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These horror gems deserve way more recognition than they get. Join us as we count down our picks for the most underrated horror movies ever made! Our countdown includes spine-chillers like "Trick 'r Treat", "Train to Busan", "In the Mouth of Madness", "Bone Tomahawk", "Drag Me to Hell", and more! Which underrated horror flick is your personal hidden gem? Let us know in the comments below!
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00:05Welcome to WatchMojo. And today, we'll be counting down our picks for those horror
00:10flicks that we feel deserve a bit more love. Warning, there will be some spoilers.
00:2350. Strange Darling This film may look like your run-of-the-mill
00:37cat-and-mouse thriller on the surface, but don't let the seemingly simple setup of Strange Darling
00:42Fool You. Directed by J.T. Molnar and shot entirely on glorious 35mm film by actor-turned-cinematographer
00:50Giovanni Ribisi, this movie is a masterclass in non-linear storytelling. Divided into six
00:56distinct chapters presented completely out of order, it continuously pulls the rug out from
01:02under the audience. Just when you think you've figured out who the
01:12predator is and who the prey is, the movie flips the script. It's witty, fiercely stylized,
01:19relentlessly tense, and features absolute powerhouse performances from Willa Fitzgerald
01:24and Kyle Gallner. If you missed this one in theaters, track it down immediately. Just
01:29go in completely blind. 49. The Crazies
01:40Remaking horror classics, particularly those from the caliber of artists like George A. Romero, is
01:46always a dicey proposition. His original version of The Crazies from 1973 was never going to be beaten,
01:53but this remake from 2010 actually has a lot of things going for it in terms of execution and
01:59atmosphere. Timothy Olyphant and Radha Mitchell star as the local sheriff and doctor trying to
02:09survive not just their newly psychotic neighbors, but also a ruthless military quarantine executing
02:15anyone in sight. The pacing is quick, the tension is palpable, and the set pieces feel genuinely
02:31nerve-wracking. The Crazies 2010 is a sleek, terrifyingly plausible look at societal collapse
02:37that deserves a wee bit more love. 48. From Beyond
02:52Director Stuart Gordon and writer Dennis Paoli struck cult classic gold with 1985's Re-Animator,
02:59which completely overshadowed their follow-up Lovecraftian Nightmare released just a year later.
03:05Another life. I would have enjoyed you in another way.
03:09From Beyond reunites horror icons Jeffrey Combs and Barbara Crampton for a neon-soaked
03:14body horror extravaganza. The plot centers around The Resonator, a machine designed to stimulate the
03:21pineal gland, allowing humans to perceive a parallel dimension of existence. Unfortunately, the creatures
03:27in that other dimension can see us too. What follows is a visually spectacular descent into madness,
03:34full of grotesque practical effects, sensory overstimulation, and a bizarrely transgressive tone.
03:48It completely leans into the gooey, psychosexual undertones of cosmic horror,
03:54standing tall as an absolute pinnacle of 1980's practical effects work.
03:59If Victorious can turn on that machine, then he'll always have a way back here.
04:04He's always here.
04:0647. The Medium
04:10Mockumentary-style horror might feel played out to some, but this Thai-South Korean co-production
04:16directed by Bajong Pisan Thaikun breathes terrifying new life into the subgenre.
04:22The film follows a documentary crew tracking a shaman in the Issan region of Thailand,
04:27only to witness her young niece exhibit increasingly bizarre and violent behavior.
04:32What begins as a fascinating, slow-burning look at local folklore and spiritual inheritance
04:38gradually spirals into a chaotic, relentless nightmare of demonic possession.
04:50The found footage format is utilized well, shifting from a grounded atmospheric cultural study
04:56into absolute visceral chaos in the final act.
05:00It's deeply unsettling, culturally rich, and features an incredibly committed raw performance
05:05by Nariya Golman-Kolpest.
05:1446. Daughters of Darkness
05:17If you like your horror elegant, hypnotic, and drenched in atmospheric dread,
05:23look no further than Harry Kummel's Belgian euro-horror-chic masterpiece, Daughters of Darkness.
05:29This stylish, erotic vampire film follows a newlywed couple who check into a grand,
05:35desolate hotel in Ostend during the off-season.
05:38There are more maniacs loose than one thinks.
05:44There they cross paths with the mysterious, ageless Countess Bathory and her beautiful companion.
05:50I can't tell you how completely happy I am to have you here tonight.
05:56You're both so perfect.
05:59What ensues is a psychological chess match, dripping with seductive tension and gothic atmosphere.
06:05Daughters of Darkness relies on striking visual composition, a haunting avant-garde score,
06:10and minimalist dialogue, redefining the vampire mythos through a sophisticated, feminist lens.
06:17Death seems to follow when you're awake, from one place to another.
06:25Perhaps it's looking for me.
06:2745. His House
06:29Why don't you just leave?
06:31We live here, no.
