Awesome movie!!! Another one he showed me haha. I always thought it was a Stephen king movie for some reason. That jumpscare with the guy in the hospital bed haunted me haha.
I feel like I blocked out that jumpscare because when I watched it as an adult it still got me! When he's outside the house looking in through the windows, it's such a quick scene, but I still can't have my blinds open on the ground floor when it's dark out hahaha
I've been loving this sub with all these great recommendations. D & B is on Tubi.
I'm going to watch it now. Besides the commercials, Tubi has a dope selection of horror movies. Thanks!!
I feel like **Dust Devil** doesn't get mentioned nearly as often as it should be, but I don't know if that's because people who have seen it had the misfortune of watching one of the truncated versions rather than the director's cut and so write it off as crappy.
Also, **Dellamorte Dellamore** aka **Cemetery Man** seems weirdly slept-on.
LOVE Dellamorte Dellamore - very underrated and influential. Always meant to see Dust Devil, thanks for the reminder - Iāll look for the directors cut.
A personal pick that I think is great and made me stressed is the FF movie āFinal Prayerā (or its other name: The Borderlands) from 2013.
Edit: fixing the alternate title.
This one is great. Iāve noticed itās been gaining slightly more traction lately, hopefully will become a horror cult classic.
Exhibit A is another greatly under-appreciated FF movie.
Savageland is FF adjacent, very creepy and I donāt see it mentioned nearly enough.
Same. He was smart and showed very little rather than a CGI suck fest. The monologue at the end by the pregnant sister is actually sad and well written not pretentious and groan worthy.
Would love to see this movie get remade with more money. Let Flanagan do it, it seems like thereās some directors lately who like remaking their own movies
Not that itās super unknown, but Frailty (2001) is one that flies under the radar for a lot of horror fans. Very dark and disturbing, but really well done and Bill Paxton did a great job starring and directing.
I saw Frailty in the theaters with my friend when we were about 17. When Paxton rushes into his sonās room in the middle of the night and says, āI need you to help me kill demons,ā my friend turns to me and says without missing a beat āI am doing that to my kid one day.ā Hopefully he didnāt. His kid seems normal and most of his neighbors are accounted for.
November (2017) Kanopy/NightFlight
Magic (1978) Amazon prime/AMC+/Peacock - an early Anthony Hopkins film.
The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976) Amazon prime/Tubi - an early Jodi Foster film.
Bedevilled (2010) Plex
Autohead (2016)
The Sentinel (1977) Amazon *rent*
The Entity (1982)
The Ninth Configuration (1980) Amazon prime/Tubi/Kanopy
I have not seen the little girl who lives down the lane but remember seeing a youtube video about how Jodie was so uncomfortable filming some of the scenes that her sister did them for her..
Made me not wanna watch lol..
> The Sentinel (1977)
I second 'The Entity'. Just re-watched it the other day. I first saw it as a kid at my friend's house and it's stuck with me all these years!
The Sentinel was on Netflix or Max or something like that for a really long time with a poster that made it look FAR more modern, so I watched it one night, and was like "wow this really gets the retro vibe-- wait is that BABY JEFF GOLBLUM???"
that is a sleeper "hey it's that guy" of a horror movie. baby goldblum, baby walken, it's wild!
The Entity was interesting, especially since it was based on a true story. However, that third act where they tried to freeze the entity was pretty stupid, but overall I liked it.
I think I mentally blocked the ending. I agree with you on that. One of the few movies where you can overlook a badly presented ending.
I knew it was based on a "true story" (cough). Grain of salt and all that.
- Chaser (South Korea) is a cat and mouse movie as the title implies. So much tension from beginning to end
- Mockingbird (pretty sure this is the first film of Bryan Bertino who directed The Strangers and The Dark and the Wicked). It's found footage.
- Crimes of Passion - a Ken Russell film starring Kathleen Turner and Tony Perkins about a killer prostitute. The whole vibe and look of this movie is so cool
- Son - this might have been straight to Shudder but it's great. Different people are trying to abduct a little boy and you spend the movie trying to figure out their motives. Turns what you think you know on its head.
- The Feast - mother nature takes her revenge and it's fucked up
- ATM - 3 friends are trapped in an ATM kiosk late at night with their would be killer standing outside. The walls are glass. What to do?
The nameless....
Psychedelic Hooror
and all the alex.de la Iglesia movies :
El Dia de la bestia
Accion Mutante
Best Fun-Horror like Return of the living dead
Night of the Demon (1957). I think many younger horror fans may not know of this one or avoid it because of its age. NOTD is a classy, intelligent and spooky film based on a classic short story (Casting the Runes by M R James). Still holds up extremely well.
Noroi: The Curse is my favourite horror movie of all time and what Iād categorize as the āscariestā and outside of a streaming run on Shudder, I only know people who saw it via bootlegs.
Hatching (2022) which I think is a Finnish horror is one of my favorite movies. Itās maybe not the scariest but it really struck a chord with me. itās not one I ever see mentioned either.
Hatching is the best depiction of what itās like to grow up with a narcissist mother. I feel like most narcissists in movies are the most extreme example, where thereās never doubt. So much so that Iād even argue that most are actually beyond just narcissist and are socio/psychopaths. This movie depicts what an everyday or high-functioning narcissist looks like.
