There are endless scares to be had! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for yet ANOTHER list of underseen and undervalued films from the world of horror.
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00:00 "That house is not fit to live in."
00:02 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for yet another list of underseen
00:08 and undervalued films from the world of horror.
00:11 We'll probably be divulging some important plot points, so a spoiler alert is in effect.
00:16 "Now I don't know who's dead or alive. I'm sick of killing."
00:21 Number 20. The Wailing.
00:24 This movie delves into a number of different genres, from occult horror to police procedurals
00:29 to classic zombie cinema. Yet this modern horror classic also manages to feel even more expensive
00:35 than those solid influences. The Wailing takes audiences into a universe of mysticism,
00:40 leading into an almost unpenetrable darkness. Director Na Hong-jin constructs a bleak narrative
00:46 here, together with more cerebral dialogues on grief, superstition, and real-world evil.
00:52 The Wailing asks a lot of questions, and the answers it gives may not exactly leave you
00:56 feeling good about how the world works, but you will never forget the experience.
01:01 Number 19. Lake Mungo.
01:13 "Palmers were really doing it tough at that time. I think of how bad it was back then.
01:19 It's hard to imagine how much worse they would get."
01:24 There have been a number of horror films that utilize the grieving process as a backdrop for
01:28 their stories. Don't Look Now is a classic example of this, while 2008's Lake Mungo feels
01:34 somewhat like kin to that 70s shocker, with a solid update to that central dramatic theme.
01:39 The found footage style utilized within Lake Mungo doesn't feel cheap or out of place,
01:43 but instead serves to ramp up the drama and service the story. The unbelievable tragedy
01:49 that befalls the family in this film makes it easy to connect with all of the docudrama
01:53 elements at play, and the overall creepiness of Lake Mungo still gives us chills.
01:58 Number 18. The Black Cat.
02:07 This collaboration between horror icons Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi may not be
02:21 as well known as Dracula or Frankenstein, but it could be argued that The Black Cat
02:25 is actually as significant. There's a wealth of stylistic influence here from German Expressionism,
02:31 while Lugosi and Karloff's respective performances certify their greatness as masters of their craft.
02:36 The Black Cat possesses a malevolent atmosphere and enduring haunting sense of grandeur.
02:41 This is golden age horror polished to gleaming perfection,
02:45 with a surprising bite that made it subversive and boundary-pushing for its day.
02:50 "Heh heh heh, that's what I'm going to do to you now.
02:53 Tear the skin from your body. Slowly, bit by bit."
03:00 Number 17. The Hitcher.
03:02 Certain classic films will never be eclipsed by remakes. This stunning 1986 original stars
03:14 Rutger Hauer in one of his grisliest and most memorable roles as a demented hitchhiker who
03:18 relentlessly stalks a young man played by C. Thomas Howell. Howell and his co-star Jennifer
03:23 Jason Leigh are more than a match on screen for Hauer, and it's the nerve-wracking push and pull
03:28 that serves as the crux of The Hitcher. This horror film is pure tension personified, and it's
03:34 Hauer's obsessive performance that's burned into our collective subconscious forever as a good
03:39 reason to never pick up a hitchhiker. Number 16. Dead and Buried.
03:54 A film is only as good as its script, and 1981's Dead and Buried had a baffo
04:08 screenwriting team in the form of Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett. Their creativity within the
04:13 confines of genre cinema shines once again with this film, as it did with Alien. Dead and Buried
04:18 at once feels both nostalgic and current. On the one hand, the body-snatcher tropes going on within
04:24 the small town of Potter's Bluff feel indebted to horror's old school. The gruesome special
04:28 effects, however, are most definitely straight out of the Monster Kid playbook. As a result,
04:33 Dead and Buried feels timeless, the sort of film that continues to offer rewards for those who
04:38 discover its quirky charms. Number 15. Saint Maude.
04:50 You gotta hand it to director Rose Glass. Saint Maude was a successful and impressive
04:59 feature-length debut for a filmmaker who seems destined for more greatness. Horror fans flocked
05:04 to Saint Maude and its tale of a caregiver who may be losing her grip on reality. Some of the
05:09 best horror films adapt real-world situations or struggles and lay them out against a tableau of
05:14 the fantastic. Saint Maude delves deep into religious fanaticism and accompanies the theme
05:20 with striking visuals. Glass's direction here feels purposeful and assured, and we can only
05:26 hope she continues on this successfully creative path on future films.
05:30 Number 14. Stage Fright.
05:43 A number of the films on this list are Italian, and that is for good reason.
05:56 Stage Fright is only one of the films that sprang out of Italy's horror industry supernova during
06:01 the 1970s and 80s. Director Michele Soave was a uniquely creative voice within Italian horror,
06:07 and his amazing imagination permeated films like Stage Fright. Here, the well-worn slasher tropes
06:13 are given new life by the completely bonkers idea of giving the killer a giant owl mask to wear.
