16 obscure horror movies that you've probably never heard of but should watch immediately
Libby Torres
- Horror junkies have likely streamed some of the best scary films available on platforms like Netflix, but there are also plenty of lesser-known movies available, too.
- Shudder, a streaming service that's like the horror-only equivalent of Netflix, is an excellent place for those looking to dive deeper, but you can also watch on sites like Amazon Prime video.
- Insider's compiled helpful guides for every type of movie (and TV show!) you might want to stream.
- Keep reading for our favorite obscure horror movies you should watch right now.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
There's no better time to lose yourself in a spine-chilling, genuinely terrifying movie than right now — but true horror junkies know that some of the best films aren't readily available on sites like Netflix or Hulu.
In fact, some of the genre's most memorable movies in recent years have come from overseas or indie distributors, or have otherwise been overlooked in favor of mainstream hits.
While the selection on sites like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime is pretty extensive and perfect for newer horror fans, there's also plenty more to explore on platforms like Shudder, a horror-only streaming service that contains a plethora of obscure but totally engaging titles.
That's why we've compiled the best obscure horror movies you can watch online right now — keep reading for our list.
Read the original article on Insider"Mandy" allows star Nicolas Cage to shine as a man hell-bent on revenge.
Where to watch: Available for free on Shudder or to rent on Amazon Prime Video
What it's about: "The quiet life of devoted couple Red (Nicolas Cage) and Mandy (Andrea Riseborough) takes a dark and bizarre turn when a nightmarish cult and their maniacal leader (Linus Roache) seek to possess Mandy… body and soul."
Why you should watch: Featuring a surprisingly skillful performance by Cage, and a group of bloodthirsty bikers, "Mandy" is bonkers from start to finish, but that doesn't mean it's not a worthwhile movie to watch.
The idyllic setting and ominous cult members call to mind some scenes in "Midsommar," and the conclusion is just as wild.
"The Void" combines elements of Lovecraftian horror with terrifying creatures.
Where to watch: Available for free on Shudder, or for rent on Amazon Prime video, YouTube, or Google Play
What it's about: "A blood-soaked man limping down a deserted road is rushed by officer Carter to a nearby hospital with a skeleton crew. Trapped inside by hooded figures, Carter discovers that the patients and staff are transforming into something inhuman."
Why you should watch: Even though the plot can get a little hard to follow at times, "The Void" is a truly scary film, with stomach-churning special effects and a mysterious evil force straight out of an H.P. Lovecraft novel.
The body-horror alone might be too much for some viewers, but overall, it's a tense and enthralling film that's definitely worth a watch, if you can stomach it.
"The Love Witch" is a highly-stylized throwback to '60s horror films.
Where to watch: Available for free on Shudder, or for rent on Amazon Prime, Google Play, and YouTube
What it's about: "Elaine, a beautiful young witch, is determined to find a man to love her. In her gothic Victorian apartment, she makes spells and potions. She then picks up men and seduces them, but her spells work too well, leaving her with a string of hapless victims. When she finally meets the man of her dreams, her desperation to be loved drives her to the brink of insanity and murder."
Why you should watch: It's not a horror film in the traditional sense, but "The Love Witch" is still a must-watch for fans of vintage horror films like "The Birds" or "Psycho." Much like these films, "The Love Witch" relies less on convincing acting, and more on a terrifying premise and gruesome amounts of blood to get its point across.
It's campy, aesthetically-pleasing, and contains a pretty important feminist message about desire and narcissism, too.
"The Taking of Deborah Logan" puts a fresh twist on the found-footage genre while also providing genuine scares.
Where to watch: Available to stream for free on Tubi and Shudder, and for rent on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, and YouTube
What it's about: "After months of searching, Mia Medina has found the perfect subject for her PhD thesis film on Alzheimer's Disease. For the next several months, cameras will record the everyday life of mother Deborah Logan and her daughter Sarah. But as the days progress, they observe behaviors and occurrences that show the progression to be far more advanced than anyone was prepared for. What becomes apparent is that there's something besides Alzheimer's that has taken control of Deborah's life."
Why you should watch: Creepy and suspenseful, "The Taking of Deborah Logan" puts a clever twist on the found-footage genre while also capturing the everyday pain and terror Alzheimer's patients and their families can face.
Unfortunately for Deborah Logan, her affliction isn't actually a degenerative disease — it's something far more sinister. The movie morphs from a heartbreaking film about dementia into a twisty-turny thriller quite quickly and provides some genuinely terrifying scares.
"Daniel Isn't Real" is a mind-bending psychological thriller.
