Shudder didn’t even exist in April of 2007, when 1428 Elm’s parent company FanSided set up shop. But, it’s now every horror lover’s dream, with new films, series and plenty of classics being added each month, so we thought we would compile a list of 15 of the best offerings on Shudder.
This list includes Shudder originals and exclusives, with both movies and series represented, and they are in no particular order.
The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs (series) – Join Joe Bob Briggs, Darcy the Mail Girl and the rest of the TLDI crew as they present a double feature each week. The films are a mixed bag, with some of them not even strictly horror, but I can honestly say that even if it’s not a great film, the jokes, cosplay, special guests, trivia and shenanigans will keep you entertained.
The Dark and the Wicked – I have written about this Shudder film enough times that it’s pretty clear I’m a huge fan. If you like your horror dark and, well – wicked – this one should be right up your ally. As an elderly man lies bedridden and dying, his two adult children arrive in the hopes of helping their mother, who is caring for him. To their surprise, she demands they leave, and as it turns out, there is a good reason for that; something evil is lurking around the family farm.
The Mortuary Collection – An entertaining anthology-style film, this one stars the great Clancy Brown as the mortician at Raven’s End mortuary. When a young woman shows up seeking a job, he tells her a handful of stories about some of his “customers.” The stories include a monster, an unlikely (and gross-out) pregnancy, a mercy killing and a clever twist on the babysitter trope.
The Seed – One of the newer Shudder originals, The Seed introduces us to three girlfriends getting away to view a meteor shower, with the intention of becoming social media stars. The plans backfire when one of the “meteors” crash lands in their swimming pool before hatching into a weird ET-like creature the next day. Soon, one of the women starts to change; can the other two get out before the changes start to affect them too?
Anything for Jackson – Sheila McCarthy and Julian Richings appear as Audrey and Henry, a couple grieving the death of their beloved grandson Jackson. Desperate to have Jackson back, the couple become Satanists in order to bring him back to life. This process involves replacing an unborn fetus with Jackson so he can be reborn. Although at first you may think this is a satire, things get very dark when a few very shocking events take place. As experienced a horror fan as I am, I audibly gasped a few times during this film.
Cursed Films (docu-series) – This Shudder series just began its second season, but you can still catch the first five-episode season. Cursed Films explores the legends, truths and myths behind so-called cursed films, including The Exorcist, The Omen, Poltergeist, The Crow and Twilight Zone: The Movie. Go into the series prepared to get all the feels as you hear the stories behind the deaths of Brandon Lee and Heather O’Rourke. Then prepare for the impact of watching Victor Morrow and two child actors as a stunt helicopter slams into them during the filming of Twilight Zone: The Movie.
The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula (series)- As of April 18, you will be able to watch all four seasons of this drag-competition-with-a-horror-twist, plus the Resurrection special. Join Dracmorda and Swanthula as they guide a group of “uglies” through the most entertaining and terrifying drag competition ever. At the end of each episode, two competitors are forced to undergo an extermination challenge, and the loser doesn’t just get sent home – they are killed off in inventive ways.
Color Out of Space – Fans of cosmic and body horror should get a thrill out of this creepy, trippy flick, which stars Nicolas Cage as Nathan Gardner, in one of his trademark bonkers performances. When the Gardner family moves to Nathan’s father’s farm, strange things start happening. After a meteor lands on the property, the water develops an odd appearance, youngest son Jack (Julian Hilliard) starts seeing and hearing things in the well, and something horrible happens to the alpacas.
One Cut of the Dead – One of the most creative zombie comedies ever, this Japanese film was made on a budget of around $25,000, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. To date, it has earned over a thousand times its original budget. It starts with the filming of a zombie film, and then it takes an unexpected twist. And just when you think you know what’s happening, there’s another twist. I refuse to give anything away, but this is what I always tell people about this film: I watched the entire thing with a huge smile on my face. It’s that good.
A 2020 issue of Time magazine named Shudder original Host as one of the “17 Great Movies You May Have Missed This Summer.”
Host – Filmed (and set) during the beginning stages of the pandemic via Zoom, this is another incredibly creative film. A group of friends, bored during lockdown, decide to hold a virtual seance. Unfortunately, they don’t heed the warning given to them by Seylan, the medium who is guiding them through it, and each of the participants feels the effects in horrifying ways. Writer/director Rob Savage recommends watching Host on your computer while wearing headphones. Having done so, I can say that it definitely increases the scare factor.
The Power – In 1974 London, there were regularly scheduled blackouts due to a coalminers’ strike, and its during this time that we meet Val, a young nurse in training. Val is reporting for her first day at a huge old hospital, and ends up working a double shift, meaning she has to work overnight during the blackout. After most of the staff is gone for the night, things get all supernatural. To quote my own review: “It’s chock-full of creaking doors, long, dark hallways, disjointed whispers and all of the other things that make a ghost story scary.”
The Boy Behind the Door – Young filmmakers David Charbonier and Justin Powell (The Djinn) wrote and directed this tense horror thriller, about two best buds who are kidnapped and locked in a car trunk. Kevin is taken inside a big house, and Bobby manages to escape the trunk, but instead of running to safety, he decides to save his best friend, risking his own life in the process.
In Search of Darkness: A Journey into Iconic 80s Horror (parts I and II) – This incredibly thorough and comprehensive deep dive into horror films of the 1980s is a must-see for fans of the time period. It’s fast paced, only spending a few minutes on each selection, and includes commentary from horror legends such as John Bloom (AKA Joe Bob Briggs), Tom Atkins, Doug Bradley and Barbara Crampton.
Slaxx – If you’ve been watching too many dark, disturbing horror films, this is honestly the perfect movie to wash that depressing taste out of your mouth. I mean, it’s about a possessed pair of jeans in a super-trendy, high-end store, just the description makes you smile, right? A group of employees are locked in the store overnight in order to prepare for the release of the company’s newest product: jeans that conform to the wearer’s body shape. Bloody mayhem ensues.
The Cleansing Hour – A unique and original take on the possession film tropes, The Cleansing Hour stars Ryan Guzman as Father Max, who performs exorcisms regularly on the livestream show he created with friend Drew. When the actress they hired for their most recent exorcism doesn’t show up, Drew’s girlfriend Lane is persuaded to step in. It soon becomes clear to both men that Lane is not acting, she has actually been possessed by a demon. As the demon forces the two men to confess the horrible deeds they have committed, a more sinister truth emerges.
So, there you go, friends, some good Shudder horror for you to watch! It was very difficult to narrow the list down to only 15, and I have no doubt that I will spend the next few days thinking of films and series I should have included.
We want to know which Shudder films and series are your favorites, tell us about them in the comments section.