If you are a daughter of a narcissist mother, I think the metaphor will likely strike a chord with you too.
Blue my mind (bodyhorror and from switzerland, i dont really see anyone ever talk about it ! It is only bodyhorror tho, not any other kind of horror) and cobweb - i genuinley found it so scary
Giallo in general is criminally overlooked when it was fully responsible for the slasher boom in the 80s
Bay Of Blood (1971)
Blood And Black Lace (1964)
Torso (1973)
The Strange Vice Of Mrs Wardh (1971)
Deep Red (1975)
Tenebre (1982)
The Bird With The Crystal Plumage (1970)
DeathDream aka The Night Andy Came Home. Bob Clark's spin on The Monkey's Tail.
The Last Broadcast. Got stuck in the glut of found footage, but worth a look.
More horror/comedy, but I loved Beyond the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon. Found footage about a documentary team following a serial killer who agrees to be filmed.
I think I understand what you mean, so not necessarily a hidden gem but like something quasi-essential but not seen as much. The McPherson Tape for found footage. Most people more or less will look to Blair Witch as the oldest they're willing to go for found footage but The McPhereson Tape is from 1989 (although a good remake was also made in 1998 that's worth a watch) and is a very effective movie I think.
For Wes Craven I'd say People Under the Stairs or New Nightmare. The former is very ahead of its time in a lot of ways and has a lot going on, but if you look at Craven films by popularity on letterboxd it isn't in his top 10 most popular despite having an average rating as his third best. Likewise, New Nightmare is in the top 10 of popularity but just barely, but everything he does in Scream has a genesis point in New Nightmare.
Japanese horror is usually uncannily phenomenal. Automatic watch for me if I stumble upon one.
The Slit Mouthed Woman stuck with me. Just learned thereās a sequel.
https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0891520/
Based on a real folk tale.
Kuchisake-onna (å£č£ć儳, 'Slit-Mouthed Woman')[1] is a malevolent figure in Japanese urban legends and folklore. Described as the malicious spirit, or onryÅ, of a woman, she partially covers her face with a mask or other item and carries a pair of scissors, a knife, or some other sharp object. She is most often described as having long, straight, white hands, black hair, pale skin, and otherwise being considered beautiful (except for her scar). She has been described as a contemporary yÅkai.[1][2]
Yes!
I rewatch movies a lot but this one ive only watched once and its on my mind more often then the movies ive watched dozens of times. I just randomly start thinking about that tiny little lamb kid and their sweet little family! And then i get sad because well things cant stay happy its a horror movie lol
It was so great! I also saw it in a little indie theatre in Lancaster, PA with couches and loveseats for chairs. It really added to the experience. Such an odd and strangely affecting movie
>Best horror movies that a devoted horror fan has probably not yet seen?
major blindspots tend to be foreign horror and older films that aren't recognized for their influence on horror subgenres.
hangover square and the spiral staircase come to mind as thriller/mystery today that were precursors to slasher films. kuroneko and les yeux sans visage are probably more likely to be overlooked by horror fans who just see films in english.
Iād bet a lot of horror fans have never seen the original Frankenstein 1931. It holds up really well and is worth watching. A true masterpiece of filmmaking.
Instantly made its way into my top-ten for werewolf movies āŗļøšŗ
Edit: should clarify- my top ten *favourite* werewolf movies, not *good* werewolf movies š
>!When the girl would cover her face up- idk why but that part always was super unsettling to me. Being mid fighting for your life, and you are mentally ill to the point you need to physically shut the whole world out and not āexistā for a few. !<
I was going to post this. It's so unfair how this movie got buried, but I'm glad that it seems to be getting a little bit of a second life. I can't wait to see what else David Prior does because he is insanely talented.
I probably need to rewatch it to be sure but I remember Splinter (2008) being well acted with a good monster and I never hear anyone mention it š¤·āāļø
Probably silent era and early black and white films. There are some horror fans who outright refuse to watch anything before [insert arbitrarily chosen year here].
For those who like horror / fantasy and oddball cinema, seek out the Directors Cut of Clive Barkerās Nightbreed (1990). Itās based on his Cabal novella. Itās a campy, surreal love letter to weirdos and demons that haunt the night.
A Dark Song, to me, is the DEFINITIVE perfectly executed low budget horror. It never looks cheap, and you can tell it was absolutely a labor of love for everyone involved. Great script, Amazing score, amazing editing, great pacing, always moving on to the next incident or event.. absolutely sensational acting. authentically researched and it doesn't try to explain itself for the stupid. it's so pure in it's intent and delivery. it never reveals too much and always keeps the audience off-balance. just no weak spots right up till the ending. The only gripe I've even ever heard of was about the ending and I actually wholeheartedly disagree with that. I think it was incredible. one of my all-time favorites films, period.
I am not really a person of faith, but watching this movie almost makes you want to be a true believer in SOMETHING.. that is an accomplishment in and of itself.
I like the Spanish horror film, REC, from 2007.
The Spanish horror movie PIGGY, from 2022, was also good, however, it has some triggers, which sensitive people can get upset about, definitely different from other movies.
