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.
Ghost Killers vs. Bloody Mary
If bustin’ makes you feel good, Ghost Killers vs. Bloody Mary should be at the top of your queue. Imagine Sam Raimi remaking Ghostbusters from a Kevin Williamson script, and you have a pretty good idea of what this Brazilian horror-comedy is like: gory, self-aware, irreverent, and wildly entertaining.
When a local high school summons Bloody Mary, the Ghoulbusters — a team of local YouTubers with a cheesy ghost hunting show — are called in to take out the vengeful spirit. In addition to possessing people to the point of cranial combustion, the ghost exploits the high school setting by haunting inanimate objects, from a fetus in the science lab to a bowel movement in the bathroom.
Jackals
In Jackals, a Satanic cultist is subjected to an intervention by his estranged family — including parents played by Deborah Kara Unger (Silent Hill) and Johnathon Schaech (Quarantine) — and a cult deprogrammer (Stephen Dorff, Blade). Soon they find their secluded cabin surrounded by masked cult members who are willing to take back their “brother” with deadly force.
Purported to be based on true events circa 1983, the 2017 film strikes a good balance between home invasion, siege, and cult horror. Although the second half is hindered by questionable character choices following a strong set-up, director Kevin Greutert (Saw VI, Saw 3D, Saw X) deftly juggles tension, creepiness, and violence throughout.
They See You
Modern gateway horror is rare, and rarer still on an indie level. They See You fills that void without shying away from children in peril or bloodshed. Its approach is similar to the recent revivals of Goosebumps, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and Are You Afraid of the Dark along with a little bit of low-budget cheese befitting of their ’90s counterparts.
As if dealing with typical coming-of-age tribulations — raging hormones, mischievous adventures, over-the-top bullies, family drama — wasn’t enough, three teenage brothers unwittingly summon a horde of ghouls from another dimension using a spirit board on Halloween. Along the way, they receive help from a pair of wise-cracking monster hunters (“off-brand Winchesters”) who serve as comic relief.
Between the autumnal atmosphere, the demons’ masks/wardrobe, the candy-colored lighting, and the regional charm, it feels like director Tory Jones raided the unlicensed section of a Spirit Halloween and made a movie in his neighborhood. That may turn some viewers off, but to me it’s a high compliment.
Alison’s Birthday
Recently restored in 2K for Severin Films’ All the Haunts Be Ours: A Compendium of Folk Horror box set, Alison’s Birthday is an Ozploitation gem. At the age of 16, Alison (Joanne Samuel, Mad Max) received a warning from beyond the grave to get away before her 19th birthday. Despite her circumspection from the traumatizing incident, she’s guilted into returning home by her aunt and uncle just days before she turns 19.
Alison’s Birthday‘s paranoia-driven slow-burn shares more in common with Rosemary’s Baby than The Wicker Man, but some traditional folk-horror elements are incorporated as well. Writer-director Ian Coughlan offers a couple of surprising twists on familiar tropes — including an effective lead character switcheroo — that make it more impactful than many others of its ilk.
Gamera the Brave
If Godzilla x Kong has you eager for more kaiju action, all 12 Gamera films are at your fingertips on SCREAMBOX. While the ’90s trilogy that kicked off with Gamera: Guardian of the Universe is considered a landmark of kaiju cinema, 2006’s Gamera the Brave — the franchise’s most recent installment — finds a happy medium between the flying turtle’s “friend of all children” roots and a more modern attitude.
Some 30 years after Gamera sacrifices himself to save humanity, a young boy discovers an unusual egg from which a cute tortoise (think Gizmo or Baby Yoda) hatches. But Toto, as he’s nicknamed, grows at a rapid rate and develops unusual abilities. Thus begins an E.T.-esque coming-of-age tale that leans into the fantastical yet takes a realistic approach to its monster terror. The film invests in its human characters as they help their beloved friend defeat Zedus, an amphibious lizard that bears a resemblance to Godzilla.
Visit the SCREAMBOX Hidden Gems archives for more recommendations.
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