Best Horror Movies of the 90s

Army of Darkness

Army of Darkness is more of a 90s comedy-horror movie than a straight up horror movie, I guess. It does have horror themes: an army of skeletons, a book bound in human flesh, a witch woman in a pit, and a boom stick.

Bruce Campbell is great as Ash, and placing him in medieval times was a pretty cool break from the cabin that the first two took place in. I tend to like this Sam Raimi better than the Spiderman one. He and Bruce are great at making movies together, and Army of Darkness is a good example of what they're capable of.

The story goes: Ash is transported back to medieval times and is held prisoner in a town until he kills off a Deadite and gets his weapons back. He discovers that the only way to get back to his normal life and job at S-Mart, is to retrieve the Necronomicon. In doing so he awakens more Deadites who follow him to the castle that he set out from. Ash and the town are forced to fight the Deadites.

This movie an all around classic, and if you haven't (for some strange reason) seen it, then I would recommend that you give it a watch.

Army of Darkness

Army of Darkness
Blu Ray

Subspecies

Subspecies is a series of four horror films, all made in the 90s, that follow the vampire Radu as he tries to get the Bloodstone, and to turn a girl into his bride. Radu isn't your typical suave wolf in sheep's clothing vampire, but he is, instead, more of the traditional disgusting monster from folklore. He is forever slobbering, and has very long fingers that he can make little minions from.

It's a low budget film, but it's really not that bad. Subspecies was shot on location in Romania, which gives the settings a somewhat authentic feel.

This was a direct to video series by Full Moon Studios, and if you like vampire movies, then you would probably like this.

Subspecies

Wishmaster

Wishmaster is a low budget horror film from the 90s that follows an evil djinn around as he attempts to capture the soul of the woman that awakened him so that he can open the portal that will allow his fellow djinn access to earth. During his quest to find the woman that released him, the djinn encounters many people that he tricks into wishing for something. Once they make a wish the djinn grants it, but not in the way that they had intended.

There are many familiar faces from the horror genre here. Wes Craven produced it, and Robert Englund, Kane Hodder and Tony Todd all make appearances.

Wishmaster is not a movie that should not be taken too seriously. There are many funny moments throughout, and it's fun to watch the djinn be a jerk to everybody that he encounters.

Wishmaster 1 & 2

Wishmaster 3

Wishmaster 4

The People Under the Stairs

The People Under the Stairs is just crazy, weird, and nuts.

The premise is about a young boy, Fool, who discovers that his low income family needs money because they have just been evicted, and have nowhere to go. Fool agrees to join two men who have a plan to rob the home of the rich landlord that had just evicted Fool's family.

Once they approach the house, the 3 try a couple of different scams to get in, and finally one of them is allowed access, but doesn't return. From here the other two break in and find that the house has a ridiculous amount of security, and they are unable to escape.

The second man is killed, and Fool is left to his own devices to escape. Fool Finds a bunch of cannibals living under the stairs and has to escape from the mom and dad of the house.

There's a lot to explain, and it's better if you just see it. Wes Craven is a pretty messed up guy, and it really shows with this one.

Subspecies

Leprechaun

Leprechaun is a funny movie. I know it's supposed to be considered a horror movie, but the idea of a demonic leprechaun running around killing people brings a smirk to my face.

Warwick Davis, who you may remember from Willow, plays the little son-of-a-buck leprechaun that is on a mission to find his gold. Jennifer Aniston can boast this film as one of her first, and arguably her best roles to date.

The story goes: A man stole a leprechaun's gold, and was forced to trap him or die over the booty. Years later he dies, and new residents move in only to release the leprechaun. They are forced to find a way to destroy it before it kills them. They also find his gold, which is why he won't leave them alone.

It's the typical "people have something that a demon wants, and they must find a way to kill it" type story. It's fun to watch and has inspired multiple sequels, including placing the leprechaun "in tha hood".

Leprechaun

Leprechaun Triple
Feature

Leprechaun Pot of
Gore 5 Pack

Scream

Scream was a decent movie. It was great in that it calls attention to the cliches and how stupid the slasher genre had become. All the while having many of the same elements of the genre in the movie. Many credit it as the movie that breathed new life into slasher films, and I wouldn't argue against the notion. Horror movies in the 90s needed a pick-me-up, and Scream was the movie to do it.

We have a masked killer that is stalking and killing residents of Woodsboro CA. I'm sure you can figure out the story because it's very similar to all other slasher films, but this one is original in that the characters know about all of the conventions of those films. It's like when you watch a slasher movie with friends and say what you would do, and why the characters are stupid for not doing it.

Really, Scream's only downfall is that there are no leprechauns in it.

Scream 1, 2 & 3

Scream Collectors
Series

Scream 2 Collectors
Series

Sleepy Hollow

Call me crazy, but I love a good portion of Tim Burton's movies. They all just have that dreamlike feel to them that helps draw you into the story.

I was pleased with what he did with Washington Irving's short story. I remember sitting in the theater and commenting to my friend how real the decapitations looked. The entire production was top notch in my book. From the settings, to the costumes, to the acting, I found everything to be thoroughly enjoyable.

The story was changed up somewhat with Sleepy Hollow. Ichabod Crane is a constable from New York who is sent to Sleepy Hollow to investigate a series of gruesome murders. All of the townsfolk are somewhat mysterious and hesitant to give all of the information that they know to Ichabod. He continues to dig, and eventually discovers that there may be supernatural powers behind the murders.

Sleepy Hollow

Sleepy Hollow
Blu Ray

Candyman

Children of the Corn II

Children of the Corn 3: Urban Harvest

Children of the Corn 4: The Gathering

Children of the Corn 5: Fields of Terror

Children of the Corn 666: Isaac's Return

The Frightners

From Dusk Till Dawn

Troll 2

Night of the Living Dead

Tales From the Crypt Bordello of Blood

Cronos