Forgotten Horror
The horror genre boasts iconic films like Rosemary’s Baby, Halloween, and A Nightmare on Elm Street – but for every classic, there’s a chilling gem that slipped through the cracks. Whether sidelined by tiny budgets, botched marketing, or meddling studios, these films never got their due. Some were critically praised but commercially overlooked; others were simply ahead of their time.
In a genre bursting with bloody brilliance, many of these underrated picks are perfect for a cold, rainy night.
Anguish (1987) 7/10
Zelda Rubinstein stars in Spanish horror film within a film that manages to walk a pleasing line between reality and fantasy – not quite where it needs to be, but close.
Bruiser (2000) 6/10
George A. Romero’s satire about a man in a white mask out for revenge deserved better than a direct to DVD release – there is plenty to enjoy, though it is let down by an uninspired finale.
Anthony Perkins is great as always as Henry Jekyll whose experiments with cocaine are getting out of control (while Jack the Ripper visits town...) in this modest piece of Euro sleaze.
The Enchanted (1984) 6/10
Folktale from the Florida woods, this is more horror adjacent, but beautifully staged, with a leisurely pace and great electronic score.
Eyes of Fire (1983) 8/10
Fascinating, haunting, mystical folk horror with a western setting – a little muddled, but technically excellent with atmosphere par excellence.
I, Madman (1989) 7/10
A disfigured 1950s pulp novel killer comes to life in forgotten supernatural slasher with too many ideas competing for attention including creatures left over from the director’s The Gate.
Lady in White (1988) 6/10
Gentle ghost story that plays like a Stephen King story adapted by Steven Spielberg.
The Last Horror Film (1982) 6/10
Weirdly meta horror filmed in Cannes without permits, this reunites Maniac’s Joe Spinell (sweaty as always) and Caroline Munro (sporting awful hair); low budget, crude, but very interesting.
Overlooked indie horror set in a strange Californian seaside town, directed by a couple straight out of film school; the progeny of Night of the Living Dead – atmospheric, creepy, and surreal. aka Dead People
Mirror Mirror (1990) 7/10
An unlikeable goth teen girl receives magic powers through an antique mirror in underrated horror starring Karen Black, who steals the show.
Nomads (1986) 7/10
Pierce Brosnan stars as a French anthropologist on the trail of sinister LA street punks in this intriguing John McTiernan-directed horror; not without flaws, but different and original.
Meg Tilly spends the night in a mausoleum in this underrated horror with endearing performances, a great build-up, and suspenseful moments – but it would probably work better as a short.
Popcorn (1991) 7/10
College students organise a horror movie marathon in an abandoned theatre, and this horror homage – while a flop on first release – is an entertaining original.
The Possession of Joel Delaney (1972) 6/10
Dull looking but eerie and intriguing oddity starring Perry King and Shirley MacLaine with unsettling themes such as incest, possession and racial inequality. See also Satansploitation
Pulse (1988) 6/10
Tech take on Poltergeist – far-fetched but good FX help, creating a nifty minor entry.
The Reincarnation of Peter Proud (1975) 7/10
The always interesting Michael Sarrazin begins experiencing flashbacks of an earlier life in intriguing quasi-supernatural thriller helmed by dependable director J. Lee Thompson.
Scalpel (1977) 6/10
Gory update on Eyes Without a Face – solid performances and a good dose of sleaze ensure it is a memorable piece of Southern Gothic. aka False Face
Shallow Grave (1987) 6/10
This starts with a Psycho homage, becomes a spring break comedy, then veers into Jackson County Jail territory with a serial killer on the loose; somehow it all comes together as a southern survival slasher.
The Shout (1978) 7/10
Sophisticated horror with a brooding Alan Bates as a mysterious travelling man who possesses some Aboriginal magic – murky motivations but very interesting and atmospheric.
Skinner (1993) 5/10
Ted Raimi, Ricki Lake, and Traci Lords star in trashy horror with deft moments that lift it out of the gutter.
Sole Survivor (1984) 7/10
A lone survivor of a plane crash is haunted in uneasy but sluggish horror that could be compared to Final Destination or even Carnival of Souls (with zombies).
Quirky homage horror about mad scientists and mind-controlled teenagers made extra special by its New Zealand backdrops and Tangerine Dream score. aka Dead Kids
The Unnamable (1988) 5/10
Monster story based on H. P. Lovecraft – gory, but not very good.
Welcome to Arrow Beach (1974) 4/10
Laurence Harvey’s last movie (which he also directed) is a limp affair about strange goings-on at a California beach and is not a great swansong – slow, tedious and messy. aka Tender Flesh
Who Can Kill a Child? (1976) 10/10
A sun-drenched Spanish isle is the setting for this atmospheric mystery that builds into a nail-biting horror movie that despite its obscurity belongs among the greatest ever made. aka Island of the Damned