CLEVELAND, Ohio – It used to be, you’d head to Blockbuster a few days before Halloween and stock up on your favorite horror movies. But times have changed.
Now, you can go digital with streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime that have some of the best horror films of all-time just one click away.
Check out our full list of 27 horror movies currently streaming on those sites and others in the gallery at the top of the page.
Here are five that standout:
“The Blair Witch Project”
The year was 1999 and the horror movie genre was forever changed. “The Blair Witch Project” was the first and only found footage film that had everyone thinking it actually consisted of found footage. It helped spawn several franchises, including “Paranormal Activity” and “V/H/S.” The backlash against “found footage” films has been swift lately, but the original game-changer still holds up.
“Ju-on: The Grudge”
During the early 2000s, American horror directors followed the trend of taking Japanese films and reinventing them as U.S. commodities (see: “The Ring”). One of the best Japanese films from that time is “Ju-on: The Grudge,” the movie the 2004 American film “The Grudge” is based on. The American version starring Sarah Michelle Gellar is lame. “Ju-on” is not.
“Candyman”
There were few things scarier to teenage movie fans during the early 1990s than the concept of “Candyman.” It was based on the Bloody Mary folklore, where if you said Candyman’s name five times he would appear and ruin your life. I think the actor who played him has been stuck playing creepy guys in scary movies ever since.
“Birth of the Living Dead”
George A. Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead” is available for streaming on both Netflix and Amazon Prime this month. As an added bonus, Netflix is offering up “Birth of the Living Dead,” which chronicles Romero’s journey in making the film and how it created a genre that still dominates television and film today.
“Best Worst Movie”
The 1990 horror film, “Troll 2,” is considered by its legion of cult followers as the best worst movie ever made. It is completely unbearable and lovable at the same time. The only thing better may be the documentary “Best Worst Movie,” which follows the creators and stars of “Troll 2” to see where they are now and why the film means so much to so many people.
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