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Data shows these 50 horror movies will get your heart pumping. See the full list here.

Whether you're a horror film fanatic or just want to get into the spirit, here are the top 50 scariest movies to watch this Halloween.

Data shows these 50 horror movies will get your heart pumping. See the full list here.

Whether you're a horror film fanatic or just want to get into the spirit, here are the top 50 scariest movies to watch this Halloween.

Spooky season is officially here. Halloween costumes and displays have been in stores since summer, giving families more time to shop and more pressure to spend. Since August, stores have been selling Halloween items. There's definitely this Halloween push or Halloween creep. That creep is about more than early displays. Tariffs on imports could also push up prices. *** lot of costumes that manufactured in China or other countries that have more significant tariffs on their imports, we may see prices going up. That's when buying used really makes sense. The National Retail Federation says each person will spend about $114 for Halloween this year, with overall spending valued at *** record $13.1 billion. $4.3 billion of that will be spent on costumes. Making them one of Halloween's biggest expenses. Consumer savings expert Andrea Warrock recommends shopping secondhand. You can go to local marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, or go online to eBay or even *** site like Poshmark, where you can buy gently used Halloween costumes. You can also see if your community has *** buy nothing group on Facebook where locals give things away for free or try ***. To swap with your friends and neighbors. Maybe you can also trade costumes, have *** swap party with other families who have kids around the same age. Those same strategies work for Halloween decor too, which the NRF says will make up $4.2 billion in spending this year. But if you want something new, Warrock says discount stores can offer the best deals. My favorite places to shop for Halloween decor would be retail. Like HomeGoods or TJ Maxx, look for Halloween decor that will last though, so that this way, whatever you're buying this year, you know you'll have it for several years. And don't forget the candy. The NRF says we'll spend $3.9 billion on treats. The latest consumer price index also shows candy prices are up 8.1% from this time last year. Buying in bulk can't help, and splitting with neighbors stretches your dollars even further. I like to buy in bulk, especially from *** warehouse club store. This is where you're gonna get *** better bang for your buck. Another easy move check your store's weekly ad. Many grocery chains rotate candy sales, so planning your trip around those deals can score you the sweetest savings. And one last tip, if you're willing to cut it close, candy is often marked down the most on Halloween day itself. Reporting in Washington, I'm Amy Lo.
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Updated: 3:20 PM CDT Oct 24, 2025
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Data shows these 50 horror movies will get your heart pumping. See the full list here.

Whether you're a horror film fanatic or just want to get into the spirit, here are the top 50 scariest movies to watch this Halloween.

vlog logo
Updated: 3:20 PM CDT Oct 24, 2025
Editorial Standards
If you’re thinking about a horror movie marathon to get into the Halloween spirit, you’re in luck. MoneySuperMarket released its list of the top 50 scariest movies that will get your heart pounding, make you jump out of your seat or cover your eyes.This year, the 2012 supernatural horror film "Sinister" reclaimed its title of scariest movie. Ethan Hawke stars as a controversial true crime writer who moves his family into a house where an unknown serial killer committed horrific crimes. The decision ultimately puts him and his family at risk. Audiences of the film had an average heart rate of 86 beats per minute, 34% faster than the average resting heart rate of 64 beats per minute. At the movie's scariest moment, viewers' heart rate skyrocketed to 131 beats per minute. Horror movies that use jump scares to frighten audiences trigger faster heart rates. But not all horror movies rely on jump scares. Some follow slow psychological burns to terrify viewers.Slow-burn horror films don’t trigger faster heart rates, but they do cause higher levels of stress. MoneySuperMarket measures these stress levels through heart rate variability. A lower HRV indicates a more stressed viewer.The 2024 psychological thriller "Immaculate," for example, follows an American nun embarking on a new journey to a remote convent. The journey later becomes a nightmare, leaving audiences on the edge of their seats as the sinister secret unravels. Audiences' heart rates peaked at 101 BPM, but had an HRV of 13 milliseconds, ranking the movie at 42. Only three 2025 horror films managed to crack the top 50: "Bring Her Back," "The Conjuring: Last Rites," and "Weapons.""Bring Her Back" was the highest-ranked of the three at 24, with audiences having an average heart rate of 78 BPM.See if your favorite horror film made the top 50 in the table below.PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiPiFmdW5jdGlvbigpeyJ1c2Ugc3RyaWN0Ijt3aW5kb3cuYWRkRXZlbnRMaXN0ZW5lcigibWVzc2FnZSIsKGZ1bmN0aW9uKGUpe2lmKHZvaWQgMCE9PWUuZGF0YVsiZGF0YXdyYXBwZXItaGVpZ2h0Il0pe3ZhciB0PWRvY3VtZW50LnF1ZXJ5U2VsZWN0b3JBbGwoImlmcmFtZSIpO2Zvcih2YXIgYSBpbiBlLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdKWZvcih2YXIgcj0wO3I8dC5sZW5ndGg7cisrKXtpZih0W3JdLmNvbnRlbnRXaW5kb3c9PT1lLnNvdXJjZSl0W3JdLnN0eWxlLmhlaWdodD1lLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdW2FdKyJweCJ9fX0pKX0oKTs8L3NjcmlwdD4=

If you’re thinking about a horror movie marathon to get into the Halloween spirit, you’re in luck. MoneySuperMarket released its list of the top 50 scariest movies that will get your heart pounding, make you jump out of your seat or cover your eyes.

This year, the 2012 supernatural horror film "Sinister" reclaimed its title of scariest movie. Ethan Hawke stars as a controversial true crime writer who moves his family into a house where an unknown serial killer committed horrific crimes. The decision ultimately puts him and his family at risk.

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Audiences of the film had an average heart rate of 86 beats per minute, 34% faster than the average resting heart rate of 64 beats per minute. At the movie's scariest moment, viewers' heart rate skyrocketed to 131 beats per minute.

Horror movies that use jump scares to frighten audiences trigger faster heart rates. But not all horror movies rely on jump scares. Some follow slow psychological burns to terrify viewers.

Slow-burn horror films don’t trigger faster heart rates, but they do cause higher levels of stress. MoneySuperMarket measures these stress levels through heart rate variability. A lower HRV indicates a more stressed viewer.

The 2024 psychological thriller "Immaculate," for example, follows an American nun embarking on a new journey to a remote convent. The journey later becomes a nightmare, leaving audiences on the edge of their seats as the sinister secret unravels.

Audiences' heart rates peaked at 101 BPM, but had an HRV of 13 milliseconds, ranking the movie at 42.

Only three 2025 horror films managed to crack the top 50: "Bring Her Back," "The Conjuring: Last Rites," and "Weapons."

"Bring Her Back" was the highest-ranked of the three at 24, with audiences having an average heart rate of 78 BPM.

See if your favorite horror film made the top 50 in the table below.

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