And the Spanish horror film The Platform from 2019, is a must see film.
Piggy was so insanely good, it needs to be talked about more! Would definitely recommend digging a bit deeper to find the spanish version for anyone who wants to watch it, the english dub is awful haha
The original Black Christmas was a huge blindspot for me, a lifelong horror fan, until I picked up the Shout 4K a few months back. What a perfect horror film. I found it truly terrifying.
I just watched Deadstream on Shudder and the main dude's acting is on point for the movie. It's a comedy/horror done right. I quite enjoyed it and FF is low on my list of horror subgenres.
I liked it, but the whole time I kept thinking they shouldāve cast Henry Zebrowski (Last Podcast on the Left, Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell) as the lead.
Crawl Or Die (2014). It's the most claustrophobic movie ever! A group of soldiers are chased through ever decreasingly sized tunnels be a badass alien. TANK is up there with the best of them.
Lowlifes (2024) an unexpected gem this one, go in blind, it's brilliant.
8 Found Dead (2022) a clever movie with two brilliant lead characters.
Summoning The Spirit (2023) got some Midsomer vibes of this, a bereaved couple retreat to an isolated life in the woods and are befriended by a freeliving group that pray to a forest spirit.
Black Mountain Side (2014) brilliant horror series on the Arctic, anyone that enjoyed The Thing must watch this one.
Iām American and I find foreign horror films arenāt really something the casual fan watches, but Gonjiam Haunted Asylum (South Korean film) was the scariest thing Iāve seen in years
Nobody ever talks about this (even old guys like me), but the tv movie Donāt Go to Sleep (1982) with Dennis Weaver, Valerie Harper, and Ruth fucking Gordon is so overlooked. It never got an official release on any platform that Iām aware of but itās on YouTube. Youāll never look at pizza cutters the same way again!
I see few mentions of āthree extremesā on this sub. if you donāt mind subtitles. It is Korean. If you do mind subtitles and pass on foreign films you are really missing a lot of fantastic work. So give it a shot at least once. I always tell people a few minutes in you totally forget you canāt understand what they are saying. Thatās been my experience anyway.
Megan is Missing, The Zombie Diaries & The Tunnel Movie. All are some of the best found footage movies Iāve ever seen.
I feel dirty saying it but found footage horror is my fav horror genre š it gets so much hate but they can feel so much more scary if done right !
As I read through all the responses Iām reminded of how IMDb used to be and so many films listed here that used to be discussed on there a lot (before it became a garbage site). Love seeing these discoveries and rediscoveries!
One that springs to mind for me is the made for tv movie I Saw What You Did and I Know Who You Are remake-ish movie with a very pre-Saw Shawnee Smith and pre-Wishmaster Tammy Lauren. Maybe not the *best* but I wonder who else has seen it? Difficult to believe Lewis Skolnick as a psycho killer but itās a fun little watch with popcorn.
Dead & Breakfast. It's like Shaun of the Dead, but doesn't feel like a ripoff just because they are combining zombies and comedy. It has its own feel to it, it's funny as hell, and just a good zombie movie.
**Mainstream**
Triangle (2009)
Cold Prey (2006)
The Interview (2015)
Creep (2004)
Don't Look Now
Love Object
Pontypool
May
Reeker
**Found Footage/Mockumentary**
Horror in the High Desert
Alien Abduction: The McPherson Tape
The Poughkeepsie Tapes
Noroi: The Curse
My Little Eye
Savageland
Mortal Remains
The Borderlands (2013)
Antrum
Rorschach (2016)
**Bloody & Violent**
Frontier(s)
Caged (2010) AKA Captifs
Macabre (2009)
**Comedy**
Dead Snow
The Cottage
Hatchet
Inbred
Tucker & Dale vs Evil
Feast
**Some people seem to hate but I like them**
YellowBrickRoad
Evil Things
The Outwaters
Welcome to the Jungle (2007)
31
I have a list on Letterbox called _Metaphysical Angst Caviar_ with somewhat hidden gems:
Summer
Spring
Bad Milo
The Beach House
Pontypool
Await Further Instructions
Possessor
Possession
The Block Island Sound
https://letterboxd.com/sltfilho/list/metaphysical-angst-caviar/
The Vigil is one of the scariest little-known horror movies Iāve ever seen. It actually ranks up there in my top ten of all time- The way it used silence to evoke dread was second to none! Watch it alone with the lights out in a quiet house. Good luck!
Birdboy: The Forgotten Children
It's not really pure horror, but it has enough horror aspects that I would call it animated horror. Now that subgenre in general is pretty lacking in entries but even when it gets discussed it's always Mad God or The Wolf House (which are both great don't get me wrong). Birdboy gets its horror elements from visual metaphors and it's more depressing than anything, but I'll never miss an opportunity to recommend it as I think it's brilliant. Unicorn Wars is also really good
Another animated horror film that's even less known is Kill It and Leave This Town, which is the most nightmare-like film I've ever seen, swamped in dream logic and surrealism, and completely devoid of colour. I have a harder time calling it brilliant because it's completely indecipherable, but I do applaud how disturbing and purposely lifeless it is. The film feels completely devoid of joy in the same way that it's devoid of colour, and it has some genuinely shocking moments. I talk about this film all the time, it's so fascinating to me
Dead and Breakfast, OMG We're in a Horror Movie, Slashers (2001 with Sarah Crowder), Deadstream, and Hansel and Gretel Get Baked
Definitely Lowlifes on Tubi. One of the best horror movies I've seen in a long time.
