Ah, yes. Another month, another slew of great horror content coming to Shudder. The popular streaming service for all-things horror has a great mix of classic and modern titles arriving this month. If you’re looking for the best in indie horror or even something with a little edge for your significant other this Valentine’s Day, Shudder’s got a little something for every horror fan to enjoy.
Without further ado, here are seven of the best movies and shows dropping throughout February 2022. Check ‘em out below.
Joe Bob’s Heartbreak Trailer Park
Director: Austin Jennings
Cast: Joe Bob Briggs, Diana “Darcy the Mail Girl” Prince, Dracmorda Boulet, Swanthula Boulet
The horror community is always better when there’s more Joe Bob Briggs in the world. His hit variety series The Last Drive-in returns with a new special this month, just in time for Valentine’s Day. The special will have a surprise double feature that’s fitting for the heartfelt holiday, with the fabulous Boulet Brothers from the competition series Dragula (also on Shudder) confirmed to stop by and talk to Joe Bob about all things in love and horror. Anything from The Last Drive-in is a fun and insightful time for any horror fan, so this new special sounds like the perfect thing for fans to chew on while we wait for the newest season.
Hellbender
Directors/Writers: Toby Poser, Zelda Adams, John Adams
Cast: Toby Poser, Zelda Adams, John Adams, Lulu Adams
After making some buzz in the festival circuit last year, the family horror drama (that’s actually made by a real-life family) Hellbender finally arrives on streaming as a Shudder exclusive this month. This supernatural coming-of-age film focuses on Izzy (Zelda Adams), a young girl who learns about her family’s dark connection to witchcraft, and must come to terms with understanding that as she begins to grow into her own person. The film is a wild and original slice of contemporary folk horror that’s even more fascinating considering its low budget. If you love weird modern filmmaking, seek this one out ASAP.
The Bride of Frankenstein
Director: James Whale
Writers: William Hurlbut, Robert Florey, Mary Shelley
Cast: Boris Karloff, Elsa Lanchester, Colin Clive, Valerie Hobson, Ernest Thesiger
Watching the Universal Monster films is almost like mandatory viewing for any horror fan, but none feel more essential to watch than the Actual Slice of Cinematic Beauty that is The Bride of Frankenstein. The 1935 sequel to the Mary Shelley adaptation reunites James Whale in the director’s chair, Colin Clive as Dr. Henry Frankenstein, and the incredible Boris Karloff as The Monster, who seeks a mate (Elsa Lanchester with what is perhaps the quintessential horror scream) following the fiery events of the previous film. The film is a masterful sequel that’s better than the original and has some incredible emotional beats that are still very effective today (see: the powerful scene between The Monster and the Hermit that still makes this writer cry). If you love horror, you owe it to yourself to see this timeless classic.
Slapface
Director/Writer: Jeremiah Kipp
Cast: August Maturo, Mike C. Manning, Libe Barer, Mirabelle Lee
One of the best things about Shudder is that they have a large library of underseen titles from rising filmmakers, and Slapface is no exception to that. Based on director Jeremiah Kipp’s short film of the same name, Slapface follows Lucas (August Maturo) who, after the loss of his mother, begins to develop a friendship of sorts with a terrifying creature in the woods. The film caught buzz when it premiered at Cinequest and FrightFest last year, and is finally getting a wide release on the service this month. Slapface a touching and relentless film about grief with some awesome creature design, and makes for a welcome addition to the monster genre.
Tales From the Hood
Director: Rusty Cundieff
Writer: Rusty Cundieff, Darin Scott
Cast: Clarence Williams III, Corbin Bernsen, David Alan Grier, Duane Whitaker
There are entertaining horror anthologies, and then there’s Tales From the Hood. The 1995 cult-classic from Rusty Cundieff is a biting piece of horror cinema that inverts the anthology subgenre, focusing on four urban-themed short stories with effective ties to real-life problems in the African-American community. The film is a remarkable mix of style and substance, with unique takes on classic horror tropes that are as frightening as they are insightful. While the film’s two sequels are also on Shudder, the original is a strong first entry and makes for one of the best horror flicks of the 1990s. Chill or be chilled.
Detention
Director: John Hsu
Writer: John Hsu, Kai-Ling Fu
Cast: Gingle Wang, Jing-Hua Tseng, Fu Mengbo, Cecilia Choi
Some of the best horror films of the past decades have been from international markets, and Detention makes for a promising entry into that discussion. Based on the controversial video game of the same name, the film is set in 1962 Taiwan and focuses on two students who must escape their high school during the night and uncover terrifying spirits that’ll stop at nothing to catch them. It’s an atmospheric and intense film that deals with some heavy subject matter. If you’re into good video game adaptations and creepy visuals, seek out Detention when you can.
They Live in the Grey
Directors/Writers: Abel Vang, Burlee Vang
Cast: Michelle Krusiec, Ken Kirby, Ellen Wroe, Madelyn Grace
If you’ve been following the latest in indie horror as much as I have, then the latest film from the Vang Brothers (Bedeviled) is another to be excited about. The film stars Michelle Krusiec, who you may remember from The Invitation or Netflix’s Hollywood, as Claire, a clairvoyant who finds out that the family she’s investigating is being tormented by a dangerous spirit. They Live in the Grey is an exciting and stylish thriller from a pair of Asian-American filmmakers that have a ton of potential. With the amount of talent behind this project, you’ll regret not watching this new Shudder Original.