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Imagine if Netflix was just horror movies. That’s the basic idea behind Shudder, a new streaming service for folks who love a little fright in their flicks. And if you’re expecting it to be a dumping ground for straight-to-DVD trash, think again. Shudder is genuinely fantastic – a library of more than 200 films (80 percent of which aren’t available on any other streaming service). It’s a site for horror connoisseurs, packed with everything from black and white classics to psychedelic slashers and major multiplex hits. Shudder is currently offering a one-week free trial (it normally costs £4.99 per month or £49.99 yearly), and this spooky season would seem like the ideal time to do it. Here are our top picks from the site, one to suit whatever mood you're in this Halloween…
If you're snuggling up with a loved one…
‘Let the Right One In’ (2008)
One of the best modern horror movies, this ice-cold Swedish vampire flick blends bloody thrills with a strangely moving love story between lonely 12-year-old Oskar and forever-young bloodsucker Eli.
If you feel like a laugh…
‘Cannibal! The Musical’ (1993)
‘South Park’ creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone got their start with this deeply silly student film packed with toe-tapping tunes about snowmen, friendship and eating people.
If you want to blow your own mind…
‘The Beyond’ (1981)
This batshit bayou-set bloodbath from Italian master Lucio Fulci makes absolutely no sense, but the visuals are stunning and the gore is outrageous. If you’ve never seen tarantulas rip someone’s lips off, prepare to be amazed.
If you love a groovy soundtrack…
‘Deep Red’ (1975)
Dario Argento’s classic stalk ’n’ slash giallo thrillers always have the best soundtracks, often provided by legendary prog-rockers Goblin. ‘Deep Red’ might be the best of the lot, with a twisty plot, great kill scenes and loads of eerie jazz fusion.
If you want to scare yourself silly…
‘The Mist’ (2007)
Based on one of Stephen King’s creepiest stories, this tale of ordinary townsfolk under siege from an army of unseen tentacled beasties starts out fun, gets seriously frightening and ends on the bleakest note imaginable.
If you’re after something cosily British…
‘Quatermass 2’ (1957)
There’s something funny going on in Cumbria: a weird industrial plant has sprung up, the locals have started acting weird and the sky is filed with meteors… Enter scientist Bernard Quatermass, with a crackpot theory about body-snatchers and giant blobs from outer space.
If you want to reflect your warped reality…
‘Society’ (1989)
It may be set in sunny California rather than broken Brexit Britain, but this savage satire on the class struggle feels awfully timely. ‘Baywatch’ star Billy Warlock plays a teen who discovers that the rich really do feed on the poor – pretty gruesomely, too.