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.

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