Halloween is nearly here, and as the nights get darker, what better way to celebrate than with a good ol’ fashioned scary movie night? But, if you’re a home theater owner, forget streaming: it’s time to break out the 4K Blu-ray.
We love 4K Blu-ray at TechRadar, not only because it’s one of our primary sources for testing the best TVs and the best soundbars, but because we’re collectors ourselves! It’s also the best way to experience movies at home, thanks to its superior picture quality (4K Blu-ray bitrate is 128Mbps compared to 4K streaming’s 20Mbps average, though this changes based on the streaming service) and uncompressed audio.
For horror movies, sound is as important as the visuals. Think of the fear-inducing score of some of your favorite scary movies, like the twinkling piano of Halloween or the razor-sharp strings of Psycho. In these films, the sound does as much to create the mood as seeing Michael Myers or Norman Bates on screen.
Surely the best way to experience horror on your home theater system is with a 4K Blu-ray. I’ve been reviewing 4K Blu-rays for nearly a year as part of our Blu-ray Bounty feature, and I’ve come across some horror gems that are perfect for a fright fest. Check out my top three picks below.
1. Nosferatu
Nosferatu (2024) is Robert Eggers’ remake of Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (1922), a movie inspired by Bram Stoker’s Dracula. It tells the story of Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp), a young woman who, as a child, developed a connection with a being named Count Orlock (Bill Skarsgård), which is rekindled when her new husband Thomas (Nicolas Hoult) encounters Orlock during a business arrangement.
Featured in the May 2024 edition of the Blu-ray Bounty, Nosferatu is perfect if you’re looking for that edge-of-your-seat viewing experience. The scratching strings of violins in the score are enough to send chills down the spine, and Orlock’s deep, gravelly voice will test the capabilities of your system’s center channel speaker.
The Dolby Atmos soundtrack also produces strong height effects, such as rain, and with a full surround system, other, more nuanced effects can add to the atmosphere. Footsteps through echoing hallways, the crackling of a lit torch, and the squeak of rats all add to the eerie atmosphere.
Visually, Nosferatu is perfect for dark room conditions and nighttime viewing. The movie’s deep blacks in night scenes look fantastic on the best OLED TVs, and scenes of isolated light sources produce strong contrast, as in one where Hutter meets Orlock in his castle and a fireplace illuminates one half of Hutter’s face. If you have a TV with Dolby Vision, you’ll be treated to even greater detail and stronger contrast.
2. Alien: Romulus
The latest movie in the Alien franchise, Alien: Romulus follows a group of young colonists who explore an abandoned space station, only to encounter a group of hostile alien creatures. The movie takes place between the events of Alien and Aliens.
First featured in the December 2024 Blu-ray Bounty, Alien: Romulus’s excellent sound design is perfectly conveyed by the 4K disc’s Dolby Atmos soundtrack. The creaking metal of the ship’s hull can be clearly heard in surround speakers, blending perfectly with the nerve-shedding string-led score to put you on edge.
The pitter-patter of tiny facehugger feet in Alien: Romulus is positioned so precisely that it will have you desperately scanning your room. And in the movie’s more action-packed moments, gunfire and explosions produce a powerful rumble that’s perfect for showing off your subwoofer’s chops.
A movie with plenty of high contrast scenes, Alien: Romulus is a visual feast. Inky, deep blacks balance well with the colored lights to create truly stunning images, particularly during the climax of the movie, where orange lights illuminate a blackened hallway. Dolby Vision HDR also gives textures such as scales and skin real depth and definition. The moments of violence will have you wincing, adding up to a perfect movie night if you want action-packed entertainment and tension.
3. Sinners
Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler (Black Panther, Creed), is a genre-bending movie that follows twin brothers Smoke and Stack Moore (both played by Michael B. Jordan), two criminals who return to their hometown in 1930s Mississippi to start fresh, only to be met by an evil force. The film also stars Hailee Steinfeld and Miles Caton.
First reviewed in the July 2025 edition of the Blu-ray Bounty, the movie’s Dolby Atmos soundtrack shines during musical moments. For instance, in one scene in a barn where Sammie (Caton) plays music, seemingly summoning the spirits of musicians past and present, the sound follows the movement of the action on screen with pinpoint precision. It had me looking around the room!
The same scene also blends delta blues with hip-hop beats that will show off your subwoofer’s capabilities. Still to come: plenty of chilling, action-packed moments with a tense score and room-rattling rumble.
Dolby Vision HDR really brings out the richness of Sinners’ picture, producing vibrant but natural colors, deep blacks and strong HDR highlights. A display with high brightness will be perfect for the movie’s daytime scenes captured under the beating sun in sweltering Mississippi, as well as reproducing high contrast scenes where lamplight and fire contrast with pitch black environments. Fine details such as sweat-covered skin and the finely textured costumes also really stand out on this 4K disc. The film’s more gore-centric scenes, and yes, there are some, will entice horror fans even further.
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