Shudder is quickly becoming one of the most popular streaming services on the internet. The horror-centric platform offers viewers the option to subscribe and watch as many genre titles on-demand as they wish. Whether it’s well-known horror classics, exclusive content, or Shudder Originals, the options are limitless. But have you considered which options are the best for your viewing needs? Maybe you’ll dare to try something new and check out the service’s own films. Don’t know where to start? Check out our ranked list of every Shudder Original.
Christmas Presence
For those itching to get the horror holiday spirit underway, look no further than James Edward Cooks’ horror-comedy Christmas Presence.
Previously titled WhyHide?, the film concerns a gaggle of friends who gather for the yuletide season in a secluded log cabin. Of course, just as they settle in and warm up from the frosty weather outside, one of the friends suddenly disappears. Soon, a gore-sodden massacre ensues, leaving the remaining survivors to identify the killer before it’s too late. Derivative, cheaply-made, and unoriginal, you could open far better gifts than Christmas Presence.
The Wrath
From movies like Train to Busan and The Wailing, South Korean filmmakers seem to be at the forefront of modern horror. Unfortunately, we won’t be adding The Wrath to the mix anytime soon.
Directed by Young-sun Yoo, the film revolves around the tragic life of a top-ranking dignitary in the Joseon Kingdom. When his three sons all mysteriously die inside his house, the inhabitants believe the place is haunted. The wife of the third deceased son, also pregnant, must protect her unborn child from a sinister presence. Slow, confusing, and not very scary, The Wrath doesn’t have enough rage.
The Witch In The Window
Third time’s the harm for writer/director Andy Mitton, whose new movie The Witch in the Window is rewarding Shudder fans brave enough to peer through its shutters. Think that’s you?
The slow-burn haunted house yarn follows Simon (Alex Draper), a man looking to buy-and-sell an old Vermont home. With his 12-year-old son Finn in tow, Simon unleashes the sinister spirit of the house’s previous owner. The film marks Mitton’s third feature following YellowBrickRoad and We Go On.
The Ranger
Following two short films (Slumber Party and Halloween Bash), Jenn Wexler makes her feature debut with The Ranger, a tale of anarchic teenagers who run a bit too afoul of the law. Oh, those meddling kids.
When the teenage punks find themselves on the run from the police, they decide to hole up in Chelsea’s (Chloë Levine) dead uncle’s cabin deep in the woods. The only problem? A deranged park ranger (Jeremy Holm) who takes the law a little too seriously. The vengeful ranger looks to settle a vendetta in the most savage way imaginable.
Party Hard Die Young
Austrian director Dominik Hartl delivers Party Hard Die Young, a frightening cautionary tale about straying too far from home.
Following graduation, a group of friends led by Julia (Elisabeth Wabitsch) travel to Croatia to celebrate. Of course, their idyllic vacation turns into an abject nightmare when a masked murderer begins slashing the unsuspecting twentysomethings. While not a whole lot is added to the subgenre, this German-language chiller marks the first film Hartl has directed since the 2016 zom-com Attack of the Lederhosen Zombies. With titles like these, who can resist?
Belzebuth
Starring Jigsaw himself (Tobin Bell), Belzebuth is a Mexican-made exorcism film that focuses on the tragic aftermath of a detective losing his family to horrific circumstances. Can the man find closure and return to normalcy?
Following a grisly school massacre that leaves several people dead, Detective Ritter (Joaquin Cosio) is hired to find answers. While the evidence points to one culprit, a Vatican priest arrives with theories of his own, which shake Ritter to his core. With an eerie atmosphere and chilling imagery, the film serves as a sequel of sorts to director Emilio Portes’ previous film, Pastorela.
Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror
In Shudder’s first original documentary, Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror, the history of black horror cinema is explored at great length.
Directed by Xavier Burgin, the film delves into the critical and cultural impact African-Americans have played in the history of horror cinema. From Duane Jones becoming the first black leading man in Night of the Living Dead to Tony Todd headlining the Candyman franchise, the evolution of black influence in the horror realm is chronicled. The film is adapted from the book written by Robin R. Means Coleman. Insightful, important, and a must-see.
Deadtectives
Written and directed by Tony West, the well-received new horror-comedy Deadtectives is splitting as many sides as it is slitting throats.
In the uproarious spirit of Ghostbusters and The Frighteners, the film follows a feckless crew of TV ghost hunters who travel to Mexico’s most haunted house to boost their ratings. Of course, when the bumbling crew arrives, they realize there is nothing phony or staged about the menacing presence inside the house. With the terror increasing around every corner, the crew must evade danger and escape unharmed. A pitch-perfect mixture of horror and humor.
Gwen
William McGregor’s frigid atmospheric folk tale of a young woman struggling to brave the harsh environment of 19th-century Wales is among the best Shudder Originals so far.
Eleanor Worthington-Cox stars as Gwen, a teenage girl burdened with the responsibility of keeping her family together during difficult times. When her father falls ill and a ruthless mining company threatens to seize their land, the stress and pressures Gwen feels take a sinister supernatural turn. As a grand metaphor for grief and remorse, Gwen must find the inner-courage to fend off the menacing threat and maintain her homeland. Fantastic filmmaking.
Revenge
Despite the generic and uninspired title, Coralie Fargeat’s Revenge is easily one of the most well-received Shudder Originals to date. It currently has an 81 on Metacritic. Shudder Originals haven’t fared much better than that.
Filmed in Morocco, the French-Belgian production revolves around a sick and twisted hunting expedition that goes horribly awry. A trio of wealthy men retreats to the desert for their annual hunting challenge. One of the men brings their sexy young girlfriend Jen (Matilda Lutz), who draws the lusty eyes of the other two men. When the woman is left for dead following an accident, a harrowing revenge plot ensues. Jen goes to whatever means necessary to get payback. Vicious, visceral and downright vivid.
