6 Reasons to SHUDDER on Halloween

Anyone looking to party with the classic Michael Myers this October 31 still has one streaming option: Shudder, the niche horror-oriented service. For about the price of the average streaming rental of Halloween, Shudder subscribers can not only watch Kyle Richards run from a homicidal maniac who isn’t a fellow “Real Housewives” castmate but also access an entire library of hard to find horror films and television shows. For anyone getting curious about Shudder this month, here are seven suggestions that might keep you hooked on the service.

Demons

With apologies to Wes Craven and Ghostface, Lamberto Bava’s cult classic has a real claim as the first modern meta-horror film. Glowing eyed creepers break free from the celluloid cage to terrorize unsuspecting theatergoers who find themselves locked inside. Despite mostly one setting, it’s a strikingly visual piece of terror that manages over-the-top minimalism. Bava’s personal connection to the genre is also no accident – his dad was the legendary godfather of Italian horror and giallo cinema.

Tigers Are Not Afraid

Considered by 2019 horror fans to be one of the year’s best, Issa Lopez’s Mexican chiller examines the country’s drug violence with a supernatural twist. The endless killings literally create an endless supply of new haunts and horrors to torment five youths trying to survive the real-life chaos. The films fans include Stephen King and Guillermo del Toro.

We Are Still Here

The indie 80’s horror revival genre has probably run its course, but this update on the haunted house formula about a couple mourning the loss of their son deserves mention among the best of those films not directed by Ti West. Genre favorite Barbara Crampton delivers a surprisingly heartfelt and thoughtful performance as a mother battling emotional specters… and possibly real ones too.

Tenebrae

The mainstreaming of Dario Argento is probably one of the more curious developments of the last decade. The maestro of artistic violence and stylish serial killings returned to the genre he arguably defined with this shocker about a novelist looking for a killer who may have taken a cue from his books. Considered by many to be Argento’s last great stab (pun intended) at the giallo format.

Mark of the Devil

Thanks to Midsommar and The Lighthouse, the folk horror revival seems like it’s here to stay. Anyone with a penchant for some period costumes n’ pagan devilry can enjoy this 70’s exploitation hit that often gets overlooked in conversations that namecheck The Wicker Man and The Witch. Witchcraft itself is also having a moment, so this brutal account of witch-hunting in the 1700s is probably due for reexamination.

Channel Zero

Hardcore horror fans still may be the most reliable moviegoing audience, but some interesting stories have crept their way into the small screen. Taking a very loose definition of intellectual property, this horror anthology series crafted four seasons from the so-called creepypasta stories that haunt the web. Each season boasts an impressive cast, including Fiona Shaw, the late Rutger Hauer, and the always excellent Steven Weber.