What to Watch on Shudder: Antiviral and More

This week’s guide of what to watch on Shudder features Brandon Cronenberg’s Antiviral, zombie sequel [Rec] 2, and Dark Skies…

What to Watch on Shudder: Antiviral

Brandon Cronenberg carries on his father David’s tradition of science fiction/body horror with Antiviral. At times uncomfortable viewing, the film nevertheless compels. Antiviral is about the employee of a clinic which sells injections of viruses harvested from celebrities to their obsessed fans. The premise of the film is fantastic, and so is some celebrity worship to the extreme with an interesting and unusual tangent. The theme and imagery create a distinctive atmosphere. Clinical and dystopian, there is nothing about the film that feels comfortable. Yet it is a great watch. Read a full review of Antiviral here.

What to Watch on Shudder: [Rec] 2

Sequels can be a mixed bag, but [Rec] 2 is certainly one of the better ones. The film picks up straight after the events of the first film, and focuses on a SWAT team and doctor who are sent in the building to retrieve blood samples. The film gives hints to the cause of the outbreak, and offers tension, gore and some great scares. The film is a must-see for fans of the first film, and indeed the zombie sub-genre generally.

What to Watch on Shudder: Dark Skies

Given the premise and advertising, it would be forgivable to think Dark Skies is a homage or a rip off of Hitchcock’s The Birds. Yet the film takes a different tangent. The film is about a suburban family whose lives are disrupted by a series of strange events. Scott Stewart’s film combines science fiction and horror. The film is a little generic; at times it feels as if it could be an episode from The Twilight Zone. Nevertheless, there are a few good scares, and a decent atmosphere prevails. Dark Skies stars Keri Russell and J.K. Simmons.

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What To Watch On Shudder: Repulsion and More

Here’s what to watch on Shudder this week, including Repulsion, The Love Witch, and short The Grey Matter…

What to Watch on Shudder: Repulsion

Roman Polanski’s Repulsion is one of the director’s best films. Released in 1965, the film was Polanski’s first English-language film. The film is about a young Belgian woman living with her sister in London, who descends into a perilous state. Catherine Deneuve delivers a great performance as Carol, the young woman whose mental state slowly unravels in Polanski’s psychological thriller. Repulsion is a landmark genre film, one that lingers after the credits have rolled. Read a full review of Repulsion here.

What to Watch on Shudder: The Love Witch

Anna Biller’s The Love Witch is an amiable pastiche of late 1960s/early 1970s exploitation films. The film is about a modern witch (set in that period), who uses spells to make men fall in love with her. Biller adds a feminist approach to the exploitation film, offering a protagonist with a commanding presence, and seemingly-strong male characters who buckle under the title character’s charms. Anna Biller is something of a one-woman film crew; she directs, writes, produces, and edits the film, as well as being responsible for art direction, production design, costumes, and music. The Love Witch is a visual feast, it is a colourful, alluring film that does not skimp on the gore.

What to Watch on Shudder: The Grey Matter

Directed by Peter McCoubrey and Luke McCoubrey, The Grey Matter is a short comedy horror. An office worker wakes up in an alley with a head injury and a later personality transformation, which seems him attract the attention of a beautiful colleague. The Grey Matter combines comedy with horror tropes, and does so in a light and engaging way. The short film offers decent special effects, and a story fit for its eighteen-minute run time.

To find out more and to sign up to Shudder, visit https://www.shudder.com.

What to Watch on Shudder: Dracula (1958) and More

Films that include vampires, waxworks and bogeymen all feature in this week’s guide to what to watch on Shudder…

What to Watch on Shudder: Dracula (1958)

Hammer’s 1958 version of Dracula is one of the seminal adaptations of Bram Stoker’s classic novel. Known as Horror of Dracula in the United States, the film sees the first outing of Christopher Lee as the iconic vampire. Hammer’s interpretation of Dracula really emphasises the seductive nature of the title character. Gone are the less savoury descriptions that can be found in the novel. Dracula is both ruthless and seductive in this 1958 version. Like most adaptations of Stoker’s most famous work, there are a number of difference between the book and the film. Nevertheless, the gothic reigns supreme; the themes of otherness and duality are prominent. Dracula is one of the classic vampire films, and features perhaps the best-known Van Helsing: Peter Cushing. Read a full review here.

