With another certified Screamish list of course! 

Whether you are new to Shudder or lost in a sea of selections, we’ve chosen a weekend’s worth of classics and modern gems to get the most out of your subscription.

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BLOOD MACHINES 

From the minds of Synthwave icon Carpenter Brut (Franck Huesco) and Director duo Seth Ickerman, the hyperkinetic, hallucinatory ‘Blood Machines’ stormed 2019’s festival circuit before landing exclusively on Shudder. In it, a rogue A.I. escapes a coven of cosmic witches with a pair of grizzled space pirates in hot pursuit. A non-stop, 55 minute Sci-Fi / Horror space opera, you won’t see something this jaw-dropping anywhere else.  

Revenge 

A stylish and bloody rape-revenge thriller from first-time director Coralie Fargeat, ‘Revenge’ turns a contentious subgenre upside down and delivers one of the best Horror movies on Shudder. Free-spirit Jen is enjoying a romantic getaway with her wealthy boyfriend until his two sleazy friends arrive for an unannounced hunting trip. When they cross the line and end up leaving her for dead, a brutal, unrelenting battle begins to escape her attackers and the scorching desert alike. 

Demons

Nothing hits quite like a classic of Italian 80s Horror, and our love for ‘Demons’ is well known. Easily one of the best horror movies on Shudder, there’s a lot to love about Lamberto Bava’s 1985 classic, from it’s tongue-in-cheek ‘movie within a movie’ plot to it’s mountains of goofy gore, to an EPIC cocaine fueled hair metal soundtrack. But what we love most about Demons is that it never stops being a total fucking blast from start to end. 

Behind The Mask: The Rise Of Leslie Vernon

Turning the slasher genre inside out, Behind The Mask: The Rise Of Leslie Vernon is a mockumentary love letter to every 80s masked murderer and sleepaway camp schlockfest, creating a wonderful ‘what if’ world of real-life movie monsters that’s well made, wildly entertaining and actually sort of sweet…in it’s own co-ed murdering, head splattering kind of way. Seen through the lens of a community college film crew, Leslie’s awkward attempts to rise the ranks of slasher-dom will have horror fanatics and casual fans equally entertained with a mix of genre in-jokes and star Nathan Baesel’s wide-eyed, goofy excitement at finding his ‘Final Girl’. 

The Last Drive In: Season 2 

We are Drive-In mutants! We are not like other people! The legend himself Joe Bob Briggs (and Darcy The Mail Girl, of course) returns to Shudder with the best in Blood, Breasts and Beasts for another season of The Last Drive-In. With a hand-picked line-up of the best horror movies on Shudder, PLUS interviews with genre legends and Darcy’s fant-ass-tic Cosplay, we could never choose just one episode, so just watch em all! Joe Bob Says “Check It Out!” 

Luz

Luz hides in a police station from Nora, who is possessed by a demonic entity, longing for the woman it loves. Nora tells a story about Luz’s rebellious past at a Chilean school for girls to a doctor, now easy prey for the entity, who stalks her across town. Spare and sharp, LUZ is a stunning debut feature from Director Tilman Singer, creating a new style of possession story built on intricate sound design and explosive performances in place of jump scares.  A must see for fans of slow burning Horror like Hereditary or Suspiria. (Read our full review for more!)

Elvira Mistress of the Dark

With such big…history, Elvira remains one of the most beloved icons in Horror, and her 1980’s madcap comedy ‘Elvira: Mistress Of The Dark’ still holds up as a tongue-in-cheek groan fest sure to make you smile. Our horror-movie hostess turns a puritanical community on its ear when she arrives in town to claim her inheritance and once the stuffy locals get an eyeful of the scream queen’s ample assets, all hell busts out & breaks loose.

Editor’s Note: this list has been updated as of June 11th 2020!

Dead Heat

Two cops stop at nothing to catch paranormal bad guys in this messy but oh-so fun 80’s horror comedy. After two detectives discover a secretive corporation are using zombies to carry out crimes (and one of said detectives is turned into a zombie himself) the clock races to solve this murder case before his own body decays! DEAD HEAT’s bizarre combo of gore, humour and 80s slapstick action make for one of the best selections on Shudder. Did we mention the “star” studded cast? Treat Williams, Joe Piscopo and Vincent Price all take turns chewing the scenery in this schlocky romp that anyone can enjoy.  

BLACULA 

One of the best movies on Shudder AND one of the best Blaxploitation flicks of all time? Sign us up! Blacula is a 70’s horror classic often overlooked. In it, 18th century African Prince Mamuwalde (the iconic William Marshall) visits Count Dracula in Transylvania to seek his support in ending the slave trade. Instead that damn honky count curses his guest and transforms him into a vampire! Two centuries later, he rises from his coffin to wreak havoc, stay funky and seek out human blood in 1970s Los Angeles.

Sugar Hill

When a New Orleans nightclub owner gets murdered by the mob, his girlfriend Diana “Sugar” Hill calls upon a voodoo high priest Baron Samedi to summon the undead to carry out her plan for revenge! This stylish, smart yet hilarious horror flick has something for genre lovers of all types.

TROMA’S WAR 

When a group of Americans crash onto a Carribean island, they didn’t expect it to be infested with scummy terrorists and pig faced mutants preparing for a full out war on America with biological weapons! One of Troma’s most unfairly ignored romps, this balls-out, tongue in cheek parody of Stallone, Chuck Norris and Charles Bronson’s nonsensical VHS blast-a-thons doesn’t make a lot of sense, but it does provide a lot of laughs, some of the funniest kills on Shudder and some unforgettable 80s haircuts!

Knife + Heart

Paris, Summer 1979. Anne produces an underground gay porn film. When one of the actors is brutally murdered, Anne is caught up in a surreal investigation that turns her entire life upside down. This stylish ode to 70s era De Palma, Argento and Friedkin, shot on 35mm features a score from M83 and is not to be missed! We could talk all night about it…but Read Our Full Review For More!

A TALE OF TWO SISTERS

Things take a turn for the absolute worst after two sisters are reunited in this classic Korean horror now available on Shudder! When Suomi and Su-yeon return to live at their country home, the girls’ father has remarried and strange events soon lead to dark revelations. This dark and dreary horror classic is a perfect fit for anyone who enjoys “feel bad” movies (we sure as hell do) as well the stylish settings and absurd humour make for an engrossing and unique take on the genre. 

