20 great horror movies that were never released in theaters
Some of the best horror films—including The Platform, Castle Freak, and Trick ’R Treat—bypassed the big screen for a variety of reasons
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Clockwise from upper left: Curse Of Chucky (Universal Studios Home Entertainment), Hush (Netflix), Trick ‘R Treat (Warner Bros.), Creep (The Orchard) Graphic: The A.V. Club
Common wisdom dictates that when a film doesn’t get a theatrical release it’s a sure sign that it’s crap (see pretty much any direct-to-video Disney sequel for proof of that theory). However, in a genre as frequently low-budget as horror, there can be a laundry list of reasons why a picture never makes it to a cinema, from excessively gory content to an indie studio going bust. This is especially true in the streaming age, where Shudder and Netflix have their own feature-length originals, which can easily be excellent. With that in mind, here’s The A.V. Club’s list of the 20 best horror movies that never got a chance to shine on the silver screen.
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Any room here for “Made for TV Movies”? “Don’t be Afraid of the Dark” (1973) deserves a mention. And from the UK, there’s “Ghostwatch” (1992)….
I rewatched it years ago with my younger cousin’s and it didn’t scare them but I told them that my brother and me were so f’n scared of that movie in the 70’s and early 80’s when we watched it on TV. Great call.
Exactly. But to be fair a lot of those “only seen in rental stores” horror movies of the 80s and 90s sometimes did have limited theatrical runs. Just usually not in the US
I keep hearing good things about Fire in the Sky, but haven’t made the time to watch it.
I just read the synopsis on wikipedia and whoo that would scare the shit out of me. Gives Zuni Doll vibes.
Spielberg’s Duel is widely considered the greatest TV movie I think. Though I might love the original Night Stalker with Darren McGavin more
I see a lot of praise for the TV version of “The Woman in Black” (1989), largely due to one effective scare.
Watch they’ll have another list just for made-for-tv movies by tomorrow.
Spellcaster – literal lol.
“Shudder and Netflix have their own feature-length originals, which can easily be excellent”So when they’re not, is that by choice?
It’s also worth noting that the majority of Shudder “originals” are just Shudder distributed as opposed to Netflix, which does actually produce a fair chunk of their originals.
Hush and Creep are two that pop up so much on my streaming services, I avoid them in protest. Maybe I should change that, even though it feels like giving in.The Ritual has been in my queue for awhile and it looks like I will have to add Cargo as well.Trick ‘r Treat is fine and I enjoy it, but I was surprised to find that it is a widely-known cult flick.I actually liked the Babysitter. It’s only borderline horror, but it’s fun, high energy and definitely winks at the audience hard enough to let you know it is in on the joke.
I personally did not like Hush, and that’s coming from a big Flanagan fan. I think it’s his worst movie IMO, but I know i’m in the minority on that one.I loved Creep, but it’s a very niche movie. Mostly everyone I know, that’s seen it, doesn’t like it. I just loved the performances in it. The closest comparison I can make would be, if this was an Adult Swim horror movie. Quirky, filled with uncomfortable tension, and offbeat humor.
I’m actually with you on Hush. I liked it a lot at first, but it hasn’t held up to me as well with subsequent rewatches. It feels like one of those horror movies that would have worked better as a short film or as an anthology segment. Also “Adult Swim horror movie” is a perfect description for Creep and I love it.
It took me a couple of viewings to understand what Creep is going for. Liked it much better the second time. Didn’t like the sequel as much, however.
His Ouijua prequel is surpsingly good.
I’m with you in that I really enjoyed “Creep”—thought it was well made, well acted and a great ‘slow burn’, ‘something is not quite right here’ film that really did well with the slow ramp up in intensity. The ending still fucks with my head. I don’t remember much of ‘Creep II” so I guess it didn’t leave quite the same impression on me, though it was generally well-reviewed, too. Guess it was a little too much of the same for me.—from the ghost of comments passed—this article popped up on my feed and I guess I missed it the first time around
I haven’t seen Hush, but I love the first Creep, the second was good, but I didn’t like it as much as the first one.
Second one definitely feels like its a middle part of a trilogy. The dramatic and psychological aspects of our titular Creep meeting someone who does not act the way they plan and doesn’t have the level of control they’re used to was very interesting. But it never had that visceral punch the first one had, where you’re so deeply unsettled and constantly just saying out loud “Dude fucking get out” every time the protagonist shrugs it off and gives the weirdo another chance.
Creep is more of a suspense rathan than horror movie, I thought. It was well done, but I still can’t get over Mark Duplass being Pete from The League, LOL
Watch The Ritual. Especially if you love fucked up folklore based horror like Midsommer
I’d put it a notch or two under “Midsommar” for ‘under your skin and crawling around’ vibes, but only a that much. It’s definitely some mind fuckery. “Kill List” is one I would add to this list as well.
What I love about Trick R Treat is it captures the right balance of scares and fun that 80s anthologies like Cat’s Eye and Creepshow or even Tales From the Crypt had. They’re morality plays with a skewed compass. I enjoyed movies like ABCs of Death and V/H/S but, by design, they’re more disturbing. Trick R Treat is fun.
The Ritual surprised me with how good it was, highly recommend.
The silent Call of Cthulhu is one of the best Lovecraft adaptations, as is the follow-up, The Whisperer in Darkness.
Used to have a poster for a double feature screening of both that I went to about 15 years ago. That was a great movie night!
lol 10 of the 20 are netflix originals, c’mon
Yes, it’s one of the most prolific non-theater studios of the last 15 years.
Yeah I’m sure that’s why 50% of the random number they chose is from one studio lol
Do tell?
They probably think Netflix sponsored the list.
The original Salem’s Lot was a TV movie.
Pee.
Poo?
This list is way too modern. The Horror genre has had direct to video releases since video rental became a thing in the 80s. Seems like a little love could be paid to some older gems.
Castle Freak was not good and your list is void because it doesn’t contain THE VOID or THE COLOR OUT OF SPACE. Tre again.
Whither Trilogy of Terror?
Fiona Dourif makes those new Chucky movies go – she’s good in the series, too.I keep seeing Influencer popping on these lists. It’s a thriller, and a light one at that.
Influencer is so… so…bad. A few internet raves convinced me to track it down and god what a terrible, boring, dumb movie. Mediocre acting, zero suspense, banal plot. What a waster of a theoretically good concept.
Nice list! Curse and Cult of Chucky are awesome. Best horror franchise IMO. Loved ‘Wrong Turn 2′, it pairs well with ‘Ruin Me’(2017). Trick ‘r Treat rules.