With Halloween just a few days away, some students find themselves searching for an alternative way to celebrate. With less trick-or-treating as students get older, many would rather watch horror movies than hunt for candy.

Below, The Red Ledger’s Patrick Compton shares his thoughts on the top five horror movies for this Halloween season.

5. “Halloween” (1978)

Whenever you see a new or old slasher film like “Friday the 13th,” “Nightmare on Elm Street,” “Child’s Play,” etc., you can thank the masterfully-crafted “Halloween” for kickstarting the subgenre, with it’s haunting atmosphere, unsettling soundtrack, terrifying villain, fantastic performances and genuine sense of dread throughout, “Halloween” is a masterpiece worth watching this season late at night.

4. “Poltergeist” (1982)

With the abysmal remake that was recently released, it’s time to remember what was really so great about the original “Poltergeist”–the very well done practical effects, the convincing performances, and creepy feel of the unknown within this environment. The original “Poltergeist” is one worth seeing if you’re in for a good scare.

3. “The Haunting” (1963)

Another fantastic film with an awful remake, “The Haunting” is less of a straight-up horror film, but rather a mystery/psychological thriller. Many of the supposed “hauntings” within the home can either be real or they can be figments of the imagination of our mentally-tortured protagonist. No matter how you see it, real or not, “The Haunting” is a masterful accomplishment in ghost stories and thrillers alike.

2. “Amityville Horror” (1979)

While many modern horror films love to use the “based on a true story”-angle with their marketing, “Amityville Horror” is one that helped popularize this idea. However even taking the supposed true story out of it, this movie is very tense and knows just what to do to give anyone chills, aside from a few cheesy moments.

1. “The Exorcist” (1973)

The first of many exorcism-themed movies, “The Exorcist” is a film notorious for actually getting people pulled from the theater for being so scared. It’s a film that works so well due to it’s grounded setting, horrifying atmosphere and terrifying performance from Linda Blair as Regan. This film has hardly aged and is still just as scary today. Not only is it intense, but it’s also a very emotional, character-driven film with the conflict not just coming from whether or not people are going to die, but also the question of whether this young girl can be saved from whatever has happened to her. An absolute classic to view this Halloween.