Editor’s Note: this list has been updated as of June 2020!

As a formerly British colony, Hong Kong’s Category III Horror movies enjoyed the artistic freedoms of the west, the monied influence of European art house auteurs and the captive, ravenous audiences for grindhouse fare that only Asia can produce. Combined, these unique factors led to some of the most outrageous, inventive and downright disgusting exploitation films of the last century like the infamous soft core Horror ‘Erotic Ghost Story‘ or the 1996 champion of poor taste, ‘Ebola Syndrome‘.

While China never officially cracked down on expression in the Hong Kong colony, the golden age of Category III Horror is seen to have lasted between 1988 and 1997 before cautious filmmakers had fled, retired or hung up their gross-out gloves to avoid a boxing match with Chinese censors. If you’ve never experienced the world of Hong Kong’s Category III films then buckle up, we’ve picked 5 killer Category III Horror Movies from Hong Kong to get you started.

Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky (1991)

One of the granddaddies of all Category III Horror cult hits, “Riki Oh: The Story Of Ricky” follows our “Hero”, Ricky, incarcerated for assault and manslaughter in a futuristic prison who survives by resorting to more extreme violence against whomever gets in his way. Considered to be one of, if not the most violent movies of all time, The Story of Ricky is non stop slaughterthon without any consideration of continuity, believability or good taste. The only time you can catch your breath from laughing is to pick your jaw up from the floor. Highly recommended.

Watch ‘Riki-Oh: The Story Of Ricky” on VOD

Also, any movie that gives us this classic GIF must be seen.

Dr. Lamb (1992)

Another well known Category III Horror film, “Dr. Lamb” (1992) follows an abnormal taxi driver who lusts for blood every time it rains, leading to several young women being horrifically killed as a grizzled detective hunts him down. Based on a real case from Hong Kong, this police procedural jumps between almost slapstick comedy and downright brutal violence in a way that only this genre can. Incredibly hard to find in an uncut version, this one is begging for a Vinegar Syndrome or Arrow re-release!

The Blue Jean Monster (1991)

A cop comes back from the dead to avenge his own murder all while his body is decomposing and his marriage is on the rocks.  One part Robocop, one part Dead Heat, all weird, ‘The Blue Jean Monster‘ is a classic slice of 1990s Hong Kong Horror Movie madness, and has been long been a favourite of Category III Horror film fans. Having earned itself quite a reputation over the years as a truly bizarre bad taste mixture of police thriller, gory horror, slapstick comedy and domestic drama, this is an awesome intro to the surreal world of 90s Hong Kong cinema. Another very hard to find film, there was an excellent ‘Legendary Edition’ DVD of ‘The Blue Jeans Monster’ released a decade back, but it’s sadly out of print.

The Untold Story: Human Meat Roast Pork Buns (1993)

One of Hong Kong’s most notorious Category III Horror films ever made, The Untold Story: Human Meat Roast Pork Buns (what a title!) features everything that makes extreme HK cinema so unique: brutality, seriously dark comedy and insane energy that spills off the screen in every scenery chewing performance. Reportedly a true story, the film follows a down on his luck gambler who’s secret recipe for Pork Buns has bodies washing up in Kowloon bay and the police at his door. Sweeping the Hong Kong film awards on release, this one’s considered to be not only the best Category III Horror film, but one of the best Hong Kong made films of all time.

Watch ‘The Untold Story’ on Streaming / VOD

Men Behind The Sun (1988)

From the depths of Kong Kong’s Category III Horror film history comes Men Behind The Sun (Hei Tai Yang 731), a “holy shit this actually happened” account of one of history’s most brutal and sadistic war crimes, the story of Unit 731, brought to the screen in 1988 by director T.F. Mous. Covered in our ‘most disturbing films of all time‘ list, this one lives up to its reputation as one of the most violent, stomach churning and realistic depictions of WW2’s brutality and also on of Hong Kong’s most epic, over the top gore-fests ever put to film.

Watch ‘Men Behind The Sun’ on Streaming now.

28 Days Later (2002)

One of the heaviest hitters of any Horror film, ’28 Days Later’ is a 2002 British post-apocalyptic horror movie directed by Danny Boyle. Depicting the breakdown of society following the release of a highly contagious virus, it focuses upon the struggle of four survivors to cope with the destruction of the life they once knew and became a massive hit, credited with reinvigorating the zombie genre of horror fiction.

Watch ’28 Days Later’ On Streaming/ VOD

Deranged (2012)

‘Deranged‘ is an inventive 2012 South Korean science fiction / horror mystery film directed by Park Jung-woo. Former doctor Jae-hyuk tries to find a cure after his wife and children come down with a mysterious infection that causes people to spontaneously drown themselves. As the bodies pile up and chaos reigns, a conspiracy surrounding the cure marries the medical thriller and horror genres together for a supremely satisfying watch.

Watch ‘Deranged’ On VOD

The Crazies (2010)

The Crazies is a 2010 remake of the 1973 Horror film of the same name by George A. Romero, who also produced. The surprisingly good reboot lands in the fictional town of Ogden Marsh …the “friendliest place on Earth”…..whose town water supply is accidentally infected with the “Trixie” virus. After an incubation period of 48 hours, this virus gradually transforms the mental state of the infected into that of cold, calculating, depraved, bloodthirsty killers …and all hell gloriously breaks loose.

Watch ‘The Crazies’ on Streaming/VOD

REC (2007)

REC is a 2007 Spanish horror movie, co-written and directed by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza, and the first in a 4 part series. One of the few great “found footage” flicks, REC sees TV host Angela and her cinematographer following fire services on a call to an apartment building for a normally mundane newscast. But once Spanish police seal off the building after an old woman is infected by a virus which gives her inhuman strength, things really get gruesome.

Watch ‘REC’ on VOD

Pontypool (2008)

Ultra low-budget 2008 Canadian horror movie ‘Pontypool’ is a strange one. Directed by Bruce McDonald (Hard Core Logo) and adapted from Tony Burgess’ novel Pontypool Changes Everything, it stars ‘Come to Daddy”s Stephen McHattie as Grant Mazzy, a DJ who barricades himself in the booth of a local radio station and tries to figure out a way to warn his now bloodthirsty listeners about a new deadly virus and its unlikely mode of transmission: the English language.