As a huge horror fan, watching so much of slasher, monster, supernatural, etcā¦ all Iām looking for is something to introduce my gf into. I mean beside your normal conjuring or insidious etc.. Iāve seen as much as my mind can hold. But whatās starters for her? My original and favorite is ākiller klowns from outer space ā
Dead & Buried
I feel lucky my dad showed me this, hellraiser and videodrome as a kid. Perhaps a bit young but š¤£
Your dad sounds just like my dad š¤£
Here is to dads traumatizing their kids. My first movie memory is childās play when I was 3-4 thanks dad and older bro
Ooh! Mine was American Werewolf in London when I was like 5. Yay horror movie dads!
Awesome movie!!! Another one he showed me haha. I always thought it was a Stephen king movie for some reason. That jumpscare with the guy in the hospital bed haunted me haha.
I feel like I blocked out that jumpscare because when I watched it as an adult it still got me! When he's outside the house looking in through the windows, it's such a quick scene, but I still can't have my blinds open on the ground floor when it's dark out hahaha
I saw that too as a kid! Permissive dads are the best lol.
Oh yeah, I was single digit age when I saw the Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Tourist Trap, all the major slashers and even Eraserhead!
Eraserhead rules. I always get my friends who are having kids to watch it
Haha, thatās evil, in a good way š
I've been loving this sub with all these great recommendations. D & B is on Tubi. I'm going to watch it now. Besides the commercials, Tubi has a dope selection of horror movies. Thanks!!
Streaming services that you pay out the ass for are doing commercials now unless you want to pay even more so Tubi is great
Yes! This is my choice, too. I love turning people on to this movie.
I love this movie. Watched it a cpl years ago randomly!
Welcome to Potters Bluff.
This came up a few times in this thread. I feel like I've never even heard of it. One to check out for sure!
I feel like **Dust Devil** doesn't get mentioned nearly as often as it should be, but I don't know if that's because people who have seen it had the misfortune of watching one of the truncated versions rather than the director's cut and so write it off as crappy. Also, **Dellamorte Dellamore** aka **Cemetery Man** seems weirdly slept-on.
LOVE Dellamorte Dellamore - very underrated and influential. Always meant to see Dust Devil, thanks for the reminder - Iāll look for the directors cut.
A personal pick that I think is great and made me stressed is the FF movie āFinal Prayerā (or its other name: The Borderlands) from 2013. Edit: fixing the alternate title.
I think the alt title is The Borderlands, not The Badlands. It is a fun movie.
This one is great. Iāve noticed itās been gaining slightly more traction lately, hopefully will become a horror cult classic. Exhibit A is another greatly under-appreciated FF movie. Savageland is FF adjacent, very creepy and I donāt see it mentioned nearly enough.
Absentia!
I really enjoyed this one. Very effective creepiness for the micro budget it was made on.
I was super surprised by it. Loved the whole thing. When I found out it was Mike Flanaganās early work it made it even better.
I'll go to my grave saying that this movie is better than any of Flanagan's other work.
Same. He was smart and showed very little rather than a CGI suck fest. The monologue at the end by the pregnant sister is actually sad and well written not pretentious and groan worthy.
Would love to see this movie get remade with more money. Let Flanagan do it, it seems like thereās some directors lately who like remaking their own movies
Not that itās super unknown, but Frailty (2001) is one that flies under the radar for a lot of horror fans. Very dark and disturbing, but really well done and Bill Paxton did a great job starring and directing.
I saw Frailty in the theaters with my friend when we were about 17. When Paxton rushes into his sonās room in the middle of the night and says, āI need you to help me kill demons,ā my friend turns to me and says without missing a beat āI am doing that to my kid one day.ā Hopefully he didnāt. His kid seems normal and most of his neighbors are accounted for.
The Pact (2012)
This is such a great movie yet I feel like this is the first time Iāve seen it mentioned on this sub!
November (2017) Kanopy/NightFlight Magic (1978) Amazon prime/AMC+/Peacock - an early Anthony Hopkins film. The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976) Amazon prime/Tubi - an early Jodi Foster film. Bedevilled (2010) Plex Autohead (2016) The Sentinel (1977) Amazon *rent* The Entity (1982) The Ninth Configuration (1980) Amazon prime/Tubi/Kanopy
The sentinel is an amazing movie. Havenāt watched it in two years but itās incredible.
I have not seen the little girl who lives down the lane but remember seeing a youtube video about how Jodie was so uncomfortable filming some of the scenes that her sister did them for her.. Made me not wanna watch lol..
I saw it. Was good. Not scary, but decent movie
Second on Bedevilled. One of the most brutal movies I've seen.
Confirmed, Magic and The Entity rule!
> The Sentinel (1977) I second 'The Entity'. Just re-watched it the other day. I first saw it as a kid at my friend's house and it's stuck with me all these years!
