With Halloween just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to get cosy and watch some truly creepy horror movies. Luckily, if you’re a student or staff member at the University of Edinburgh, you’ve got free access to BFI Player, packed full of wicked horror films (and other films) that’ll give you all the chills and thrills you’re after. From classic spooky tales to modern scares, there’s something for everyone who loves a good fright!
So grab some snacks, turn off the lights, and settle in for a scary movie marathon without ever leaving your room. Whether you’re watching solo, hanging out with friends, or just want to discover some fantastic horror flicks, the BFI Player’s got your Halloween covered with some seriously creepy must-sees.
Here is just a flavour of the horror films available to stream on BFI Player.
Suspiria (1977)
Dario Argento’s phantasmagoric gothic nightmare blends operatic violence, disorienting dream logic and hyper-real visuals to create a horror classic.
The Descent (2005)
Six friends on a caving expedition get trapped deep underground and discover they are not alone in this visceral, claustrophobic horror.
Cronos (1992)
Guillermo del Toro’s Cannes prize-winning directorial debut offers a unique take on the classic vampire story.
It Follows (2014)
David Robert Mitchell’s remarkable, terrifying shocker is a fresh and stimulating meditation on sexual paranoia, steeped in horror cinema history.
Eyes Without A Face (1959)
Georges Franju’s gorgeous, poetic horror film about a surgeon’s dark obsession with restoring his daughter’s disfigured face.
Starve Acre (2023)
Sinister forces invade a couple’s home in this wildly eerie British folk horror, with unflinching performances from Matt Smith and Morfydd Clark.
Beauty and the Beast (1978)
Macabre and singular Czech reimagining of the classic fairy tale about a merchant’s daughter held captive by a mysterious winged beast.
The Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue (1974)
A chemical leak causes a zombie outbreak amid the picturesque landscapes of the Lake District, in this superbly chilling undead classic.
Amulet (2020)
Old sins refuse to be forgotten in Romola Garai’s gothic horror and hauntingly atmospheric debut feature.
Sorcery (2023)
A richly rendered story of anticolonial score-settling in 19th century Chile that dabbles in magical realism, folk horror and fairytale iconography.
Witchfinder General (1968)
A witchfinder traverses 17th-century England executing those he suspects of witchcraft.
Audition (1999)
Takashi Miike burst to prominence with this disturbing tale of a deadly young woman who turns the tables on her middle-aged suitor.
The Outcasts (1982)
Haunting Irish folk-horror, from the writer of The Blood on Satan’s Claw, about an introverted farm girl suspected of witchcraft.
Enys Men (2022)
Mark Jenkin follows Bait with this chilling, endlessly mysterious folk horror tale, beautifully shot on grainy 16mm.
Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979)
English language version of Herzog’s stimulating take on the Dracula story starring Klaus Kinski, with echoes of Murnau’s 1922 Nosferatu.
You can find these and much, much more on BFI Player.
This fantastic streaming service is available to all students and staff at the University of Edinburgh. If you have never accessed BFI Player through the University before, make sure you follow the instructions given to register with the site.
BFI Player can be accessed via DiscoverEd or the Video databases A-Z.
All descriptions of films listed above come from BFI Player.