Watch ‘Pontypool’ on Streaming / VOD

Infection (2004)

A rare 2004 Japanese horror movie, ‘Infection‘ (Kansen) is directed by ‘Tales of the Unusual”s Masayuki Ochiai, where in a run-down hospital a doctor’s mistake unwittingly creates dark consequences for all. After being ignored for far too long, a patient with an unknown disease is being kept in isolation and though he is still alive, his body mass is liquefying into green goo. As the staff battle the secretive head surgeon to find the cause, things spiral into surreal madness and it’s everyone for themselves as the infection spreads.

Buy ‘Infection (Kansen)’ on DVD

The Omega Man (1971)

The Omega Man is possibly the funniest, funkiest Zombie / Horror movie ever and an absolutely awesome watch. Charlton Heston plays a doctor / scientist / soldier / baddest motherfucker left alive after a bio-engineered plague wipes out the world and must defend his home from a cult of murderous survivors known only as “the family”. One of the 70’s most classic b-movies and by far the best ‘I Am Legend’ adaptation of the three, it’s got it all: Guns, Gore, the awesome outfits of Rosalind Cash, Heston in a nazi costume (?!), some sweet 70s boobs and great cinematography of an abandoned Hollywood.

Watch ‘The Omega Man’ on VOD

Ebola Syndrome (1996)

The goofy, gruesome and totally over the top  ‘Ebola Syndrome’ is a bloody Category III sleazefest from Hong Kong director Herman Yau and has earned its considerable reputation among gorehounds and Asian horror cultists as among the most cringe-inducing films of its kind. A serial rapist and killer contracts Ebola on the run in Africa and after some mild cannibalism and necrophilia returns to Hong Kong to spread terror on a virus fuels killing spree in this anything but feel good feature packed with off-colour racism, needless brutality and bizarre acting.

Watch ‘Ebola Syndrome’ on YouTube

1.) Unfriended (2014)

Unfriended kicks off the “inside-the-computer” style of techno-horror when it unfolds over a teenager’s laptop screen (including Skype, YouTube, LiveLeak and other actual websites), where she and her friends are gruesomely dispatched in the group chat by an unknown entity who’s out for vengeance. Endlessly re-watchable exploitation film fun, Unfriended is hardly high-brow but delivers equal parts gore and guffaws as it’s Swiss-cheese plot careens from screen to screen.

2.) Evilspeak (1981)

in ‘Evilspeak‘ Iconic weirdo Clint Howard plays a tormented military-school nerd (apparently in his mid-thirties!) whose fascination with the occult leads him to feed an arcane tome into his personal computer, translating the writings into actual working spells he uses to exact sweet revenge against his cruel classmates and teachers. Before long, he is able to summon an army of snarling devil-pigs to do his evil bidding and everything goes to hell, literally. An incredibly early techno-horror flick, this one is essentially a gender-bent rip-off of Carrie, but the goofy 80s graphics, hair-metal motifs and a genuinely hilarious turn by Clint Horward make Evilspeak one of the better old-school killer computer movies.

3.) Brainscan (1994)

A pre-rehab Edward Furlong helms this amazingly 90s take on techno-horror where the evil half-goblin half-chicken (?) ‘Trickster’ emerges from the totally radical CD-ROM game ‘Brainscan‘ and forces players to commit mayhem and murder in the real world. Half ‘Lawnmower Man’ half ‘Nightmare on Elm Street” Brainscan holds a special place in our guilty pleasures, as the wildly dated graphics, music and ideas of what constitutes stalking make it a time capsule of grunge goodness.

4.) Demon Seed (1977)

In 70’s techno-horror classic ‘Demon Seed‘ a brilliant scientist’s marriage is strained by his devotion to his latest projection, the creation of an AI supercomputer (has this even been a good idea?). When this tension drives the scientist to move out, the computer, naturally, goes totally fucking nuts. It takes over the house, imprisoning and impregnating the scientist’s wife with a giant polygonal robot tentacle…penis, growing a monstrous mutant baby in the basement before it tries to take over the world. When it comes to ‘Demon Seed’, weird is an understatement.

5.) Pulse (Kairo) (2001)

A sinister spine-tingling techno-horror from Japan whose artistry lies in the power of suggestion rather than a barrage of blood and guts or digital special effects, 2001’s Pulse (Kairo) slipped under the radar in North America during it’s release before an unfortunate American remake buried the superior original in the wake of bigger hits like ‘The Ring’ and ‘The Grudge’. In the film, a website which at first appears to be merely a scary hoax with an irresistible marketing ploy, turns out to be run by a sinister and deadly force. As people repeatedly tap into the site’s frightening images of the dead, the supernatural force begins destroying their lives.

6.) Chopping Mall (1987)

One of our all time 80’s B-movie favourites, ‘Chopping Mall‘ sees group of teenagers (including the incomparable Barbara Crampton!) fighting for their lives overnight against renegade robots programmed to patrol a high-end shopping mall. Completely bonkers, ‘Chopping Mall’ puts everything great (and no so great) about the 80s in one high-energy, logic-free techno-horror blender for a side-splitting midnight movie.

7.) Ghost In The Machine (1993)

in 1993’s ‘Ghost In The Machine’, computer nerd / serial killer Karl is undergoing a CAT scan at the hospital when a surge of lightning courses through the building and Karl’s soul is transformed into electrical energy, freeing him to continue his killing spree by using the power of electricity itself. In this techno-horror rip-off of ‘Lawnmower Man’, Karl offs his victims in increasingly hilarious and unexplainable ways including a flame-throwing hair dryer and an unforgettable ‘final-destination’ style microwave murder all while deliciously dated “VR” graphics swirl across the screen.

8.) Virus (1999)

John Bruno, special effects supervisor on Terminator 2 tried to reinvent the haunted house sub-genre with a techno-horror twist in his directorial debut with 1999’s ‘VIRUS‘, much as Ridley Scott did in Alien, but sadly missed the mark. However ‘VIRUS’ still holds it’s own for sheer gross-out, practical effect insanity, as Jaime Lee Curtis, Donald Sutherland and a Baldwin battle mutant robot-human hybrids infected with an alien computer virus on-board a sinking ship. It’s a lot to digest but well worth a weekend watch when you want to see gears, guts and gore galore.