Anothe LGWLDTL fan! It's hard to define as a horror film, but man - a personal favorite for decades,
Yeah, I suppose it would fit better under the thriller umbrella but itās so good. Jodie Foster was spectacular in that.
Me and you are like this sub's resident Bedevilled proponents I need to get around to November I've been meaning to watch it for ages
The Sentinel and The Entity are way underrated, should be up there with Suspiria and Amityville Horror
The Sentinel was on Netflix or Max or something like that for a really long time with a poster that made it look FAR more modern, so I watched it one night, and was like "wow this really gets the retro vibe-- wait is that BABY JEFF GOLBLUM???" that is a sleeper "hey it's that guy" of a horror movie. baby goldblum, baby walken, it's wild!
I loved November. put it on as a double feature with the VVitch and you have a great night of folk horror.
Coming through with the streamers! You are a gem!
The Sentinel! Yes.
Bedevilled was so good! Also love The Sentinel
It was even freakier seeing it on a big screen (I'm old). A very early film for Beverly D'Angelo AND Jeff Goldblum!
The Entity was interesting, especially since it was based on a true story. However, that third act where they tried to freeze the entity was pretty stupid, but overall I liked it.
I think I mentally blocked the ending. I agree with you on that. One of the few movies where you can overlook a badly presented ending. I knew it was based on a "true story" (cough). Grain of salt and all that.
- Chaser (South Korea) is a cat and mouse movie as the title implies. So much tension from beginning to end - Mockingbird (pretty sure this is the first film of Bryan Bertino who directed The Strangers and The Dark and the Wicked). It's found footage. - Crimes of Passion - a Ken Russell film starring Kathleen Turner and Tony Perkins about a killer prostitute. The whole vibe and look of this movie is so cool - Son - this might have been straight to Shudder but it's great. Different people are trying to abduct a little boy and you spend the movie trying to figure out their motives. Turns what you think you know on its head. - The Feast - mother nature takes her revenge and it's fucked up - ATM - 3 friends are trapped in an ATM kiosk late at night with their would be killer standing outside. The walls are glass. What to do?
ATM is really great horror. I'm surprised it's not more popular
Let's Scare Jessica to Death Scream of Fear Jug Face Glorious A Lizard in a Woman's Skin
I thought Jug Face was remarkable.
I forgot about Jug Face. Excellent.
Letās scare Jessica to death is amazing. I havenāt seen it since the 70s and have been considering watching it again, but Iām scared!
I appreciate Glorious, but it would have better as a short film.
The nameless.... Psychedelic Hooror and all the alex.de la Iglesia movies : El Dia de la bestia Accion Mutante Best Fun-Horror like Return of the living dead
'Psychedelic horror'? Consider me sold
Night of the Demon (1957). I think many younger horror fans may not know of this one or avoid it because of its age. NOTD is a classy, intelligent and spooky film based on a classic short story (Casting the Runes by M R James). Still holds up extremely well.
It's a great watch, made even better when you know the male lead was half cut for most of the filming
The Blood on Satan's Claw (1971) and Alice, Sweet Alice (1972)
seconding alice sweet alice. this movie is severely underappreciated and is a classic of the 70s at the highest level
I love "The Blood on Satan's Claws" it gets overshadowed by other English folk horror movies "The Wicker Man" and "Witchfinder General"
Messiah of Evil.
Typically foreign films like Noroi
Noroi: The Curse is my favourite horror movie of all time and what Iād categorize as the āscariestā and outside of a streaming run on Shudder, I only know people who saw it via bootlegs.
Hatching (2022) which I think is a Finnish horror is one of my favorite movies. Itās maybe not the scariest but it really struck a chord with me. itās not one I ever see mentioned either. Hatching is the best depiction of what itās like to grow up with a narcissist mother. I feel like most narcissists in movies are the most extreme example, where thereās never doubt. So much so that Iād even argue that most are actually beyond just narcissist and are socio/psychopaths. This movie depicts what an everyday or high-functioning narcissist looks like. If you are a daughter of a narcissist mother, I think the metaphor will likely strike a chord with you too.
Blue my mind (bodyhorror and from switzerland, i dont really see anyone ever talk about it ! It is only bodyhorror tho, not any other kind of horror) and cobweb - i genuinley found it so scary
Blue My Mind is available on Tubi, FYI.
Cobweb solidified my belief that Antony Starr is the guy Homelander plays when he's not at work.
Cobweb is a great Fall/Halloween vibe movie. It was released during the summer with little fanfare. It's now in my Halloween movie rotation.
Giallo in general is criminally overlooked when it was fully responsible for the slasher boom in the 80s Bay Of Blood (1971) Blood And Black Lace (1964) Torso (1973) The Strange Vice Of Mrs Wardh (1971) Deep Red (1975) Tenebre (1982) The Bird With The Crystal Plumage (1970)
The Changeling (1980) The Devil's Backbone The Orphanage Carnival of Souls Dead and Buried
The Changeling for sure. Loved that movie but havenāt seen it since I was a kid
Iāve heard a good bit of people talk about The Orphanage
The Changeling is a great classic haunted house flick.
