.jpg?q=50&fit=contain&w=1140&h=&dpr=1.5)
So far, 2022 has been an extraordinary year for horror, with Ti West's 'X' trilogy, Zach Cregger's Barbarian and so many more blood-curdling screams waiting to be extricated from audiences this Halloween. Nevertheless, there is always a special place in cinephiles' hearts for the classics of auld lang syne.
Comprising several classics as well as some overlooked cinematic gems and celebrated sub-genres ranging from the terror-stricken boogeyman to the uprising of the dead, get ready for a trip down nostalgia lane with these 90s horror staples. It's the perfect binge-fest for those who want to skip trick-or-treating but still enjoy some spooky Halloween fun.
Candyman (1992)
He is the writing on the wall, the whisper in the classroom. Candyman (1992) is one of contemporary horror cinema's most notorious phantasm, Chicago City's urban legend that haunts the main character and other victims with hypnotizing and manipulative promises, ultimately leading to their demise.
Seen as the Black community's own Dracula, Candyman's bewitching magnetism comes at the expense of his tragic backstory where he was brutally murdered for having an interracial love affair in the 19th century. Thus, the gnawing myth of Candyman becomes the focal point of the 1992 film when a graduate student becomes increasingly infatuated with the ghastly figure.
Braindead (1992)
Better known as Dead Alive in America, Braindead (1992) is a cut-throat gateway into Peter Jackson's filmography before the director's immense popularity with his Lord of the Rings franchise. Despite being a box-office bomb, horror fans consider it one of the best zombie comedies for its overboard exhibition of gore in addition to retro campiness.
Braindead follows Lionel, a young man who falls in love with a Spanish Romani shopkeeper's daughter. Their romantic pursuits are put on hold when Lionel's over-possessive mother gets bit by a rabid Sumatran rat-monkey and transforms into a zombie, soon infecting the whole town. Whether it's neighbors, friends, or rivals, nobody is safe.
Funny Games (1997)
A shocking piece that caused film critics and audiences to walk out of its Cannes screening in 1997, Funny Games excels at making its viewers uncomfortable with violence and degradation on full display.
Revolving around a picture-perfect family vacationing at their holiday lake house in Austria, their once peaceful retreat becomes a living hell when two young men take the family hostage, forcing them to play sadistic games with each other for personal amusement. Originally intended to be a critique on the sensationalism of violence portrayed in American media, director Michael Haneke remade his own movie. The Hollywood version of Funny Games came out in 2007 and stars Naomi Watts. Watts also appears in another American remake of the Austrian horror film Goodnight Mommy, which was recently released on Prime Video.
Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
Before the inception of sparkly vampires that no one takes seriously, Gary Oldman's enigmatic portrayal of Vlad the Impaler/Count Dracula defined the supernatural creature. He embodies what most audiences today would envision Bram Stoker's literary gothic icon to be, somewhere between erotically romantic and fiendishly authoritative.
Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 Victorian horror film is a movie quite faithful to the 1897 gothic fiction novel, encompassing important plot points such as the incarceration of Jonathan Harker by Dracula as well as the latter's relentless pursuit of Mina Harker in London while being hounded by vampire hunter Professor Abraham Van Helsing. Boasting not only Oscar-winning makeup effects and soundtrack, the film is also influential in spawning countless parodies and invigorating gothic horror in mainstream cinema.
From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) has one of the wildest barroom brawls in cinema, where outlaws and truck drivers fight against atrocious, hideous-looking bloodsuckers in Mexico. Who can forget the mariachi band playing frenzied music amongst all the chaos, using dismembered human body parts sewn together as an electric guitar?
Written by Quentin Tarantino, who also acts in the film as one of the Gecko brothers alongside George Clooney, viewers can expect tons of the director's signature trademarks from the horror action film. For instance, the trunk-shot technique, quotable dialogue revealing characters' quirks, shots of feet, and of course, graphic demonstrations of violence cranked up by director Robert Rodriguez.
Perfect Blue (1997)
Satoshi Kon, the 'David Lynch of Anime', sure knows how to render audiences estranged and disoriented with this timely relevant commentary on consumer culture and the pop idol industry.
Perfect Blue (1997) explores the deteriorating mentality of former Japanese idol girl group member Mima Kirigoe. When Mima decides to pursue a career in acting, she is forced to deal with dejected stalkers, a toxified, male-dominated movie industry, and her own dwindling popularity, all of which contribute to her escalating hallucinations.
Sleepy Hollow (1999)
An often overlooked Tim Burton movie, Sleepy Hollow (1999) sees Burton teaming up with his frequent collaborator Johhny Depp in this chilling supernatural epic with a hauntingly exquisite aesthetic, a gripping supernatural mystery for fans of monster classics and detective crime pieces.
Loosely based on Washington Irving's short story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", Depp plays Ichabod Crane, a New York detective tasked with investigating a series of gruesome deaths. As all casualties are found beheaded, Crane believes that the crimes are committed by none other than the ghost of the Headless Horsemen and is determined to put an end to the legendary specter's heinous crimes.
Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight (1995)
Whether you're a fan of the original HBO series or just in the spooky season mood, be sure to give this dandy horror comedy a try, and you will see Billy Zane's terrific trick of spewing out a sponge through his mouth.
Demon Knight (1995) is a spin-off film from the acclaimed horror anthology series Tales from the Crypt which focuses on the story of an ex-soldier, Frank Brayker, as he shields an ancient key from falling into the wrong hands for over 90 years. After being trapped in a boarding house in Mexico by evil spirits, he has to work alongside other residents as they face off against the charismatic yet sinister Collector and his army of ghouls.
Audition (1999)
Never underestimate the tenderness and humility of women. Japanese vanguardist director Takashi Miike is best known to international audiences for his oeuvre of films with over-the-top violence and unpredictable characters, and Audition (1999) is no exception.
The Japanese horror film is about a company executive Shigeharu Aoyama, who stages a fake casting audition for young women to audition for the part of his new wife. Shigeharu is immediately captivated by Asami Yamazaki's beauty and demure demeanor, but after the sudden disappearance of Asami during their courtship, the widower becomes suspicious of the young lady's actual identity and intentions.
Misery (1990)
Misery (1990) is based on Stephen King's 1987 novel of the same title and witnesses Kathy Bates in one of the most disturbing but celebrated performances in her career. Even King gives a thumbs up to this adaptation, a compliment not even the film auteur Stanley Kubrick had received when he adapted The Shining.
Misery centers around Paul Sheldon, a novelist who is seriously injured in a car crash. He is housed and tended by his number one fan, Annie Wilkes. Annie can be supportive and nurturing at times to the writer, but for the most part, she is an obsessive and violent figure with horrific intentions and determined follow-through.