The 90s offered the public some must-see movies in all film genres, and more than ever, the 90s are recognized as one of the most successful decades of American cinema. Those were the years of romantic comedies, action and, of course, gods horror movie. Honestly, there are no other decades with as much horror movies audiences as the 90s: big box office hits at the start, like Cape Fear and The Silence of the Lambs, clearly set the 90s apart from all other decades. previous. This interest culminated in the enormous success of The Sixth Sense.
The era of “black” horror movies also began in the 1990s. There were no black lead characters in horror cinema at the time. Instead of accepting non-inclusive Hollywood, they made their own films independently and told their own stories. Films like Def By Temptation, Daughters of the Dust, Demon Knight, and Tales from the Hood have developed the Black Horror custom even further in their reimagining of the category.
In 90s horror movies, the horror movie genre has gone mainstream. With the success of films like Scream and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the 1990s saw a steady stream of scary teen movies like I Know What You Did Last Summer, Urban Legend, The Faculty, and Idle Hands, many of which were feminine. With a wider audience, ’90s horror ended up being a favorite spot for the new generation of Hollywood stars. Not only was the 90s a transformation of horror cinema, it was also one of the very first times we saw different characters and storylines than usual.
In chronological order, here are some of the best horror movies of the 90s.
90s horror movies to watch
Nightbreed (1990)
Nightbreed was decades ahead of its time. Written and directed by British director Clive Barker, Nightbreed was unsuccessful at the time of its initial release due to the studio’s choice to present it as a slasher film when it was absolutely nothing of the sort.
Rather, the story tells the dark nature of the human being, overturning the narrative structure of most of the film which pits the upright and good Man / Woman against some sort of Other abject and monstrous. In Nightbreed, the beasts are the heroes, the ones with the most humanity. Using the best of techniques and special effects created in the 1980s, the film tells us not to trust the apparent goodness and charm.
Child’s Play 2 (1990)
Voiced by Brad Dourif of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and starred by Ed Gale, crazy doll Chucky scares eight-year-old villain Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent) and his adoptive family. 2 years after the first film, the Play Pals Corporation, which makes the Good Guy dolls, bounces back from the negative publicity and re-markets Chucky to assure its investors that there was absolutely nothing really wrong with the doll. Throughout the procedure, an increase in electrical power electrocutes one of the employees on the assembly line. Mr. Sullivan, the company executive, orders his assistant Mattson to hide the incident and take care of Chucky. Chucky and those blue eyes really sowed fear.
Tremors (1990)
The desert is ideal for horror movies because it is large enough for monsters to live undetected. Kevin Bacon (Val McKee), in all his 1990s cinematic magnificence, Fred Ward (Earl Bassett) and Finn Carter (Rhonda LeBeck) play one of the scariest movies you will ever see in this cult horror. Valentine “Val” McKee and Earl Bassett are handymen working in Perfection, Nevada, a high desert settlement east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Eventually they tire of their work and leave for Bixby, the neighboring town. As they leave, they find the corpse of another citizen, Edgar Deems, lying on top of an electrical tower. Jim Wallace, the town doctor, discovers that Edgar died of dehydration, having been too scared to get off.
Daughters of the Dust (1991)
Daughters of the Dust is a film made within the Black Horror genre. It was the first film directed by a black woman (Julie Dash) to have a nationwide circulation, Daughters of the Dust examines the fear of forced migration and generational damage within Gullah Geechee’s family. The film was actually hugely important for its stunning photography and stylization which actually helped develop a unique cinematic view around the southern gothic genre of the United States of America.
The People Under the Stairs (1991)
The People Under the Stairs is among those films that still visually seem to belong to the 1980s. Written and directed by Wes Craven, this film is a cult horror comedy in which the absurdity operates as a searing but hilarious vision of class warfare and racist American industrialism. The protagonist Brandon Quintin Adams as Fool, a young black boy who tries to support his mother who is evicted by his landlord and finds cannibal children in the basement, but this is only the beginning. Things get really unusual, quite violent and funny. Starring Everett McGill and Wendy Robie is an interesting horror film for social criticism.
