House of the Devil
Halloween is right around the corner—which means your October excuse to watch as many horror movies as humanly possible is wearing thin. And this weekend is one of your last weekends to indulge in the bloody, spooky genre.
But what if you’ve exhausted all your resources? What if you’ve watched all of the classics, all of your favorites, all of the newest horror movies to hit Netflix
Fortunately, that’s the beauty of the horror genre: you’re never done watching all of the great horror movies available. There are thousands upon thousands of options to choose from—including many that most people have never even heard of.
So that’s what we’ll cover in this article. Here are ten great horror movies that aren’t very popular but very much deserve your attention before the month of October ends.
The House of the Devil
Without a doubt, this is one of the best horror movies of the modern era. The House of the Devil comes from heralded auteur Ti West, who isn’t known to the mass population but is adored by horror addicts from around the globe. Perhaps his most appreciated effort to date, The House of the Devil follows Samantha, who takes a babysitting gig one night in order to make some extra cash. Unfortunately, as the movie title signals, she’s unknowingly entered into a satanic household where an evil ritual is planned to take place that night.
Here is where you can watch The House of the Devil.
Intruder
There's something so beautiful about the simplicity of a 1980s horror movie like Intruder that makes you wonder: why can't filmmakers pull this off anymore? This classic slasher owns a pretty bare-bones plot: a girl and her night-crew co-workers run and hide from a rampant killer that is loose in their grocery story. This slasher is bloody, gory fun, and finds plenty of creative ways to slice up its victims in a supermarket. Definitely not a film for those who shy away from blood.
Here is where you can watch Intruder.
Pulse
Japanese filmmakers have long approached the horror genre from a much different perspective than Americans. Their movies are often much quieter and more desolate—and in the case of Pulse: much, much scarier. A commentary on our technologically driven society, Pulse explores a ghostly force that has taken over the internet. The film stars three young residents of Tokyo who are trying to solve the mystery behind the ghostly visions that are seeping from their computer monitors. It's a smart, socially conscious film that doesn't ever forget about the scares.
Here is where you can watch Pulse.
Body Melt
This peculiar, offbeat effort comes from musician Philip Brophy—an Australian artist who has only made one feature-length movie during his incredibly interesting career. And Brophy created the hypnotic and enthralling score for the satirical Body Melt, in which he fully indulges in the body horror formula. The movie follows a mad scientist who has created a vitamin called Vimuville that causes horrific side effects in its subjects. In particular, this drug has infiltrated a contained suburb of Melbourne and wreaked havoc on its inhabitants. After two detectives discover the dastardly drug, they go on a hunt to discover the source of its production.
Here is where you can watch Body Melt.
The Town That Dreaded Sundown
Modern remakes of classic horror movies are often sketchy affairs. But every once in a while, you get a remake like The Town That Dreaded Sundown. In 2014, director Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa took the basic story of a relatively humble horror film from 1976 and gave it new life. The movie centers on a small town that’s being terrorized by a masked murderer known as the Phantom Killer. Many believed the maniac to be dead for decades—until he suddenly returns in modern times. The film manages to be stylish, meta, and interesting without ever sacrificing the genre pleasures we’ve grown to love around the Halloween season. Prepared to be scared!
Here is where you can watch The Town That Dreaded Sundown.
Slugs: The Movie
On one cold, dark, fateful October night years ago, I was sifting through some random old horror movies, trying to find something that seemed different and entertaining. After hours of duds and rejects, I finally found some golden treasure: a little film called Slugs: The Movie. This Spanish horror film comes from Juan Piquer Simón, who directed the equally crazy cult hit Pieces. Plain and simple: this 1988 gem is goofy, bloody fun. The movie focuses on a health inspector who stumbles upon some mutant killer slugs that have infested the sewers, and...well, honestly, that's about all you need to know. This is definitely one you can enjoy (and laugh at) with friends.
Here is where you can watch Slugs: The Movie.
Event Horizon
Here’s a horror movie that's positioned within the sci-fi genre. Event Horizon comes from visionary Paul W.S. Anderson, who has made a career of bringing his unique stylistic flourishes to genre films. This movie follows a team that is sent to investigate a spacecraft that had disappeared years earlier...but suddenly reappears. The reason why the ship has shown back up alludes the characters for most of the film—and that reason will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time.
Here is where you can watch Event Horizon.
The Seventh Curse
If you haven't heard of this one, I wouldn't be surprised, as The Seventh Curse only has 792 ratings on IMDB. But this pretty insane film might just be the craziest, coolest, most entertaining horror horror movie that you've never seen. The movie follows young cop who attempts to rescue a girl from being sacrificed to the "Worm Tribe." As a result, the cop is damned with seven "Blood Curses" that burst through his leg periodically. Mixing the outlandish Chinese action choreography that became famous in the 1980s with incredibly impressive special effects, this is a "horror" movie that just about anybody could enjoy.
Here is where you can watch The Seventh Curse.
Deathdream
An under-appreciated indie horror film from Bob Clark (who also directed the cult favorite Black Christmas), this early take on zombies also becomes a commentary on war. Deathdream (also known as Dead of Night) follows a soldier who was presumed dead...but then suddenly reappears at his home. His parents are happy, but soon—as his behavior becomes more and more strange—tensions arise within the family. This is a great film for anyone looking to witness the early stages of indie horror.
Here is where you can watch Deathdream.
Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II
Movies just don’t get more fun than this! Basically playing with the John Hughes formula, Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II takes all the insecurities one carries in high school and blows them up to fantastical, bloody proportions. The movie starts on a high school senior who wins the prom queen crown—only to be murdered at prom! Thirty years later, her ghost decides to terrorize the school. And don’t worry: you don't need to see the first Prom Night to appreciate the sequel. Just get ready for a rollicking good and spooky time.
