HORROR TEN SPOT: Top 10 Good Horror Flicks You May Not Have Seen

Last Updated on August 3, 2021

Well the last list certainly led to a spirited discussion regarding among other things, if there is ever a good horror film to remake. So I started thinking what could we look at this week that would kind of counter it. And for me, the one thing that I love in equal measure to the amount I hate it when a beloved movie gets remade, is finding an obscure genre prize that is both fun to watch, and hardly anyone has heard of.
So, I asked the AITH braintrust to dig deep and shoot me some noms on movies that they consider the best of the best when it comes to unknown horror. This is the stuff that the fans of INSIDE and MARTYRS haven’t necessarily heard of. This is for when you want to go deeper than MAY and GINGER SNAPS.
Of course we’ve got the most knowledgeable fans in the world round these parts, so it’s still possible you’ll have seen a couple of these, but maybe, just maybe we can shine a light for you on a few flicks that you’ve yet to discover. Enjoy my friends, and spit bullets on what you think after checking some of these out, or throw your own unknown finds into the mix!

1. THE OTHER SIDE

I’ll be honest, I went back and forth as to whether this should go at #1. After all the film is distractingly low budget at times, and while the acting is mostly spot on, there are certainly moments that make you cringe a bit. That said, this was a random discovery for me while surfing around Netflix one day and I’m not sure I’ve ever been so pleasantly surprised by an indie that I’d heard absolutely nothing about. A guy trying to find his lost love escapes from Hell and finds himself tracked by three Reapers, literally bounty hunters from Hell. It’s as much damn fun as it sounds like, and director Gregg Bishop is one that you’d be well advised to keep an eye on.

2. MUTE WITNESS

For some reason the idea of snuff films never seems to get handled very well in horror films. Seems like a natural pair, but something about it just doesn’t fit many times. But there’s always an exception that proves the rule. This tale of a mute woman who discovers an apparent snuff film being made could easily be re-titled TENSION 101. The third act inexplicably loses interest in the firm terror established early on, but even with that happening this is one of the best examples of how to kick an audience in the gut you’ll find.

3. CASTLE FREAK

Take Stuart Gordon, master of showing us things we can’t believe we’re seeing, and have him tackle another loose adaptation of a Lovecraft story, the master of leaving indescribable horrors to our imagination. Does it work? Yeah, it really does. This is not a return to RE-ANIMATOR form, but the tale of dark family secrets and even darker Gordon humor, mixed with a truly disgusting creature and gore F/X that will push even the most hardened genre fans buttons on occasion, achieves a highly satisfying watch given it’s surprisingly low profile

4. UZUMAKI

Are ya scared of snails and spirals? You will be after this manga inspired flick. Based on the first part of a three part comic, making sense isn’t altogether a strength here, but what you do get is one of the most original and oddly unsettling horror films I can recall. It also provides a welcome breather from the “typical” Asian horror we’ve come to expect. You might not love this film, but you’ll never forget it.

5. I, MADMAN

Before Ashley Judd and JLo took over the Women In Jeopardy genre, horror still had its hooks in it pretty good. Something about an innocent young thing facing sinister forces and no one willing to believe her engages our protective instinct and gets us all wrapped up in what happens to the nubile young thing. When said beauty is a fan of the pulp novels of a face mutilating psycho who may or may not still be alive, well you can just imagine the fun that awaits.

6. SPELLBINDER

Two things ya gotta know right off. First, this is a big time Arrow fav. Second, it’s almost impossible to find. That said, this satanistic throwdown featuring a very young, and very hot, Kelly Preston is well worth a dance. The direction is too ham handed to make it a true classic, but it’s a damn fun time despite some notable issues with pacing and performances. The fact that it’s so hard to find also gives it some juice because you really gotta work to get your eyes on this one.

7. JUST BEFORE DAWN

Do I need to say more than this is a well thought of early 80’s backwoods slasher? OK, how ’bout if I tell you the cast includes George Kennedy and Gregg Henry? Plus there’s the whistling. Oh damn the whistling. Sure the kids going to party in the woods set up is typical, but it’s got such talent and creativity behind the madness that this rises well above the pack.

8. NEW YORK RIPPER

Unlike many, I found Fulci’s ZOMBIE fairly blah. Even the much hyped zombie vs. shark fight isn’t what you’d hope. That said, this flick is one that fans don’t point to much, perhaps out of embarrassment because of the unrelenting misogyny in it. And it is unrelenting in presenting a bleak, non-hyped up look while delivering violence that just goes on and on and on. Does the term “genital mutilation” make you want to throw up? Well then, so will this film. But it is a tour de force when it comes to re-energizing a cold genre heart’s ability to really feel what’s on screen.

9. THE UGLY

Even though a few trusted sources had told me THE UGLY was a really strong film to get down with, the tale of a prison psycho requesting to meet with a famous psychiatrist pushed me away for a long time because it felt too similar to SILENCE OF THE LAMBS for my taste. But when I finally checked it out, I was pleasantly surprised to discover it’s a very different film, and one that creates a stylish co-mingling between psychiatry and the supernatural – a mixture that many would argue makes a great deal of sense. This is definitely a film that is less about the what, and largely about the how. Outstanding direction and two strong anchors in leads Paolo Rotondo and Rebecca Hobbs make this well worth adding to your collection.