Cape Fear (1991)
Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro may have reached their peak since psychological thriller with the epochal Taxi Driver in 1976, however the 90s horror film Cape Fear is another must-see movie.. As Max Cady, a psychopathic rapist, De Niro hatches revenge against his former legal representative Sam Bowden (Nick Nolte) for hiding evidence that may have acquitted him. Cady invades every aspect of Bowdens’ life like a thick shadow that covers his family and his work in an inevitable spiral of murder and cruelty. Cady seduces like a snake, enthralling her victims, and transforms into a psycho monster who hits the Bowden family during a torrential storm. Cady’s unpredictability and sadism make Cape Fear a absolutely superb movie of its kind.
Mindwarp (1991)
Director Steve Barnett made one of the science fiction movies scariest of the 90s. In year 2037. The world has been devastated by a nuclear armageddon, however most of those who survive are unaware as they are connected to an artificial intelligence that gives the impression of residing in a paradise. Marta Martin plays Judy, a girl who tries to break free from the shackles of virtual reality, only to be banished to a nuclear wasteland ruled by mutant cannibals. When she finally reunites with her long-missing dad, she discovers to her fear that she intends to use her in her mission to repopulate the world with humans.
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Since of the Lambs from 1991 is among the most famous serial killers 90sBefore Anthony Hopkins crept into our minds as cannibalistic serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter, no horror film had won the Best Actor Oscar considering that Fredric March had dual characters as Dr. Jekyll and misyer Hyde in the 1931 film. The fear of The Silence of the Lambs comes to life in Lecter’s menacing laughter as he discovers the fun in talking about murder and the steely gaze that shoots across the screen. Directed by Jonathan Demme and written by Ted Tally, The Silence of the Lambs is one of the scariest films for several generations of audiences.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
This extensive adaptation by Francis Ford Coppola reinvents Stoker’s 19th century story. His photography, style of costumes and use of color make this film an extravagant gothic horror cult. In 1462, Vlad Dracula returns to his campaign to discover that his wife Elisabeta has committed suicide. A priest informs him that his sweetheart’s soul is doomed to hell. Enraged, Vlad defiles the God of the chapel, claiming that he will return from the grave to avenge Elisabeta with all the powers of darkness.
Mikey (1992)
Prohibited in the UK due to the real-life murder of James Bulger by 2 10-year-olds in 1993. Mikey tells the story story of a little boy who seems sweet-looking but nevertheless has a habit of killing people if it does not achieve its goals. Mikey is an interesting psychological horror movies like Benny’s Video (1992) and other movies.
Sleepwalkers (1992)
Sleepwalkers is the first ever film written by Stephen King that is not based on any of his published books. Sleepwalkers is a crazy mix of vampire and monster movies. Mary and Charles are a mother and a child who move to a small town in Indiana: they are vampires half-man, half-cat and feed on the life force of virgin women, and tend to leave behind a trail of suspicious deaths. The problem comes when they search for their victims for food and have to face the only beings who can sense their evil and who can kill them by scratching them: cats. Sleepwalkers is a weird movie indeed, yet it is truly fantastic in its strangeness.
Fire Walk With Me (1992)
Launched as a prequel to the Twin Peaks TV series, Fire Walk with Me tells the audience the story of Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee), up to the where the previous series begins. Fire Walk with Me uses the voice, depth and social context in which Laura lives to describe the horror surrounding the situations of her murder. The film was negatively received at the Cannes Film Festival and by critics. Even the public, who expected more clarification on the mysteries left in the first series, did not particularly like the work, which was generally judged too chaotic. In the following years the “chaos” became the best quality of the film: the visionary and dreamlike style of David Lynch. An avant-garde film made in serial format, twenty years before the streaming TV series. Only Lynch could be so brilliant.
Body Snatchers (1993)
Previous of Body Snatchers movies are from 1956 and 1978, both titled Invasion of the Body Snatchers. In a rather loose adaptation of the 1955 book of the same name. The film was directed by Abel Ferrara, a director known for his sometimes controversial films. Ferrara had the ability to shift his dark perception into this variation, offering the film an oppressive and gloomy environment that strikes the audience’s imagination.