06:33They're gonna kick you out anyway.
06:36I'm trying to help you.
06:37His House follows a young refugee couple who flee war-torn South Sudan to sick asylum in England.
06:43They are assigned a grim, decaying public housing unit, but they quickly discover that a sinister,
06:49vengeful entity has followed them across the ocean, living right inside the peeling walls.
06:59The film brilliantly weaves the literal ghosts of their traumatic past with the systemic,
07:04bureaucratic horrors of being an asylum seeker in an unwelcoming country.
07:08It's a devastatingly emotional drama, just as much as it is a terrifying haunted house movie.
07:15It uses inventive visual metaphors and delivers genuine, skin-crawling scares that linger long
07:21after the credits roll.
07:22You are mine.
07:2744. The Fun House
07:35When people talk about director Toby Hooper, classics like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and
07:41Poltergeist rightfully dominate the conversation. However, his 1981 carnival slasher The Fun House
07:48is heavily overlooked, in our opinion.
07:50They wiggle and they dance.
07:52Six beautiful girls, they wiggle and they dance.
07:56They wiggle and they dance.
07:58Hooper's film follows four teenagers who decide to spend the night locked inside a sleazy traveling
08:04carnival's ride, only to witness a murder committed by a deformed carny wearing a Frankenstein
08:10mask. Trapped inside the maze, they are systemically hunted by the killer and his equally unhinged
08:16father. Hooper populates the movie with a grimy atmosphere, turning the bright lights and mechanical
08:21noises of the carnival into a claustrophobic house of horrors.
08:25We'll be pulling out of here tomorrow morning. There's plenty of other carnival's around.
08:3043. Pontypool
08:33The zombie genre may feel like it's been done to death, but this low-budget Canadian indie
08:43completely reinvents the wheel. Pontypool takes place almost entirely inside a claustrophobic radio
08:49station during a brutal snowstorm and centers around a cynical shock jock. Bizarre reports trickle in,
08:55as the morning show progresses, about people who seem to be violently attacking each other.
09:00What's happening there, Ken?
09:01I'll tell you this. I just saw. I've seen things today that are gonna ruin the rest of my natural
09:11life, Grant. And I'm scared.
09:14This virus isn't spread by bites or blood, but through language itself. Specific words in the
09:20English language become infected, turning listeners into mindless, repetitive killers.
09:25There's a monster loose, and it's bouncing through our language, frantically trying to keep its host
09:31alive. Director Bruce McDonald creates an unbearably tense intellectual thriller by restricting
09:37the audience's perspective to what the radio hosts can hear. It's a brilliant commentary on
09:43communication, media, and isolation that relies on sound design and imagination over expensive gore.
09:50It's just another day. Another day in Pontypool. The sun came up, you did what you did yesterday,
09:59and it's exactly what you'll do tomorrow.
10:0242. The Empty Man
10:05What's the worst thing that's ever happened to you?
10:09Go on. You can say it.
10:12Talk about a movie buried alive by its own studio. The Empty Man was released with zero marketing during
10:19the chaos of 2020, and initially dismissed as a generic teen creepypasta movie. In reality,
10:26it is a massive two-and-a-half-hour cosmic horror epic that centers around a sinister philosophical cult
10:32that worships an ancient extra-dimensional entity.
10:42It's an incredibly ambitious, cerebral blend of noir detective story and reality-bending cosmic dread.
10:49The Empty Man has slowly gained a passionate cult following thanks to word of mouth online,
10:55but we think it deserves to be recognized as one of the most daring and genuinely frightening horror
11:00films of the decade.
11:01She said the baby had been whispering to her.
11:06In the kitchen, she wrote The Empty Man on the linoleum floor.
11:1241. Prince of Darkness
11:21It's criminally unfair that this film is often relegated to the lower tiers of John Carpenter's
11:27filmography. The second entry in his self-proclaimed Apocalypse trilogy, Prince of Darkness follows
11:32a group of quantum physics students and a priest who investigate a mysterious cylinder filled
11:38with a swirling green liquid in an abandoned Los Angeles church.
11:48They soon discover the liquid is actually the physical essence of Satan himself, who is attempting
11:53to bring through an even greater anti-god from another dimension. Carpenter brilliantly merges
11:59theological dread with hard science fiction concepts, accompanied by one of his absolute best,
12:05most driving synth scores. The surreal, dreamlike video transmissions from the future sent into the
12:12character's minds are uniquely haunting, making for an incredibly unique and deeply unnerving apocalyptic
12:18nightmare.
12:2740. Lake Mungo
12:30Grief is a terrifying thing, and few movies capture that reality quite like this Australian
12:36mockumentary.
12:37At the time, I was actually kind of interested, sort of curious. I don't think Dad was thrilled.
12:44Lake Mungo chronicles the aftermath of the accidental drowning of a teenage girl named Alice.