06:19 Additionally, the murder set pieces are unrepentantly graphic and sleazy, reveling in
06:24 the red stuff in a manner Italian filmmakers became known for. Add to this a throbbing score
06:30 by Simon Boswell, and you have a recipe for a Mediterranean horror feast.
06:34 Number 13. The Golem.
06:51 Golems, creatures from Jewish folklore, have appeared now and again in film throughout the
06:56 years. Michael Mann's The Keep comes to mind, as does the series of silent horror films that
07:01 bore the creature's name back in the 1920s. This titular golem from 2018, however,
07:06 successfully adapts the golem's origin story from a man-made monster into something with far more
07:11 emotional resonance. Here, themes of parenthood and marital strife are counterbalanced against
07:17 scenes of horror and violence, yet the golem never feels heavy-handed. If anything, it's
07:22 quite the opposite, and this is a horror film with a lot of worthwhile emotional layers.
07:27 Number 12. A Bay of Blood.
07:44 We return to Italy for our next pick, a fine example of how that country's jalo-genre of
07:49 graphic murder mysteries went on to influence the American slasher scene.
07:53 Scenes from 1971's A Bay of Blood would be essentially lifted by movies like Friday the
07:58 13th Part II, like the sequence involving an amorous couple who are attacked while in bed.
08:03 Director Mario Bava was already a film legend prior to helming A Bay of Blood, yet it would
08:08 be this film's intense levels of violence that would earn him true international infamy.
08:13 There are no heroes here, only victims for the body count. A Bay of Blood is a frenzied
08:19 whodunit that pushed some serious boundaries in '71, and remains relevant viewing today.
08:24 Number 11. A Tale of Two Sisters.
08:42 Horror fans in North America have long sought out imported shockers from Europe,
08:46 Asia, and beyond, all to receive a properly balanced cinematic diet. A Tale of Two Sisters
08:52 was one of the earlier examples of South Korean horror that made crossover headway overseas,
08:56 however, and was a critical and commercial cult classic. The film is a ghost story, sure,
09:01 but A Tale of Two Sisters also knows how to dance around genre conventions to hit its own creative
09:06 beats. There's a lot of darkness here, a tragic tale that isn't for those seeking out easy
09:11 answers or happy endings tied up in a bow. Instead, A Tale of Two Sisters presents a
09:16 psychologically messy family drama with an extra side helping of supernatural scares.
09:21 Number 10. Tales from the Crypt.
09:37 The horror anthology has always been a great medium with which to tell a variety of stories.
09:49 The original Tales from the Crypt from '72 is arguably one of the best of these,
09:53 and packs some serious star power. Joan Collins, Peter Cushing, Patrick McGee, and more all lend
09:59 their talents to this wonderfully creepy anthology full of thematic schadenfreude for those who face
10:04 the Crypt Keeper, played by Ralph Richardson. These are mini morality plays with the sort of
10:09 classy execution that was a hallmark of British horror in the 1970s. There is no doubt that Tales
10:15 from the Crypt is some of the best horror ever produced by the UK.
10:18 Number 9. Kwaidon.
10:32 Tales from the Crypt isn't the only awesome horror anthology film on this list. Kwaidon
10:47 hails from Japan and was released back in 1964, yet it still possesses some seriously scary staying
10:53 power decades later. Scary, that is, if you can get past just how gorgeous this film looks.
10:59 The cinematography, set design, and visual style of Kwaidon are sumptuous and impossible to forget.
11:05 At the same time, its tales of terror bring to the screen stories that are ghostly morality
11:10 tales with plenty of spooky visuals. Kwaidon is a film that is astonishingly atmospheric,
11:15 and guaranteed to put you in the Halloween spirit. Just be sure to start this one late
11:20 at night when the moon is full. Number 8. The Burning.
11:35 The 1980s were a halcyon decade for the slasher movie, particularly during its earliest years.
11:49 The Burning may not be spoken of as often as its peers, but there are more than enough elements
11:54 here to make it worth your time. For starters, there is the presence of future stars Jason
11:58 Alexander and Holly Hunter, appearing here in the infancy of their careers. Additionally,
12:03 the special effects from Tom Savini are off the charts in terms of execution,
12:08 particularly on the infamous raft scene. Meanwhile, Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman
12:13 delivers a wonderful score that's quirky and creepy in equal measure, and the ending,
12:18 Buck's final girl slasher convention. Number 7. In the Mouth of Madness.
12:32 Director John Carpenter is lauded for films like Halloween and The Thing, and rightfully so.
