Given the ubiquity of DVDs and Blu-Rays for sale and rent, it is difficult to believe that some of these fine gems of horror flicks have slipped below the of radar of many a horror fan. There is no particular rhyme or reason as to why these movies are widely unknown even among hard core scary movie fans.
So in alphabetical order:
“Bubba Ho-Tep”:
The award winning “Bubba Ho-Tep” released in 2002 stars Bruce Campbell, (the Chin himself), as Elvis Presley, (yes THAT Elvis) and Ossie Davis as the still alive former President John F. Kennedy. This is all explained in the movie. Based on a short story by Jon R. Lonsdale, “Bubba Ho-Tep” tells the story of the duo of Presley and Kennedy as they battle a resurrected mummy that is sucking the life out of residents of their retirement home.
“The Changeling”:
1980’s The Changeling is one of the best haunted house movies of all time, it rates at least has high as the more popular “Poltergeist” on the scare-o-meter. Starring the awesome George C. Scott as composer John Russell who movies into a empty house soon after the death of his wife and young daughter. This movie is not a gore fest but depends on a disquieting camera shots, weird music and pure mood to creep the viewer out.
“Dog Soldiers”:
A section of British soldiers on maneuvers in the Scottish Highlands are attacked by werewolves and are forced to fort up in a cabin in the woods. The most action oriented movie on this list, there is also plenty of gore and not some little pathos as the squaddies are taken out. Features Sean Pertwee, the son of the 3rd Doctor Who, Jon Pertwee.
“In The Mouth Of Madness” (1994)
In 1994 John Carpenter released this homage to H. P. Lovecraft, Stephen King and the Hammer Horror movies of the 1950s and 60s. This movie has a stellar cast including Sam Neill as John Trent, an insurance investigator out to find Sutter Cane the most popular horror writer in the world. It also stars David Warner, Charleston Heston and John Glover. Playing a riff on the Lovecrafts Cthulhu mythos, the movie is weird, disturbing and surprising stylish.
“Something Wicked This Way Comes”:
1983’s “Something Wicked This Way Comes” based on the novel by Ray Bradbury and with a screenplay written by the man himself, is a classy, creepy gothic movie with some genuinely outright scary moments. This movie also has a top notch cast with Jason Robards, Diane Ladd and Jonathan Pryce as Mr. Dark.
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