12:50When her family begins experiencing strange, inexplicable phenomena in their home, they hire
12:55a psychic and discover that Alice was living a deeply troubled, secret life before her death.
13:01It started simply enough. Alice left the group and started walking off by herself.
13:09This is not a film full of loud jump scares or monsters hiding in the closet. Instead, director Joel
13:15Anderson crafts an overwhelmingly melancholy, dread-inducing ghost story that acts as a profound
13:21meditation on grief, secrets, and the terror of foreknowledge.
13:26I believe she recorded a ghost. I believe she recorded the future coming to get her.
13:32It features one of the single most bone-chilling, unforgettable twists caught on a cell phone
13:37camera in cinematic history.
13:4039. Bubba Hotep
13:43On paper, the premise of Bubba Hotep sounds like absolute trash B-movie camp.
13:56An elderly Elvis Presley, who switched places with an impersonator years ago and is now stuck
14:01in a mundane Texas nursing home, teams up with an old man who believes he is John F. Kennedy
14:06to fight an ancient Egyptian mummy that is sucking the souls of the residents through their, uh,
14:11nether regions. Yet, Bubba Hotep thrives under the direction of cult icon Don Coscarelli and the
14:19charisma of star Bruce Campbell.
14:29Behind the ridiculous premise lies an incredibly sweet, funny, and surprisingly moving film about the
14:35indignities of aging and the desire for one last shot at purpose.
14:40And let me paraphrase one of my own. Let's take care of business.
14:44Number 38. Tusk
14:46Kevin Smith's foray into pure body horror polarized audiences and critics alike upon release,
14:53with many writing it off as a joke gone too far. Born from an episode of Smith's Smodcast,
14:59Tusk follows an arrogant, obnoxious podcaster who travels to Canada to interview an eccentric,
15:04wealthy recluse named Howard Howe. Oh, I see, you're a, you're a writer? Well,
15:10I'm a podcaster. Howe drugs the podcaster and systemically, surgically alters his body to
15:16transform him into a living walrus. Yes, that premise is absurd, but the execution shifts tonal
15:22gears with whiplash precision. You will fight me, Mr. Walrus, or you will die!
15:33It moves from hilarious dark comedy to genuinely grotesque, disturbing psychological horror.
15:39Co-star Michael Park's poetic, unhinged monologues elevate the film into a bizarrely
15:45tragic tragedy. It's a deeply weird, uncomfortable ride that deserves re-evaluation for its audacity and
15:52unforgettable body horror imagery.
15:59Number 37. Ganja and Hess
16:02This film has, for years, frequently been incorrectly pigeonholed as a standard blaxploitation film
16:09from that genre's 1970s heyday. Yet Bill Gunn's Ganja and Hess is actually a deeply poetic avant-garde
16:16masterpiece of vampire cinema. The film follows an anthropologist who is stabbed with an ancient
16:22infected ceremonial dagger, cursing him with an insatiable thirst for human blood.
16:34When his assistant's sophisticated wife, Ganja, comes looking for her missing husband, she and Hess fall
16:41into a passionate, blood-soaked romance. Gunn uses the vampire mythos as a rich, visual metaphor to
16:47explore themes of assimilation, cultural erasure, substance use, and Christianity within the African-American
16:54experience.
16:55Come with me. Please, please, come with me.
17:03Number 36. Oculus
17:05Oculus stars Karen Gillan and Brenton Thwaites as two adult siblings attempting to prove that a sinister
17:12antique mirror was responsible for the madness and violent deaths of their parents years prior.
17:17This alarm is set to go off every 45 minutes to remind me to change the tapes and the cameras.
17:22This alarm is set to go off hourly to remind us to eat, and we're fully stocked on water to
17:26prevent
17:27dehydration. The film's director, Mike Flanagan, brilliantly cuts between the past and the present,
17:32eventually blurring the timelines together as the mirror warps the character's perceptions of reality.
17:37You know what, that's it, I'm done. I know I'm supposed to wait around for you to find your own
17:40way out of this, but I'm not going to stand here and let you torture a dog.
17:43What do you think you're doing? Listen to it!
17:44Viewers are constantly left guessing what is real and what is an illusion, creating a suffocating sense of
17:50helplessness. It's a tight, expertly engineered puzzle box of a movie that showcases all the
17:56psychological depth and emotional weight that Flanagan would later perfect throughout his career.
18:0835. Let Me In
18:11Horror purists were up in arms back when it was announced that Hollywood was remaking the 2008
18:16Swedish vampire masterpiece, Let the Right One In. However, director Matt Reeves delivered an
18:21exceptionally rare remake that stands proudly alongside its predecessor. Let Me In relocates
18:27the story to a snowy 1980s New Mexico town, but still follows a bullied, lonely young boy who
18:33strikes up a deep friendship with his mysterious new neighbor. Cody Smith McPhee and Chloe Grace
18:48Moretz deliver astonishingly mature performances, anchoring the film's dark melancholic tone.