Where to watch: Available for free on Shudder, or to rent on Amazon Prime video and Google Play
What it's about: "As a boy, Luke invented an imaginary friend named Daniel who led them both into a world of fantasy and imagination. But after Daniel tricks Luke into doing something terrible, Luke is forced to lock him away. Twelve years later, the dangerous Daniel is back--and he now appears as a charming, manipulative young man with a terrifying secret agenda."
Why you should watch: "Daniel Isn't Real" is a trippy thriller that's perfect for fans of psychological horror films like "The Invisible Man" or "American Psycho."
As the titular Daniel, Patrick Swharzenegger is equal parts terrifying and enticing, and the ending, while a bit over-explained, ties everything together nicely.
"Revenge" focuses on a woman left for dead in the desert — who comes back with a vengeance.
Where to watch: Available for free on Shudder, or to rent on Amazon Prime video and Google Play
What it's about: "Jen is enjoying a romantic getaway with her wealthy boyfriend, which is suddenly disrupted when his sleazy friends arrive for an unannounced hunting trip. Tension mounts until the situation abruptly — and viciously — intensifies, culminating in a shocking act that leaves Jen left for dead. Unfortunately for her assailants, Jen survives and reemerges with a relentless, wrathful intent: revenge."
Why you should watch: Ferocious, gory, and unabashedly feminist, "Revenge," is an updated take on vengeance films that's a lot less exploitative than some of its predecessors like "I Spit On Your Grave."
Anchored by a powerful performance by star Matilda Lutz, and uncompromising in its bloody violence, "Revenge" is one of the most empowering horror movies in recent years — one that finally allows a female-identifying character to be more than just a victim.
"Summer of '84" perfectly imitates '80s horror movie tropes while providing genuine scares.
Where to watch: Available for free on Shudder, or to rent on Amazon Prime video and Google Play
What it's about: "It's the summer of 1984, the perfect time to be 15 years old and free. But when neighborhood conspiracy theorist Davey Armstrong begins to suspect his police officer neighbor might be the serial killer all over the local news, he and his three best friends begin an investigation that soon turns dangerous."
Why you should watch: Channeling movies like "The Goonies" and "It," "Summer of '84" is a well-done '80s period piece that also features a pretty deranged antagonist — a murderous policeman who lives next door to lead character, Davey.
It can definitely get a bit slow at points, but the characters are engrossing and the final twist, when it comes, is pretty shocking. With its '80s setting and loveable cast of teenagers, consider "Summer of '84" the slasher version of "Stranger Things."
"Haunt" follows a group of friends as they try to survive in an "extreme" haunted house.
Where to watch: Available for free on Shudder, and to rent on Google Play and YouTube
What it's about: "On Halloween, a group of friends encounter an "extreme" haunted house which promises to feed on their darkest fears. The night turns deadly as they come to the horrifying realization that some nightmares are real."
Why you should watch: Providing a much-needed update to the slasher genre, "Haunt" is a terrifying movie that features a creepy villain, lots of jump scares, and surprisingly likable characters, including the "final girl" (the character who manages to make it to the end of the movie somewhat unscathed).
The perfect mix of gore and humor, "Haunt" is a movie you'll want to watch over and over again — that is, if you like killer clowns and haunted houses.
"The Golden Glove" portrays the murders committed by a real-life serial killer in 1970s Germany.
Where to watch: Available for free on Shudder, or to rent on Amazon Prime video
What it's about: "Acclaimed filmmaker Fatih Akin (Head-On, The Edge of Heaven, In The Fade) delivers a gruesome tale of notorious German serial killer Fritz Honka, as he haunts Hamburg's red light district in the 1970s."
Why you should watch: Filled with guts, gore, and '70s German fashion, "The Golden Glove" is both a character study of real-life serial killer Fritz Honka and a grim period piece.
Focusing on Honka as he picks up sex workers and murders them, "The Golden Glove" is filled with gore, and isn't for those with a weak stomach. But by probing Honka's disturbing mind, the film also explores what makes a person a serial killer — and what terrifying lengths they can go to if left unchecked.
"A Tale of Two Sisters" is based on an eerie Korean folktale.
Where to watch: Available to stream for free on Shudder
What it's about: "In this Korean horror classic, scary things happen after two sisters are reunited. The bond between Su-mi and Su-yeon is so strong, even a stay at a mental hospital couldn't break it. When they return to live at their country home, the girls' father has remarried and strange events soon lead to dark revelations."
Why you should watch: "A Tale of Two Sisters" proved that English-language remakes aren't always the best, especially when it comes to horror. While the American remake "The Uninvited" is a passable film, "A Tale of Two Sisters" is far more terrifying and far more interesting to watch.
The twist at the end only adds to the deranged and disturbing nature of the film.
"One Cut of the Dead" focuses on the production of a zombie horror film that quickly becomes a real-life nightmare.