1.) Street Trash (1987)

An absolute legend of goopy, gory and grin-inducing ‘Melt Movie’ madness, 1987’s Street Trash was James. M Muro’s only directorial credit (under J. Michael Muro) before he went on to work as a director photography and cinematographer for some of Hollywood’s biggest films (Crash, The Abyss, and countless others). In the film, NYC hobos begin melting into psychedelic goo after drinking 60 year old liquor, while the psychotic Vietnam vet who rules their junkyard begins killing at random. Packed full of technicolour splatter, ridiculous performances, gross out humour and some inventive, high-energy camera work, Street Trash remains an underground classic from a one time director that you’ve got to see to believe.

2.) Phase IV (1974)

Saul Bass might be the single most accomplished graphic designer in history, but many forget he was a one time director as well. Working in the mid 20th century, when the importance of graphic design was just on the upswing, Bass branded a staggering array of major corporations with his iconic, minimal designs as well as creating some of Hollywood’s most memorable title sequences for films like Psycho, Vertigo and even Goodfellas. But with all this accomplished, the strange, surreal monster movie Phase IV, remains Bass’ only directorial credit.

In Phase IV, Arizona ants overrule the food chain on their way to a desert lab, hoping to kill two scientists and a woman who discovered them in this ultra-rare, ultra-weird bug-out creature feature packed full of stunning microphotography. Upon its initial theatrical release, the film had mixed reviews which likely led Bass to hand up his hat and become a one time director, however in time it’s gained a cult following for it’s ecological-disaster messaged and surreal look and feel. Writer/director Panos Cosmatos has said Phase IV was a very significant influence on the look and feel of his science fiction film Beyond the Black Rainbow,

3.) Man Bites Dog (1992)

Rémy Belvaux, the Belgian actor-writer-producer and one time director, never made a follow-up to his 1992 début film. But since that first feature was Man Bites Dog, a black comedy that became an underground cult classic, his notoriety was guaranteed. For all the film’s brutality, it was clearly the work of someone with a mischievous attitude, and It was in the same spirit of mischief that Belvaux hurled a custard pie at Microsoft’s Bill Gates in Brussels, the 1998 incident leading to his arrest and making news worldwide.

In Man Bites Dog, the mockumentary follows activities of rampaging, indiscriminate serial killer Ben which are recorded by a willingly complicit documentary team, who, eventually become his accomplices. The film generated controversy wherever it was shown: The director of the Tokyo Film Festival was fired for booking the film, which was then banned in Japan, It was screened in heavily edited versions in the US and Australia (though it did win awards at TIFF) and in France, the advertising standards authorities demanded the be altered from its blood splattered original. With all the furor you’d imagine Belvaux would ride the hype train to Hollywood, but it was not meant to be. Shortly after Belvaux effectively retreated from cinema, with the exception of the occasional low-key acting job, until moving into a role at French advertising agency Quad Productions where his commercials for the agency won him a number of awards before his death in 2006 from an advanced case of suicide.

4.) Angst

Werner Kniesek from Salzburg, Austria killed three people out of pure, psychotic lust in 1980, a case that rocked the country and became the basis one time director Gerald Kargl‘s only full-length feature “ANGST“. Having made experimental shorts in the 1970’s, Kargl became fascinated with the psychology of serial killers and the Kniesek case in particular, putting himself into nearly half a million euros in debt to make his feature film, which says ruined him for years to come. “ANGST was my first fulltime feature. After this – which I produced completely on my own – I was happy to direct a lot of commercials. Finally I was able to pay back all the money I lost.”, he said in a rare interview.

In ANGST, A killer is released from prison and breaks into a remote home to kill a woman, her handicapped son and her daughter. ANGST was exceptional at the time in Austrian cinema for two reasons: it is both a “true crime” semi-documentary (one of the only true-crime films made at the time), and a highly stylized ‘slasher film’ in the tone of the classic Italian ‘Giallo‘ tradition. With wild, inventive camerawork from cinematographer Zbigniew Rybczynsk, and eerie score from Tangerine Dream’s own Klaus Schulze, Angst remains one of the most brutal, and brutally effective, slashers of all time.

5.) Maximum Overdrive

With over 30 Films and TV Shows based on his books, it was inevitable that Horror legend Stephen King would take up the Director’s chair, and in 1986 he did just that, Directing and Writing his only feature film, the bizarre, hilarious “Moron Movie” (his words) entitled MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE. Based on his own short story “Trucks”, this comedic tale of cosmic horror sees a rogue comet bringing the world’s machines to malevolent life as it passes a bit too close to earth, leading the one and only Emelio Estevez to fight back for survival. The film was nominated for two Golden Raspberry Awards including Worst Director for King and Worst Actor for Estevez in 1987,…but both lost against Prince for Under the Cherry Moon. Yikes! While the film was intentionally campy, it was a commercial disaster and King had no desire to go back behind the camera. In a 2002 interview with Tony Magistrale for the book Hollywood’s Stephen King, King stated that he was “coked out of my mind all through its production, and I really didn’t know what the fuck I was doing”.

6.) Death Bed

Death Bed: The Bed That Eats is a surreal 1977 Horror Film written, produced, and directed by one time director George Barry. A passion project of Barry, who grew up in the same neighbourhood as Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi, Death Bed sat unreleased for decades and was almost completely lost to history, while Raimi and company crafted The Evil Dead and became cult icons.

Following the film’s completion in 1977, Barry sought a theatrical release to recoup his $30,000 budget, but failed to find a willing distributor. Barry received an offer from an LA distributor to release the film on VHS in the UK and offered to pay Barry $1000 for a VHS release if he could supply them with a print of the film, complete with credits. Barry, unable to afford the $3,000 that credits would have cost to create, declined, and the print was sent back to him. Despite his knowledge, Portland, an obscure British label, released a pirated VHS of the film from this early print in the UK, without Barry’s knowledge, with the film eventually receiving further VHS releases in Australia, New Zealand and Spain. 

Despite its pirated VHS releases outside of the US and notoriety as one of “the worst movies ever made”, Barry (quietly operating a bookstore in his hometown for 40-odd years) remained unaware that the film had received any sort of release until 2001, when he discovered a forum post about the film by French film journalist Jean-Claude Michel on the website “Scarlet Street”, leading to interviews by journalist Daniel Craddock, who had written a review of the film, and, in turn, author Stephen Thrower, for his book Nightmare USA. As a result of this new found exposure, the film received its first two official releases, with a theatrical showing at the San Francisco Indiefest on February 15, 2003, and DVD release Cult Epics the same year, where Barry, after 26 years was finally able to complete the credits for his only film. 

