
Oct. 25 – The Cellar (Ireland, 2022)
A mathematical puzzle box of a haunted house film.
—> Watch it online.
Oct. 26 – Under the Shadow (Iran/UK, 2016)
War-torn Tehran becomes a backdrop for a mother-daughter haunting.
—> Watch it online.
Oct. 27 – Veronica (Spain, 2017)
A terrifying Ouija-board séance based on real police reports.
Oct. 28 – Baskin (Turkey, 2015)
A surreal and brutal descent into a nightmarish underworld.
—> Watch it online.
Oct. 29 – Satan’s Slaves (Indonesia, 2017)
A terrifying reimagining of a 1980s Indonesian classic.
—> Watch it online.
Oct. 30 – Impetigore (Indonesia, 2019)
A chilling village folk horror about curses and family secrets.
—> Watch it online.
Oct. 31 – The Queen of Black Magic (Indonesia, 2019)
Witchcraft, vengeance, and relentless supernatural terror close out the month.
—> Watch it online.
Happy Halloween!
😱
Alex Lindley is a writer, editor, and perhaps the world’s biggest horror and sci-fi movie fan. He started DarkFilmTheories.com to fill the void left by the removal of IMDb forums—where some of the best discussion about film meanings, themes, and theories once happened.
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