18:54Meanwhile, Reeves injects the story with incredible cinematic style, including a breathtaking single-take
19:00car crash sequence, while retaining the heartbreaking emotional core of the original novel. It's an
19:06atmospheric, brutal, and beautifully shot coming-of-age horror story.
19:2034. Martin
19:23George A. Romero may be remembered as the father of the modern zombie movie, but the personal favorite film
19:28from his filmography was this gritty, low-budget deconstruction of the vampire mythos. Martin
19:44followed a troubled young man who is convinced he is an ancient 80-year-old vampire. Lacking fangs or
19:50mystical powers, he uses sedatives and razor blades to feed on his victims in the decaying industrial
19:56landscape of Pittsburgh. He is sent to live with his deeply superstitious old uncle who treats him
20:02like an unholy monster. Romero brilliantly strips away all the romanticized Hollywood glamour of
20:14vampirism, leaving behind a raw, unsettling, and profoundly sad psychological study of loneliness,
20:20mental illness, and urban decay. 33. Session 9
20:33Shot on early digital video, which only adds to its cold, harsh, and voyeuristic atmosphere,
20:39Brad Anderson's Session 9 is a psychological horror masterpiece. The plot follows an asbestos abatement
20:46crew who win a rushed contract to clear out the massive, real-life abandoned Danvers State
20:52Psychiatric Hospital. As the crew members deal with their own personal tensions and financial stresses,
20:58they uncover a series of unsettling audiotapes recording the psychiatric sessions of a patient
21:03with multiple personalities. The decaying architecture of the hospital becomes a character in itself,
21:19slowly exacerbating the paranoia and fractures within the crew. It features no monsters or supernatural
21:26entities, relying on psychological disintegration and ambient dread. The final revelation is absolutely
21:46chilling, making it a benchmark for atmospheric horror. 32. The Dead Zone
22:09David Cronenberg directing a Stephen King adaptation starring Christopher Walken sounds like a recipe for
22:15absolute mainstream horror gold, yet Dead Zone is rarely talked about with the same reverence as The
22:21Shining. Walken plays Johnny Smith, a school teacher who awakens from a five-year coma to discover
22:27he has developed psychic abilities. Touching someone allows them to see their past, present, or future,
22:43a gift that becomes a curse as he is dragged into solving murders, and eventually foreseeing a political
22:49candidate triggering a nuclear holocaust. Cronenberg restrains his usual body horror tendencies to deliver
22:55a beautifully bleak atmospheric and emotionally resonant thriller that ranks among the best King
23:01adaptations ever made. 31. Wolfen
23:18It's a shame this 1981 flick was overshadowed by the flashier effects of an American werewolf in London and
23:26The Howling. Albert Finney stars in Wolfen as a cynical New York detective investigating a series
23:32of bizarre, brutal murders of high-profile victims in the decaying, desolate ruins of the South Bronx.
23:38The film introduces a terrifyingly grounded concept of ancient, highly evolved canine predators that have
23:45co-existed with humanity for millennia, hunting the forgotten members of society.
23:50An arrogant man knows nothing of what exists. There exists on Earth such as we dare not imagine.
23:56Wolfen was revolutionary for its time, with its use of thermographic camera angles
24:02to represent the wolves' vision, years before Predator popularized something similar.
24:07Well, they ain't human. Shape-shifting. 30. Late Night with the Devil
24:17Welcome back, everyone. Without further ado, Dr. June Ross Mitchell will commence the demonstration.
24:25And might I say, to you both, Godspeed. If you're a horror aficionado looking for something to
24:33truly surprise you, check this one out. Late Night with the Devil is a found-footage-style
24:38film that follows talk show host Jack Delroy through an unhinged Halloween episode of his
24:43Night Owls program. The show has been struggling with ratings, and Delroy will do whatever it takes
24:49to boost it, even if that means exploiting a possessed young woman on live TV. The audience
24:54watches on as a terrifying conjuring leads to an even more devilish reckoning, all in the name of showbiz.
25:07David Dastmalchen is a master of his craft as Jack, getting under viewers' skin and leaving them
25:13sleepless. This film will have a grip on you longer than you'd expect it to.
25:2729. House
25:36Who said horror has to be serious in order to be great? Director Nobuhiko Obayashi takes the absurd
25:43route for his cult classic film House, which sees a group of young women haunted by a murderous home.
25:50Most of the brainstorming for it was done by the director's young daughter, which explains a lot
25:55about how outrageous the story gets. However, it's not just pure campy fun, but artfully surreal,
26:10almost like you've been pulled into a nightmare without rhyme or reason. That said, it does justice
26:16to the horror genre with some pretty gory turns of events, too. Even if you just watch this for the
26:22giggles, you'll never forget it. Besides, it's Bill Hader approved. 28. Overlord
26:49If alternate history is your jam, you can't miss this movie. It portrays a version of World War II
26:56where Operation Overlord spirals into a zombie apocalypse. It has the high-stakes drama of a
27:02war story and the familiar thrill of fighting the undead. Science fiction has its moment in the film,
27:08too, by way of human experiments conducted by the Nazis.