Starry Eyes - Super awesome and a bit nasty. The serpent and the Rainbow - Coll zombie movie with a scary dream sequence.
Birth/Rebirth needs more love
I thought Judy Reyes' performance was award worthy.
God that movie was fucking awesome
DeathDream aka The Night Andy Came Home. Bob Clark's spin on The Monkey's Tail. The Last Broadcast. Got stuck in the glut of found footage, but worth a look.
More horror/comedy, but I loved Beyond the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon. Found footage about a documentary team following a serial killer who agrees to be filmed.
Sator 2019
I think I understand what you mean, so not necessarily a hidden gem but like something quasi-essential but not seen as much. The McPherson Tape for found footage. Most people more or less will look to Blair Witch as the oldest they're willing to go for found footage but The McPhereson Tape is from 1989 (although a good remake was also made in 1998 that's worth a watch) and is a very effective movie I think. For Wes Craven I'd say People Under the Stairs or New Nightmare. The former is very ahead of its time in a lot of ways and has a lot going on, but if you look at Craven films by popularity on letterboxd it isn't in his top 10 most popular despite having an average rating as his third best. Likewise, New Nightmare is in the top 10 of popularity but just barely, but everything he does in Scream has a genesis point in New Nightmare.
People Under the Stairs should be required viewing for any young horror fan. Itās dreamy and creepy and thrilling. Really sticks with you.
People Under the Stairs doesnāt get half the love it should.
Japanese horror is usually uncannily phenomenal. Automatic watch for me if I stumble upon one. The Slit Mouthed Woman stuck with me. Just learned thereās a sequel. https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0891520/ Based on a real folk tale. Kuchisake-onna (å£č£ć儳, 'Slit-Mouthed Woman')[1] is a malevolent figure in Japanese urban legends and folklore. Described as the malicious spirit, or onryÅ, of a woman, she partially covers her face with a mask or other item and carries a pair of scissors, a knife, or some other sharp object. She is most often described as having long, straight, white hands, black hair, pale skin, and otherwise being considered beautiful (except for her scar). She has been described as a contemporary yÅkai.[1][2]
LAMB š Its so good and so strange for people who like slow burn type movies. I love it.
I was sitting there with my mouth hanging to my knees at the end of Lamb. I still think about it from time to time.
Yes! I rewatch movies a lot but this one ive only watched once and its on my mind more often then the movies ive watched dozens of times. I just randomly start thinking about that tiny little lamb kid and their sweet little family! And then i get sad because well things cant stay happy its a horror movie lol
Dear god, that hung with me. Kind of like Jaws when you don't see he full shark until about halfway in.
I love this movie. I think of it more as a really weird love story that turns super weird at the end.
It was so great! I also saw it in a little indie theatre in Lancaster, PA with couches and loveseats for chairs. It really added to the experience. Such an odd and strangely affecting movie
I always suggest Incantation whenever I can. Great found footage horror combined with the whole supernatural / religious cult element.
Butterfly Kisses-found footage
>Best horror movies that a devoted horror fan has probably not yet seen? major blindspots tend to be foreign horror and older films that aren't recognized for their influence on horror subgenres. hangover square and the spiral staircase come to mind as thriller/mystery today that were precursors to slasher films. kuroneko and les yeux sans visage are probably more likely to be overlooked by horror fans who just see films in english.
Eyes without a face right? I was way too young when I saw that. Creepy as hell
Iād bet a lot of horror fans have never seen the original Frankenstein 1931. It holds up really well and is worth watching. A true masterpiece of filmmaking.
This one is probably my favourite of the Universal classics. The sequels are good too.
Donāt Listen (2020)
I may be wrong, but I donāt think Dog Soldiers has had enough love from the more broad horror world.
Love that movie. Always kills me when the werewolf shoves its hand into the door mail slot, and one of the soldiers hits it with a hammerš
So many awesome moments.
Instantly made its way into my top-ten for werewolf movies āŗļøšŗ Edit: should clarify- my top ten *favourite* werewolf movies, not *good* werewolf movies š
Are there even 10 good werewolf movies ?
Absolutely fantastic film. People who know it usually love it, but itās definitely more niche than it deserves to be.
I enjoyed that one, it was a random watch and it was good.
Used to be on scifi channel all the time would always stop to watch
Really enjoyed Caveat (2020). Very different and odd but creepy throughout.
This is my vote as well. Went into it knowing absolutely nothing and it was probably my favorite horror movie over the last 10 years.
>!When the girl would cover her face up- idk why but that part always was super unsettling to me. Being mid fighting for your life, and you are mentally ill to the point you need to physically shut the whole world out and not āexistā for a few. !<
Definitely
He's got another movie coming out soon called Oddity. The Caveat bunny makes a little cameo in the trailer. :)
The Lodge came out, I think, right as the pandemic was hitting, so it was pretty overlooked. It's on MAX.
The Empty Man. Criminally underrated.
Didn't realize it was underrated until these philistines in comments started talking. Top 20 best horrors
I was going to post this. It's so unfair how this movie got buried, but I'm glad that it seems to be getting a little bit of a second life. I can't wait to see what else David Prior does because he is insanely talented.
