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  • Writer's pictureGabe Powers

Grinding the Stream June 2020 UPDATES: North American Horror & Cult

***This is going to be a mid-monthly tradition now, I guess. At least until social distancing standards are completely abandoned. Maybe even after that. Some updates will be bigger than others – it all depends on what differences I can find. I've also added HBO Max selections this month.***


Are you self isolating? Are you thinking about broadening your cinematic horizons? Perhaps you’d like to learn about a specific genre? I’m here to help. Let's talk about some North American (as in the United States and Canada) horror and cult movie titles available to stream RIGHT NOW.


Netflix and Hulu fall short again and Amazon Prime and the various free streaming services available via Roku, Amazon Fire, Chromecast, et cetera, pick up the slack. I compared a bunch and, for the sake of simplicity, I found the best in terms of content and video quality to be Tubi, Midnight Pulp (a "+" will be included wherever subscription fees apply), VUDU’s free selections, The Roku Channel, Shout Factory TV (though most of their titles can also be watched via Amazon Prime), Popcorn Flix, Crackle, Dark Matter TV (again, a "+" will be included wherever subscription fees apply). And, of course, boutique pay services the Criterion Channel, Shudder, and Fandor do well. I've tried to break things down to the popular filmmakers and some underseen titles I'd love people to enjoy for all their quirk and unique beauty/ugliness.


Be warned – all of the free apps have ad breaks (I know, it sucks) and the video quality is inconsistent from app to app. Sometimes it's genuine HD, other times, it's sub-VHS. Apologies if I’ve suggested something with particularly grim A/V quality and be aware that the availability is based on the research I did on May 8, 2020. Given the nature of streaming media, I imagine very few of these titles will be available in perpetuity. I've included links to my own reviews of some of these films and be aware that, despite my classifications below, complete director filmographies are not currently available free/subscription streaming.



The Masters of Horror (so-called)


Clive Barker Movies

I know he’s British, shhhh...

  • Hellraiser (1987) – Amazon Prime, Shudder, and The Roku Channel

  • Hellbound: Hellraiser 2 (directed by Tony Randel, 1988) – HULU, Amazon Prime, Shudder, and The Roku Channel

  • Nightbreed (1990) – Amazon Prime and Shout Factory TV (director’s cut)

  • Candyman (directed by Bernard Rose, 1992) – Netflix

  • The Midnight Meat Train (directed by Ryûhei Kitamura, 2008) – Tubi

  • Book of Blood (directed by John Harrison, 2009) – Amazon Prime and Tubi

John Carpenter Horror Movies

  • Dark Star (1974) – Criterion Channel and Fandor

  • Halloween (1978) – Shudder and The Roku Channel

  • Escape from New York (1981) – Amazon Prime

  • Body Bags (with Tobe Hooper, 1993) – Amazon Prime, Shudder, The Roku Channel, VUDU Free, Shout Factory TV, and Popcorn Flix

  • In the Mouth of Madness (1994) – VUDU Free

  • Escape from L.A. (1996) – Amazon Prime and Tubi

  • The Ward (2010) – Amazon Prime


Larry Cohen Horror Movies (RIP)

  • God Told Me To (1974) – Criterion Channel and Shudder

  • Q: The Winged Serpent (1982) – Amazon Prime, Shout Factory TV, and Popcorn Flix

  • Special Effects (1984) – HBO Max

  • The Stuff (1985) – Amazon Prime and Tubi

  • Maniac Cop (directed by William Lustig, 1988) – Midnight Pulp

  • Maniac Cop 2 (directed by William Lustig, 1990) – Amazon Prime, VUDU Free, Tubi, and Popcorn Flix

  • Maniac Cop 3 (directed by William Lustig, 1992) – Amazon Prime, VUDU Free, Tubi, and Popcorn Flix

  • Body Snatchers (directed by Abel Ferrara, 1993) – VUDU Free

Don Coscarelli Horror Movies.