27:18All these converge to create a classic good versus evil narrative, powered by adrenaline,
27:23grit, and some fantastic cinematography. The visuals are threatening enough to haunt your dreams,
27:29but the acting will leave you floored. 27. Saint Maude
27:52A24 does not play when it comes to horror. Saint Maude dives into the dark side of religion,
27:58painting a bleak portrait of a nurse. Maude, whose holier-than-thou attitude takes a literal
28:04dimension. Convinced she has a divine mission to save the soul of her patient Amanda,
28:20a non-believer, she makes desperate attempts to redeem her. Her efforts are mocked, earning her the
28:26patronizing nickname Saint. With her faith challenged, her loneliness triggers a descent into madness that
28:32ends with blood on her hands. She's too far gone to recognize the ungodliness of her actions,
28:39mistaking delusion for devotion. By the time the film's done with you, you'll be unable to move,
28:45staring at the screen in terror. Fun, right? 26. Under the Shadow
29:07What could be scarier than political oppression and the patriarchy? Well, this film has both, and then
29:14some. Under the Shadow is an Iranian supernatural horror film that throws us into the turmoil of
29:19war-struck Tehran in the 80s. Mother and daughter Shadeh and Dorsa are left to fend for themselves,
29:35not only amid the tangible atrocities of war, but also the torment of the malevolent djinn it brought
29:41along. This folkloric being is dread incarnate, causing Shadeh to lose her grip on reality as she
29:47struggles to protect her little girl. Babak Nvari is masterful in his direction here, capturing an
29:53endless sense of suffocation on film. No matter your age, this movie will have you checking under your bed.
30:0325. The Innocents
30:06Look at that. What, miss? I was afraid for them. But what if he knows? What if Miles knows?
30:13Knows what, Miss Giddens, dear? A 60s gothic screamfest in black and white starring none other than
30:19Deborah Kerr? Sign us up. The Innocents was ahead of its time and continues to be a blueprint for horror
30:26movies to this day. Based on Henry James' famed novella, The Turn of the Screw, it revolves around
30:33a governess who suspects a pair of deceased lovers may have possessed the siblings she is taking care of.
30:49Things quickly take a disturbing psychosexual turn in a way that probably wouldn't fly today,
30:54but the movie steers clear of gratuitousness. The Innocents is proof that simple is best,
31:01because even without flashy effects, it creeps up on you and leaves you unnerved.
31:06You don't fool me, I know why you keep on and on. Why?
31:09It's because you're afraid, you're afraid you might be mad, so you keep on and on,
31:14trying to make me admit something that isn't true.
31:16Number 24. The Autopsy of Jane Doe
31:27Andre Ovidal's foray into English-language cinema checks all the boxes for a fulfilling horror movie.
31:34Mysterious deaths, necromancy, witches, you name it. It all starts with coroner Tommy Tilden,
31:41played by Brian Cox, who is training his son Austin in his line of work. The duo comes across an
31:48unidentified cadaver and now must perform an autopsy. As they peel back the layers of Jane
31:53Doe's body, a chilling mystery unfolds, tracing back to the Salem witch trials.
32:07The cruelty of the past, and its lasting consequences in the present, speak to the
32:12generational trauma women have had to bear, giving the film a deeper dimension. It is food for thought,
32:19that leaves you nauseous.
32:26Number 23. The Haunting
32:29When it comes to psychological horror, few titles can outdo this one. With source material as potent
32:41as Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House, we wouldn't expect anything less. The tension in
32:47Robert Wise's adaptation, both cerebral and visceral, is dialed to ten. It sets the viewer's imagination
32:53running, holding off on stereotypical horror payoff. Instead, we join our tortured protagonist,
33:00Eleanor Vance, as her mental state collapses under the pressure of a house that feels
33:04dangerously alive and lifeless at the same time. Add to that the undercurrent of her loneliness and
33:11complex relationship with fellow housemate Theodora, and you have a layered masterpiece that's
33:16hard to forget. 22. Kronos
33:35This Mexican movie was what ushered in the reign of Guillermo del Toro as the master of dark fantasy.
33:41Despite being his debut feature film, del Toro's vision is grounded and self-assured, proving that he
33:47was always destined to be in a league of his own. Kronos is tragic horror at its best. It weaves
33:54a
33:54heartbreaking tale of an antiques trader who unwittingly becomes a victim of immortality
33:59after coming across a mysterious device. Rather than enjoying his rejuvenated physicality,
34:05he grapples with his deteriorating moral compass. Here, vampirism is not presented through a
34:18romanticized lens, but instead as the inhumane curse it is. Although this trope is now considered
34:24overdone, Kronos continues to stand out as a seminal work. 21. Raw
34:46Do you like your horror unflinching with a side of guts? Julia Ducorno serves it up perfectly in Raw.
