Image via 20th Century Fox
Hot take: horror is one of the best most romantic genres. It sounds crazy, but hear us out: people need comfort when they’re scared, and comfort is usually found in the arms of someone else. That’s why Valentine’s Day is a great day to stay in and watch some horror with your significant other, who will definitely want to cuddle up while you two watch attractive actors get dismembered.
There are plenty of horror movies that fit Valentine’s Day either directly or indirectly. Think about it: most slasher movies have that one couple you know is going to have sex and then immediately get killed afterward.
If your Valentine’s Day plans are to Netflix and chill, considering skipping the rom-com and opting for a good scare. Here are the best horror movies to watch on Valentine’s Day.
My Bloody Valentine (1981)
Director: George Mihalka
Starring: Paul Kelman, Lori Hallier, Neil Affleck
My Bloody Valentine is easily the most famous Valentine’s Day horror movie, and for good reason. Part of a wave of Canadian B-movies known as “Canuxploitation,” My Bloody Valentine follows a group of adults who are attacked by a mysterious killer in mining gear during a Valentine’s Day dance. While criticized for its depiction of gore and a perceived lack of originality at the time, My Bloody Valentine has since become a cult hit, reevaluated as one of the most polished and restrained slasher films of its time. My Bloody Valentine is a cult classic and an underrated slasher that’s perfect for watching with your (hopefully not bloody) Valentine.
Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II (1987)
Director: Bruce Pittman
Starring: Michael Ironside, Lisa Schrage, Wendy Lyon
While the original Prom Night is solid slasher fun thanks to some fun scares and the presence of OG scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis, Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II trades in all of that for glorious ‘80s horror cheese and a very entertaining villain. Originally supposed to be a standalone film before it was retitled to capitalize on the success of Prom Night, Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II follows teenager Vicki Carpenter (Wendy Lyon) as she’s possessed by the spirit of prom queen Mary Lou Maloney (Lisa Schrage), a lascivious and cruel teenager who died thirty years earlier and is seeking revenge on her date who accidentally killed her (Michael Ironside). Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II is a must if you like your ‘80s slashers with a good amount of cheese, and if you want to reminisce on your own prom and high school relationships, which hopefully were not as bad as the ones in this movie.
Return of the Living Dead 3 (1993)
Director: Brian Yuzna
Starring: Melinda Clarke, J. Trevor Edmond, Kent McCord
The Return of the Living Dead series, known primarily as a horror comedy series, took a surprising turn into romance with its third installment. Julie (Melinda Clarke) dies in an accident and is turned into a zombie by her boyfriend, Curt (J. Trevor Edmond). As they try to evade the U.S. Army, Julie discovers that she can stave off her craving for human flesh by piercing her flesh with nails, glass, and other sharp objects. Yes, Return of the Living Dead is only for couples out there who can handle some truly gnarly carnage, but it’s also quite romantic, as Curt’s efforts to protect Julie are the dramatic backbone of the film. There’s not a lot of movies that can give you a solid romance and zombie gore and few can do it as well as Return of the Living Dead 3.
The Love Witch (2016)
Director: Anna Biller
Starring: Samantha Robinson, Gian Keys, Laura Waddell
The Love Witch is a throwback to ‘60s horror and early Technicolor films in both execution (it’s shot and lit exactly like those films) and concept. A young witch, Elaine (Samantha Robinson), uses spells to make men fall in love with her, but soon finds herself in trouble when the men she’s trying to control start dying. Director Anna Biller is heavily influenced by feminist film theory and the movie, while an homage to the past, directly critiques contemporary gender roles as well. On top of all that, The Love Witch has a good amount of blood and laughs. If you’re looking for a fun and feminist movie to watch on Valentine’s Day, you can’t go wrong with The Love Witch.
Valentine (2001)
Director: Jamie Blanks
Starring: David Boreanaz, Denise Richards, Kate Capshaw
Valentine is that other popular horror movie based around Valentine’s Day. Based on the novel of the same name, Valentine follows several women (Denise Richards, Kate Capshaw, Katherine Heigl, and others) as they prepare for Valentine’s Day and are followed by a mysterious stalker with a connection to their pasts. Valentine is a refreshing throwback: while it contains the self-aware aspects of Scream, it’s very much a love letter (no pun intended) to ‘80s slashers like My Bloody Valentine. It’s also very surreal and creepy, thanks to the unique design of the killer’s mask. Valentine also stars David Boreanaz in his prime Angel days, in a role that’s just a bit different from that iconic vampire. Valentine is weird and scary fun.