1.) MISERY – (1990)

In ‘Misery‘, The iconic Kathy Bates steals Stephen King’s story of a famous author rescued from a car crash by a fan of his novels. He comes to realize that the care he is receiving is only the beginning of a nightmare of captivity and abuse.

2.) THE LAST HORROR FILM – (1981)

A New York taxi driver stalks a beautiful actress attending the Cannes Film Festival as a series of violent killings claim the lady’s friends, in “The Last Horror Film” this rare 1980’s b-movie from director david winters

3.) DER FAN (THE FAN) – (1982)

In 1982’s ‘Der Fan’ (The Fan) a young girl worships a german pop singer named ‘R’…who, after spurning her advances, becomes the target of her obsession in this rare, and totally mental, explotation gem.

4.) PLAY MISTY FOR ME – (1971)

In this classic 1971 proto-stalker thriller, The life of a disc jockey (Clint Eastwood) is turned upside down after a romantic encounter with an over-the-top fan, played by, you guessed it, Arrested Development’s Jessica Walter putting on an unhinged masterclass of obsession.

5.) SWIMFAN – (2002)

Another Y2K teen stalker classic, ‘Swimfan’ (2002) follows A high school senior with a promising swimming career when his one-night stand causes deadly consequences. We’ll file this one under “guilty pleasures” next to FEAR and Final Destination.

1.) The Hunger (1983)

Tony Scott’s story of a love triangle between a doctor who specializes in aging research and a vampire couple played by David Bowie and Catherine Deneuve, 1983’s ‘The Hunger‘ is simultaneously terrible and wildly entertaining, with an ice-cold 80s aesthetic and scenery chewing galore. Perfect for a Valentine’s Horror pick.

2.) Dead Ringers (1988)

David Cronenberg’s ‘Dead Ringers‘ (1988) is an eerie and disturbing psychological thriller about twin gynaecologists who gradually descend into madness, played by Jeremey Irons. A different type of Valentine’s Horror (this one is particularly icky), ‘Dead Ringers’ avoids slasher chases and jump scares for a sterile, insidious dread that builds to a fever pitch by the film’s insane conclusion.

3.) Let The Right One In (2008)

Tomas Alfredson’s ‘Let The Right One In’ is an iconic tale of A 12-year-old boy who befriends a mysterious young girl during a horrifying series of murders deep in the darkness of Sweden’s winter is best watched in its original version. Dark, but ultimately a very human story, this one’s a great winter time watch and a solid Valentine’s Horror selection.

4.) Candyman (1992)

The pairing of an equally sympathetic & terrifying villain, captivating cinematography, electric performances and Philip Glass’ unforgettable score combine make ‘Candyman‘ one of horror’s best love stories. Clive Barker’s now legendary creation leaps of the screen through Tony Todd while Bernard Rose assembles a nearly perfect picture, never missing a beat in the story and making every frame a painting in what might be the perfect Valentine’s Horror film.

5.) Fear (1996)

One of the 1990’s teen horror “so bad it’s good” classics, 1996’s ‘Fear‘ has Marky Mark Wahlberg terrorizing the family of a young Reece Witherspoon in this guilty pleasure / garbage fire of a teen romance gone off the rails. Between the Alt-Grunge soundtrack, Wahlberg’s hilarious performance, casual fingerbanging and the bizarre appearance of CSI’s William Petersen as the Dad there’s way to much glorious B-movie goodness to ignore for your Valentine’s Horror watchlist.

6.) Possession (1983)

Andrzej Żuławski’s unflinching, surreal story of a woman who’s love affair with something sinister destroys everyone around her in the oppressive regime of 1980’s East Germany. Read our full review of Possession here!

7.) Midsommar (2019)

Ari Aster’s “break up movie” ‘Midsommar‘ was one of 2019’s best. A young couple tries to escape tragedy by visiting a remote Swedish commune where things aren’t what they seem. Easily one of 2019’s best, if you’ve not yet seen Midsommar, now’s the time.

8.) The Fly (1986)

Jeff Goldblum drips his way into our hearts as Seth Brundel, a scientist who’s experiments with teleportation transform him into a horrific fly monster in David Cronenberg’s legendary 1950’s b-movie reboot of ‘The Human Fly’. Glorious practical effects, tons of goopy gore, nude Goldblum…what else do you need for a perfect Valentines horror movie?

2019 came and went without a stand out monolith like Hereditary, Get Out, The VVitch or even a Conjuring to dominate Horror fans discourse and definitively declare it to be the year of any particular film. However, with lackluster offerings from major studios and so-so sequels battling comic book blockbusters for mainstream attention, it was truly a year where smaller, indie films and foreign features stood out, while niche streaming truly took over as a major vehicle for horror fans to get their fix outside Netflix. Take a look at some of our favourites over the past year, ranked in no particular order. From exploding pot headed vampires to creeping cosmic horror, from the 1980’s of Paris to the center of the galaxy, it’s been a wild ride with some freaky, fun and fantastic films you just can’t miss.

KNIFE + HEART (UN COUTEAU DANS LE COEUR)

? Director: Yann Gonzalez | French (France)

Directed by M83’s Yann Gonzalez, the world of “Knife + Heart” created a Neo-noir Giallo in the saturated , hyper-sexual 80s vision of a masked murderer’s rampage through Paris’ gay underground. Absolutely stunning visually with a surreal, self-aware script, Knife + Heart managed to make its way to North America in late 2019 via Shudder, just in time to land on our best of list. For fans of Dario Argento and David Lynch alike, this film oozes sex, style and sadness…a perfect mix.

MIDSOMMAR

? Director: Ari Aster | English (USA) | Streaming on PRIME

After 2018’s unstoppable Hereditary , all eyes were on Ari Aster to deliver his follow up, and deliver he did with one of the Best Horror Films Of 2019. A “break up movie” that lays waste to everything it touches, Midsommar boldly stepped out of the shadows with a sun soaked, hallucinatory tale of a cult hidden in the hills of Sweden and what happens to a group of friends who attend their annual solstice festival. Needless to say, things don’t go as planned, and Aster ratchets up the dread and delivers some supremely satisfying gore without relying on either genre tropes OR his previous work. An absolute must-see for 2019, Aster continues to be one to watch in the world of Horror.