34:54The story follows Justine, who has just started studying veterinary medicine following in her
34:59sister's footsteps. This new chapter in her life is soon corrupted by cruel hazing rituals that force
35:05her to go against her lifelong vegetarianism by consuming uncooked meat. With that disturbing
35:10new taste on her tongue, Justine finds herself craving something more. Something human. Thus
35:17begins her downward spiral as she comes to terms with her hunger, unveiling dark secrets about her
35:23true identity. The film boasts primal sensuality and intelligent storytelling that draws us in before
35:29we know it. You will be disgusted, but it'll be worth it. 20. Possessor
35:38True to its title, this story revolves around an assassin named Tassia Vos, who possesses people.
35:45After controlling their bodies to kill her targets, Vos forces them to take their own lives to return to
35:50her own. However, her latest host refuses to comply, trapping Vos and his body as their lives collide.
35:57See if she can fight her way back and finish the job. There's already a degree of permanent damage.
36:03The longer she stays in, the greater the risk to her brain. Possessor would have been a great
36:07action film, but it chooses to convey the horrors of losing control instead. Whether it's Vos's point
36:13of view or her host's, there's always a sense of terror brewing in each scene. By its conclusion,
36:19this psychological thriller will have you feeling paranoid about everything around you.
36:3419. Mandy It wouldn't be a Nick Cage film if his character didn't go off the rails. If that's your
36:42thing, then watching his Mandy character, Red Miller, go absolutely nuts will be a welcome sight. After a
36:49demonic cult sacrifices his girlfriend, Red goes on a roaring rampage of revenge, filled with gory visuals
37:06and so much blood that you might forget what other colors look like. It's a violent experience from
37:13start to finish. Mandy's no-holds-barred content is hard to stomach, and the film knows it. Although
37:19the brutality is unrelenting, the antagonist's twisted minds have a scary quality of their own.
37:31Mandy is loud and proud of its premise, and there's a definite thrill in buckling up for this ride.
37:3818. The Voices This part comedy, part horror,
37:43is as messed up as it is funny. Ryan Reynolds plays Jerry, a man with schizophrenia whose hallucinations
37:50get the best of him. Convinced that his pet dog and cat talk to him, Jerry is motivated to kill.
37:56No, you're not. I've killed things on purpose, Jerry. There's no shame in it, it's instinct. The only
38:01time I've felt truly alive is when I'm killing. Weirdly enough, he can't help but feel bad for the
38:07character, as his list of crimes is a result of severe loneliness and bad luck. Added to the horror
38:13aspect is the deliberately happy and optimistic tone of the movie. The filmmakers seem to want you to
38:29feel uncomfortable, as Jerry's fragile state of mind threatens to wreak havoc.
38:3417. Green Room
38:46Getting trapped anywhere is awful. But what if you're trapped with a gang of murderous neo-Nazis out to
38:52get you? Green Room follows the harrowing experience of a rock band in this situation. After witnessing a
38:58murder, the main characters have to figure out a way to escape. That's easier said than done,
39:04since the place is crawling with men with savage intentions. Although there are several action
39:18sequences, it largely leans toward a horror setting. Green Room combines a stifling feeling of
39:24claustrophobia with a foreboding sense of doom. With a story that moves at a quick pace and racks up a
39:31notable kill count, it's a film that never lifts its foot off the gas.
39:3616. The Entity
39:38Whoever says you shouldn't fear the unknown, clearly hasn't seen this movie. In The Entity,
39:45Carla Moran is terrorized by an invisible being. Haunted by something she can't explain,
39:50Carla begins to lose her grip on reality. Why this entity latched onto her isn't explained. However,
40:08this adds to the film's fear factor, as Carla's relentless torment has an additional layer of mystery.
40:14The film leaves us in a constant state of paranoia, just like the protagonist. It's a devastating and
40:21painful portrayal of suffering that hits much harder than anticipated.
40:3715. Dog Soldiers
40:411987's Predator remains popular for blending sci-fi with survival horror. Dog Soldiers is in the same
40:48vein. But instead of a killer alien, we get a pack of werewolves. A squad of soldiers is in for
40:54the
40:54fight of their lives when hunted by a group of lichens. As their numbers dwindle, the possibility
41:10of a complete bloodbath looks inevitable. And while it's mainly on the scary side,
41:15some moments of dark comedy diversify Dog Soldiers' appeal. The movie is also effective at making us
41:21care enough for the characters to root for them. Of course, being the gore-fest it is, we recommend
41:35you don't get too attached. 14. Sinister
41:40Fans have seen Ethan Hawke in romances like Before Sunrise and gritty action thrillers like Training
41:46Day, but the actor arguably shows better range as hapless writer Ellison Oswalt.
