Your 1950s Halloween Movies Guide: 26 Top 1950s Horror and Sci-Fi Films
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1950s Halloween Movies including 1950s Horror movies, 1950s Sci-Fi Films and Vintage Halloween Costume Inspiration
This post is all about 1950s Halloween Movies and Horror and Sci-Fi Films
From chilling graveyards to haunted castles, 1950s horror and sci-fi classics thrill with unforgettable creatures, like the scaly Black Lagoon, the blood thirsty Dracula, the undead Frankenstein Monster, the glowing Hound of the Baskervilles, and the legendary Himalayan Big Foot Yeti.
Whether you’re in the mood for a chilling suspense mystery or ultimate vintage horror movie, there is something for every nightmare!
From vampire horror… classic sci-fi… physiological horror… crime mystery horror… alien invasion… dark fantasy… to fantasy werewolf… there are plenty of scares to go around.
Combine killer 1950s fashion with most legendary horror actors, like Boris Karloff and Vincent Price, and it’s no wonder these films are cult classics.
We’ve also rounded up Halloween costume inspiration for each movie, so that you can make unforgettable memories in your one of a kind vintage inspired costume!
(Although we’ve done our very best to rank the these, you could say that they are in no particular order. Boo!)
Alfred Hitchcock
“Give them pleasure. The same pleasure they have when they wake up from a nightmare.”
Classic Horror Movies #1: Horror of Dracula (1958)
A vampire horror film directed by Terence Fisher and starring Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, and Michael Gough
Story:
After Jonathan Harker is killed at Count Dracula’s remote castle in Transylvania, his friend and fellow vampirologist, Dr. Van Helsing, may be the only one who can destroy the bloodthirsty vampire and protect the city.
Retro Halloween Costume Inspiration:
Channel the vintage Dracula with a classic all black outfit, with a contrasting white collar. Don’t forget to add a dramatic cape, vicious fangs, and red contact lenses.
Bonus points if you can make this is a couple’s costume and bring along a fair maiden in a retro white dress costume, as Dracula’s bride.
Best 1950s Halloween Movies #2: The Night of the Hunter (1955)
A psychological thriller directed by Charles Laughton and starring Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters, and Lillian Gish
Story:
A serial killer disguised as a preacher, hears of $10,000 in stolen loot, so he tracks down the gullible widow and marries her. Her two young children are afraid to tell their obsessed new stepfather where the cash is hidden.
Vintage Halloween Costume Inspiration:
Recreate Robert Mitchum’s iconic creepy preacher costume with a vintage style 1950s suit. The suit should be a three piece in all black with a jacket, trousers, and vest. To round out the outfit add a black hat, black cowboy bow tie, and gold pocket watch. To bring this sinister look to life, etch “Love” and “Hate” tattoos to your knuckles.
If you love 1950s film noir movies, you might also like:
20 of the Best 1950s Film Noir Movies You’ll Love
Scariest Movies #3: House of Wax (1953)
A suspenseful horror film directed by André De Toth and starring Vincent Price, Frank Lovejoy, and Phyllis Kirk
Story:
When a wax museum burns down with the owner inside, he is turned into a vicious human monster. He goes on a rampage robbing the morgue for victims to create into life-like wax images.
Classic Halloween Costume Inspiration:
Recreate Vincent Price’s classic human monster character with a creepy wax like features. Use exaggerated and melted facial makeup and eerie black period clothes to bring this creative alive!
Horror Films of the 1950s #4: Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)
An eerie adventure horror film directed by Jack Arnold and starring Richard Carlson, Julie Adams, and Richard Denning
Story:
In this classic sci-fi horror, a mysterious amphibious monster escapes captivity to kidnap the scientist’s beautiful female lab assistant.
Scary Halloween Costume Inspiration:
To recreate this scaly aquatic monster, get ready to have a ton of fun with DIY prosthetics and go crazy with scary make-up for the ultimate retro swamp monster!
Best 1950s Horror Movies #5: Diabolique (1955)
A psychological horror thriller directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot and starring Simone Signoret, Véra Clouzot, and Paul Meurisse
Story:
Joining forces, the wife and girlfriend of a cruel man, plot what they believe is the perfect murder.
Classic Halloween Costume Inspiration:
Channel the stylish 1950s French noir style with a femme fatale look, as fashionable vintage beauties with sinister ulterior motives. You can opt for the obvious dark trench coats detective style and classic retro makeup or you recreate some of the exact retro outfits in the film.