What to Watch on Shudder: Waxwork

Anthony Hickox’s Waxwork feels very much of its decade. Released in 1988, the film is probably best described as a camp horror. Waxwork focuses on a group of older teens who are invited to a party at a Waxwork museum which has mysteriously popped up in their suburban town. Featuring some of the great horror icons, the name of the game is to stay alive. Those looking for real chills may be disappointed as the emphasis of Hickox’s film is on comedy horror. There is some gore and trepidation, however film concentrates on fun aspects of the premise. This is supplemented by the who’s who of the horror world; Count Dracula, Jack the Ripper, Mr Hyde and many more. Starring Gremlins’ Zach Galligan, Waxwork is a great choice for a not so serious horror.

What to Watch on Shudder: Child Eater

Writer-director Erlingur Thoroddsen’s short Child Eater certainly does not shy away from the macabre. The film is about a young boy who is having nightmares about a bogeyman, and the babysitter who must protect him. Child Eater combines a number of horror tropes – the urban legend, the monster in the closet, the gory climax – in a most compelling fashion. Refreshingly, the film does not give the ending many may expect. Thoroddsen remade the short as a feature-length film in 2016.

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What To Watch On Shudder: Cube And More

Here is this week’s what to watch on Shudder, which features Cube, The Hills Have Eyes, and short The Banishing…

What to Watch on Shudder: Cube

Vincenzo Natali’s 1997 film Cube is quite the thriller. The film is about a group of strangers who wake up in a cubed structure, each of which are unsure how or why they are there. The film features enough mystery, tension, and gore to please most viewers. Reportedly inspired by an episode of The Twilight Zone, Natali’s film is inventive and occasionally wince-inducing. There are aspects of Cube itself which could be considered an inspiration on later horror movies, including Saw. Cube is a great feature debut from director Natali, who went on to make Splice and direct episodes of Westworld and Hannibal.

What to Watch on Shudder: The Hills Have Eyes

The late, great Wes Craven’s sophomore picture The Hills Have Eyes still packs a punch forty years later. The 1977 film is about a family who are targeted by savages after being stranded in the Nevada desert. The film has the requisite tension and striking scenes that we have come to expect from Craven. The Hills Have Eyes features performances by Dee Wallace and Michael Berryman, in an early, but memorable role. The film was remade in 2006, but it is this original that has become a cult classic.

What to Watch on Shudder: The Banishing

Director Erlingur Thoroddsen’s twelve-minute short The Banishing is a great watch. The film is about a teenager who tries to protect her younger sister from the spirit that haunts her. Thoroddsen’s film delivers a haunting atmosphere that rachets up fear. This is aided by a memorable score. The story is well executed, and the ending is a great way to bow out. It is easy to see why The Banishing won awards.

To find out more and to sign up to Shudder, visit https://www.shudder.com.

What to Watch on Shudder: Witchfinder General and More

Here’s what to watch on Shudder this weekend, featuring Witchfinder General, The Lair of the White Worm, and short The Puppet Man…

What to Watch on Shudder: Witchfinder General

Vincent Price gives a memorable performance in 1968’s Witchfinder General. Directed by Michael Reeves, the British horror is a highly fictionalised account of the exploits of seventeenth-century witch hunter Matthew Hopkins. Played by Price, Hopkins one of the nastiest characters in British horror. At the time of its release, Witchfinder General was criticised for being sadistic. Nevertheless, the film later found admirers, and rightly so. Contemporary viewers will find resonance in the theme of the state as an evil entity. Perhaps the most striking aspect about the film is the journey of the hero (played by Ian Ogilvy). Witchfinder General delivers a horrifying conclusion, and one that justifies the film’s place as a cult classic.

What to Watch on Shudder: The Lair of the White Worm

Ken Russell’s 1988 film The Lair of the White Worm has a wonderfully camp quality to it. A loose adaptation of Bram Stoker’s 1911 novel, in reality the film bears little resemblance to Stoker’s story. Russell moves the action to the modern day, and focuses on an archeology student who finds an usual skull at the site of an old convent in Derbyshire. The resulting mystery of this, and indeed the snakes that appear, bring in the current lord of the manor, as well as a mysterious lady who owns a nearby stately home. Featuring early roles for Peter Capaldi, Hugh Grant, and Amanda Donohoe, The Lair of the White Worm offers some great camp excess. The dream/hallucination sequences are absurd but immensely watchable trips. Certainly not the finest of horror films, nevertheless Russell’s picture is a lot of fun.

What to Watch on Shudder: The Puppet Man

Jacqueline Castel’s 2016 short The Puppet Man feels like a homage to eighties horror movies. The film is about a group of young adults who visit a deserted bar, but they are not alone. There are several references to classic 1980s horror, and even a cameo from John Carpenter. Castel offers great cinematography, with The Puppet Man looking every inch the retro picture. Moreover, the score is quintessential eighties horror.