TERRIFIED (ATERRADOS)

? Director: Demián Rugna | Spanish (Argentina) | Streaming on SHUDDER

Another delayed arrival to North America, 2017’s Argentinian paranormal shocker Terrified turned the haunted house genre on its head with a tale of an entire neighborhood besieged by strange happenings and the mysterious team of investigators sent to stop them. Brilliant both visually and sonically, Terrified takes every disadvantage of its meagre budget and instead uses it to obscure, deflect and distort the monsters, both human and otherwise, making them infinitely much more effective when they finally come forth. This one had us genuinely gasping throughout!

GIRL ON THE THIRD FLOOR

? Director: Travis Stevens | English (USA) | Streaming on PRIME

“Girl On The Third Floor” is a tightly scripted, deceptively simple story of a not-so-good guy in way over his head during a hellish home renovation, and one easily of the best horror films of the 2019. Heralding the directorial debut of “Starry Eyes” and “We Are Still Here” producer Travis Stevens, this one is a slow-burning, unapologetic B-movie with one of the year’s breakout performances in WWE star Phil ‘CM PUNK’ Brooks and some jaw-droppingly disgusting practical effects for another one of the Best Horror Films Of 2019.

COLOR OUT OF SPACE

? Director: Richard Stanely | English (USA)

Heralding the return of Richard Stanley after a 20+ year hiatus from film-making, the brilliant director of Hardware and Dust Devil takes H.P. Lovecraft’s classic tale of a family farm under siege by cosmic horrors into the 21st century, anchored by Nicolas Cage in one of his best recent performances and filled to the brim with body horror using incredible practical effects that would make even Screaming Mad George blush. With Stanley at the helm, a veteran of the genre has presented a classic horror story without an ounce of post-modern irony, while still paying proper justice to Lovecraft’s often indescribable cosmic landscapes.

COME TO DADDY

? Director: Ant Thompson | English (USA)

When the vapid and aimless Norval (Elijah Wood) receives a letter from his long-lost father, who left him and his mom behind decades ago, he treks out to his dad’s remote cabin in search of the family reunion he has always dreamed of. Noval’s dreams fall apart pretty fast when he meets his brittle and horribly mean, alcoholic father Brian (Canadian acting legend Stephen McHattie). “Come to Daddy” is one hell of a midnight movie (read our full review here!) that’s all but guaranteed to entertain and thrill the genre crowd. Those who have the stomach for bloody antics will soon find director Ant Timpson also laces in solid character development in-between the ultra violence, letting his actors make a meal of every scene.

BLOOD MACHINES

? Director: Seth Ickerman | French (France)

Essentially an epic music video for synth wave provocateur Carpenter Brut, the hyperactive, hypnotic “Blood Machines” marks the feature debut of directing duo Seth Ickerman. Yes, it is mostly style over substance, with a threadbare story of space scavengers and cosmic sorcerers fighting to steal a rogue AI, but when your style is just so fucking cool does it even matter? Stunning from the first second to the last, “Blood Machines” delivers more in it’s lean 50 minute run time than most blockbuster action films could hope across three sequels, and you won’t even notice the plot holes with your jaw firmly dropped to the floor. This one hits Shudder in 2020, so keep your eyes to the sky.

BLISS

? Director: Joe Begos | English (USA) | Streaming on PRIME

Messy and energetic like a really good mixtape, Bliss is packed with gory, goofy fun and some of the most gloriously over the top ideas we saw in 2019. The tale of an LA artist who’s creative block is finally lifted through some decidedly bloody inspiration, Bliss careens across it’s city setting gleefully lifting the best bits of body horror, vampire movies and crime stories to create a thoroughly entertaining and original B-movie bop.

ANNABELLE COMES HOME

? Director: Gary Dauberman | English (USA)

Full disclosure: we love the Annabelle series, from it’s terrible 1st entry to it’s glorious prequel to this, the 3rd entry in the series spun off from James Wan’s billion dollar horror juggernaut, The Conjuring, so any attempt to argue it’s place as one of the Best Horror Films Of 2019 will be soundly ignored. Not as awful as the first, not as surprisingly well done as David F. Sandberg’s entry, this Annabelle returns the doll to her origins and manages to give us an effective, Halloween friendly horror film that stood out as one of the better mainstream offerings of the year. With plenty of mayhem and some crossovers from The Conjuring cast, there’s no better rain day watch than this.

IN FABRIC

? Director: Peter Strickland | English (UK) | Streaming on PRIME

Blending fear and the fantastic, In Fabric is definitely original; a woman’s life is torn apart by an ambulatory dress that she buys for a night out, and that’s not even the weirdest part. Completely enrapturing and soaked in a somber, romantic aura that adds to the fairy tale like qualities in the film, In Fabric is one that will stay with you long after you finish watching, eschewing gore and guts for something far more frightening.

THE LIGHTHOUSE

? Director: Robert Eggers | English (USA/Canada)

Is “The Lighthouse” a Horror movie? Is it a fantasy? Our answer: who cares. The Lighthouse, from director Robert Eggers, is easily one of the finest films of the decade, let alone the year, anchored by scenery annihilating performances from Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson and stunning cinematography. Tense and unyielding, this tale of two lighthouse keepers slowly going mad as a storm batters their island post not only blurs the line of fantasy and reality, it drunkenly pisses all over it. For any lover of film, this simply cannot be missed.

THE HOLE IN THE GROUND

? Director: Lee Cronin | English (Ireland) | Streaming on PRIME

A young mother living in the Irish countryside with her son suspects his increasingly disturbing behaviour is linked to a mysterious sinkhole in the forest, and fears he may not be her son at all. Another small, atmosphere rich genre film from A24, “The Hole In The Ground” quietly builds a believable sense of mystery anchored by solid performances from leads Seána Kerslake and the young  James Quinn Markey (really, is anything creepier than a ginger child?). Another one of the best Horror Films Of 2019.