1950s Horror Films #6: House on Haunted Hill (1959)
A crime mystery directed by William Castle and starring Vincent Price, Carol Ohmart, and Richard Long
Story:
A mysterious millionaire offers $10,000 to five people in exchange for being locked overnight in a haunted mansion.
Scary Halloween Costume Inspiration:
Dress as a haunted house survivor, wearing classy 1950s formal wear splattered with fake blood. Or you can opt to impersonate one of the ghostly haunted inhabitants of the eerie mansion.
Classic Horror Movies #7: The Black Castle (1952)
An mysterious adventure horror film directed by Nathan Juran, and starring Boris Karloff, Richard Greene, and Stephen McNally
Story:
In the middle of the 18th century in Austria, a man sets out to investigate the disappearance of two friends. They were last seen near the castle of a sinister Austrian count, deep in the Black Forest.
Retro Halloween Costume Inspiration:
Channel the gothic mystery vibe of this film by recreating an 18th century upper class style outfit. You’ll need to watch the film in order truly capture the 50s take on the period styles.
Fun Fact!
Boris Karloff was one of the most popular horror actors in the 1930s and 1940s. He is also legendary for his iconic portrayal of Frankenstein’s monster in multiple classic films, including the 1935 Bride of Frankenstein.
Best 1950s Halloween Movies #8: The Black Sleep (1956)
A science fiction horror film directed by Reginald Le Borg, and starring Basil Rathbone, Akim Tamiroff, and Lon Chaney Jr.
Story:
A Victorian brain surgeon kidnaps his victims and cuts open their brains in a desperate search to cure his dying wife. His cellar is full of the human victims who are now enslaved mutants.
Vintage Halloween Costume Inspiration:
Dress as one of the enslaved monster mutants using prosthetic makeup and tattered Victorian era clothes.
Scariest Movies #9: The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)
A psychological horror film directed by Terence Fisher, and starring Peter Cushing, André Morell, and Christopher Lee
Story:
A frightened nobleman hires Sherlock Holmes to investigate a mysterious family curse on a newly inherited estate.
Classic Halloween Costume Inspiration:
Dress as the legendary Sherlock Holmes with a retro houndstooth Inverness cape, deerstalker hat, magnifying glass, and pipe.
Don’t forget to have your trusty Watson by your side!
If you love suspense movies, you might also like:
30 Best Alfred Hitchcock Movies, Ranked
Horror Films of the 1950s #10: Curse of the Demon (1957)
A dark fantasy folk horror film directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Dana Andrews, Peggy Cummins, Niall MacGinnis
Story:
When a handsome and skeptical American professor visits London for a paranormal psychology conference, he becomes the target of a cult leader and his demonic death curse.
Scary Halloween Costume Inspiration:
Re-create the ‘demon’ fiend with a vintage style “wolf meets king kong” mask and regalia for the ultimate 1950s folk horror costume.
Best 1950s Horror Movies #11: The Thing from Another World (1951)
An alien invasion horror film directed by Christian Nyby and Howard Hawks, and starring Kenneth Tobey, Margaret Sheridan, and James Arness
Story:
At a remote arctic outpost, scientists discover a spacecraft buried in the ice and a frozen pilot. When thawed, a bloodthirsty alien organism is set loose.
Retro Halloween Costume Inspiration:
Channel the retro Arctic explorer look with 1950s style winter gear and vintage scientific instruments as props.
1950s Horror Films #12: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
A classic science fiction thriller directed by Don Siegel and starring Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter, and Larry Gates
Story:
A small-town doctor in California discovers that his community is being infiltrated by pods from outer space. These horrifying alien clones are killing the real humans!
Vintage Halloween Costume Inspiration:
This would be best recreated as a group costume, with a doctor, his hot wife, a few townfolks, and someone playing the alien pod. Dress in classy and stylish 1950s fashion, carry pitchforks, act horrified, and do alot of running (!).
Fun Fact!
Donald Sutherland stars in the 1978 version of the Invasion of the Body Snatchers, the first remake of the 1956 classic.
Classic Horror Movies #13: Them! (1954)
A sci-fi horror film directed by Gordon Douglas and starring James Whitmore, Edmund Gwenn, and Joan Weldon
Story:
Early atomic testing in New Mexico mutates ordinary ants into dangerous man-eating monster ants that begin attacking locals. After the mutants spread to Los Angeles, children begin to go missing. Is it possible to destroy the dangerous colony with mile-deep catacombs before they end civilization?