  • Phantasm (1979) – Amazon Prime, Shudder, VUDU Free, Crackle, and Tubi

  • Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead (1994) – Amazon Prime, Shudder, VUDU Free, Crackle, and Tubi

  • Phantasm: OvlIVion (1998) – Amazon Prime, Shudder, VUDU Free, Crackle, and Tubi

  • Phantasm: RaVager (directed by David Hartman, 2016) – Amazon Prime, Shudder and Tubi

  • Bubba Ho-Tep (2002) – VUDU Free

  • John Dies at the End (2012) – VUDU Free, The Roku Channel, and Tubi

  • BONUS: The Beastmaster (1982) – Amazon Prime


Wes Craven Horror Movies (RIP)

  • The Last House on the Left (1972) Popcorn Flix

  • The Hills Have Eyes (1977) – Shudder

  • The Hills Have Eyes Part 2 (1984) – Amazon Prime and Shudder

  • A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) – HBO Max

  • Invitation to Hell (1984) – Amazon Prime and VUDU Free

  • Chiller (1985) – Amazon Prime

  • Scream (1996) – Tubi

  • Scream 2 (1997) – Tubi

  • Scream 3 (2000) – Tubi


David Cronenberg Horror Movies

  • Shivers (aka: They Came From Within, 1975) – Popcorn Flix and Tubi

  • Rabid (1977) – Amazon Prime, Shout Factory TV, and Dark Matter TV

  • The Brood (1979) – Criterion Channel and HBO Max

  • Scanners (1981) – HBO Max

  • The Dead Zone (1983) – Amazon Prime

  • Dead Ringers (1988) – Amazon Prime, Popcorn Flix, and Shout Factory TV


Brian De Palma Horror Movies/Thrillers

  • Sisters (1972) – Criterion Channel and HBO Max

  • Obsession (1976) – Amazon Prime

  • Raising Cain (1992) – Netflix

  • Snake Eyes (1998) – HULU

  • Passion (2012) – Amazon Prime and VUDU Free



Stuart Gordon Movies (RIP)

  • Re-Animator (1985) – Shudder and Midnight Pulp+

  • Daughter of Darkness (1990)Tubi

  • The Pit and the Pendulum (1991) – Tubi

  • Castle Freak (1995) – Shudder and Tubi

  • Dagon (2001) – Tubi

  • King of the Ants (2003) Amazon Prime, VUDU Free, and Popcorn FX

  • Edmond (2005) – Amazon Prime, VUDU Free, and Tubi

  • Stuck (2007) – Shudder

  • BONUS: Bride of Re-Animator (Brian Yuzna, 1995) – Amazon Prime, Shudder, and Midnight Pulp+


Tobe Hooper Movies (RIP)

  • The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) – Shudder

  • Eaten Alive (aka: Slaughter Hotel; 1976) – Amazon Prime

  • Lifeforce (1985) – HBO Max

  • Invaders from Mars (1986) – Tubi

  • Body Bags (with John Carpenter, 1993) – Amazon Prime, Shudder, The Roku Channel, VUDU Free, Shout Factory TV, and Popcorn FX

  • The Mangler (1995) – VUDU Free


Sam Raimi Movies

  • The Evil Dead (1981) – Netflix

  • The Quick and the Dead (1995) – Crackle

  • The Gift (2000) – Amazon Prime and Popcorn FX


George A. Romero Movies (RIP)

  • Night of the Living Dead (1968) – Criterion Channel and HBO Max (best transfer), Amazon Prime, Shudder, VUDU Free, The Roku Channel, Midnight Pulp +, and Dark Matter TV

  • Season of the Witch (aka: Hungry Wives, 1972) – Amazon Prime, Shudder, and Midnight Pulp

  • The Crazies (1973) – Amazon Prime, VUDU Free, and Midnight Pulp

  • Knightriders (1981) – Amazon Prime, VUDU Free, The Roku Channel, Popcorn Flix, and Shout Factory TV (including commentary track version)

  • Day of the Dead (1985) – The Roku Channel, Popcorn Flix, and Tubi

  • Two Evil Eyes (Italian: Due occhi diabolici; co-directed with Dario Argento, 1990) – VUDU Free and Popcorn Flix

  • Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990) Crackle

  • Bruiser (2000) – VUDU Free and Tubi

  • Survival of the Dead (2010) – Tubi


Vincent Price Movies

(I realize some of these are British-made)

  • The Baron of Arizona (1950) – Criterion Channel

  • House on Haunted Hill (William Castle, 1959) – Amazon Prime, Fandor, Dark Matter TV, and Midnight Pulp

