Halloween is right around the corner, and with it comes the usual traditions of carving pumpkins, trick-or-treating and attending Athens’ annual block party. However, no tradition conjures up the scary feelings of the spooky season better than putting on a horror movie.
The abundance of horror movies made available through streaming platforms has made choosing the perfect horror film a hassle. While choosing to rewatch the classic slashers and supernatural thrillers can seem exciting, the vast variety of overlooked films in the genre can offer a fresh experience full of frights and scares.
So, here are five underrated horror films to watch this Halloween:
“Jack Frost” (1997)
For fans looking for a more comedic watch this Halloween, the absurdly crude “Jack Frost” may be the right choice.
Director Michael Cooley brings a campy take on a story involving the snowman of many childhoods known as Jack Frost. The film follows the titular serial killer after the vehicle transporting him to his execution crashes. The accident results in his body fusing with chemicals, transforming him into a mutated snowman who aims to enact revenge on those who locked him away.
Despite the low-budget movie being bashed by critics, “Jack Frost” provides an amusing watch for people looking to avoid gruesome death scenes and violence. Instead, the film sports an array of cheap one-liners and jokes that are sure to excite fans of silly dark comedies.
“Hush” (2016)
Mike Flanagan may be a name known to many Netflix-watching horror enthusiasts thanks to a few prominent series, such as “Midnight Mass” and “The Fall of the House of Usher” on the platform. However, it is his 2016 slasher film “Hush” that has become his most overlooked project.
Set in the woods, “Hush” builds tension with every interaction between protagonist Maddie (Kate Siegel) and her tormentor, a masked stranger. The lack of dialogue within the film creates a more suspenseful atmosphere for viewers, as they root for Maddie’s fight against the film’s antagonist.
With stellar performances from the cast and Flanagan behind the scenes, the film is the perfect thriller for fans itching for a scare.
“Funny Games” (1997)
“Funny Games” (1997) is a mind-altering, psychological horror film written and directed by Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke. The film centers on a family being held hostage by two cruel young men at their holiday home in Austria.
Haneke presents a genre-breaking film throughout its 109-minute runtime because of its focus on breaking the fourth wall and blurring fiction with reality. “Funny Games” provides a compelling yet slow-developing story that pays off with its sharp plot twist near the end.
“Cube” (1997)
Despite premiering seven years before the influential “Saw” (2004), the independent horror film “Cube” (1997) is a true testament to horror’s subgenre of trap and escape room-themed films.
Highly conceptual and science fiction inspired, “Cube” puts six individuals inside an ever-changing maze of connected blocks rigged with lethal traps. It is an intellectually gripping and well-constructed film with a satisfying conclusion to its constructed mystery.
“In Fabric” (2018)
The 2018 British horror comedy “In Fabric” may be the perfect film for fans looking for a unique ghost story or a captivating slow burn.
“In Fabric” is an experimental, absurd and subtly comedic look at the destruction a haunted dress causes the unfortunate consumers who mistakenly purchase it. The film’s vintage aesthetic and unnatural atmosphere pair well with its emphasis on the odd curiosity surrounding the central dress.
If you’re looking for a more inventive style of filmmaking for a Halloween viewing, then “In Fabric” may be the right choice.
