Autumn’s here, the evenings are closing in, and it feels like the right time to curl up with something spooky. Whether you’re after clever chills, playful scares, or outright dread, there’s plenty available to stream in the UK that will scratch that Halloween itch. Here are eight picks, all available for free on terrestrial streaming platforms, to delight, terrify and maybe enjoy. 

Get Out – iPlayer 

Jordan Peele’s Get Out is already considered a modern classic, and it’s not hard to see why. It’s horror with brains, balancing genuine frights with sharp social commentary. The film follows a young man visiting his girlfriend’s family home for the first time, and let’s just say the weekend doesn’t go quite as planned. Peele weaves tension into the most ordinary conversations, making the viewer question every smile and every silence. It’s unsettling, witty, and has something to say about the world we live in without ever feeling like a lecture. If you’ve somehow missed it until now, Halloween is the perfect excuse to catch up.

Scream – iPlayer 

Back in 1996, Scream reinvented the horror film for a new generation. Director Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson crafted a film that was both a tribute to and a cheeky send-up of the slasher genre. It’s full of self-aware characters who know the “rules” of horror, yet still manage to get themselves into trouble. Ghostface is now an icon, but what keeps Scream fresh is how it mixes laughs with scares and keeps you guessing. Even if you think you know how horror films work, this one is clever enough to surprise you. It’s a perfect group watch, as much fun to talk over as it is to be scared by. 

Carrie – iPlayer 

Brian De Palma’s adaptation of Stephen King’s novel is one of the most enduring horror films of the 1970s. Carrie tells the universal story of a shy teenager dealing with the cruelty of high school mixed with the unique and unsettling intensity of her mother’s beliefs. De Palma takes King’s already haunting tale and adds visual flair, creating sequences that still unsettle decades later. What makes Carrie stand out is that it’s as much a character study as a horror film. The build-up is slow, deliberate, and laced with unease, leading to one of the most famous finales in cinema.

Misery – ITVX

Another Stephen King adaptation, this time from the early 90s, Misery is less about supernatural horrors and more about the terror of being trapped and the visceral impact of violence. James Caan plays a novelist who, after an accident, finds himself in the care of his “number one fan”, played with unnerving brilliance by Kathy Bates. What follows is a gripping game of control and survival, with plenty of tension and moments of squirming aging for characters and audiences alike. Bates won an Oscar for her performance, and it’s easy to see why: she’s both caring and terrifying, often in the very same scene. Misery proves you don’t need monsters or ghosts to deliver edge-of-your-seat tension.

Jeepers Creepers – ITVX

This cult favourite from the early 2000s starts as a familiar road-trip horror before swerving into something much stranger. Siblings on a long drive through rural America notice something disturbing on the roadside, and from there things spiral into increasingly creepy territory. What makes Jeepers Creepers stick in the mind is its atmosphere. There’s a strong sense of isolation, a creature design that’s genuinely unsettling, and just enough mystery to keep you hooked. It’s the kind of horror film that works best late at night with the lights off, when every sound in the house seems louder than usual.

Open Water – ITVX

Sometimes the simplest ideas are the most effective. Open Water is a low-budget survival horror inspired by real events, and it makes the most of its stripped-back concept. A couple go scuba diving, only to surface and find themselves stranded in open sea. That’s it. No big special effects, no convoluted twists, just two people bobbing in the water as the hours tick by and shadows move beneath them. The result is quietly terrifying, preying on the universal fear of being alone and helpless in the vastness of the ocean. It’s not a film you’ll forget in a hurry.

Monsters (2010) – ITVX

Before Gareth Edwards directed Rogue One and Godzilla, he made Monsters, a smart and atmospheric indie sci-fi. The premise is simple: Earth has been partly quarantined after alien life arrives, and two travellers must make their way across the “infected zone” to safety. Despite the title, the monsters aren’t really the focus here. Instead, it’s about how ordinary people live and adapt in extraordinary circumstances. The film makes clever use of its small budget, creating convincing atmosphere and tension without needing endless spectacle. It’s a thoughtful and unexpected take on creature films, and well worth seeking out if your films a bit slower, more thoughtful but still impactful. 

Life (2017) – ITVX

If you like your horror in space and very gory, Life might be the one for you. The film follows a group of astronauts on the International Space Station who discover a rapidly evolving organism. The setup might sound familiar, but director Daniel Espinosa keeps things taut, with a strong cast that includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson, and Ryan Reynolds. The confined setting adds to the suspense, as the crew realise they’re not just studying life but fighting to survive against it. Slick, tense, and well-paced, Life is a modern spin on the “don’t let it get loose” storyline and a solid choice for a cold autumn evening. Just make sure you watch the film closely until the very last frame. And apologies for the sleepless night afterwards. 

Ian Moreno-Melgar is an educational consultant specialising in film. His clients include the BFI, Illuminate Publishing and Eduqas. He thinks about the film WEAPONS (2025) at least twice a day.