Classic Halloween Costume Inspiration:
Feeling in the mood for a one of a kind scary costume? Recreate a retro monster ant costume by putting your DIY skills to work, starting with giant ant antennaes!
Or perhaps you’re in the mood to be the good guy/gal? Recreate the original “Ghostbuster like” retro costume. Opt for a deep green jumpsuit, matching oxygen masks, backpack gear, and vintage artillery. Time to hunt for those mile-deep catacombs!
Best 1950s Halloween Movies #14: The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958)
A science fiction horror movie directed by Terence Fisher and starring Peter Cushing, Francis Matthews, and Eunice Gayson
Story
After Baron Frankenstein narrowly escapes the guillotine, he flees to Germany. Assuming the alias of Dr. Stein, he resumes his perilous experiments using the parts of dead bodies.
Scary Halloween Costume Inspiration:
Channel the mad scientist look with a 1950s style lab coat, gloves, and vintage surgical tools.
Or you can opt to be the deformed monster creature with ragged mis-matched thrift store finds, and some strategically placed drama make-up and a messy disheveled hair style.
Scariest Movies #15: The Mummy (1959)
An eerie drama horror film directed by Terence Fisher and starring Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, and Yvonne Furneaux
Story:
In 1895, a team of British archaeologists discover the sacred tomb of an Egyptian high priestess, buried four thousand years before. When they accidentally bring the mummified body of her High Priest back to life, it sets off a perilous and grisly chain of events.
Retro Halloween Costume Inspiration:
This film is a great group costume! Recreate the 1950s take on an Egyptian high priestesses costume, or dress as an archaeologist, ready to explore forbidden tombs.
And don’t forget your classic mummy monster costume — using a few DIY hacks you can easily create a one of a kind vintage version that captures the grisly essence of this 1950s classic.
Horror Films of the 1950s #16: The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
A frightening horror film directed by Terence Fisher and starring Peter Cushing, Hazel Court, and Robert Urquhart
Story:
While attempting to create life in his lab, Scientist Baron Victor Frankenstein instead unleashes a vicious and bloodthirsty monster.
Vintage Halloween Costume Inspiration:
This is another freakin’ awesome opportunity to recreate the eerie classic Frankenstein monster! Feel free to go crazy with DIY prosthetics to create your scars and bolts, and use green face paint and creamy dramatic make-up for the ultimate retro ghoul.
Alternatively you can cruise through the night as the cocky and evil Baron, Dr. Frankenstein, with a retro style lab coat and collection of mad scientist tools.
Best 1950s Horror Movies #17: The War of the Worlds (1953)
A Sci-Fi epic film directed by Byron Haskin and starring Gene Barry, Ann Robinson, and Les Tremayne
Story:
H. G. Wells’ classic sci-fi novel comes alive in this alien invasion thriller. The action starts when the hills of a small town in California are hit with flaming meteor landings.
Classic Halloween Costume Inspiration:
Dress as a vintage futurist 1950s sci-fi Martian invader with a freaky alien suit and neon bulbed eyes. (Of course, you have to see the film to recreate this just right, and be ready for to activate your ghoulish DIY creativity!)
1950s Horror Films #18: The Fly (1958)
A comedy horror film directed by Kurt Neumann and starring Vincent Price, David Hedison, and Patricia Owens
Story:
A scientist’s experiment with his newly invented teleportation device goes terribly wrong, turning him into a horrifingly giant bug!
Scary Halloween Costume Inspiration:
Recreate the ultimate Vincent Price monster villain with a half-human, half-fly costume. Let your creative DIY skills go literally mad while building retro inspired insect wings and bulging eerie eyes.
Classic Horror Movies #19: Quatermass 2 (1957)
A Sci-Fi horror film directed by Val Guest and starring Brian Donlevy, John Longden, and Sidney James.
Story:
Professor Bernard Quatermass, obsessed with his project to colonize the moon, discovers mysterious meteorites and a dangerous infecting gas.
Retro Halloween Costume Inspiration:
Recreate the vintage scientist or retro space explorer costume using classic 50s fashion style worker fashion. Don’t forget to pack your vintage, yet futuristic gadgets! Time to comb those thrift stores!
