Horror in the 1990s has a bad reputation. Many of the genre's fans will openly denounce the decade as being low on creativity and spunk. That is, until the advent of Wes Craven's Scream. Of course, anyone in the know, knows that horror in the '90s had many shining moments even before Ghostface appeared.
Amazon's streaming service Prime Video has an impressive horror catalog that is worth going through. If one's in the mood for underseen '90s horror, then this list is perfectly suited for them. Here are ten underrated titles available for streaming on Prime Video today.
Shakma (1990)
This simian slasher has a group of medical students trapped inside a school with the film's killer namesake. Shakma (also known as Panic in the Tower) has the eponymous hamadryas baboon being tested on by the characters. It is given an experimental drug that was meant to ebb aggression. In fact, it does the complete opposite. Soon enough, everyone is stuck in the medical school with the very angry Shakma.
The movie garnered negative reviews back then, but it's found a cult following today.
Fear (1990)
Ally Sheedy plays a celebrity psychic in this forgotten thriller. Her character has become famous for solving crimes using her supernatural ability. However, when she connects with a serial killer, she becomes more involved than ever before. Through his eyes, she witnesses his crimes as he does them. And, if she's not careful, she'll be his next victim.
The version of Fear available on Prime Video is a low-quality, full-screen release. However, viewers can stream IMDb TV's higher-quality, widescreen release through Prime Video, too.
Mirror, Mirror (1990)
Karen Black, Yvonne De Carlo, and Rainbow Harvest star in this little-known but well-liked supernatural revenge horror. Harvest portrays a social outcast who has just moved into a new house with her single mom. In her room, the teenager finds an antique mirror that holds a dark secret. Eventually, the teen girl's wishes are granted in the worst ways possible by a sinister force contained within the mirror.
There are three sequels: Mirror, Mirror II: Raven Dance (1994), Mirror, Mirror III: The Voyeur (1995), and Mirror, Mirror IV: Reflection (2000). The first two feature a young Mark Ruffalo; Raven Dance is also streaming on Prime Video.
Blood Salvage (1990)
Slasher schlock pervaded the early nineties and a certain kind of fan lives for it. Blood Salvage (also known as Mad Jake) toes the line between genuinely fun and so-bad-it's-good.
In this generally unheard-of, backwoods hack-'em-up flick, a twisted preacher named Jake abducts people right off the highway and harvests their organs for the black market. He then meets his match in the form of a certain young woman who refuses to be a victim.
Evil Ed (1995)
In the vein of other satirical horror movies like Braindead (or Dead Alive), this Swedish import pokes fun at the country's now-defunct censorship organization.
In Evil Ed, an everyman named Edward is a film editor. When he's assigned the job of editing a number of splatter movies, he succumbs to all the violent on-screen imagery and goes mad. Ed finally acts out his newfound, violent impulses.
Happy Hell Night (1992)
Puns run rampant in this amusing slasher that feels like a holdover from the 1980s. Sam Rockwell and Jorja Fox of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation have small parts in Happy Hell Night (also known as Frat Night). Like Prom Night IV: Deliver Us from Evil, a homicidal priest is the villain.
In 1963, a devilish priest slew several fraternity pledges after they broke into his family's crypt and performed dark magic. Years later, the priest escapes from a mental hospital and returns to complete his 'mission.'
Ticks (1993)
Seth Green of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame stars in this gross-out and low-budget creature feature. His character joins other teens at a youth campsite that so happens to be near a marijuana farm.
What happens next must be seen to be believed—the marijuana is laced with steroids to create larger products. It also turns normal ticks into blood-sucking monsters looking to feed on anyone in sight.
When a Stranger Calls Back (1993)
In the superior made-for-television sequel to the 1979 cult hit When a Stranger Calls, another young woman is harassed by a male caller. This time, however, the calls aren't necessarily coming from inside the house. Julia is babysitting in a strange house when a random man shows up, asking for help.
By the time Julia realizes he's out to harm her, it's too late. Years later, she's convinced the man has returned to finish what he started. Finally, Jill, the babysitter from the '79 movie, helps her kindred spirit overcome her trauma.
Disturbing Behavior (1998)
Sadly overshadowed by the similar movie The Faculty released around the same time, this 1998 teen horror never got the attention it deserved. The movie stars Katie Holmes (Dawson's Creek) and James Marsden (Sonic the Hedgehog).
In Disturbing Behavior, a teenager and his family all move to a new town, looking for a fresh start. The son cannot help but notice how the unruly students at his high school are suddenly acting differently. They're no longer delinquent or misbehaving. Rather, they're now upstanding and fall in line. This turnover is not at all natural as an overarching evil is brainwashing the town's youth.
The Last Broadcast (1998)
The Last Broadcast is said to be influenced by The Blair Witch Project, but this movie was conceived as early as 1993 and shot in 1997. Unfortunately, it was eclipsed by the aforesaid found-footage movie.
This mockumentary uncovers lost video of four men who ventured into the Pine Barrens to find the infamous Jersey Devil. Instead, only one of the men came out alive. The recovered footage is then pieced together to find out what happened inside those woods.