Welcome to the eighth annual (And Happy 10th Birthday to Horror Habit!!) mega list of movies you may have missed! Hurrah for more movies, movies and lists!
So, without further ado and to welcome in this year's October Challenge, I present:
50 Horror Movies You May Have Missed (vol. 8)
: In the mood for a charming, little black-and-white film about falling in love with a ghost? Well look no further! Sweet, clever, succinct and well developed - this film is perfect for a delightful night in. Pairs with wine and construction projects.
: Here a guy is thinking back to the best times with his girl - gushy, cute, loving memories - after she suddenly disappeared. I was all, "yeah yeah, move on" with their cuddle sessions on a hammock, because there's also A MONSTER THAT ATTACKS THE HOME EVERY NIGHT! I Love This Film! Read more in my review
.
Alien Predator aka The Falling (1986): I'm not entirely sure what this movie had planned for itself but it came out looking a lot like a conglomeration of several different iconic films. I'll leave it at that. But the end result is a hilariously entertaining and alarmingly solid creature feature. Read more in my review
here.
Alleluia (2014): Folks, this film is a nightmare view into 100% - no question - absolutely - soul crushing look into a wild and dangerous world of an outrageously unhealthy relationship. This film is beautiful! Horrifyingly beautiful! A slow but calculated walk into the rotting stench of obsessive madness and mental illness. Read more in my review
here.
Alone (2020): This grieving woman just wants to take a quiet road trip into the woods, alone. Alone that is, until a man with the typically (comically) large serial killer glasses crosses her path... Tense, little dialogue, and a roller-coaster of emotions, this film is a good pick for a cold, chilly evening. Pairs with food and drink using camping gear. Set up tent.
Armistice aka War House (2013): A solider awakes, trapped in a house full of monsters that he has to battle every day while also trying to understand why he's trapped. This is a rough look into madness and arguably about PTSD. Not a film for everyone. It's heady and hard to watch at times.
Be My Cat: A Film For Anne (2015): A found footage film about a man who just wants Anne Hathaway to play as a cat in his film. You know, harmless stuff, just a simple request... NOTHING WEIRD HERE... Pairs with Romanian dishes.
The Believers (1987): Oh you know, just Martin Sheen getting wrapped up in a cult that kills children... annnnnd it was watched 'religiously' by the murderous cult founded by
Adolfo_Constanzo.
Belle de Jour (1967): Here we have a lovely and adored (but bored) wife discovering her kinky sexuality. So she takes up sex work in a brothel. What could go wrong? This is a beautifully filmed story, it's stunning, actually. Haunting, troubling, and beautiful. This one sticks with you for a long time.
Brain Damage (1988): A nice young man wakes up one day with a creature attached to his body. This talking creature gives him a truly euphoric experience that he constantly needs more and more of and the creature needs sacrifices to feed on... a VERY telling story on addiction if you ask me.
The Brain (1988): Brainwashing in action! This brain even eats people (among other things)! Here we have a classic, classic '80s B-movie that will be a perfect fit for a pizza and beer evening with friends.
Cast A Deadly Spell (1991): This is simply a very strange and often confusing film on many levels - it feels like an alien trying to walk around in a human suit. There is an especially frightening creature that pops out of a cooking pot though! Bonus points there. In all, I had a lot of sighs but also a lot of, WTAF (can't look away). Probably best watched in a group and on a lazy afternoon. Pairs with whiskey drinks and ... that's probably about it. Read more in my review
here.
Communion (1989): What do you think would happen if Christopher Walken goes out to a family cabin in the woods and encountered aliens? Well, you'll find out here with this film! This film surprised me for many reasons but it's Christopher Walken that surprised me the most - which is a surprise in itself because it's Christopher Walken.
Devil Dog: The Hound of Hell (1978): This one smells like a spin-off of The Omen, and I didn't care at all. Here we have a dog that is actually a part of the Devil, and as a cute looking pup, moves in with a lovely family ... and then begins to possess the family. This is a fun film for a weird afternoon.
The Devil-Doll (1936): Here we have a wild, wild, story about a revenge and killer dolls. From the 1930's!! Naturally, the story is brought to us by the morbid and menacing genius of
Tod Browning. This is a perfect fit for a chilly late night, curled up under the blankets and with a warm cup of tea or a fine wine.
Down a Dark Hall (2018): Ah yes, another spooky girl's boarding school tucked away in the woods. Sign Me Up! This is what you expect - a difficult teen girl is sent away only discover she's surrounded by evil - and also not what you expect in the end. This is a fine choice for a quiet night in with something simmering on the stove. Pairs with drama.