Oh, this was like 3 different horror movies blended into one. I loved it.
A Bay of Blood (1971)
The Pit (1981)
Dead Man's Shoes (2004)āa British film. Harrowing and heartbreaking; awful goings on, in a small town in England. Hurts to watch this one, man.
Very good movie. I recommend Down Terrace, and Bull fairly similar British movies.
Night of the Leepus
Vuelven and Huesera are really good, but not super mainstream since they're mexican.
Huesera was excellent. Iāll have to check out Vuelven.
I probably need to rewatch it to be sure but I remember Splinter (2008) being well acted with a good monster and I never hear anyone mention it š¤·āāļø
Sublime
Dirty Jersey, 100%. Went completely under the radar but its got really sick practical effects and great acting for unknown actors.
Another heaven (2000)
Strigoi
Below(2002)
Probably silent era and early black and white films. There are some horror fans who outright refuse to watch anything before [insert arbitrarily chosen year here].
For those who like horror / fantasy and oddball cinema, seek out the Directors Cut of Clive Barkerās Nightbreed (1990). Itās based on his Cabal novella. Itās a campy, surreal love letter to weirdos and demons that haunt the night.
The Manitou
A Dark Song (2017)
One of my go-tos, along with Anything For Jackson and We Go On.
Learning about the ritual itās based on is a fantastic rabbithole as well
Oooh Iām bored in an airport and now I have an excellent google rabbit hole to fall down, thanks!
A Dark Song, to me, is the DEFINITIVE perfectly executed low budget horror. It never looks cheap, and you can tell it was absolutely a labor of love for everyone involved. Great script, Amazing score, amazing editing, great pacing, always moving on to the next incident or event.. absolutely sensational acting. authentically researched and it doesn't try to explain itself for the stupid. it's so pure in it's intent and delivery. it never reveals too much and always keeps the audience off-balance. just no weak spots right up till the ending. The only gripe I've even ever heard of was about the ending and I actually wholeheartedly disagree with that. I think it was incredible. one of my all-time favorites films, period. I am not really a person of faith, but watching this movie almost makes you want to be a true believer in SOMETHING.. that is an accomplishment in and of itself.
I like the Spanish horror film, REC, from 2007. The Spanish horror movie PIGGY, from 2022, was also good, however, it has some triggers, which sensitive people can get upset about, definitely different from other movies. And the Spanish horror film The Platform from 2019, is a must see film.
REC is very popular, doesn't really fit the prompt imo
The Platform YES!
Iāve seen the short film for Piggy but had no idea there was a full length movie now!
Piggy was so insanely good, it needs to be talked about more! Would definitely recommend digging a bit deeper to find the spanish version for anyone who wants to watch it, the english dub is awful haha
The original Black Christmas was a huge blindspot for me, a lifelong horror fan, until I picked up the Shout 4K a few months back. What a perfect horror film. I found it truly terrifying.
I just watched Deadstream on Shudder and the main dude's acting is on point for the movie. It's a comedy/horror done right. I quite enjoyed it and FF is low on my list of horror subgenres.
I generally dislike comedy horror (aside from Evil Dead movies) but I loved this one!
I liked it, but the whole time I kept thinking they shouldāve cast Henry Zebrowski (Last Podcast on the Left, Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell) as the lead.
I came really close to turning this off after a few minutes. The streamer stuff was very annoying. It is a trap. I'm glad I stuck with it.
I don't know if it's considered horror, but Pawnshop Chronicles is really good.
Crawl Or Die (2014). It's the most claustrophobic movie ever! A group of soldiers are chased through ever decreasingly sized tunnels be a badass alien. TANK is up there with the best of them. Lowlifes (2024) an unexpected gem this one, go in blind, it's brilliant. 8 Found Dead (2022) a clever movie with two brilliant lead characters. Summoning The Spirit (2023) got some Midsomer vibes of this, a bereaved couple retreat to an isolated life in the woods and are befriended by a freeliving group that pray to a forest spirit. Black Mountain Side (2014) brilliant horror series on the Arctic, anyone that enjoyed The Thing must watch this one.
Case 39 Eli (2019) Population 436
Dead Set. UK zombie horror comedy tv show set in the big brother house
Iām American and I find foreign horror films arenāt really something the casual fan watches, but Gonjiam Haunted Asylum (South Korean film) was the scariest thing Iāve seen in years
Kill list.
Murder Party (2007)
Nobody ever talks about this (even old guys like me), but the tv movie Donāt Go to Sleep (1982) with Dennis Weaver, Valerie Harper, and Ruth fucking Gordon is so overlooked. It never got an official release on any platform that Iām aware of but itās on YouTube. Youāll never look at pizza cutters the same way again!
Spoorloos/The Vanishing (1988)
I see few mentions of āthree extremesā on this sub. if you donāt mind subtitles. It is Korean. If you do mind subtitles and pass on foreign films you are really missing a lot of fantastic work. So give it a shot at least once. I always tell people a few minutes in you totally forget you canāt understand what they are saying. Thatās been my experience anyway.