Where to watch: Available to stream for free on Shudder, or to rent on Amazon Prime video or Google Play
What it's about: "While shooting a low-budget zombie film in an abandoned warehouse, the crew find themselves caught between actual zombies and a mad director who won't stop rolling. If you think you know what happens next, think again."
Why you should watch: "One Cut of the Dead" starts off slow, but a big reveal about a third of the way through the film takes things to the next level and sets the stage for a satisfying conclusion. For a horror movie, "One Cut of the Dead" is also surprisingly funny and does an excellent job of explaining seemingly inexplicable events and twists that occur early on in the film.
Even if you think you know where this movie is going, the eventual payoff is well worth it.
Korean horror film "The Wailing" was a huge success when it was first released in 2016.
Where to watch: Available to stream for free on Shudder, or to rent on Amazon Prime video or Google Play
What it's about: "In this unbelievably tense supernatural thriller, a foreigner's mysterious appearance in a quiet, rural village causes suspicion among the locals — suspicion which quickly turns to hysteria as the townspeople begin killing each other in brutal outbursts for seemingly no reason. As the investigating officer watches his daughter fall under the same savage spell, he agrees to consult a shaman for answers — unknowingly escalating the situation into something far more dangerous."
Why you should watch: Tense, terrifying, and extremely engrossing, "The Wailing" is one of the best supernatural horror films in recent years. Focusing on a policeman trying to save his daughter from a demon, there's plenty of mind-boggling twists (and scary demonic rituals) to keep horror junkies satiated.
While it seems like things are heading towards a triumphant, if not exactly happy, ending, the final twist will leave you shocked.
"Raw" is a French-Belgian horror film about a vegetarian who develops a taste for human flesh.
Where to watch: Available to rent on Amazon Prime video, Google Play, iTunes, and more
What it's about: "Desperate to fit in during the first week of school, Justine strays from her principles and faces the unexpected consequences of her actions as her true self emerges."
Why you should watch: Gore-averse viewers should definitely steer clear of "Raw," which contains as much bloody imagery and bone-crunching sounds as its premise might suggest.
But mixed in with the gore is a compelling meditation on human appetites and the way we satiate them — as well as a pretty intense sex scene. Plus, lead actress Garance Marillier is perfect as a timid vegetarian who quickly takes control of her appetites, sexual and otherwise.
"Noroi: The Curse" revitalized the found footage genre in Japan.
Where to watch: Available for free on Shudder
What it's about: "'Noroi' takes the form of a documentary by a prominent paranormal journalist named Kobayashi, who went missing shortly after completing it. What begins as an investigation into strange noises soon evolves into the chilling mystery of a demonic entity named Kagutaba, as suspense and terror build steadily to a heart-stopping finale."
Why you should watch: It's not the easiest movie in the world to follow, but "Noroi: The Curse" rewards viewers with plenty of jump scares and a truly deranged demon.
Plus, the found-footage aspect is used in an exciting and original way, and the conclusion, while a bit convoluted, is absolutely terrifying.
The impossible-to-describe "Hausu" is a cult classic Japanese horror film.
Where to watch: Available to rent on Amazon Prime video
What it's about: "'House' is a hallucinatory head trip about a schoolgirl who travels with six classmates to her ailing aunt's creaky country home and comes face-to-face with evil spirits, a demonic house cat, a bloodthirsty piano, and other ghoulish visions."
Why you should watch: "Hausu" (referred to as "House" in English) is less scary and more "WTF," but that doesn't mean it won't give you nightmares.
Even though the movie's antagonists are pretty benign compared to, say, Freddy Krueger or Pennywise the Clown, the visuals (a giggling, disembodied head chasing a girl around a well, a piano biting off its player's fingers, and a surprisingly lethal pile of mattresses) will stick with you long after the movie has ended.
"Audition" starts off as a romantic comedy, but quickly morphs into something far more terrifying.
Where to watch: Available on Shudder for free or to rent on Amazon Prime video
What it's about: "Widower Aoyama falls for the radiant and mysterious Asami. But as he delves into her past, he learns her former acquaintances have either gone missing — or have missing limbs. Will he be next?"
Why you should watch: At first, "Audition" seems like a run-of-the-mill romantic comedy. After his wife dies, a middle-aged man named Aoyama accepts the offer of his film producer friend to hold mock auditions and find Aoyama a new partner. And for the first half of the movie, this is exactly what happens, thanks mostly to star Eihi Shiina's measured yet chilling performance.
But Aoyama soon comes to realize that his new girlfriend Asami (Shiina) has a pretty disturbing history — and things quickly go downhill, culminating in Asami's disappearance and subsequent reappearance in Aoyama's home. Without spoiling too much, let's just say that what happens next is terrifying, gory, and will change the way you look at needles — or piano wire — forever.
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