  • The Tingler (William Castle, 1959) – Tubi and Popcorn Flix

  • Tales of Terror (1962) – Amazon Prime

  • The Comedy of Terrors (Jacques Tourneur, 1963) – Amazon Prime

  • Diary of a Madman (Reginald Le Borg, 1963) – Amazon Prime

  • The Last Man on Earth (Ubaldo Ragona and Sidney Salkow, 1964) – Amazon Prime, Fandor, Popcorn Flix, Midnight Pulp, and Dark Matter TV

  • Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs (Italian: Le spie vengono dal semifreddo; Mario Bava, 1966) – Amazon Prime

  • The Oblong Box (Gordon Hessler, 1969) Amazon Prime

  • Cry of the Banshee (Gordon Hessler, 1970) – Amazon Prime

  • Theatre of Blood (Douglas Hickox, 1973) – The Roku Channel

  • Madhouse (Jim Clark, 1974) – Amazon Prime

  • The Monster Club (Roy Ward Baker, 1981) Amazon Prime and Shout Factory TV

  • From a Whisper to a Scream (Jeff Burr, 1987) – Amazon Prime

  • Dead Heat (Mark Goldblatt, 1988) Amazon Prime and Shudder



The Masters of Trash (so-dubbed by myself)


Al Adamson Movies

  • Psycho a Go-Go (1965) – Fandor

  • Brain of Blood (1971) – Amazon Prime


Herschell Gordon Lewis Movies

  • Blood Feast (1963) – Shudder, Criterion Channel, Fandor, and Midnight Pulp +

  • Two Thousand Maniacs (1964) – Criterion Channel

  • Moonshine Madness (1964) – Amazon Prime

  • Color Me Blood Red (1965) – Criterion Channel

  • The Gruesome Twosome (1967) – Criterion Channel

  • Blast-Off Girls (1967) Amazon Prime

  • How to Make a Doll (1968) – Midnight Pulp

  • She-Devils on Wheels (1968) Amazon Prime

  • The Wizard of Gore (1970) – Criterion Channel

  • The Gore Gore Girls (1972) – Criterion Channel


Frank Henenlotter Movies

  • Basket Case (1982) – Midnight Pulp +

  • Brain Damage (1988) – Shudder and Midnight Pulp


Ted V. Mikels Movies

  • The Astro-Zombies (1968) – Amazon Prime (Amazon Prime and Midnight Pulp also have the modern sequels)

  • The Corpse Grinders (1971) – Amazon Prime,Fandor, and Midnight Pulp

  • Blood Orgy of the She Devils (1973) – Fandor and Midnight Pulp +

  • The Doll Squad (1973) Midnight Pulp +

  • 10 Violent Women (1982) Fandor

  • Angel of Vengeance (1987) – Amazon Prime

  • The Corpse Grinders II (2000) – Midnight Pulp

  • Cauldron: Baptism of Blood (2004) – Midnight Pulp


Andy Milligan Movies

  • The Body Beneath (1970) – Amazon Prime

  • Guru, the Mad Monk (1970) – Amazon Prime

  • Blood (1973) – Amazon Prime

  • Carnage (1986) – Amazon Prime



Must-See North American Underground Horror Classics

These are a series of relatively deep cuts that offer unique, sometimes surrealistic alternatives to the more popular American (and Canadian) horror movies of the ‘70s (and early ‘80s). I can’t guarantee everyone will like them, but, for better or worse, I think of them as vital pieces of Americana and, uh, Canadana(?).

  • Spider Baby (Jack Hill, 1967) – Amazon Prime, Fandor, Midnight Pulp, and Popcorn Flix

  • Let’s Scare Jessica to Death (John D. Hancock, 1971) – Popcorn Flix

  • Images (Robert Altman, 1972) – Amazon Prime, Shudder, and Midnight Pulp

  • Grave of the Vampire (John Hayes, 1972) – Amazon Prime and Midnight Pulp

  • Blacula (William Crain, 1972) and Scream Blacula Scream (Bob Kelljan, 1973) – Shudder (I'm not the biggest Blacula fan, but the sequel is fantastic)

  • Ganja & Hess (Bill Gunn, 1973) – Amazon Prime, Shudder, and Popcorn Flix

  • Messiah of Evil (Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz, 1973) – Amazon Prime, Midnight Pulp, Dark Matter TV, and Popcorn Flix