Leprechaun (1993)
Warwick Davis played the evil title character 6 times in the Leprechaun series between 1993 and 2003. Leprechaun is not a masterpiece, however it is a funny comedy as well as horror, and above all there is Warwick Davis. The film includes Jennifer Aniston in her first lead role in a feature film, however Warwick Davis is the real star as a funny and creepy evil goblin. Davis can get really scary in this movie, which is no small achievement thinking about how silly the story is. City woman Tory (Aniston) moves into an old house with her father where there is a goblin in a box in the basement. Leprechaun is a horror comedy that has resulted in a long-running franchise and inspiring other fairy tale horror movies.
Trauma (1993)
Special effects master Tom Savini has produced numerous high-level works. In what is the first full American production of the famous Italian director Dario Argento, a woman (Asia Argento) who seems to attempt suicide after coming out of a psychiatric hospital. The woman returns to the psychiatric center, but the health facility soon ends up being the connecting point for a series of violent murders. Critics weren’t very kind to the film when it came out, however it’s still a film set in asylum to see.
Death Machine (1994)
Due to its extreme violence, Death Machine has been banned in Sri Lanka, China, Iran, Malaysia, Iraq and Australia. Set in the then near future of 2003, Death Machine deals with an unethical modern weapon builder, Jack Dante (Brad Dourif), and the individual who tries to stop him, Hayden Cale (Ely Pouget). As Cale approaches, Dante frees a large robotic dinosaur to take out all who oppose him. Numerous bullets are fired and a lot of blood is shed in this tacky sci-fi / action / horror film from the 1990s.
Demon Knight (1995)
The first in a designated trilogy of Tales from the Crypt films, Demon Knight was directed by Ernest Dickerson and represents the first and most effective depiction of a Black Final Girl in horror story. Jeryline (Jada Pinkett-Smith) breaks all common guidelines relating to horror movies where the protagonist must survive, and that makes her so engaging as a character. Pinkett’s role is inspired by the presence of Billy Zane and CCH Pounder.
Species (1995)
Canadian actress Natasha Henstridge plays her first major role here, Sil, an adorable killer alien, a human hybrid whose desire to mate with human males is quite loud. A group (consisting of actors Alfred Molina, Forest Whitaker, Michael Madsen and Marg Helgenberger) is sent to persecute and eliminate Sil before she can bring an offspring to life with the possibility of eliminating humanity. The film tends to be a little mundane and trashy at times, however its cast and captivating storyline, which often feels like little more than a path to the next nude scene, make Species a ’90s classic.
Tales From the Hood (1995)
This is an episodic horror film like Creepshow (1982) and Tales from the Crypt (1972). The film includes 4 short stories included within a plot of a trio of drug dealers. The stories address various social problems related to the black neighborhood with humor and fear. The film is a cult classic that has actually garnered an increasing number of fans over time due to its charm and exceptionally entertaining storytelling from black comedy.
Scream (1996)
Postmodern artwork Wes Craven’s is among the best horror movies of the 90s, and is credited with revamping the horror and slasher genre. Audiences still love this film today after many years of its release for its subversion of the worn-out clichés of the horror genre. Craven tells a scary story by allowing his Sidney Prescott, played by Neve Campbell, to make love to the killer and still be able to see the sunrise.
The Craft (1996)
The Craft is among those films whose main character is actually the least intriguing character on the screen. The most notable efficiencies in this film go to Fairuza Balk, Rachel True and Neve Campbell who are all downright magnetic with their adorable messy complexity. Sarah Bailey, a distressed teenager with uncommon abilities, moved from San Francisco to Los Angeles with her father and stepmother. In her new school she forms a relationship with a group of women who are said to be witches. Women praise an effective divine being they call “Manon”.
