When breaking down the best decades for horror movies, it’s inarguable that most would look to the ’70s and ’80s as the virtual kings of quality. After all, during these years, we were given Michael Myers, Jason, and Freddy Krueger, all of who reign supreme as part of the most famous horror movie franchises of all time. That’s not to say there weren’t other notable and well-loved movies from the genre that were released after these golden years, though.
Scream, in particular, helped to shape and define how horror looked in the cinema of the ’90s. But what about the lesser-known, more obscure films from this decade? The ones that aren’t only overlooked but rarely spoken about? We look at five underrated horror movies from the ’90s that deserve a second look if you’re in the mood for a few thrills and chills during your next movie night.
1Event Horizon (1997)
Set in the now not-so-distant year of 2047, Event Horizon centers around a starship of the same name that suddenly appears in orbit around Neptune after going missing several years earlier. A rescue ship occupied by Laurence Fishburn, Sam Neill, Kathleen Quinlan, and Joely Richardson is sent to investigate.
When the crew boards the Horizon, they discover the carnage of a grisly massacre that occurred, killing and mutilating everyone on the ship. As they begin to uncover what happened, they’re slowly driven mad by horrific hallucinations that involve their loved ones and cause them to attempt suicide. Something about horror set in space leaves a feeling of hopelessness and isolation. When you pair that with an unknown entity that is meticulously driving characters to the brink of insanity, you have a recipe for a truly chilling story.
Event Horizon has some of the most grisly and alarming imagery seen in any film of this time while also providing truly eerie sound effects. The shocking video log evidence of what happened to the Horizon crew or the scenes of multiple characters who have gouged out their own eyes are enough to keep anyone awake at night.
2In the Mouth of Madness (1994)
When it comes to John Carpenter movies, In the Mouth of Madness rarely, if ever, tops the list of most talked about. Once again, starring Sam Neill (he got around in the ’90s) as John Trent, an insurance investigator sent to look into the disappearance of popular horror novelist Sutter Cane.
Trent’s editor (played by Linda Styles) joins Trent in his investigation. The two end up trapped in a town straight out of Cane’s novels, complete with unexplainable rifts in time and an ancient race of beings hellbent on destroying mankind. Filled with Lovecraftian homages and Stephen King references, this underrated horror movie is one big fan letter to two founding fathers of horror.
While the special effects still hold up to today’s standards, it was a box office failure, only earning $8 million upon its release. Since then, however, it’s gained a cult following and is regarded as having been made too far ahead. It portrays the blurred lines between one’s own reality and insanity, creating a dizzying, disconcerting moviegoing experience.
3Stir of Echoes (1999)
This Kevin Bacon film’s biggest handicap was the unfortunate timing of its release—it came out in September 1999, following in the footsteps of megahits The Sixth Sense and The Blair Witch Project. Whether it was paranormal fatigue or that audiences simply weren’t interested in anything they felt couldn’t live up to the hype of the aforementioned hits, Stir of Echoes produced mediocre box office numbers and underwhelming reviews, making this a severely underrated horror flick.
Despite this, it’s now regarded as one of Bacon’s best performances, playing working-class everyman Tom Witzky, who challenges his sister-in-law to hypnotize him at a party one night. Soon after, Tom realizes he’s gained the ability to see and hear the dead and is accosted with disturbing images and visions of a 17-year-old girl who went missing six months prior.
He subsequently finds himself entangled in a complicated web of events surrounding the girl’s disappearance and those who may be involved. It somehow manages to pack creepy supernatural imagery with an emotional, compelling story while creating a believable story arc for Tom and his family.
4Jacob’s Ladder (1990)
Another film with subpar box office numbers but later gained cult status, Jacob’s Ladder is highly regarded today for its visual effects that have heavily influenced creative giants such as Silent Hill, American Horror Story, and Resident Evil. War is hell, and for Jacob Singer (played by Tim Robbins), the trauma of witnessing his entire unit either killed or wounded during the Vietnam War is enough to send him into severe bouts of PTSD.
Besieged by distressing hallucinations and nightmares, he starts to question what is reality and what is his own tortured perception of the fragments of his life. It’s one of those rare movies that examine the trauma of war and pairs it with visually nightmarish imagery to create a truly twisted psychological thriller.
5The People Under the Stairs (1991)
Horror comedy is a genre that is difficult to master. If you lean too heavily one way or the other, you risk losing your audience, and your story could be seen as confusing or outlandish. If done right, this unlikely combination can produce a wild ride of roller coaster emotions for moviegoers. One of the earliest examples of the subgenre is this less talked about Wes Craven film that has everything from incestual siblings who call themselves Mommy and Daddy, kidnapped cannibal children, and social commentary on gentrification and class warfare.
It’s as creepy as it is subversive. It follows a group of thieves attempting to steal gold coins from the home of their villainous landlords, who stumble upon the imprisoned, freakish children locked in the basement. It’s a campy, wild ride that switches seamlessly from spooky imagery and a disturbing storyline to impossible predicaments that will bring as many laughs as there are chills.