Eaten Alive (1976): OH HELL YEAH!
Tobe Hooper brings us another insane redneck family and it's not looking good for the travelers who stumble upon this family's home. Here we have cannibalism, alligators, and just utter chaos. I love it. Crack open that beer and settle in for a wild ride.
Eating Raoul (1982): This film took me by complete surprise. Not only is it devilishly funny, it's a fun ride - while watching all the murders. In short, a sexual assault leads to mayhem and business deals (gone wrong.... or has it?). Best watched in a hilarious outfit.
Eyes of Fire (1983): Looking for a little different type of folk horror? Well, look no further! This is a creeping, crawling, quiet film that will require your entire attention. Best watched on an awkward evening and with strange food you were always curious to try.
Fear (1996): This film follows a teen who, with her friend, run into some "bad boys" and sparks fly between them all. Sparks may fly out of defiance or an honest to goodness blind view of the world, or, more likely as the movie suggests, a distorted view of what love really means. Pairs with backup, a packed bag, and security systems. Best watched when ready. Read more in my review
here.
Friday The 13th Part III (1982): Folks, all you need to know is that this is the film where Jason obtains his famous hokey mask. That's it. If you haven't seen it yet - drop everything and watch it now.
Good Time (2017): Folks, it should come as no surprise that this film is not a good time. It's a roller-coaster of chaos, anxiety, and cringe. There is one scene in particular at the very end that still haunts me. Here we have a botched bank robbery and the madness that ensues trying to fix it. Pairs with whiskey.
The Haunted (1991): Based on the book, The Haunted: One Family's Nightmare by Ed and Lorraine Warren, Robert Curran, and Jack and Janet Smurl, this story follows the Smurl family and the nightmares endured in their haunted duplex. Not a new premise and it has all the classic haunting situations, but this is legit a fascinating tale, regardless if you believe in ghosts or not. Read more in my review
here.
Hellbender (2021): Here we have a teen girl, being a rebellious teen girl, and all her mother is trying to do is keep her from understanding her full potential for MURDER. A fun, gruesome, film, but my favorite part is that it's made (and acted) entirely by real life mother, father, and daughter.
The Honeymoon Killers (1970): One of the original films based on real-life murderers Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck (see also the other film listed here, Alleluia) - this is a gritty and incredibly difficult look into toxic relationships. A rough, devilishly beautiful, and uncomfortable ride.
The House That Jack Built (2018): Well, here we have a serial killer that's just trying to build a house (sort of). Things, naturally, go terribly, terribly wrong as he navigates his history and his victims. An interesting look into psychopathic behavior and a murderer's attempts to rationalize the behavior.
Last Night in Soho (2021): Folks. I. Love. This. Film. LOVE IT! Look, all this girl wants to do is be a fashion designer, and when she's accepted to an exclusive school in Soho, her heart and mind is taken over by visions of a mysterious woman from the 1960's. Fashion plans do not go as planned. Pairs with martinis and rage.
Marrowbone (2017): In this story sibling are trapped together in a spooky old mansion, out in the woods, armed and ready to go to war their #1 threat: Their Father. Things are already dark in this twisted tale and they get darker, terribly so. There is so much charm and kindness in this shadowy story, making the unraveling of it all the more shocking. Read more in my review
here.
Mom (1991): Oh what fun, what fun. Mom is a werewolf! Seriously folks, this is an underrated fun one. A sweet, little old lady takes kindly to a stranger and whoops, he's a werewolf! That's about all you need to know. Pairs with friends, cheep beer, and ridiculously unhealthy food.
Ms. 45 (1981): Here we have a young, mute woman who it attacked not once, but twice in one day as she's just going about her world, living her best life. Her being mute is a VERY interesting aspect and you'll have to watch until the itty bitty end to see how much of an impact her not being able to speak, actually speaks to the focus of the story and the film's message. Read more in my review
here.
The Old Dark House (1932): Oh, hold on to your butts, folks - we have a classic whodunit! Several folks get trapped in a storm and retreat to the nearest shelter: An Old Dark House and there is something sinister lurking inside! Pairs with a chilly, dark night, fully lounging, wine, and maybe wear something satin.
The Outsider (2020): Looking to binge something spooky and supernatural?! WELL ... be sure to check this out! It's a mini series that is drenched in sinister and brutal mayhem. Note, however, it involves the murder of children. It's a tough watch and alarmingly well done.
Point of Terror (1971): Oh my oh my! Ready for a steamy, stinks of cigarettes and regret, murder mystery from the 1970's? Yeah you are. Sultry and deadly, this is a great choice for an evening when you've run out of f*cks to give and drinking straight out of the bottle.