Mars Attacks! (1996)
Mars Attacks! is a mix of various genres: action-horror-science fiction comedy that also exploits American culture through the sub-genre of alien invasion movie. Directed by Tim Burton, this underrated film has an exceptional cast consisting of Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Pierce Brosnan, Sarah Jessica Parker, Danny De Vito, Natalie Portman, Jim Brown and the peerless Pam Grier. United States President James Dale assists the citizens of his country when the Earth is reached by a huge fleet of flying saucers from Mars. Talk show host Nathalie Lake and her partner, journalist Jason Stone, strive to capitalize on the story with an interview with President Dale’s advisor Professor Donald Kessler, which is suddenly interrupted by a broadcast from the Martian leader. .
I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
Often the hallmark of a terrific horror film is the realism of the situations that put the characters in frightening circumstances. I Know What You Did Last Summer has a bunch of teens they hoped they could bury in their past, in a main story where pretty much anyone who’s been a troubled teenager can connect. The spectrum of a serial killer who takes life as punishment works well as a metaphor for the inevitability of one’s past. I Know What You Did Last Summer reinvigorated the teenage horror genre that spawned decades of imitators.
Anaconda (1997)
Similar to numerous films that are notoriously criticized for being “terrible”, Anaconda is not as bad as the dominant commentary on it would suggest. However, one wonders how Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Jon Voight, Eric Stoltz, Danny Trejo and Owen Wilson all ended up in this killer snake movie. Obviously Anaconda is not an “excellent” 90s movie, however the ironic plot and all the celebrities make it a source of fond memories of the 90s.
Eve’s Bayou (1997)
Like Daughters of the Dust, Eve’s Bayou is another film about the scary costumes of African American women. Written and directed by Kasi Lemmons and starring Jurnee Smollett at the beginning of her profession, this film is certainly more cerebral than the others, as it verifies the hidden horror in memory and knowledge. It achieved wide and important success upon release and also contributed to the creation of a cinematic custom of the Gothic.
Wishmaster (1997)
Robert Kurtzman appeared in his own film, playing a boy killed by a piano. In this supernatural horror film produced by Wes Craven, a demonic Djinn is cast by an ancient gem while being valued by an auction house. Estimator Alexandra Amberson (Tammy Lauren) is mystically linked to the Djinn and has twisted visions that the Djinn provokes. It’s a race against time as Alex tries to stop the Djinn before he can bring the rest of his species to Earth to ruin humanity. Wishmaster is fun and includes numerous actors from favorite genre films including Robert Englund, Tony Todd, Kane Hodder, Angus Scrimm, and more.
Cube (1997)
Cube influenced a sequel, prequel, Japanese remake in 2021, and even computer games. A small group of strangers awakens to find themselves in a cubic, windowless, metal space measuring 14 x 14 x 14 feet. They have no idea how they got there and quickly recognize that each door they discover translates into another space almost similar to the previous space. Even worse, a number of spaces are traps, resulting in some gruesome deaths before the group gathers to search for an escape from the maze they are trapped in. Cube is a indie film that makes excellent use of its low budget. It’s a 90s horror movie to watch based on the horror subgenre of the small group of trapped in an isolated place.
Ringu (1998)
This 90s horror directed by Hideo Nakata has brought Japanese horror and its visual styles to the global audience. Famous for his extremely scary scenes, Ringu’s impact was significant, and he became an entire franchise in Japan and had numerous American remakes. Appearing in the late 1990s, its effect is extremely noticeable in the horror movies of the 2000s.
Deep Rising (1998)
Equipped with adequate weapons to manage an army, a group of pirates rises aboard a high-class ocean liner in the South China Sea, only to learn that the ship has been attacked by a group of huge carnivorous animals that don’t like competitors. Deep Rising’s action-packed horror owes much to beastly films like Aliens (1986), giving audiences the precise kind of genre they expect. The film was a box office flop, however it garnered a good following on home video.
Kolobos (1999)
There is a layer of psychological and supernatural horror in the film, which gives it the strange title of Kolobos. Kolobos can best be defined as the real world of MTV, however with a great deal of violent death. 5 young people respond to an advertisement to participate in a reality show in which they will share a house together for 3 months while all their actions are recorded. Characters start to clash when inside the house, however individual concerns quickly end up being less important as the 5 individuals find themselves locked inside with a bunch of fatal traps. Kolobos is a good low-budget movie from the 90s cinema, the performances of the actors are interesting and the gore effects really repellent.
