Frequently voted one of the best horror movies ever made, this 1970s thriller is about to become available to watch for free

A classic horror movie that has been inducing dread in everyone who watches it for over 50 years will be airing in the dead of night this Halloween.

The deceptively simple yet terrifying film will be airing at 20 minutes to midnight on BBC Two this evening (Friday, 31st October).

Broadcasting just in time for a late-night Halloween scare, it will then become available to stream completely free on BBC iPlayer for anyone who’s still in a spooky mood over the weekend.

Don’t Look Now was originally released in 1973 and has been topping lists of the scariest films in cinema history ever since.

Frequently cited alongside The Exorcist and The Shining as a masterpiece of horror, the film, directed by Nicolas Roeg, stars Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie as a married couple whose relationship is pushed to the limit by a devastating loss.

Based on a short story by Daphne du Maurier, the film has become notorious for its psychological terror, eerie style and a sex scene that shocked audiences at the time. The Guardian called it the third best horror movie of all time, while a poll in Time Out London voted it the best British film ever.

A five-star Letterboxd review raved: “Roeg adapts a haunting, grief-stricken gothic-horror short story by Daphne Du Maurier about coming to terms with the seemingly random, chaotic, and inexplicable nature of death, and ends up with one of the most surreal, impressionistic psychological horror experiences maybe ever assembled.”

“Absolutely superb film in every way,” another agreed. “I’ve seen this a few times over the years and it almost puts me into a trancelike state every time.

“The story is so engrossing, the leads are perfect and the direction is brilliant. I love the slow burn build and that final scene is such a banger.”

A third called Don’t Look Now “a magnificent horror masterpiece that escalates tension slowly and mercilessly”.

Someone else claimed it has “probably the scariest ending ever made”.

And British Horror Films wrote: “Every so often, you see a film which really scares you whilst you’re watching it – either like this: ‘Whoah! Holy s*** – did you see that?’, or like this: ‘Are you sure we locked the back door? Just check behind the sofa for me again, will you?’.

“But it’s rare that a film has both these effects on the viewer. It’s even rarer for the viewer to wake up sweaty-palmed in bed two nights later, because he can’t get certain scenes out of his head (hands up, me).

“Don’t Look Now is one of those films. It succeeds on all three levels and must rank as one of the scariest, and most original, horror films ever made.”

Dare you experience one of the most chilling cinematic experiences ever put to film this Halloween weekend? Prepare to be terrified out of your skin…

Don’t Look Now airs at 11:40pm on BBC Two and will be available to stream on BBC iPlayer.