Cat People (1942)
Director: Jacques Tourneur
Starring: Simone Simon, Kent Smith, Jane Randolph
If you want something more classical in both the romance and horror genres, Jacques Tourneur’s Cat People is purr-fect (I’m so sorry). Serbian fashion illustrator Irena (Simone Simon) believes she is descended from a race of people who turn into panthers when sexually aroused or angered. She falls in love with Oliver (Kent Smith), and obviously this revelation causes some rifts in their relationship. Cat People is moody, well-acted, and surprisingly scary, especially in a famous scene involving a woman who believes she’s being followed in a park. The 1982 remake may be steamier, but it can’t match the romantic and thrilling twists and turns of the original classic.
Bride of Chucky (1998)
Director: Ronny Yu
Starring: Brad Dourif, Jennifer Tilly, Katherine Heigl
The First Couple of Horror was introduced in this comedic sequel to Child’s Play 3. Titular killer doll Chucky (Brad Dourif) is resurrected by his human girlfriend Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly). After an argument, however, Chucky kills Tiffany and transfers her soul into a bride doll. Love, it’s complicated! The appeal of Bride of Chucky is really the chemistry between Dourif and Tilly, who make Chucky and Tiffany feel like a real couple, despite the whole murderous dolls thing. And the fact that they achieve this through voice acting alone is pretty incredible. Bride of Chucky isn’t just darkly hilarious; it’s also pretty romantic and features one of the best female horror villains of all time in Tiffany.
Ganja & Hess (1973)
Director: Bill Gunn
Starring: Duane Jones, Marlene Clark
A cult Blaxploitation horror hit from underappreciated director Bill Gunn, Ganja & Hess is a classic of early black independent cinema. Ganja & Hess follows anthropologist Dr. Hess Green (Duane Jones) who, after becoming a vampire, courts his assistant’s widow Ganja (Marlene Clark). While slow and somewhat experimental, Ganja & Hess is stunningly shot and spookily entrancing. Ganja & Hess is also notable for one of only two lead roles for Duane Jones, who also famously played the lead in Night of the Living Dead five years earlier. The film was remade by Spike Lee in 2014, under the title Da Sweet Blood of Jesus. Ganja & Hess is one of the few classic horror films that centers a black couple, as well as comments on race relations through its central vampire metaphor.
The Fly (1986)
Director: David Cronenberg
Starring: Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis, John Getz
Veronica and Seth are not only one of the most tragic couples in the horror movie canon, they’re probably one of the most tragic in the history of movies. In The Fly, scientist Seth (Jeff Goldblum) meets Veronica (Geena Davis), and they start dating. Seth perfects his teleportation device (or so he thinks!) and accidentally merges his DNA with that of a fly, causing him to turn into a horrifying fly-human hybrid. The Fly is a truly gross movie with incredible special effects (it won an Academy Award for Best Makeup), but it’s ultimately romantic thanks to how dedicated Veronica is to Seth. The Fly is a great movie to watch with your significant other and a great opportunity to casually ask them if they would stay with you if you became a horrifying bug monster.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Starring: Gary Oldman, Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder
The modern Gothic romance to end all Gothic romances, 1992’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula is sumptuous and surprisingly romantic given its source material. Just like the original film and novel, Bram Stoker’s Dracula follows the titular count (Gary Oldman) as he imprisons lawyer Jonathan Harker (Keanu Reeves) and travels to London to kidnap and seduce Jonathan’s sister, Mina (Winona Ryder). While infamously criticized for Reeves’ performance, Bram Stoker’s Dracula is lauded for its romantic take on Dracula, infusing him with a humanity unseen in other adaptations. While there is still plenty of horror, Dracula becomes a somewhat tragic figure, cursed by his past and forced to roam a world that views him as a monster. Bram Stoker’s Dracula is epic and gorgeous, and a great romantic film with horror elements.