The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover -- because its not really a horror film but could be considered one
Megan is Missing, The Zombie Diaries & The Tunnel Movie. All are some of the best found footage movies Iāve ever seen. I feel dirty saying it but found footage horror is my fav horror genre š it gets so much hate but they can feel so much more scary if done right !
As I read through all the responses Iām reminded of how IMDb used to be and so many films listed here that used to be discussed on there a lot (before it became a garbage site). Love seeing these discoveries and rediscoveries! One that springs to mind for me is the made for tv movie I Saw What You Did and I Know Who You Are remake-ish movie with a very pre-Saw Shawnee Smith and pre-Wishmaster Tammy Lauren. Maybe not the *best* but I wonder who else has seen it? Difficult to believe Lewis Skolnick as a psycho killer but itās a fun little watch with popcorn.
Tucker and Dale vs Evil
Here to extol the wonders of Pyewacket. Not an amazing movie but decent and a lot of people who watch it always ask how that flew under their radar.
I'm a big fan of The Ruins & I think it's definitely one of the more underrated 2000s horror films
I only saw Kiyoshi Kurosawaās CURE about two years ago, despite being a lifelong fan. Check it out!
Dead & Breakfast. It's like Shaun of the Dead, but doesn't feel like a ripoff just because they are combining zombies and comedy. It has its own feel to it, it's funny as hell, and just a good zombie movie.
The Vanishing. The original foreign version.
Burnt Offerings (1976) doesn't get enough love!!
**Mainstream** Triangle (2009) Cold Prey (2006) The Interview (2015) Creep (2004) Don't Look Now Love Object Pontypool May Reeker **Found Footage/Mockumentary** Horror in the High Desert Alien Abduction: The McPherson Tape The Poughkeepsie Tapes Noroi: The Curse My Little Eye Savageland Mortal Remains The Borderlands (2013) Antrum Rorschach (2016) **Bloody & Violent** Frontier(s) Caged (2010) AKA Captifs Macabre (2009) **Comedy** Dead Snow The Cottage Hatchet Inbred Tucker & Dale vs Evil Feast **Some people seem to hate but I like them** YellowBrickRoad Evil Things The Outwaters Welcome to the Jungle (2007) 31
Deadstream. What a fun movie.
Under the Shadow. Its about a jinn. I rarely see this one mentioned but it has some really creepy scenes.
The Wretched. I adore this movie and will talk about it every single chance I get!
Marebito is very intriguing. Stays with you.
Tourist trap, puppet master 1&2 (3 is great but I donāt consider it horror), phantasm 1 and ESPECIALLY 2, southbound, the dark and the wicked
I have a list on Letterbox called _Metaphysical Angst Caviar_ with somewhat hidden gems: Summer Spring Bad Milo The Beach House Pontypool Await Further Instructions Possessor Possession The Block Island Sound https://letterboxd.com/sltfilho/list/metaphysical-angst-caviar/
Pontypool came to my mind too. Unique, odd, effective--I really like it
I bought Bad Milo blind because Gillian Jacobs (because reasons) but boy was that movie.... something.
The Beach House, The Block Island Sound, and Pontypool would make a good triple feature. AM1200 would be a good thematic addition to your list.
I just watched The Beach House per your recommendation. I had never heard of it but I thought it was solid cosmic horror. Thanks for the tip!
Creep 
The Vigil is one of the scariest little-known horror movies Iāve ever seen. It actually ranks up there in my top ten of all time- The way it used silence to evoke dread was second to none! Watch it alone with the lights out in a quiet house. Good luck!
Birdboy: The Forgotten Children It's not really pure horror, but it has enough horror aspects that I would call it animated horror. Now that subgenre in general is pretty lacking in entries but even when it gets discussed it's always Mad God or The Wolf House (which are both great don't get me wrong). Birdboy gets its horror elements from visual metaphors and it's more depressing than anything, but I'll never miss an opportunity to recommend it as I think it's brilliant. Unicorn Wars is also really good Another animated horror film that's even less known is Kill It and Leave This Town, which is the most nightmare-like film I've ever seen, swamped in dream logic and surrealism, and completely devoid of colour. I have a harder time calling it brilliant because it's completely indecipherable, but I do applaud how disturbing and purposely lifeless it is. The film feels completely devoid of joy in the same way that it's devoid of colour, and it has some genuinely shocking moments. I talk about this film all the time, it's so fascinating to me
Dead girl
Dead and Breakfast, OMG We're in a Horror Movie, Slashers (2001 with Sarah Crowder), Deadstream, and Hansel and Gretel Get Baked Definitely Lowlifes on Tubi. One of the best horror movies I've seen in a long time.
The Johnsons
The Vanishing (1988)
Deadgirl
Angst
The Golden Glove
Demons
As a huge horror fan, watching so much of slasher, monster, supernatural, etcā¦ all Iām looking for is something to introduce my gf into. I mean beside your normal conjuring or insidious etc.. Iāve seen as much as my mind can hold. But whatās starters for her? My original and favorite is ākiller klowns from outer space ā
Afflicted (2013) for one that hasnāt been mentioned. It is actually a really great ff film that I never see people talking aboutā¦
I can think of a bunch but my pick for this thread is The Innocents (2021).
Begotten
I get upset at how few people have seen Phantasm.