LUZ

? Director: Tilman Singer | German (Germany) | Streaming on SHUDDER

Luz is a simple story executed so well you just can’t look away: a young cabdriver drags herself into the brightly lit entrance of a run-down police station. A demonic entity follows her, determined to finally be close to the woman it loves. An interrogation unlike any you’ve ever seen follows. That’s it. Not really available until 2019, we loved Tilman Singer‘s whip-smart story of possession hot-potato so much we had to include it on this best of list. Wildly inventive in its vision and sound design, Luz is a must see for any horror fan, just read our review for more.

THE PERFECTION

? Director: Richard Shepard | English (USA) | Streaming on NETFLIX

Not arriving on International Netflix until 2019, we loved the twisting, twisted tale of “The Perfection” too much not to include it on our list. A slow burn that suddenly drops the entire floor of the film out from underneath you, it’s the story of troubled musical prodigy Charlotte (Allison Williams) who seeks out Elizabeth (Logan Browning), the new star pupil of her former school, sending both musicians down a gruesome path.

Welp, thats it! Did you agree with our picks? Noticed something was missing? Absolutely HATE everything we love? Shoot us your comments or thoughts:

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With an expertly executed blend of slow burning tension and downright disgusting practical effects delivering a hard hitting, one-two punch, Stevens also manages to get genuinely compelling performances from his leads, most notably Phil Brooks, A.K.A. former pro-wrestler C.M. Punk in his film debut, his concerned wife Liz, played by Trieste Kelly Dunn, and the overly flirty new neighbour, Sarah Brooks. In a year awash with disappointing reboots and clunky blockbusters, it’s refreshing that an original, low budget genre picture like “Girl On The Third Floor” can still deliver on skill and substance over CGI effects and spotty sequel tie-ins, using it’s spare budget to maximum effect, and it’s effects for maximum impact.

Set in an abandoned home in the Chicago suburbs, most of the film follows Don (Brooks), a disgraced lawyer who’s taken on a hail-mary home renovation project to help save his precarious marriage and his fragile manhood. As we get to know Don, and Don gets to know the house … and his far-too-friendly new neighbours, he’s quickly underwater. There’s the black, pulsing hole in the wall that won’t stop growing. And there’s that other wall that starts to bleed. And the strange sounds coming from the chimney are most certainly not a squirrel.

The house’s leaks and creaks ooze in ways that would make David Cronenberg blush, and with Steven’s keen eye for framing each shot for maximum creepiness, the sickly pastel and floral colours of the house begin to sour as Don’s stress, sleep deprivation and increasingly bad decisions mount. As his wife’s arrival approaches and the house continues to decay in a “Money Pit” meets “Videodrome” spiral of surreal viscera, Don takes matters into his own hands … and with blunt force. We don’t want to give any more away than we need to, but believe us when we say that “Girl On The Third Floor’s” simple narrative doesn’t mean it’s a simple film, everything that happens in this film happens for a reason, and that reason is always in service of Don’s downward spiral.

The “never ask for directions” type, Don is simultaneously a realistic, relatable guy, and a hugely unlikable asshole who’s brought most of his problems on himself. Played with just the right amount of Bruce Campbell-esque hamminess and a seething, early middle age anger that makes him seem like a hair-trigger threat, Brooks’ keeps us fixated on Don without delivering much in the way of dialog, instead Stevens lets his interactions with the excellent supporting cast fill in the blanks, and Brooks’ background in “playing to the back of the house” during his pro-wrestling heyday gives his mostly silent performance a wide range of expression, letting us see the gears turn behind his often cold eyes.

When the film’s action does kick in, Brooks’ physical stature and skills in stunt work are used to excellent effect. He clearly knows how to use his body to deliver, and receive, some serious punishment. Similarly, we get to know Liz, the beleaguered wife, through her interactions with Don, at first via video, then in her interactions with the neighbours, as she arrives in the films third act to inspect Don’s handiwork. Played with the right amount of exasperation and commitment, Dunn offers the sobering “Yin” to Brooks’ raging “Yang”, and allows us a unique perspective on the story as she assumes the lead for the film’s third act and we see Don’s breakdown through her eyes. Where as Don solves his problems “hands on”, Liz takes a different approach, looking deeper to solve the puzzle and survive their move from hell.

As the action moves to the titular third floor, the tension boils over and the film shifts gears into a far more physical realm, as the practical effects deliver some over the top gore with an unflinching execution. And while sex permeates the film, there’s very little in the way of nudity, giving the film a slightly less schlock feel than it could have suffered in the wrong hands, while simultaneously serving to amp up the ick-factor as a fetishistic pantomime overtakes the house.

Filmed with a steady hand and a clever eye, the film feels spare in the way a sports car does: nothing unneeded clutters “Girl On The Third Floor“, and its clever narrative twists never seem unnatural or contrived. With an obvious love of the genre, Stevens makes the transition from producer to director with a strong and self assured debut, and paired with a breakout performance from Brooks’, the pair seem poised to take up the torch for a new generation of genre auteurs and actors. Easily one of the year’s best, the slow building, supremely satisfying “Girl On The The Third Floor” can’t be missed.

Check out the trailer below, it’s streaming on demand now!

The setup is simple: four horny teens hit a travelling carnival that has come through town. They hang out, view the weird attractions, and eventually decide to stay in a ride called “The Funhouse”(natch) overnight, where mayhem ensues. What elevates “The Funhouse“, though, is Tobe Hooper’s execution. The director doesn’t rely on cliches of the early slashers of the decade, instead establishing a downright creepy atmosphere through the use of inventive lighting, odd camera angles and even odder characters that populate the carnival. With a colourful palette and some great widescreen shots, we’re well outside the drab grey and black look of Friday The 13th, or the even more bleak feel of his seminal debut “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”.

“The Funhouse” opens with a Halloween-inspired POV shot, misdirecting us to be a prank played by a younger brother on his older sister, Amy (Elizabeth Berridge). This opening shower scene immediately marks a change from the cliches of early slashers, as getting naked is the surest way to a death sentence, and most “Final Girls” avoided this at all costs. Amy heads out to the carnival with her boyfriend and another couple, and, as these things ALWAYS seem to happen, her kid brother Joey sneaks out after her. After getting sauced and looking to get it on, the quartet decide to hideout in the titular Funhouse for the night. Needless to say, this is the wrong move…They’re not alone, and here there film revs up the murder machine we’ve all been waiting for. Tobe Hooper fully embraces the setting of “The Funhouse” in horrific fashion as our teens are stalked through the ride by the masked killer, and his dad (Kevin Conway), the barker of the ride, doing whatever they can to keep the carnivals secrets hidden.