12:46 However, fans would be wise not to sleep on some of his later work, including this banger from
12:51 1994. In the Mouth of Madness is Carpenter indulging in some seriously occult Lovecraftian vibes,
12:57 but doing so with his own inimitable flair. The question of fantasy versus reality is very
13:03 present, as In the Mouth of Madness revolves around the works of fictional horror novelist
13:07 Sutter Cain. Answers here aren't exactly clear-cut, and Carpenter's film has a great time going off
13:13 the deep end in terms of atmosphere, excitement, and impressive visuals. In the Mouth of Madness
13:18 is a must-watch. Number 6. Demons.
13:39 There are few Italian horror films from the 1980s that possess as much sinful glee as
13:44 1985's Demons. Director Lamberto Bava had this stuff in his blood, since his dad was the
13:50 aforementioned maestro Mario Bava. Demons is substantially more popcorn fare than much of
13:55 the elder Bava's work, but this is in no way a slight. In fact, this is one of the reasons why
14:01 Demons is so successful. It keeps plot points and extraneous locations to a minimum, setting up the
14:06 story where people are locked inside of a movie theater full of bloodthirsty creatures. Demons is
14:12 heavy metal horror turned up to the max, with insane special effects and a pace that never lets up.
14:18 It is pure escapist pleasure. Number 5. Don't Torture a Duckling.
14:31 Don't Torture a Duckling is very different than Demons stylistically, despite being produced in
14:46 the same country. Director Lucio Fulci was often referred to as Italy's "Godfather of Gore,"
14:52 but this film proves that the man certainly was not defined by this moniker. Instead,
14:56 Don't Torture a Duckling tackles small-town persecution, religious fanaticism, murder,
15:01 and abuse in perhaps the bleakest manner possible. Fulci's direction is strong and stylish, but never
15:08 at the expense of the story. Meanwhile, Florinda Volcan's performance is at once both tragic and
15:13 mesmerizing, helping elevate Don't Torture a Duckling towards the apex of Italy's horror pantheon.
15:19 Number 4. The Changeling.
15:28 Are you looking for a slow-burn, creepily atmospheric horror film to keep you warm
15:40 on those cold winter nights? Then might we suggest The Changeling from 1980?
15:45 This Canadian horror film is often cited as one of the country's best international horror
15:50 offerings, and with good reason. Newer generations have been discovering this spook show, and becoming
15:56 captivated by its story and performances. George C. Scott in particular shines in the lead role,
16:01 as a grieving man who moves into a house that may or may not be haunted. John Russell lost everything
16:08 after the untimely deaths of his wife and child, and The Changeling channels this loss to charge
16:12 nearly every frame with melancholy, beauty, and yes, fear.
16:17 Number 3. Cemetery Man.
16:28 Cemetery Man is yet another film from Michele Soave to make our list,
16:40 a testament to the director's timeless power. This flick may be Soave's crowning achievement
16:45 as a filmmaker, and proof that Italian horror still had something to say during the 90s.
16:50 The film stars a young Rupert Everett as a cemetery caretaker who keeps having to take
16:54 care of the annoying living dead who rise from their tombs every night. Soave injects Cemetery
16:59 Man with sexuality, violence, and an anarchic sense of humor that goes a long way in keeping
17:04 this film unlike anything you've likely ever seen. Additionally, can we just say that it
17:09 also includes what just has to be the greatest Grim Reaper ever committed to film?
17:13 Number 2. Opera.
17:38 Dario Argento was already well-established as a horror icon prior to directing opera in 1987.
17:44 The director's groundbreaking work with films like Deep Red and Suspiria helped cement Italy
17:49 as an international voice for genre cinema. Yet opera proves that Argento still had plenty of gas
17:54 left in the creative tank. Graphic murders are taking place within an opera house that's gearing
17:59 up for a high-profile production of Macbeth. What does this have to do with Mara Chacova,
18:04 and why is she being forced to watch? The answers aren't so simple, and honesty takes a backseat to
18:10 all of the wild and crazy set pieces that make opera such idiosyncratic viewing. This one may
18:15 be one of Argento's most unhinged works. Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel
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18:31 occasional videos or all of them. If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings
18:36 and switch on notifications. Number 1. The Innocents.
18:41 This incredible film from 1961 is an all-time classic ghost story, a masterpiece adapted from
18:58 Henry James' novella The Turn of the Screw. The film is all about atmosphere, with a growing sense
19:04 of unease, paranoia and self-doubt building to a feverish pitch. This is filmmaking that takes
19:10 its time ramping up tension, and the end results make this ride utterly worth the wait. The idea
19:16 of childhood innocence is juxtaposed against ghostly possessions and hallucinations that may,
19:21 or again may not, be stress-induced. The special effects, and particularly the haunting music,
19:26 remain powerful today, making The Innocents a film experience well ahead of its time.
19:31 What's the scariest horror film you always recommend to your friends?
19:40 Let us know in the comments.
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