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What To Watch on Shudder: Tenebrae and More

This week’s guide to what to watch on Shudder features Tenebrae, Halloween II, and short film I Want You Inside Me…

What to Watch on Shudder: Tenebrae

Dario Argento’s 1982 giallo classic Tenebrae is a must-see for fans of the sub-genre and horror in general. Taking place in Rome (but with English dialogue), the film is about an American writer who is stalked by a killer obsessed with murdering people relating to the writer’s latest work. The film was actually inspired real experiences; Argento received death threats over the telephone, and he wanted to explore senseless killings, which he had heard about in Los Angeles. Starring Anthony Franciosa, John Saxon, and Daria Nicolodi, the film combines mystery with a violent slasher. The visuals are impeccably styled, and there is a Hitchcockian air which permeates the film. With striking flashbacks and a high body count, Tenebrae is great viewing.

What to Watch on Shudder: Halloween II

The first sequel to quintessential horror Halloween is well worth a watch. Released in 1981, the film takes an usual step as far as sequels go. Events in the film pick up moments after the ending of the 1978 film, as Dr Loomis searches for Michael Myers whilst Laurie is taken to hospital. Halloween II reveals a twist in the central relationship, which has an impact on the rest of the film series. Starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence, the film is a gory slasher. So much so, that several edits were made to the death scenes when the film was shown on US television.

What to Watch on Shudder: I Want You Inside Me

Director Alice Shindelar’s 2016 short I Want You Inside Me is a coming-of-age film crossed with horror. Written by Alex Cannon, the film is about a teenage girl who wants to lose her virginity to a guy from her high school. His disappear act, however, leaves her mystified. The film has a sufficient hook to keep viewers engaged for the thirteen-minute run time, and is worth watching alone for the surprising finale.

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What To Watch on Shudder: The Mummy and More

There are frights aplenty on horror streaming platform Shudder. Here’s what to what to watch on Shudder this week, featuring The Mummy (1959), Battle Royale, and short Jack Attack…

What to Watch on Shudder: The Mummy (1959)

Ahead of next week’s release of action-horror remake The Mummy, check out the 1959 Hammer version. The film was released by the studio one year after Dracula, and features the classic Hammer pairing of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. This version’s plot varies slightly from the 1932 Universal film, but the crux remains the same. Terence Fisher’s film offers plenty of that Hammer charm, even if the ‘brown face’ makes the film feel dated. The title character itself is a pretty horrifying concoction. This is one thing that hasn’t aged.

What to Watch on Shudder: Battle Royale

Battle Royale is a Japanese horror classic. The 2000 film’s influence can be seen most prominently in the The Hunger Games series of films. Battle Royale is about forty-two school students sent to a deserted island, who are forced to compete until only one survives. If this dystopian premise is not horrifying enough, director Kinji Fukasaka does not skimp on the gore. The film is visceral, yet not without a satirical dark humour. Controversial at the time of its release, Battle Royale certainly packs a punch.

What to Watch on Shudder: Jack Attack

2013 short Jack Attack is worth nine minutes of your time. Written and directed by Bryan Norton and Antonio Padovan, the film has won a number of awards at genre film festivals. Jack Attack is about a young boy and his babysitter who decide to carve a pumpkin on Halloween. To say anymore would give the game away. Suffice to say, the film has a freaky outcome with some decent special effects.

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What to Watch on Shudder: The Dead Zone and More!

Here is what to watch on Shudder this Bank Holiday weekend, featuring The Dead Zone, Let The Right One In, and In The Night…

What to Watch on Shudder: The Dead Zone

The combination of David Cronenberg and Stephen King will surely delight horror fans. Whilst The Dead Zone fits more succinctly into the thriller category than the horror, the film nevertheless has enough to offer those looking for the supernatural. After waking up from a coma, accident victim Johnny discovers he has a psychic ability. Starring Christopher Walken, Brooke Adams, and Martin Sheen, the 1983 film still feels resonant today. Cronenberg mixes supernatural activity with a tense drama. As the film builds to its conclusion, the themes feel both universal (asking viewers would they do the same if given Johnny’s ability) and politically contemporary. The Dead Zone does not trade on jump scares. Instead, it opts for an unsettling tone that lingers.