41:59The character lands himself way over his head, getting on the wrong side of a terrifying pagan god
42:06called Bagul. Sinister is a wonderful throwback to classic haunted house horror films, complete with a
42:13creepy backstory that unravels over time. Much like Ellison, we watch with bated breath as Bagul's plans
42:21come to light. The movie contains both subtle imagery and shots that will have you shrieking as certain
42:35scenes dole out jump scares like there's no tomorrow. Sinister isn't revolutionary, but it gives horror fans
42:42exactly what they want with heart-thumping effect. 13. The Exorcist III
42:49For a franchise's third entry, few films get as original as this. The first Exorcist remains a
42:56staple of the genre, so it was always difficult to follow in its footsteps. Here, Lieutenant Kinderman
43:02investigates a series of murders that connect to the Gemini killer. What's the catch? Said killer is
43:08supposed to be dead. The film blends the original's paranormal outline with elements from the whodunit
43:25genre, as the characters face off against an otherworldly villain. Along with the mystery,
43:30the use of freaky visuals and consistent scares make it a well-rounded experience.
43:45The Exorcist III dares to be different, crafting a unique identity that still acknowledges its legacy.
43:5212. The People Under the Stairs Contemporary viewers are aware of films like
43:59Don't Breathe that deal with the consequences of ill-considered break-ins. However, The People
44:05Under the Stairs delivered this premise decades earlier. When a boy and two burglars trespass into
44:10a house, they're trapped with people who have resorted to feasting on humans. Leaving isn't an option when
44:17there's no place to run. On the face of it, this film might seem a bit out there, but when
44:33you learn
44:34it's directed by Wes Craven, things make more sense. Similar to his other works, Craven injects realism,
44:41comedy, and social commentary into a movie that still scares up a storm. From unhinged characters
44:58to macabre humor, it's a wild trip into the darkest layers of humanity.
45:0311. Creep Found-footage films are often associated with blockbusters like Paranormal Activity and
45:10The Blair Witch Project. In terms of tapping into its full potential, though, few can compete with
45:16creep. Unlike the aforementioned films, this one doesn't have a supernatural spin. Instead, the
45:22creep factor comes from how easy it is to imagine yourself in the protagonist's shoes.
45:35We follow videographer Aaron as he records Joseph, a strange man with increasingly erratic behavior.
45:42What begins as a casual arrangement turns into a harrowing ordeal for Aaron, as Joseph gradually
45:49reveals his true nature. Despite a cast of only two actors, Creep is as riveting as it gets.
45:55The film shows just how twisted a person can be, in more ways than one.
46:0910. Orphan After dealing with a painful loss,
46:14Kate and John adopt a girl named Esther. Sounds like your average feel-good movie, doesn't it?
46:19That would be the case if Esther wasn't a deranged killer, and if she were a little
46:25girl in the first place. Orphan works as a slow-burn psychological horror. The character's streak of
46:41sadism takes several forms, whether it's killing people with hammers or tormenting her adoptive
46:47siblings. The film sprinkles several hints about Esther's identity before the huge reveal,
46:53when its climactic moments kick into overdrive. Its eventual cult success led to a prequel a decade
47:08later, where we watch Esther's backstory unfold.
47:129. The Wailing A 156-minute runtime is ambitious for a horror film,
47:19and while The Wailing does make us wait for the payoff, the tension always remains at its peak.
47:25In this folk horror, the arrival of an unknown person triggers calamity in a small village.
47:43The resulting panic leads to further problems for its inhabitants as the shadow of a great evil lurks
47:49over them. The chilling cinematography, set design, and consistent thrills are all one-of-a-kind.
47:55When it doesn't have you chewing on your fingernails, you'll be contemplating its themes.
48:11It didn't reach as large an audience as it deserved, but not many films have received
48:16such glowing reviews as The Wailing.
48:208. The Serpent and the Rainbow Zombie horror is a tried-and-tested subgenre that
48:26usually delivers, but sometimes the best ones can slip under the radar.
48:31Here, anthropologist Dennis Allen investigates a drug in Haiti that's
48:36turning corpses into zombies. Unlike films like World War Z and 28 Days Later,
48:50the path of destruction in The Serpent and the Rainbow is more self-contained.
48:54This smaller scale works to its advantage, as we get a better taste of its atmospheric thrills.
49:00While audiences are more equipped to handle scary material since its release,
49:05the film still has the capacity for shock value. Some scenes might not be for the faint-hearted,
49:10so be prepared before you check out this little-known gem.
49:187. Bone Tomahawk
49:21Speaking of flesh-eating villains, the bad guys here are still alive when they do it.
49:27Starring Kurt Russell as Sheriff Franklin Hunt, Bone Tomahawk is a western horror. Hunt leads a rescue
49:33mission against cave-dwellers with a taste for human flesh.
