Horror films never go out of style. Since the dawn of the cinematic art form, the horror genre has been around, captivating and terrifying audiences around the globe. From 1922’s vampire masterpiece Nosferatu to 2022’s slasher revival X, big and exciting horror films continue to draw in fans who love to be scared. But what about all the horror movies that, for whatever reason, don’t attract mainstream attention?
Every year, tons of great horror movies fly under the radar, despite many of them being just as enthralling as their better-known counterparts. Some hardcore horror fans are rewarded for diving deep into the genre’s darkest corners to find hidden treasure, while countless others remain unaware of the cult classics lurking just beneath the surface. In the list below, we’ve collected 10 fantastic but little-seen horror flicks that have amassed significant cult followings over the years.
10 Ganja & Hess (1973)
Ganja & Hess is a phenomenal horror film about an anthropologist who becomes a vampire after his assistant attacks him with a cursed blade. The vampire then falls in love with a woman, and together they share a torrid and bloody love affair. As Screen Rant describes, “he takes her on a spiritual and physical journey that uses vampirism to explore the pain of Africans over the centuries. There's a seductive power to the unveiling of complex social history that allows jarring material to wash over viewers in a profoundly moving way.”
The movie, though lesser-known, is noteworthy for being one of two movies that Night of the Living Dead star Duane Jones took a lead role in. The film was drastically cut down and re-edited into a far lesser movie than the filmmakers intended, which resulted in it slipping into obscurity rather quickly. Fortunately, the thoughtful and intelligent original version of the film has since been restored, and has attracted a loyal cult following.
9 Satan’s Slave (1980)
Satan’s Slave is a little-seen Indonesian horror movie about a rich family who, after distancing themselves from their religious beliefs, suffer traumatic visions and attacks from the undead. An international entry in the “Satanic Panic” cycle of Exorcist rip-offs, Satan’s Slave attracted a cult following over the years due to its rarity; for decades, it was known as a sort of “Holy Grail” for fans of Asian cult cinema, found only on a limited VHS release. The film has since been released on DVD and Blu-ray, which has helped to expand its fan base.
Although its paper-thin plot and characterizations, plus overtly pro-religion overtones, will likely put some viewers off, Satan’s Slave boasts plenty of effective scares, a bleak atmosphere, and chilling creature makeup guaranteed to satisfy most horror hounds.
8 Evil Dead Trap (1988)
Despite what the title might allude to, the Japanese horror flick Evil Dead Trap bears no resemblance to Sam Raimi’s horror-comedy trilogy. Instead, the movie is more like a precursor to the Saw series, done up in ‘80s slasher style, with a pinch of Italian giallo flair thrown in for good measure.
It follows a TV crew who head to a deserted factory to investigate the origins of a seemingly-real snuff film that was sent to them by mail. Toshiharu Ikeda directs with a lot of finesse and style, presenting the terrifying story in a way that’s equal parts gorgeous and gut-churning.
7 Hex (1980)
Hex is a wild Hong Kong horror oddity about a wife who plots to murder her husband, which kicks off a chain of terrifying supernatural occurrences. Heavily influenced by the classic French thriller Les Diaboliques, Hex has enough unadulterated creative energy and nutso production design to differentiate it itself from its inspiration.
Bombastic and colorful lighting, lush cinematography, and surreal visuals await in this underrated gem. Like most Hong Kong horror flicks, the movie is thoroughly unpredictable and delightfully tasteless, and has earned itself a loyal cult following.
6 Blind Dead series (1972 - 1975)
One of the most underrated horror series of all time, the Spanish zombie Templar saga Blind Dead — launched in 1972 with Armando de Ossorio’s Tombs of the Blind Dead — is a rip-roaring good time. The series comprises four feature films, all released between 1972 and 1975 and directed by Ossorio: Tombs of the Blind Dead, Return of the Blind Dead, The Ghost Galleon, and Night of the Seagulls. Each film takes the same basic premise of undead Templars rising from the grave to wreak havoc on modern civilization, and skews it in an interesting and new way, making each entry familiar yet unique.