Prison (1987): Well, well, well - what do we have here. Ghostly revenge in a prison? Indeed we do. Bonus, a little bit of
Viggo Mortensen. In all, this is a salty slasher that was just begging for trouble when the cursed prison was reopened and being run by a corrupt man. A fun choice for a movie night with friends looking for classy trash TV.
Race With The Devil (1975): This is a thrilling film! Honestly, I wasn't expecting to find a story about an RV tearing top speed through tumbleweeds and dirt piles to be so exciting. IT IS! In all, this is an overall menacing fun film with a Mad Max feel. Excellent choice for a late movie night. Read more in my review
here.
The Raking (2017): Here we have a film inspired by Creepy Pasta stories. You know, I wasn't expecting much from this one but it actually surprised me. Of course we have a bunch of college kids wandering in to the wild and terrible things happen. Of course we do. But this monster is The Rake - which is a pretty frightening creature. Zone out in odd delight here.
The Reflecting Skin (1990): A fantasy story about a young boy who suspects his free-spirited older neighbor is a vampire. Folks, to be very honest, I didn't particularly like this film but it is an Experience that I will always advocate for. This film is certainly someone's taste even if it's not mine. An artsy, uncomfortable film.
Saint Maud (2019): This film exudes the smell of rot, mold, decay, and salt water. Dingy surroundings, small town drama, and the dying world of a once celebrated woman crawls across your skin like a thick salve. This salve suffocates though, instead of healing. I absolutely agree with some of the reviews calling this film mesmerizing. Read more in my review
here.
She Waits (1972): Here we have a recently remarried man bring his second wife home to meet Mother and see the family estate. But! There’s a deep secret buried within the walls of this home - a ghost guarding the mysterious death of the man’s first wife… YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS Hell Yeah! Read more in my review here.
Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers (1988): Oh hell yeah. You know what you're getting here. You Know!! Especially if you've seen the ending of the first Sleepaway Camp... we'll, we're back for round two of teens being slaughtered in some camp madness. Just sit down, crack open a beer, gather you're friends and get ready for the entertainment.
Slugs (1988): KILLER SLUGS! KILLER SLUGS! I repeat: KILLER SLUGS! OMG
Spirits of the Dead (1968): A Gothic anthology surrounded by some of Edgar Allan Poe stories. Dreamy, sultry, and surreal - according to the IMDB page, the tag line is "The ultimate orgy of evil". I don't know about that but it's certainly worth checking it out at least once, particularly on a lazy day, draped in your finest lounge wear.
Stalking Laura aka I Can Make You Love Me (1993): Based on the true story of a woman who was stalked by her co-worker, this is a very very very troubling film simply because this SHIT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. Get the f*ck out of here, you psychopathic and pathetic men who don't understand why a woman isn't interested in you. Go on now, 'git! And get yourself some gaddam therapy.
Studio 666: Oh Foo Fighters, I love you. This is a charming little horror slasher - and I will stick to the initial thoughts I had when I walked out of the theater after seeing this film: This movie is a Love Letter to all the band mates, fans, and well - frankly, everyone. This blood bath is a love letter. :)
Tales from the Dim (2015): Here we have a collection of animated short stories, drenched in blood and guts, where everyone dies horribly. Simple, bloody, I loved it. Gross, gross, gross - funny - gross animation. It seems these cartoons started as an internet series but now it can be seen on at least a Roku TV! I love this little collection, and it's perfect for a weekend afternoon break. Read more in my review
here.
Unfriended (2014): I watched this right after the COVID lock-down kicked in. I thought it was going to be cheeky, a original found footage film, but you know what - I think after COVID, and all the Zoom meetings, etc - this one hits a little bit different. Certainly worthy of a view at least once.
Unmasked Part 25 (1988): Here we have a serial killer [cough, cough - a famous one - cough] who has fallen in love and is questioning his purpose in life. Should he really continue slaughtering fun-loving teens? Review more in my review
here.
Valentine (2001): The early 2000's slashers are their own flavor. Not at all like the '70s, quite a bit different from the '80s, and even in the '90s they have their own distinction. I really wasn't expecting much from this one but it honestly surprised me and it's a bit of a gory, moral, ride. Nice fit for a late night movie night in bed.
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? (1972): Oh I love these films so much! So bitter, so raw, so wrong, so delicious. I don't know if it's my perimenopause talking but I dig these f*cking films. They're nuts! Here we have an unhinged woman who becomes obsessed with a little girl from the orphanage. This little girl has a brother who is not going to let her out of his sight. Chaos ensues.