Hooper skillfully drops hints earlier in the film that something is off about the people of the carnival, revealing its odd past through conversation, and subtly establishing the bizarre deformity of the film’s villain without allowing the viewer to anticipate the terrifying true identity of the awkward carny dressed as Frankenstein’s monster. One of “The Funhouse“‘s biggest successes, and the second way it sets itself apart, is the way it crafts a legitimately creepy atmosphere and a feeling of impending dread during this downtime before cutting the monster loose. Mutated animals at the carnival’s freak show, a ride through the garish funhouse, and perhaps most unsettling, the same man acting as three different barkers in front of the freakshow, the funhouse, and the girlie show, all set the films tone and keep the tension high. It was actor Kevin Conway’s suggestion for him to play all three roles, and while attention is never really drawn to it, the effect is quite disturbing and lends an air of surrealism, or an icky suggestion of inbreeding, to the scene.

Hooper and co-writer Larry Block’s script also departs from the typical backstory with a killer who’s both goofily, gloriously deformed (he looks like Sloth from the goonies fucked Doc Brown from Back To The Future in a wind tunnel) and somehow sympathetic. He doesn’t look it, but he’s more human than most of his victims, as his rage is only released as he’s pushed too far by the cruel and cackling carnies. The kills in “The Funhouse“are supremely satisfying, with a HVAC powered mutilation that’s a high point, and the score is serviceable in keeping things moving and setting the tone. The teens are the usual mix of far too old and dumb to be teens, but they do a fine job in being dispatched by Gunther, our masked maniac. The real standout is Kevin Conway as the evil owner, absolutely chewing through every scene he’s given with growling, glorious sleaze.

While there are the “Three Bs” in ample amount (Blood, Breasts, Beasts), “The Funhouse” the film was actually unsuccessfully prosecuted as a video nasty in the UK a few years after its release. While recent re-issues, and Hooper’s unfortunate passing in 2017, have elevated his body of work, it’s a shame the initial explosion of home video wasn’t enough to keep Funhouse form obscurity. You can catch this classic on Amazon Prime in glorious HD, or grab one of THREE re-issues from the always great Arrow Video…if you can find them! For completists and film fanatics, The 2-disc Blu-Ray has audio commentary with The Funhouse S/FX wizard Craig Reardon and Jeffrey Reddick (creator of the Final Destination series) plus featurettes like Carnage at the Carnival: Tobe Hooper Remembers “The Funhouse” , Miles of Mayhem: Acting in Tobe’s Funhouse with star Miles Chapin, A Trilogy of Terror: The Make-up Madness of Craig Reardon, in which the S/FX wizard recollects his collaborations with Tobe Hooper; Eaten Alive, Poltergeist and The Funhouse, Master Class of Horror: Mick Garris, in which the director of Sleepwalkers and the miniseries adaptation of The Shining reflects on the crimson-covered career of his longtime colleague Tobe Hooper, a live Q&A with Tobe Hooper from San Francisco, never-before-seen behind the scenes photographs from the collection of Craig Reardon, the film’s trailer, a brand new transfer of the film in high definition (1080p), a four-panel reversible sleeve option with original and newly commissioned artwork, a double-sided fold-out artwork poster, and a collector’s booklet featuring brand-new writing on the film by critic and author Kim Newman! Well worth the $60 price tag and more proof that physical media still has its place in film.

“Don’t Go in the House” came out at a time when the horror genre was under attack on grounds of it being misogynistic, and Ellison’s film, along with William Lustig’s “Maniac” made the same year, was called “lurid trash” and “sickening” amongst other things. TV guide gave it “zero stars” calling it a “worthless, repugnant film”. Some critics even went as far to suggest that both the audience and the creators of this film were sick, deranged people. Ellison himself recalled that when he went to a double feature of “Friday the 13th” and “Don’t Go in the House” in New York, the audience screamed and cheered for Jason…they were having a good time. However, when “Don’t Go in the House” was played the audience sat still, not moving. This experience soured Ellison on directing for nearly a decade, and he retired from filmmaking not long after a forgotten second feature some years later. However, Ellison’s strange, seedy little film lives on, having found a new audience in fans like Quintin Tarantino… and of course freaks like you and me.

Donnie (Dan Grimaldi), our main character, was abused emotionally and physically as a boy by his cruel, straight-out-of-Psycho mother, often holding his arms over a gas stove to “burn the evil out”. Due to these traumatic events Donnie’s turned out to be a real weirdo, skulking through life with no friends, a shitty job, and an unfortunate obsession with fire. After a one two punch of a workplace accident and his Mother’s sudden death, Donnie’s left with a “burning” hatred due to the cruelty she inflicted upon him. Strange Voices command him to be free…and to have his revenge. He keeps her death secret and builds a flameproof steel-panelled crematorium in one of the bedrooms, hangs a hook on the ceiling with chains hanging from it, buys a flamethrower and then it’s party time.

Part of what makes “Don’t Go in the House” worth watching it’s the sad, sleazy atmosphere that hangs over the whole thing. There is no cool anti-hero factor to Donnie, he’s actually so pathetic, uncharismatic and awkward that he only manages to pick up his victims out of blind luck. Director of Photography Oliver Wood washes the world of “Don’t Go in the House” is a pallid, blue lights, casting a cold atmosphere in the house and when we follow Donnie on the street, with his murderous pyrotechnics our only warmth. The score from composer Richard Einhorn (who also brought us scores for ‘The Prowler’ and ‘Blood Rage’) brings the eerie, late 70’s synth sounds we crave in our slasher cinema, and while not outstanding, is more than serviceable. However, the same sleazy, exploitation atmosphere often results in poor pacing, atrocious audio and some ham-fisted acting from a anonymous cast that drag this one back from being pretty great to merely pretty good.

“Don’t Go in the House” is definitely not for the casual horror fan, it’s a grim and nihilistic film from the end of the slasher / exploration era that offers a unique take on a very Norman Bates inspired character. However if you’re a genre fan who’s looking for something different, or you want to dive into the world of Video Nasties that you may have missed, this is well worth a watch. Check the trailer below and catch this one on Amazon Prime.