These trashy zombie flicks combine old school gothic atmosphere with groovy ‘70s fashion, and deliver legendary Euro-horror thrills thanks to the legitimately creepy monster design. As Den of Geek explains, “The genuinely eerie Blind Dead — who track their victims by sound since they can’t see — are among the best monsters of the ‘70s, even if the film is slow-moving and dragged down by some unfortunate misogyny.”
5 The Dead Next Door (1989)
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The Dead Next Door is a low-budget zombie flick about a team of government zombie hunters who come into conflict with a pro-zombie cult that threatens the world. Directed, written, and produced by one-man filmmaking machine J.R. Bookwalter, this exciting horror-action movie was also discreetly executive produced by Sam Raimi under the pseudonym “The Master Cylinder.” Similar to Raimi’s first movie, The Evil Dead, The Dead Next Door is an 8-millimeter treasure with an imagination that outweighs its budget.
It’s noteworthy for being an extremely ambitious movie in spite of its cheapness, effectively presenting a world dominated by the undead, complete with its own new societal norms and rules. What’s more, the gore effects are top-notch, the action doesn’t let up for a second, and the acting isn’t too shabby at all. Bruce Campbell even dubs two characters!
4 Alucarda (1977)
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A chaotic and surreal possession-horror classic, Alucarda is a masterful Mexican horror movie about a nun’s convent that becomes the house of the devil. Vampirism, demonic possession, and witch sabbaths quickly follow suit in this crazy and blasphemous rollercoaster ride of a movie. Additionally, the movie is chock-full of awe-inspiring, painterly production design and is set to a haunting and memorable score. It’s exploitation filmmaking at its best, and a surreal delight that has attracted a significant cult following in the decades since its initial release.
3 Silent Night, Bloody Night (1972)
One of the best slashers (or “proto-slashers,” technically) of the 1970s, Silent Night, Bloody Night is nevertheless fairly unknown outside of hardcore horror circles. This is likely due in part to its title, which is easily confused with the popular ‘80s slasher hit Silent Night, Deadly Night. Regardless, the movie is a classic and highly atmospheric affair, complete with Christmas Eve axe murders and an enthralling mystery concerning an old, dilapidated insane asylum.
Co-produced by The Toxic Avenger creator Lloyd Kaufman and starring cult actress extraordinaire Mary Woronov, Silent Night, Bloody Night is an artsy horror gem composed of gorgeous cinematography and effective scares. It is in the public domain, and thus can be found all over the web for free!
2 Eaten Alive (1976)
Although not commonly listed as one of Tobe Hooper’s best films, his sophomore feature, Eaten Alive, is every bit as atmospheric and delightfully dour as his debut hit, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. It follows the murderous exploits of a maniacal motel owner in the Deep South who feeds his unsuspecting guests to his giant pet crocodile.
The wonderful cast of cult superstars includes Neville Brand, Carolyn Jones, Marilyn Burns, and future Freddy Krueger himself — Robert Englund. The movie has a fantastically stylized look due to its being shot entirely on sound stages with expressionist lighting. Although it was poorly received at the time of its release (possibly due to the drastically different visual approach taken by Hooper here than in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre), Eaten Alive has since accumulated a well-deserved cult fan base.
1 Intruder (1989)
Intruder is one of the ultimate cult slasher horror films ever made. Made on a shoestring budget late in the slasher era by a bunch of Evil Dead creator Sam Raimi’s extended filmmaking “family,” this crazy stab ‘em up is relentlessly gory and endlessly creative.
It takes place in a grocery store, and follows the overnight stock team as they are hunted by an unknown assailant with a penchant for meat slicers and butcher knives. The film was extremely well-received by the critics who actually saw it, but the movie slipped under the radar for most filmgoers. The film did manage to lure in some viewers with its VHS packaging that promised tons of screen time for Sam Raimi, Ted Raimi, and cult megastar Bruce Campbell, though they feature more as cameo roles than anything else. Regardless, the movie is a blast, and deserves to see its small but loyal cult following expand.