Shudder kicks off 2024 with new originals and old favorites

Destroy All Neighbors - Courtesy Shudder
Destroy All Neighbors - Courtesy Shudder /
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Shudder is starting off 2024 with a bang, and their January schedule shows it. We have new original films, a popular AMC series and some classic horror films to keep us entertained throughout the month.

January 1:

Prince of Darkness – John Carpenter’s 1987 film stars Donald Pleasance as a priest who asks a professor and his students to take a look at a cannister containing an odd green liquid. They soon find out that the liquid is actually Satan.

The Thing – Another John Carpenter flick, this is one of the best winter-themed horror movies ever made. A research team stationed in remote Antarctica is infiltrated by an alien who can take the form of its victims. Starting out as a sled dog, the creature soon has all the men doubting one another.

January 8:

Donnie Darko – In this cult classic, teen Donald Darko sleepwalks, making his way to a golf course after a conversation with Frank, a guy in a rabbit suit. The man tells him the world is going to end in 28 days, and Donnie wakes up at the golf course before discovering that a plane crashed into his bedroom overnight. As he continues to have visions of Frank, the story gets even stranger.

Prom Night – The 2008 remake stars Brittany Snow as Donna, whose freshman year biology teacher became obsessed with her and killed her family. Three years later, as Donna and her friends get ready for their senior prom, the killer escapes and sets out to find her.

Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II – Technically a sequel, this 1987 horror gem has nothing at all to do with 1980’s Prom Night. It’s actually a better film than that one, telling the store of free-spirited Mary Lou, who was crowned prom queen in 1957. Unfortunately, she was burned to death when her boyfriend played an ill-advised prank after finding out she had cheated on him. In the future, Mary Lou’s vengeful spirit returns in the body of Viki.

January 12:

Destroy All Neighbors (Shudder Original, available on Shudder US, ANZ, UKI and CA) – Described by Shudder as “a twisted splatter-comedy about a deranged journey of self-discover full of goopy practical FX”, Destroy All Neighbors tells the story of William Brown, a musician desperately trying to finish his song. When attempting to quiet down his noisy neighbor Vlad, William accidently kills the man, and one thing leads to another as the bodies pile up.

January 15:

Blue Eyes of the Broken Doll – In this 1973 giallo film, a drifter is brought on as handyman at the mansion of three bizarre sisters. When someone starts killing blue eyed women, removing their eyes and saving them in a jar, the handyman is the first suspect.

Galaxy of Terror – A 1981 Roger Corman flick, Galaxy of Terror stars Edward Albert, Erin Moran and Ray Walston (My Favorite Martian). In a dystopian-style future, people roam throughout space, overseen by “The Master.” A space crew is marooned on a strange planet, where they are terrorized by a variety of monsters.

The Elderly – In Spain, during a heat wave, elderly people are being affected in strange ways. One man’s dementia goes into overdrive after his wife’s suicide, and it kicks off some dangerous paranormal activity.

The Passenger – When Randy is bullied by a coworker at a restaurant, another coworker named Benson snaps and kills the remaining employees. He then takes Randy on a demented road trip, trying to find out why Randy, who appears to be kind and genuine, continuously takes the abuse heaped on him without fighting back.

January 18:

Preacher (series) – The entire AMC series will be available to binge as of January 18. Based on Gath Ennis and Steve Dillon’s graphic novel series, Preacher stars Dominic Cooper as Jesse, a preacher who drinks and chain-smokes. Jesse teams up with his ex, Tulip and his best buddy, an Irish vampire named Cassidy in an attempt to find God.

January 22:

Dogs – A government experiment causes dogs to go on a rampage, attacking humans and even killing them. The head of the biology department at a University is determined to find out what is behind the attacks and stop them, aided by his ex-girlfriend and a biology professor.

Ils (Them) – This French-Romanian home invasion film is set at Lucas and Clementine’s country home, where they wake up one night to find to find some hooded figures outside. As the night goes on, the couple finds themselves being terrorized and end up fighting for their lives.

Villains – A young couple headed for Florida after robbing a gas station, only to ironically run out of gas. When they come upon a big house in the woods, they break into the place. When they find a little girl chained in the basement, they try to save her, and end up having to evade the homeowners.

January 26:

Suitable Flesh – (Shudder Original, available in CA, UKI, ANZ and US) – Described on the Rotten Tomatoes website as “80s-inspired horror”, Suitable Flesh stars Heather Graham as a psychiatrist trying to help a patient with extreme personality disorder.