The 10 Best Horror Movie Hidden Gems on Tubi
Tubi has gained a reputation as one of the best streaming platforms for horror fans. Whether you are looking for sleeper indie films or blockbuster hits, Tubi can help satiate your desires.
Unlike some of its competitors, the ads on Tubi are minimal and non-disruptive. The only downside of the platform is that the selection is so big that it can be hard to find all of the films that it offers.
Fortunately for you, I have delved into the murky depths of the sub-categories and pulled out an assortment of overlooked films for you to enjoy.
The Poughkeepsie Tapes
Mockumentary horror films are a subgenre within a subgenre. Part found footage part fake documentary; these films can create a sense of realness that is hard to convey in other sub-genres.
This is what makes The Poughkeepsie Tapes so unnerving. The terror inflicted on the characters feels very raw and intimate. The found footage production doesn’t require you to suspend disbelief, if anything, the events feel too real.
John Erick Dowdle (As Above So Below) wrote and directed this film, which remained stuck in limbo for a decade before Shout Factory released it in 2017. If you want to watch something that will make you want to shower with a Brillo pad, watch The Poughkeepsie Tapes.
Clown
Does anyone else remember the clown sightings back in 2016? This movie doesn’t have anything to do with that. I just wanted to remind you that clowns coming out of the woods at night and scaring people is a thing that actually happened.
No, this film manages to somehow be much more terrifying than those real-world events. This deceptively simple movie tells us something we have always known. Clowns are actually demons sent from hell to eat children.
If that doesn’t get your attention, what if I told you that the marvelous Peter Stormare (Constantine) makes an appearance as a clown demon slayer? If you want something completely original, check out Clown.
The House That Jack Built
Lars Von Trier (Antichrist) is a controversial director, to say the least. When the Cannes film festival screened The House That Jack Built in 2018, it garnered both condemnation and praise.
The film caused some critics and viewers to walk out of the screening, while also receiving a standing ovation after its completion. Hopefully, this illustrates just how divisive this film can be.
The question posed by Lars Von Trier is simple, can we separate the art from the artist? Amazing performances by Matt Dillon (Crash), Umma Thurman (Kill Bill), and Bruno Ganz (Downfall) draw viewers into this experimental film. If you want a movie that makes you unsure of whether or not you enjoyed watching it, settle in for The House That Jack Built.
Hell House LLC
This found footage film explores one of my favorite themes, people that mess with known haunted locations and end up dead. If that premise excites you, then rejoice because Tubi has all three films in the Hell House LLC franchise.
What started out as an overlooked indie film has slowly risen through the ranks to become a cult classic. Fans of Hell House LLC were pleased to find out that a prequel to the franchise was announced recently.
If you are a fan of unscripted terror, Gore Abrams (Hell House III: Lake of Fire) actually spills his guts in the strobe light scene of the film. While not the most terrifying film on this list, the feeling of paranoia it creates has a way of crawling under your skin and refusing to leave.
Ghost Watch
Tubi has some hard-to-find films but this one takes the cake. When Ghost Watch first hit the screens, the creators presented it as a real BBC broadcast, not as a movie. The bait and switch in Ghost Watch was so effective that the British Medical Journal cites it as the first movie to give children PTSD.
In a brilliant power move, the actors were the same news reporters that the public expected to see when they turned on the news that night. This little shenanigan resulted in confused and frightened viewers making an estimated one million calls to the BBC.
Unfortunately, this confusion led to lawsuits being filed against the BBC for the psychological damage caused that evening. However, if you want to watch a masterclass in subverting expectations, go watch Ghost Watch.
Victor Crowley
Do you crave a campy slasher with gratuitous blood and gore? If so, then Victor Crowley and the Hatchet franchise are made for fans like you. It may be an overused term, but Victor Crowley is a bloody good time.
Beloved horror fan and creator of all things spooky Adam Green (Frozen) brings us this delightful film. Joining the cast as the disfigured villain is the marvelous Kane Hodder (Jason X).
If you want a real treat, find the episode of Adam Green’s Scary Sleepover that has Kane Hodder in it. Trust me, it may be one the greatest things ever recorded. If this all sounds awesome to you, Tubi also has all three Hatchet films in its collection.
Brightburn
I am not sure why people overlook this film. Brightburn asks the audience a simple question. If you gave a child-god like powers, would they use them for good or evil? The answer is unsurprising, but the execution is awesome.
There is no hiding the fact that this movie is just Superman in an alternate universe. In fact, the main character gets the classic repeating letter name, Brandon Breyer. Making it even more obvious is the fact that the childhood home is even set in Kansas. You can’t get much more on the nose than that.
All of this makes a bit more sense when you factor in that James Gunn (Gurdians of The Galaxy) doesn’t really care for superhero movies. If you are looking for a twist on an old concept, spend some time with Brightburn.
Feast
Speaking of playing around with familiar tropes, Feast takes its time ripping apart the horror formula. This movie has it all; a badass hero, title cards, and as much early 2000s angst as you can handle.
Development of this film was made possible by Ben Affleck (Gone Girl) and Matt Damon’s (The Departed) Project Greenlight. The plot of this film boils down to a simple premise: monsters attack a group of people trapped in a bar.
No convoluted plot devices, no hidden meanings to decipher, just good old fashioned monster battle royal. If you are looking for a movie that you can turn off your brain and just enjoy, check out Feast.
Patient Seven
I’ll be honest with you; I adore anthology movies. In fact, I will watch them no matter the subject material or how low budget they may be, much to the dismay of my loved ones. When done correctly, these movies present us with the best that horror can offer.
Patient Seven shows us how amazing an anthology can be when all the pieces come together. We get to witness the forever droll Michael Ironside (Scanners) as the antagonizing Dr. Marcus. We also get great performances from Grace Van Dien (Stranger Things), Amy Smart (Mirrors), and Doug Jones (Pan’s Labyrinth).
Tubi has a large catalog of anthology films that you can sort through, but Patient Seven is one of the best on the site. So,if you like your horror in bite size pieces, give Patient Seven a try.
Fear Inc.
Horror fans get a bad rap for our insatiable appetite for all things terrifying. Some people say that we all must be dangerous deviants, just in search of our next thrill. In reality, we get just as scared as the next person when confronted with real horror.
Fear Inc gives us something every horror fan can relate to, no longer being able to get scared. But what if there was a service that you could pay for that was guaranteed to scare you to death? How badly do you really want to feel that sense of dread again, even if only one more time?
I love a movie that pays homage to those that paved the way for it. Fear Inc is filled with references and nods to the icons of horror. So, if you want a movie that feels like it was actually made for horror fans, check out Fear Inc. And if you are looking for a free streaming service that can fill your horror needs, check out the catalog on Tubi.