Best 1950s Halloween Movies #20: It Came from Outer Space (1953)
A science fiction film directed by Jack Arnold and starring Richard Carlson, Barbara Rush, and Charles Drake
Story:
After a mysterious spaceship crashes in the Arizona desert, a beautiful schoolteacher and an amateur stargazer suspect aliens, after the locals start to act strangely.
Vintage Halloween Costume Inspiration:
This is your opportunity to blend your favorite zombie attire with 50s vintage style clothes for the ultimate retro recreation of an infected population of locals.
Scariest Movies #21: The Abominable Snowman (1957)
An adventure horror film directed by Val Guest and starring Forrest Tucker, Peter Cushing, and Maureen Connell
Story:
Two scientists lead an expedition into the icy Himalayas in search of the legendary Yeti.
Classic Halloween Costume Inspiration:
Dress as the retro mythical Yeti with white fur and icy accents, or go for an vintage explorer style with 1950s winter fashion and heavy climbing gear.
Horror Films of the 1950s #22: Fiend Without a Face (1958)
A mysterious science fiction film directed by Arthur Crabtree and starring Marshall Thompson, Terry Kilburn, and Michael Balfour
Story:
In scientist experiment gone wrong, brain-shaped evil monster fiends terrorize an American military base and local town.
Classic Halloween Costume Inspiration:
If you’re itching to put those DIY skills to work to create the ultimate one of a kind vintage Halloween costume, accept the challenge to craft a brain monster! Use clever makeup and prosthetics to build a faceless brain headpiece with a chilling spinal cord.
Alternatively you can opt to dress up as retro American Air Force officials. You know how ladies do love men in uniform… especially vintage 50s style uniforms!
Best 1950s Horror Movies #23: 20 Million Miles to Earth (1957)
A science fiction adventure directed by Nathan Juran and starring William Hopper, Joan Taylor, and Thomas Browne Henry
Story:
The first human spaceship to travel to Venus crash-lands off the coast of Italy. A canister of specimens turns into a terrifying lizard-like monster that begins to wreck havoc across the country.
Scary Halloween Costume Inspiration:
Go for ultimate retro styled beast from planet Venus. Build a vintage horror inspired alien lizard costume with green scales, long claws, and scary face mask.
Scariest Movies #24: The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)
A monster horror film directed by Eugène Lourié and starring Paul Hubschmid, Paula Raymond, and Cecil Kellaway
Story:
An arctic atomic bomb test thaws a ferocious prehistoric monster. This carnivorous dinosaur emerges from the frozen depths to terrorize the North Atlantic and New York City.
Retro Scary Halloween Costume Inspiration:
Recreate this fun vintage dinosaur sea monster with costume consisting of large fins, scales, and glowing atomic eyes.
Be sure to throw in a few comedic style elements to best capture the almost laugh out loud “fake” quality of this vintage horror monster.
Horror Films of the 1950s #25: I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957)
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A fantasy werewolf horror film directed by Gene Fowler Jr., and starring Michael Landon, Yvonne Lime, and Whit Bissell
Story:
A hypnotherapist experiments with a new serum on a moody and volatile teenage boy. Rather than healing him, it turns him into a vicious werewolf.
Classic Halloween Costume Inspiration:
Channel your inner 1950s teenage werewolf style with a vintage letterman jacket and jeans. Add a werewolf head with shaggy hair and fangs, as well as scary claws.
Classic Horror Movies #26: Godzilla: King of the Monsters! (1956)
A monster horror film directed by Ishirô Honda and Terry O. Morse, and starring Raymond Burr, Takashi Shimura, and Momoko Kôchi
Story:
While visiting Tokyo, an American reporter witnesses firsthand the city’s destruction, as a dinosaur-like beast is awakened from his undersea hibernation with atom bomb testing.
Retro Halloween Costume Inspiration:
Channel the vintage Godzilla with a scaly reptilian suit, dorsal fins, and glowing atomic breath effects. To best replicate the retro 1950s scaly monster, be sure to incorporate some funny or childish elements, so that it’s not too believable.
This post was all about 1950s Halloween Movies
Stephen graham
“Some people are born for Halloween, and some are just counting the days until Christmas.”
This post was all about the scariest classic horror movies for the Halloween.
Do you have any other favorites that you love to watch during the spookiest time of the year?
Which vintage Halloween costume ideas were your favorite?
