Some vintage fans love to check out the slasher films of the 1970s and 1980s.
Others prefer the more “elevated” horror movies that we began getting in the 2010s.
So why are we less inclined to revisit anything in between?
Kathy Bates in ‘Misery’.Everett Collection
Simply put, many don’t associate the ’90s with good horror.
Here’s the good news: Those haters aredeadwrong.
Don’t believe it?
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Just check out our definitive list of the 20 best ’90s horror movies that are absolutely worth your time.
Misery (1990)
Part of what makesMiseryso affecting is the simplicity of its premise.
What if a popular writer was at the mercy of an obsessive fan?
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As an adult viewer, you may even find yourself laughing along with the cackling clown.
However, we beg to differ.
The movie has a dramatically different ending that is sure to shock and like mega-fans of the original.
George C. Scott in ‘The Exorcist III’.Everett Collection
The casting is wonderful, with Patricia Tallman giving off theBig Final Girl Energythat Barbara never had before.
This moody psychological horror film is more than just an apology for the dreck that wasthe secondExorcistmovie.
With all that said,The Exorcist IIIis a bit of an acquired taste.
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And when you have that kind of itch, the best way to scratch it is to watchTremors.
The joy surrounding this movie is downright infectious.
But what happens when you get a horror sequel helmed by someone who shares those sentiments?
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You getGremlins 2: The New Batch.
This new setting helps directorJoe Dantepull off some truly incisive satire of the Hollywood machine.
Scientific experiments led byChristopher Leealso give us sequel-worthy mutations, including flying Gremlins and one made of electricity.
Silence of the Lambs.Orion
This is Dante’s commentary on a studio system that doesn’t necessarily care about creativity or quality.
The only horror movie to ever win Best Picture?Check.
Sizzling performances from actors at the top of their game?
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Enough famous lines and imagery to launch decades of memes, parodies, and references?
Check, check, check!
Beyond that, though, this movie is an important artifact in horror movie history.
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Sadly, this movie also serves as a high-water mark for a very mixed franchise.
In that case,Bram Stoker’s Draculais a movie practically custom-made for your taste.
Some performances are better than others, of course.
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As Dracula,Gary Oldmanchews up scenery even more often than he imbibes human blood.
The movie’s use of costumes, miniatures, and practical effects is also nothing short of breathtaking.
Does white academic discourse ultimately elevate or sublimate Black narratives?
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This is a movie where you’ll get an entirely different chill the longer you think about the film.
The broad comedy of the characters and dialogue is often very effective.
For example, a kung-fu priest’s proclamation that “I kick ass for the Lord!”
Francois Duhamel
has lived in our heads rent-free since its initial release.
However, the real laughs and appeal ofDead Alivecome from how over-the-top the gore and effects really get.
Others prefer Ash as the quip-spouting (“All right, you primitive screwheads, listen up.
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This…is my BOOMSTICK!")
action hero jerk with a heart of gold.
Rather than presenting these characters as one-dimensional monsters, the movie presents vamps as flawed and tragic figures.
Robert Englund and Miko Hughes in ‘Wes Craven’s New Nightmare’.Everett Collection
Of course, what makes their sadness pop is the sexiness of our main characters.
Also, this movie looks beautiful.
He eventually encounters the author, whose fans' love of his work has begun unleashing Lovecraftian terrors.
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How is it meta?
Well, this movie takes place in the real world.
Actors play themselves here, including franchise favorites likeHeather LangenkampandJohn Saxon, with Craven even popping up as himself.
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But as reality bends, these characters begin slipping more into the familiar fictional world.
Specifically, what kind of monstrously evil person could be committing these murders?
When they arrive and enter a raunchy bar, though, they soon find themselves surrounded by undead vampires.
Drew Barrymore in ‘Scream’.Dimension Films/Everett
This is an uneven movie in every sense of the word.
But it’s impossible not to love the outsized characters, environments, and dangers.
However, there were some potential obstacles to this movie’s success.
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As an unmasked killer inScreamfamously proclaims, “Movies don’t make psychos!
Movies make psychos more creative!”
The characters must navigate different booby traps and escape from one cube into another.
Event Horizon.Paramount Pictures
With a bit of calculation, they can determine which rooms are safe and find a way out.
Imagine Minesweeper with fatal consequences for being wrong, and you’ve got the general idea.
The original pitch for this movie was almost certainly “HellraisermeetsAlien.”
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Good marketing alone didn’t help this movie make a quarter of a billion dollars, though.
And since digital effects have exploded in recent decades, this back-to-basics horror film feels fresher than ever.
Where to watchThe Blair Witch Project: Paramount+
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