7 1990s Horror Movies You Forgot Were Awesome

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The horror genre experienced a revival in the 1990s. While the 1980s saw huge success with popular franchises, big-budget remakes, and low-budget films gaining traction through video stores, the early 90s saw a dip in quality and innovation. Though films like The Silence of the Lambs and Candyman were successful, the genre needed a boost, which finally arrived with movies like Scream.

The horror genre experienced a slump in the 1990s, partly due to its own popularity, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t still great films being made. Some of these movies have faded from memory, while others might be overlooked by newer fans. Over time, their impact may have been lessened by imitators. However, these films still offer the same thrills they did when they were first released, and perhaps even more so when viewed today.

7) In the Mouth of Madness

John Carpenter’s 1994 film wasn’t a hit when it first came out, but looking back, it really highlights how often audiences and critics get things wrong. Carpenter essentially invented the slasher film with Halloween, and also created a fantastic, overlooked ghost story with The Fog and what many consider the best horror remake ever with The Thing. With In the Mouth of Madness, he took on Lovecraftian horror – a tricky subgenre – and demonstrated his skill there as well.

With a fantastic performance by Sam Neill, fresh off the success of Jurassic Park, In the Mouth of Madness immediately grabs your attention. It cleverly builds on classic horror influences while delivering genuinely terrifying and unique visuals – the film’s “Old Ones” are truly original and frightening. Beyond the scares, it also offers interesting commentary on the power and impact of the horror genre itself. Simply put, it’s a great movie.

6) CUBE

Before the Saw movies popularized the idea of people waking up trapped in deadly games, Cube explored a similar concept, but within a uniquely shaped, cubic environment. Vincenzo Natali’s first film as director is full of clever twists and surprisingly intense gore, comparable to what you’d find in Saw. While some of the characters aren’t particularly memorable, the film’s central idea – and how it cleverly reuses the same set repeatedly while keeping the story moving – is a remarkable feat. Cube is often disturbing and shocking, and its influence on the genre is undeniable, making it a film worth watching again.

5) Wes Craven’s New Nightmare

Before Wes Craven’s Scream revitalized the slasher film and made horror profitable again, he revisited A Nightmare on Elm Street with this inventive project. The movie playfully blends reality and fiction by featuring Craven, along with actors Heather Langenkamp and Robert Englund, playing themselves as they attempt to create a new Nightmare film. It’s a clever horror film that manages to be genuinely scary, surprisingly gory, and self-aware without being overly reliant on winks to the audience. While some longtime Freddy Krueger fans might not appreciate the new direction, the film offers a unique exploration of creativity and how it can be exploited.

4) The Blair Witch Project

It might seem obvious to include such a well-known film on a list of forgotten favorites, but The Blair Witch Project deserves a mention. Its massive success led to sequels and countless imitations. If you look past all the buzz and the debate over its realism, you’ll find a truly gripping movie from the very beginning. It quickly establishes the characters and their situation, and essentially created the modern found footage genre with a believable story and a camera that never feels out of place.

Whether you believe in the supernatural or think it’s just a story about lost hikers struggling to survive, The Blair Witch Project is effective. The film consistently feels realistic, making its ambiguous ending truly frightening.

3) The Day of the Beast

Álex de la Iglesia’s film, The Day of the Beast, is a darkly funny horror movie that successfully blends both comedy and scares—a rare achievement. It’s consistently hilarious, with a subtly unsettling edge to every joke, yet also genuinely terrifying in its overall story and especially its shocking ending. De la Iglesia skillfully navigates this delicate balance, pushing the film to its limits without ever becoming predictable or losing its unique voice. It consistently surprises and avoids the pitfalls that would make a lesser film feel generic.

2) Night of the Living Dead (1990)

While many attempts to recreate George A. Romero’s original film have missed the mark, the 1990 remake directed by Tom Savini stands out as a genuinely great horror film, and is worth watching for fans of the original. It boasts updated special effects and a new script written by Romero himself, which cleverly reimagines characters and scenes while staying true to the spirit of the first movie. With Tony Todd and Patricia Tallman leading the cast, this version offers more than just a color update – it even features a surprisingly fresh ending. Despite flopping at the box office and being unfairly grouped with lesser remakes, horror fans deserve to revisit – or discover – this film.

1) Mute Witness

Anthony Waller’s 1995 film offers a clever look behind the scenes of filmmaking. It centers on a silent special effects artist who discovers the low-budget slasher movie set he’s working on is secretly used at night to create real-life snuff films. The movie then becomes a gripping and exciting chase as he tries to escape the dangerous group and their dark plot. Marina Zudina gives a standout performance as Billy, the mute protagonist – a unique horror heroine because her inability to scream adds to the tension. While not a typical horror film, it’s still genuinely frightening and even features a cameo by Alec Guinness, filmed ten years earlier.

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2026-01-15 16:13