  • The Baby (Ted Post, 1973) – Amazon Prime, Fandor, Shudder, and Midnight Pulp

  • Sugar Hill (Paul Maslansky, 1974) – Shudder

  • Deranged (Jeff Gillen & Alan Ormsby, 1974) – Amazon Prime

  • Deathdream (aka: Dead of Night; Bob Clark, 1974) – VUDU Free

  • Devil Times Five (aka: People Toys; Sean MacGregor, 1974) – Amazon Prime

  • Alice Sweet Alice (aka: Communion; Alfred Sole, 1976) – Amazon Prime, The Roku Channel, and Midnight Pulp +

  • The Witch Who Came from the Sea (Matt Cimber, 1976) – Amazon Prime and Midnight Pulp +

  • Cathy’s Curse (Eddy Matalon, 1977) – Popcorn Flix

  • Rituals (aka: The Creeper; Peter Carter, 1977) – Fandor and Midnight Pulp +

  • Death Bed: The Bed that Eats (George Barry, 1977) – Amazon Prime and Midnight Pulp

  • Tourist Trap (David Schmoeller, 1979) – Shudder and Tubi

  • Christmas Evil (Lewis Jackson, 1980) – Shudder, The Roku Channel, VUDU Plus, and Midnight Pulp


Franchise Horror


Friday the 13th

  • Friday the 13th (Sean Cunningham, 1980) – Amazon Prime and Crackle

  • Friday the 13th Part 2 (Steve Miner, 1981) – Amazon Prime and Crackle

  • Friday the 13th Part III (Steve Miner, 1982) – Amazon Prime, HULU, and Crackle

  • Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (Joseph Zito, 1984) – Amazon Prime and HULU

  • Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (Danny Steinmann, 1985) Amazon Prime and Crackle (remember to watch this one with Gabe and Patrick's commentary track)

  • Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (Tom McLoughlin, 1986) – Amazon Prime and Crackle

  • Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (John Carl Buechler, 1988) Amazon Prime and Crackle

  • Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (Rob Hedden, 1989) Amazon Prime and Crackle

  • Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (Adam Marcus, 1993) – HBO Max

  • Jason X (James Isaac, 2001) HBO Max

  • Freddy vs. Jason (Ronny Yu, 2003)HBO Max

  • Friday the 13th (Marcus Nispel, 2009)HBO Max


A Nightmare on Elm Street

  • A Nightmare on Elm Street (Wes Craven, 1984) – HBO Max

  • A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge (Jack Sholder, 1985) – HBO Max

  • A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 3: Dream Warriors (Chuck Russell, 1987) – HBO Max

  • A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (Renny Harlin, 1988) – HBO Max

  • A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (Stephen Hopkins, 1989) – HBO Max

  • Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (Rachel Talalay, 1991) – HBO Max

  • New Nightmare (Wes Craven, 1994) – HBO Max

  • Freddy vs. Jason (Ronny Yu, 2003) – HBO Max

  • A Nightmare on Elm Street (Samuel Bayer, 2010) – HBO Max


Halloween

  • Halloween (John Carpenter, 1978) – Shudder and The Roku Channel

  • Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (Dwight H. Little, 1988) – Shudder

  • Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (Dominique Othenin-Girard, 1989) Shudder


Child's Play

  • Child's Play (Tom Holland, 1988) – Netflix, Amazon Prime, The Roku Channel, and VUDU Free

  • Child's Play 2 (John Lafia, 1990) HBO Max

  • Cult of Chucky (Don Mancini, 2017) – Netflix

  • Child's Play (Lars Klevberg, 2019) – Amazon Prime and HULU


Final Destination

  • Final Destination (James Wong, 2000) HULU and HBO Max

  • Final Destination 2 (David R. Ellis, 2003 – HULU and HBO Max

  • Final Destination 3 (James Wong, 2006) – HBO Max

  • The Final Destination (David R. Ellis, 2009) – HULU and HBO Max



Non-Franchise Slashers and Other Mad Killers

  • Invasion of the Blood Farmers (Ed Adlum, 1972) – Amazon Prime and Midnight Pulp +

  • Black Christmas (Bob Clark, 1974) – Shudder, VUDU Free, The Roku Channel, Shout Factory TV, and Popcorn Flix