49:41The film takes its time getting to its action-packed premise. Viewers won't feel any traces of boredom,
49:48though, as Hunt's journey has a palpable sense of suspense. By the time it really gets kicking,
49:54the movie morphs into survival horror that will have you at the edge of your seat.
50:06Bone Tomahawk didn't make a den at the box office, but many have since come to appreciate it as an
50:12undiscovered classic.
50:146. Drag Me to Hell
50:16When you think of Sam Raimi, you probably think of the Evil Dead series or the Spider-Man trilogy.
50:23Nestled within his filmography is this supernatural horror that ranks among the director's best.
50:29Lone officer Christine is cursed by a disgruntled woman, setting her on a path to damnation.
50:40With limited time in hand, Christine tries to figure out a way to save her soul.
50:44Drag Me to Hell cuts a bleak outlook for the main character, although there are entertaining
50:49moments of dark comedy. In classic Sam Raimi fashion, grotesque visuals and ghastly faces are
50:55featured in abundance. It's an all-around weird, trippy journey about Christine's descent into the
51:01deepest pits of torture. And it doesn't skimp on the entertainment value.
51:165. The Invitation
51:19There are more dinner party horror movies than you probably realize. While films like Ready or Not
51:25or You're Next are lauded, the invitation deserves to be mentioned in the same breath.
51:30Initially starting off as a drama, it quickly switches tone to more sinister avenues.
51:35And then all of a sudden, we get invited to this lavish dinner. You're all smiles spewing out all
51:41this jar again with these two in tow. Don't tell me that this is normal.
51:46A party seemingly about sharing grief is revealed to be a set-up for murder. Having been brainwashed
51:53by the twisted philosophy of a cult, the hosts plan to eliminate their guests. Even before this
51:59revelation comes to light, the film lands its scares through heightened tension that inches toward the
52:04surface. It tackles its material with a deeply unsettling touch that will have you reconsidering your
52:15own dinner plans in the future. 4. Hush
52:18Mike Flanagan has helmed popular features like Doctor Sleep and the Haunting series.
52:24Before they reached big-time success, Flanagan achieved critical acclaim with 2016's Hush.
52:30Taking place over a single night, protagonist Maddie is stalked by a masked killer.
52:35I can get you anytime I want, but I'm not going to. Not until it's time.
52:42Preying on Maddie's deafness, the villain hunts her for his demented pleasure. Hush's creative
52:48direction enables us to perceive its events through Maddie's point of view. The distinct
52:52atmosphere it creates connects us to both Maddie's struggles and her eventual decision to fight back.
52:57There's only one ending he won't expect. He can't run, hide, or wait. What does that leave?
53:09In many ways thrilling, and other ways empowering. Hush is a gripping tale of survival against impossible
53:17odds. 3. In the Mouth of Madness
53:21Insurance investigator John Trent begins to doubt his own existence after a series of bizarre incidents.
53:27At the center of it all is a horror novel called In the Mouth of Madness, which alludes to the
53:33destruction of the world. The premise is hard to believe, but that's exactly the point.
53:49With an unreliable narrator and framing device, everything that happens on screen is a giant
53:54question mark. Surreal and terrifying in equal measures, In the Mouth of Madness plays with
54:00audience perception to leave us as hysterical as Trent is by the end of its run.
54:112. Train to Busan
54:18There are more zombie apocalypse movies than we can probably count, but how many take place on a
54:24speeding train? At the onset of the outbreak, we meet several characters with various backstories.
54:373. Train to Busan
54:44By the end, we've grown to care for all of them, even though we know most probably won't make it.
54:50Thanks to these well-rounded characterizations, Train to Busan gets audiences invested in its journey.
54:55The real-time setting adds a degree of urgency, while not as action-based as certain other zombie
55:01features, it does go full-throttle in places. With fast-paced sequences, multi-dimensional characters,
55:08and pure brutality, it turns the genre's best elements into a winning formula of high-energy
55:14entertainment.
55:24Before we continue, be sure to check out WatchMojo's 24-hour livestream.
55:28All of your favorite videos in one place, 24-7. Always on, always live.
55:361. Trick-or-Treat
55:39Sometimes, horror movies should just be about scaring people. Trick-or-Treat understands the
55:45assignment, using an anthology format that pays tribute to Halloween.
56:00A demonic entity named Sam connects multiple stories taking place on the night in question.
56:06Each deals with urban myths around festivities, including werewolves, ghosts, and murderers.
56:12Without a worldwide premiere, the film went mostly unnoticed upon release. However, it's become a
56:18favorite for fans who have discovered it since. So, if you're in the mood for a delightfully spooky
56:26film that hits all the right notes, look no further than Sam and his trusty lollipop. And remember to
56:32keep the Halloween spirit alive, if you don't want Sam to come knocking, that is. Are there any other
56:40horror movies that are so obscure, you don't know anybody else who's seen them? Shout out your picks in
56:46the comments.
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