The Bloody Disgusting-powered SCREAMBOX is home to a variety of unique horror content, from originals and exclusives to cult classics and documentaries. With such a rapidly-growing library, there are many hidden gems waiting to be discovered.
Here are five recommendations you can stream on SCREAMBOX right now.
Like Jordan Peele, John Krasinski, and Zach Cregger, Matthew Holness made a name for himself in the comedy space — most notably, creating and starring in Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace — before delivering one hell of a horror movie right out the gate. 2018’s Possum is a psychological slow-burner that follows a disgraced children’s puppeteer (Sean Harris, Prometheus) back to his childhood home, where the trauma of his past comes back to haunt him.
A lifelike human head tethered to spindly spider legs, the titular puppet would be creepy in any contacts, but Holness turns it into pure nightmare fuel. Combined with an oppressive tone, unnerving performances by Harris and co-star Alun Armstrong (The Mummy Returns) as his callous uncle, stark 35mm cinematography, and a harrowing score, Possum amounts to 85 minutes of creeping dread.
If MaXXXine put you in the mood for ’80s sleaze, it doesn’t get much sleazier than The Devil’s Honey. Also known as Dangerous Obsession, the 1986 oddity finds Italian master of horror Lucio Fulci (The Beyond, Zombie) trying his hand at an S&M-fueled erotic thriller.
Immediately following the opening titles, viewers are treated to musician Johnny (Stefano Madia, Body Count) pleasuring his girlfriend Jessica (Blanca Marsillach, Flesh and Blood) with a seductive saxophone solo played into her womanhood. An injury lands Johnny in the care of womanizing Dr. Wendell Simpson (Brett Halsey, Return of the Fly), whose marital troubles with his wife (Corinne Cléry, Moonraker) inadvertently cost Johnny his life.
The soapy plot serves as a tenuous thread to connect scenes of softcore salaciousness in the first half before pivoting to an ill-conceived revenge scheme in which Jessica gets vengeance on Simpson in the form of sexual dominance. Not to kink shame, but the torrid titillation is unconventional, to say the least; while sax sex is the most outlandish, other fetishistic sequences involve a motorcycle, nail polish, and blood.
Prepare for the recently announced sequel with 2014’s original Coherence. If it’s a first-time watch, you’re in for a treat. If you’ve seen it before, repeat viewings help to make sense of the mind-bending plot in which a group of friends’ realities are upended when a comet passes the Earth.
Before multiverses became superhero movie fodder, writer-director James Ward Byrkit resourcefully tackled the concept with his feature debut. Similar to Primer, Upstream Color, and Time Crimes, it delivers high-concept sci-fi thrills on a modest indie budget. The improvisational dialogue and handheld camerawork give the film a sense of immediacy, with edge-of-your-seat intrigue starting early and never letting up. But be warned: the existential dread may follow you after the credits roll.
While countless nostalgic filmmakers were making ’80s horror throwbacks, Anna Biller — writer, director, producer, editor, composer, production designer, art director, set decorator, and costume designer (!) — crafted a spellbinding tribute to ‘60s cinema. The Love Witch channels the era not only in its vibrant visuals and 35mm texture but also tonally; evoking Gothic horror, pulp crime, melodrama, and a hint of camp, all while addressing contemporary feminist themes.
Still reeling from a nervous breakdown after the mysterious death of her ex-husband, femme fatale Elaine (Samantha Robinson) turns to witchcraft to mend her broken heart. Her love spells prove to be too strong, as her suitors literally love her to death. With a trail of bodies in her wake, Elaine sets her sights on the hard-boiled detective (Gian Keys) investigating her.
A lesser attempt would have been all style and no substance, but Biller offers ample subversion within the 2016 effort’s charming opulence. It may be overindulgent at two hours, but its rich aesthetic is enchanting enough to overlook any bloat.
Written and directed by The Ring scribe Hiroshi Takahashi, Occult Bolshevism‘s setup could be mistaken for an anthology wraparound: a group of communists gather to recount the details of their respective brushes with death in an effort to summon the other side. Rather than cutting to footage of their stories, however, their accounts are delivered as Mike Flanagan-esque monologues in largely unbroken takes.
In an efficient 71 minutes, the Japanese film affords a handful of actors the unique opportunity to create atmosphere and build tension exclusively through performance. The dialogue-driven minimalism certainly won’t work for all, but those with the patience to engage will be rewarded with an earnest and effective chamber piece.
Visit the SCREAMBOX Hidden Gems archives for more recommendations.
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