  • Drive-In Massacre (Stu Segall, 1976) – Amazon Prime and Midnight Pulp +

  • Savage Weekend (David Paulsen 1979) – Amazon Prime

  • Driller Killer (Abel Ferrara, 1979) – Amazon Prime, The Roku Channel, and Midnight Pulp +

  • Maniac (Bill Lustig, 1980) – Shudder, Amazon Prime, and VUDU Free

  • Prom Night (Paul Lynch, 1980) – Shudder, VUDU Free, Popcorn Flix, and Crackle

  • Terror Train (Roger Spottiswoode, 1980) – Amazon Prime

  • Madman (Joe Giannone, 1981) – Amazon Prime, Shudder, and The Roku Channel

  • Bloody Birthday (Ed Hunt, 1981) – Shudder and Midnight Pulp

  • The Dorm that Dripped Blood (Stephen Carpenter and Jeffrey Obrow, 1982) – Midnight Pulp

  • Sleepaway Camp (Robert Hiltzik, 1983) – The Roku Channel, VUDU Free, and Shout Factory TV

  • Slumber Party Massacre (Amy Holden Jones, 1983) – Amazon Prime, Shudder, Shout Factory TV, and Popcorn Flix

  • The Final Terror (Andrew Davis, 1983) –– Amazon Prime, Shout Factory TV, and Popcorn Flix

  • Curtains (Richard Ciupka, 1983) – Amazon Prime and VUDU Free

  • The Mutilator (Buddy Cooper, 1984) – Amazon Prime and Shudder

  • Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (John McNaughton, 1986) – Shudder

  • Sorority House Massacre (Carol Frank, 1986) – Amazon Prime and Shout Factory TV

  • Blood Rage (John Grissmer, 1987) – Amazon Prime and Shudder

  • Doom Asylum (Richard Friedman, 1987) – Midnight Pulp

  • Slaughterhouse (Rick Roessler, 1987) – Amazon Prime and VUDU Free

  • Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II (Bruce Pittman, 1987) – Amazon Prime, Shudder, VUDU Free, Crackle, and Popcorn Flix

  • Slumber Party Massacre II (Deborah Brock, 1987) – Amazon Prime, Shudder, and Shout Factory TV

  • Jack's Back (Rowdy Herrington, 1988) – Amazon Prime and Shout Factory TV

  • White of the Eye (Donald Cammell, 1988) – Amazon Prime and Shout Factory TV

  • Intruder (Scott Spiegel, 1989) – Midnight Pulp and Tubi


Underseen (?) American Creature Features

  • Squirm (Jeff Lieberman, 1976) – Midnight Pulp (worms)

  • Shriek of the Mutilated (Michael Findlay, 1974) – Amazon Prime and Popcorn Flix (yeti)

  • Track of the Moon Beast (Richard Ashe, 1976) – Amazon Prime and Dark Matter TV (lizard man)

  • The Incredible Melting Man (William Sachs, 1977) – Amazon Prime (melting man, naturally)

  • Slithis (aka: Spawn of the Slithis; Stephen Traxler, 1978) – Amazon Prime, Shout Factory TV, and Popcorn Flix

  • Night of the Demon (James C. Wasson, 1980) – Amazon Prime (penis-tearing Bigfoot)

  • Rana: The Legend of Shadow Lake (Bill Rebane, 1981) – Amazon Prime (WARNING: this killer frog movie is quite, quite terrible)

  • The Slayer (J.S. Cardone, 1982) – Midnight Pulp (dream monster)

  • Nightbeast (Don Dohler, 1982) – Amazon Prime (janky alien)

  • The Being (Jackie Kong, 1983) – Amazon Prime (toxic waste monster)

  • Neon Maniacs (Joseph Mangine, 1986) – Amazon Prime and Shout Factory TV (mutants)

  • The Nest (Terence H. Winkless, 1988) – Amazon Prime (giant cockroaches)

  • The Terror Within (Thierry Notz, 1989) – Amazon Prime (mutant creature)

  • Shakma (Hugh Parks, 1990) – Amazon Prime, Shout Factory TV, and Popcorn Flix (baboon)

  • Project: Metalbeast (Alessandro De Gaetano, 1995) – Amazon Prime (seriously if you only watch one movie on this list, watch this one, it’s about a genetically engineered, bulletproof werewolf)

  • Beneath (Larry Fessenden, 2013) – Amazon Prime (giant lake fish)




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