With a host of classic horror films, and a wide array of original content as well, it's clear that Shudder has become the streaming home for iconic horror. However, the app also features a fair amount of deep cuts, and gives fans a chance to see movies that may have slipped under the radar.
From forgotten sequels like The Exorcist III, to foreign cult classics like Tetsuo: The Iron Man, horror fans of every stripe can always find something new to watch. While they may not be classics in their own right, many of Shudder's best hidden gems will scare the wits out of unsuspecting horror hounds.
Demon Wind (1990)
With 1980s and '90s nostalgia at an all-time high, many horror fans like to delve deep into the VHS generation to discover horror films that haven't been given their proper due. Demon Wind is the story of a young man named Corey who assembles his oldest friends to investigate the mysterious death of his grandparents.
Demon Wind starts as a mystery film but quickly becomes an epic monster mash as a demonic force begins to possess Corey's friends. With goopy special effects and a distinct '80s vibe, the film is as much fun as it is scary. Though it is a far cry from some of the scariest horror films of the 1980s, Demon Wind is nevertheless a fun slice of cheesy nostalgia.
Black Roses (1988)
Hair metal and horror films were all the rage in the late 1980s, and Black Roses represents a perfect mixture of the two cultural touchstones. The film follows the lives of the denizens of a small town who find themselves the victim of demonic hypnosis when an extremely popular rock band rolls into town.
Playing off of the classic parental fear of the corrupting influence of rock music, Black Roses pushes its concept to the absolute limits. The film features a fair amount of great music and it delivers a heaping helping of '80s cheese as well. On top of the simple plot, the film also showcases some interesting monster effects which help to elevate the story.
The Exorcist III (1990)
Years after the colossal failure of the second film in the franchise, The Exorcist III put author William Peter Blatty at the helm and attempted to right the course of the series. The story follows detective Kinderman as he investigates a series of murders that bear an eerie resemblance to a serial murder case he solved in the past.
Taking a hard left turn from the first two films, Exorcist III is essentially a slasher film with a supernatural twist. Veteran actor George C. Scott shines in one of his best roles, and the entire film has a spooky sense of dread. The film was handicapped by the fact that it carried the Exorcist name, and it most likely would have done much better if it had stuck with its original title of Legion.
Brain Damage (1988)
Cult horror director Frank Henenlotter shocked the world with his gritty monster masterpiece Basket Case, but in Brain Damage he got decidedly more cerebral. Brian wakes up one morning to find that a small worm-like creature has attached itself to his brainstem. While the creature provides Brian with a drug-like euphoria, it also needs to feed on human victims to survive.
Essentially an allegory for drug addiction, Brain Damage is by far the most thoughtful film in Henenlotter's catalog, and was certainly one of his most visually adventurous. The bulk of the movie is carried by the lead performances and the monster is deftly voiced by John Zacherle, one of the most influential horror hosts of all time.
The City Of The Dead (1960)
Sometimes all a horror film needs is atmosphere and it can send a chill down the audience's spine, and The City of the Dead has atmosphere in abundance. A college student travels to a mysterious Massachusetts town to research the history of witchcraft in the area. While there, she discovers more than she bargained for.
Though slow and deliberate, the film uses its short running time to build suspense and atmosphere until the viewer is practically perched on the edge of their seats. Horror icon Christopher Lee appears in a small role, but the real chills come from the creepy sets and foggy streets. While it is overshadowed by more groundbreaking 1960s horror films, The City of the Dead is nevertheless a chilling throwback to the golden era of fright films.
The Stepfather (1987)
Long before he made a splash on Lost, actor Terry O'Quinn terrified audiences in the underrated chiller The Stepfather. After brutally slaying his entire family, a man settles into his new identity with a new family. Meanwhile, his teenaged stepdaughter begins to suspect that he isn't who he claims to be.
Part family drama and part slasher film, The Stepfather defies the genre labels that are pressed upon it. O'Quinn is revelatory as Jerry and he switches between personas with frightening ease. Though the film isn't a mystery, it is still gripping to watch the stepdaughter slowly get closer to the truth until the films crescendos in a shocking climax.
Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989)
Horror means different things to different viewers, and Tetsuo: The Iron Man pushed the limits of what was possible in the genre. After running over a wounded man with his car, an unsuspecting businessman finds that he is slowly transforming into a metallic monster.
Featuring stark black and white photography and very little dialogue, Tetsuo challenges the viewer's assumptions. Surrealistic in its approach to storytelling, the strange body horror is reminiscent of the scariest films of David Cronenberg. Ultimately divisive, the film's horror is derived from its strangeness, and Tetsuo: The Iron Man was never going to be a first run feature which makes it the perfect hidden gem.
The Little Girl Who Lives Down The Lane (1976)
As far as child actors go, few delivered as constantly as future star Jodie Foster. In The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane Foster plays a 13 year old girl who lives alone in a large house, who seems to be harboring a dark secret.
Unconventional in its approach to horror, the audience slowly tries to piece together the little girl's secret. As the film progresses, she begins to form relationships with people in the town, and that further complicates her dark life. Though it isn't a typical horror film that is stuffed with blood and guts, The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane is still a creepy tale with a satisfying conclusion.
In The Mouth Of Madness (1994)
In the 1980s, director John Carpenter delivered some of the most iconic films of the decade, but in the '90s he began to make more under-appreciated films. In the Mouth of Madness follows an insurance investigator who travels to a small town to look into claims that a horror author's books have the power to drive readers mad.
Drawing heavily from the works of H.P. Lovecraft, In the Mouth of Madness is the most unique film in Carpenter's filmography. Anchored by a brilliant performance from Sam Neill, the film is a cerebral and mind-bending descent into madness that leads the viewer to question everything they see on screen. While it may not be one of Carpenter's most well-remembered films, it is certainly his most creative.
The Devils (1971)
Proving that history can be more frightening than any story dreamed up by a writer, The Devils plumbs the depths of time to deliver a horrifying true story. In the 17th century, a French priest is accused of witchcraft which leads to mass hysteria in the town of Loudon.
Light on conventional horror, The Devils is nevertheless a frightening portrait of the human mind in times of trouble. Oliver Reed is perfectly cast in the lead role, and the audience is left to watch as every shred of humanity is stripped away from the people as they descend into hysteria. The film is made doubly frightening by the fact that most of the story actually happened in real life.