With hundreds of Horror films and TV series in their library, AMC’s streaming service is a must-have for any genre fan, but how do you find the best horror movies on Shudder?
With another certified Screamish list of course!
Whether you are new to Shudder or lost in a sea of selections, we’ve chosen a weekend’s worth of classics and modern gems to get the most out of your subscription.
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BLOOD MACHINES
From the minds of Synthwave icon Carpenter Brut (Franck Huesco) and Director duo Seth Ickerman, the hyperkinetic, hallucinatory ‘Blood Machines’ stormed 2019’s festival circuit before landing exclusively on Shudder. In it, a rogue A.I. escapes a coven of cosmic witches with a pair of grizzled space pirates in hot pursuit. A non-stop, 55 minute Sci-Fi / Horror space opera, you won’t see something this jaw-dropping anywhere else.
Revenge
A stylish and bloody rape-revenge thriller from first-time director Coralie Fargeat, ‘Revenge’ turns a contentious subgenre upside down and delivers one of the best Horror movies on Shudder. Free-spirit Jen is enjoying a romantic getaway with her wealthy boyfriend until his two sleazy friends arrive for an unannounced hunting trip. When they cross the line and end up leaving her for dead, a brutal, unrelenting battle begins to escape her attackers and the scorching desert alike.
Demons
Nothing hits quite like a classic of Italian 80s Horror, and our love for ‘Demons’ is well known. Easily one of the best horror movies on Shudder, there’s a lot to love about Lamberto Bava’s 1985 classic, from it’s tongue-in-cheek ‘movie within a movie’ plot to it’s mountains of goofy gore, to an EPIC cocaine fueled hair metal soundtrack. But what we love most about Demons is that it never stops being a total fucking blast from start to end.
Behind The Mask: The Rise Of Leslie Vernon
Turning the slasher genre inside out, Behind The Mask: The Rise Of Leslie Vernon is a mockumentary love letter to every 80s masked murderer and sleepaway camp schlockfest, creating a wonderful ‘what if’ world of real-life movie monsters that’s well made, wildly entertaining and actually sort of sweet…in it’s own co-ed murdering, head splattering kind of way. Seen through the lens of a community college film crew, Leslie’s awkward attempts to rise the ranks of slasher-dom will have horror fanatics and casual fans equally entertained with a mix of genre in-jokes and star Nathan Baesel’s wide-eyed, goofy excitement at finding his ‘Final Girl’.
The Last Drive In: Season 2
We are Drive-In mutants! We are not like other people! The legend himself Joe Bob Briggs (and Darcy The Mail Girl, of course) returns to Shudder with the best in Blood, Breasts and Beasts for another season of The Last Drive-In. With a hand-picked line-up of the best horror movies on Shudder, PLUS interviews with genre legends and Darcy’s fant-ass-tic Cosplay, we could never choose just one episode, so just watch em all! Joe Bob Says “Check It Out!”
Luz
Luz hides in a police station from Nora, who is possessed by a demonic entity, longing for the woman it loves. Nora tells a story about Luz’s rebellious past at a Chilean school for girls to a doctor, now easy prey for the entity, who stalks her across town. Spare and sharp, LUZ is a stunning debut feature from Director Tilman Singer, creating a new style of possession story built on intricate sound design and explosive performances in place of jump scares. A must see for fans of slow burning Horror like Hereditary or Suspiria. (Read our full review for more!)
Elvira Mistress of the Dark
With such big…history, Elvira remains one of the most beloved icons in Horror, and her 1980’s madcap comedy ‘Elvira: Mistress Of The Dark’ still holds up as a tongue-in-cheek groan fest sure to make you smile. Our horror-movie hostess turns a puritanical community on its ear when she arrives in town to claim her inheritance and once the stuffy locals get an eyeful of the scream queen’s ample assets, all hell busts out & breaks loose.
Editor’s Note: this list has been updated as of June 11th 2020!
Dead Heat
Two cops stop at nothing to catch paranormal bad guys in this messy but oh-so fun 80’s horror comedy. After two detectives discover a secretive corporation are using zombies to carry out crimes (and one of said detectives is turned into a zombie himself) the clock races to solve this murder case before his own body decays! DEAD HEAT’s bizarre combo of gore, humour and 80s slapstick action make for one of the best selections on Shudder. Did we mention the “star” studded cast? Treat Williams, Joe Piscopo and Vincent Price all take turns chewing the scenery in this schlocky romp that anyone can enjoy.
BLACULA
One of the best movies on Shudder AND one of the best Blaxploitation flicks of all time? Sign us up! Blacula is a 70’s horror classic often overlooked. In it, 18th century African Prince Mamuwalde (the iconic William Marshall) visits Count Dracula in Transylvania to seek his support in ending the slave trade. Instead that damn honky count curses his guest and transforms him into a vampire! Two centuries later, he rises from his coffin to wreak havoc, stay funky and seek out human blood in 1970s Los Angeles.
Sugar Hill
When a New Orleans nightclub owner gets murdered by the mob, his girlfriend Diana “Sugar” Hill calls upon a voodoo high priest Baron Samedi to summon the undead to carry out her plan for revenge! This stylish, smart yet hilarious horror flick has something for genre lovers of all types.
TROMA’S WAR
When a group of Americans crash onto a Carribean island, they didn’t expect it to be infested with scummy terrorists and pig faced mutants preparing for a full out war on America with biological weapons! One of Troma’s most unfairly ignored romps, this balls-out, tongue in cheek parody of Stallone, Chuck Norris and Charles Bronson’s nonsensical VHS blast-a-thons doesn’t make a lot of sense, but it does provide a lot of laughs, some of the funniest kills on Shudder and some unforgettable 80s haircuts!
Knife + Heart
Paris, Summer 1979. Anne produces an underground gay porn film. When one of the actors is brutally murdered, Anne is caught up in a surreal investigation that turns her entire life upside down. This stylish ode to 70s era De Palma, Argento and Friedkin, shot on 35mm features a score from M83 and is not to be missed! We could talk all night about it…but Read Our Full Review For More!
A TALE OF TWO SISTERS
Things take a turn for the absolute worst after two sisters are reunited in this classic Korean horror now available on Shudder! When Suomi and Su-yeon return to live at their country home, the girls’ father has remarried and strange events soon lead to dark revelations. This dark and dreary horror classic is a perfect fit for anyone who enjoys “feel bad” movies (we sure as hell do) as well the stylish settings and absurd humour make for an engrossing and unique take on the genre.
Editor’s Note: this list has been updated as of June 2020!