What to Watch on Shudder: Let The Right One In

2008 Swedish vampire film Let The Right One In has become part of the vampire movie canon for good reason. The horror-drama is about a young boy who befriends his neighbour Eli, although she cannot come out to play during the day. The film is about an endearing friendship, albeit one played out through the instrument of vampirism. Director Thomas Alfredson’s film was given an American remake in the form of Let Me In. Those who have not seen the original should rectify this, however, as it is the superior film.

What to Watch on Shudder: In The Night

This 2015 short is a tense little number. Directed by Joshua Erkman, In The Night is about a new mortuary worker asking his more veteran colleague about his strangest experience on the job. The short film is expertly paced, with tension building steadily to its climax. In The Night almost feels like a prelude to a feature-length film, and it a great showcase for writer-director Erkman.

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What to Watch on Shudder: Maniac Cop and More

This week’s picks of what to watch on Shudder features Maniac Cop, Lake Bodom, and He Took His Skin Off For Me…

What to Watch on Shudder: Maniac Cop

1988’s Maniac Cop feels like a quintessential 1980s picture. It is a bona fide cult classic. Director William Lustig (who also helmed 1980’s Maniac) combines a thriller with a slasher aesthetic that is very much of its era. The film is about a killer dressed in police uniform who murders people on the streets on New York. There is plenty to like about the film – the shifting point of view, the silent killer, the mystery surrounding the identity of the title character. The film stars horror nobility Bruce Campbell as an officer accused of being the culprit, as well as Tom Atkins and Laurene Landon as police officers trying to find out the identity of the killer. In March 2017, it was announced that Nicolas Winding Refn’s remake of Maniac Cop had been greenlit, so see the original before the remake hits the big screen.

What to Watch on Shudder: Lake Bodom

2016’s Lake Bodom has just been added to Shudder, and it is well worth a watch. The film, which screened at the 2016 BFI London Film Festival, is a horror-thriller which entertains throughout. A group of teenagers visit the site of an unsolved multiple murder which occurred decades before, hoping to recreate the murder scene. The aspect that elevates Lake Bodom above some other campsite horrors is the way director and co-writer Taneli Mustonen pulls the rug from under viewers. The twist injects life into what would have been a run-of-the-mill horror. The result is most welcome. Read a full review of Lake Bodom here.

What to Watch on Shudder: He Took His Skin Off For Me

Director Ben Aston’s 2015 short He Took His Skin Off For Me is a subversive fairy tale. With the story told by narration, the film is about a man who takes his skin off to please his partner, and the consequences of this action. The film works because of the contrast between the mundanity of the setting, and the macabre premise. Based on a short story by Maria Hummer, He Took His Skin Off For Me is a twisted idea which is well executed by director Aston.

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What to Watch on Shudder: Blood and Black Lace and More

Looking for some scares? This week’s guide of what to watch on Shudder features Blood and Black Lace, Mirror Mirror, and The Home…

What to Watch on Shudder: Blood and Black Lace

Mario Bava’s 1964 Blood and Black Lace is surely one of horror’s most visually arresting films. Starring Eva Bartok and Cameron Mitchell, the film is about models who are killed at a fashion house by a masked figure. Visually, the film is a joy to watch. The use of colour, the composition of shots, and the art direction are all spot on. Coupled with this are the costumes and great sets. Blood and Black Lace mixes these wonderful aspects with a suitably satisfying slasher narrative. There is a great sequence early on with numerous suspicious parties keeping their eyes on a bag which contains a diary. This acts as a succinct preview of what is to come.

What to Watch on Shudder: Mirror Mirror

Mirror Mirror fulfils the cult 90s movie trope; the television aspect ratio of Shudder’s version merely adds to this. Released in 1990, Marina Sargenti’s film is very much of its era. A teenage outsider moves to a new home, where she gains magical power through an antique mirror. Mirror Mirror combines supernatural horror with a teen movie. There are definite allusions to Carrie (1976), and Sargenti’s film can certainly be seen as a precursor to The Craft. Whilst not the scariest of movies, Mirror Mirror works as a supernatural teen movie, with some decent sequences. The film stars Rainbow Harvest, Karen Black (Family Plot, Five Easy Pieces), and Yvonne De Carlo (best known as Lily from The Munsters).

What to Watch on Shudder: The Home

L. Gustavo Cooper’s 2016 short The Home is brief, yet unnerving. Set in an Irish home for pregnant young women, the period-set-set film is about an evil that descends on the convent. There is very little by the way of narrative, but this does not matter as The Home is atmospheric, and offers a great final sequence.

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