The 1990s were a very special time. We had the Clinton Administration, rolled-up jeans, and horror movies. Lots and lots and horror movies. This seems to be the way it’s always been. They’re cheap to make, the stories don’t have to be amazing, and when the plot gets slow, throw in some violence, nudity (or both), and watch the profits roll in. We sure had some great films back then.Silence of the Lambs,ScreamandWes Craven’s New Nightmareare just a few. Yet, for as much critical and box office acclaim as these movies garnered, there were many other solid, well-deserving horror films that didn’t get the love from critics or audiences they should’ve.
Updated: November 2022: To keep this article fresh and relevant by adding more information and entries, this article has been updated by Wishka Tilakaratne.
Audiences' tastes are subjective. People only have so much time and money to see certain films. Yet, there are always those titles that are really good but go unnoticed. Perhaps, they do get noticed, but that’s all they get as they don’t get embraced and taken into the imagination of the public the way they should. With a genre that has the rabid fan base that horror does, it seems inconceivable that this could happen. This is precisely why this list was put together of ’90s horror movies you need to pay more attention to.
Related:10 Best Horror Movies From The ’90s, Ranked
12Mirror, Mirror (1990)
This 1990 supernatural horror may not be quite popular, but it is one that is sure to leave the viewer with chills. The story follows the protagonist Megan (Rainbow Harvest) who, following her family’s move to a new town, comes across a mirror with certain evil powers. Megan’s character changes as she starts to harness these powers. What follows is a series of deaths, starting with Megan’s bullies to her loved ones; the film ultimately ends with Nikki becoming the last girl left, and Megan sacrificing herself. While this teen horror may not have received high praise, it went on to inspire 3 sequels. That in itself might suggest thatMirror, Mirrormay have its own audience, even if it is not a big name in the horror genre.
11In The Mouth of Madness (1994)
When John Trent (Sam Neill) has to investigate the disappearance of horror author Sutter Cane (Jurgen Prochnow), he soon finds that he’s not investigating the usual insurance case. Apparently, Cane’s descriptive, horror-filled manuscripts, are a little too real and are actually part of a plot to unleash holy hell through his novels. Or something like that. Whatever your favorite John Carpenter film is, if you are a fan of this horror legend, it would be hard not to like this film. So why didn’t it get more respect when it came out in 1994? Why did it make less than $9 million at the domestic box office? Why hasn’t Carpenter made a new film since 2010? There are all sorts of reasons whyIn The Mouth of Madnesswas overlooked. Maybe the mid-1990s was a time when a post-modern horror movie wasn’t what the public wanted to see. Whatever the case, this film is as solid as any to take up space in the revered director’s canon.
While not a political statement likeGeorge A. Romero’sNight of the Living Dead(unless you may seeReturn of the Living Dead 3as some sort of statement about the military-industrial complex), this film from 1993 seems more like an ’80s holdoverthan it does a ’90s horror movie. Basically, Curt (J. Trevor Edmond) loves Julie (Melinda Clarke). When she is killed in a motorcycle accident, Curt uses re-animating technology that is spearheaded by his father, Colonel Reynolds (Kent McCord) to bring her back to life. This goes better than he could’ve ever imagined, with the only problem being that now his father and some other nefarious entities are after them.Return of the Living Dead 3is a fun film that doesn’t seem like it was taken seriously upon its release. Made for $2 million and grossing $54,000,Return of the Living Dead 3is sadly one of those films that was deemed dead on arrival and never got the chance to walk again.
Related:10 Most Frightening Horror Movies From the ’80s
9Wishmaster (1997)
How can amovie narrated by Angus Scrimmand featuring Robert Englund, Kane Hodder and Tony Todd (as well as produced by thelegendary Wes Craven) not be loved more? Well, with box office receipts totaling nearly $16 million, it’s apparently very possible. Given that the movie only cost $5 million to make, it’s pretty apparent that it probably made money somewhere for someone. In fact, it posted third at the box office the weekend it was released in September 1997. Also, given that there have been three sequels to this film, it certainly seems like it has a story that people care about seeing again and again.
This tale centers around Djinn. Djinn is a wish granter who wants to ruin mankind. When Djinn is released by Alexandra (Tammy Lauren), Djinn’s goal is to capture her soul and release many more of his kind on earth. The story ofWishmasteris simple and director Robert Kurtzman’sThe Rageexecution is basically perfect. Maybe the lack of good feelings towardWishmasteris simply because horror movies weren’t as respected then. Comic-Con wasn’t such a major event, and genre films were the exception and not the rule. It wouldn’t be surprising to see this film geta reboot of some sortin the future.
8Cronos (1993)
Guillermo Del Toro’s debut film,Cronosis now looked upon as a fairly legendary film. However, when it debuted in 1993, it was scarcely looked at. This story of an odd mechanism that gives eternal life to whoever uses it plays with thetheme of immortality.With a cast featuring Fredrico Luppi and Ron Perlman, this story takes the idea of the fountain of youth and turns it on its ear. With striking visuals and a real vision behind it, how didCronosget passed over? Perhaps,Cronossuffered because it came out in 1993 and was overshadowed byReservoir DogsandEl Mariachi? It was a watershed moment for independent film. It seems thatCronoswas respected by those who saw it, but it’s honestly become more of a cult film. This actually makes it kind of cooler than if it had been an out-and-out hit. It is possible that Guillermo Del Toro didn’t want it to be a success d’estime when he made it.
7A Cat in the Brain (1990)
With a title like this, you would think it would’ve fared better in 1990. Especially, given the unique nature of this sort of post-modern take on horror movies. In short, Lucio Fulci plays himself, a director of extremely gory horror films. Due to his association with this material, Fulci has many questions about himself, so he sees a psychiatrist. There’s only one problem; the psychiatrist is inspired by Fulci’s gruesome pictures to the point that he commits devious acts in real life. With a budget believed to be about $100,000, it seems that with Italian box office and home video monies this thing should’ve turned a profit.
The bigger question is, why didn’t critics wrap their arms around this film a little tighter? With its self-referential nature (that beatWes Craven’s New Nightmareto the punch by 3 years), perhaps this movie, being a foreign film, just didn’t grab audiences. The problem with that is that true horror fans (who are also critics) know the goods when they see it. HowA Cat in the Braindidn’t pass muster is anybody’s guess.
6The Dark Half (1993)
Timothy Hutton is pitch-perfect in this movie about a man with a truly dark side living in his mind. Hutton plays Thad Beaumont. He’s a serious novelist who uses the pseudonym George Stark when he’s writing quick and easy fiction that sells. Thad has always kept these worlds secret. This soon becomes impossible because Thad is blackmailed by someone who knows the truth. When Thad distances himself from his pseudonym, he soon realizes that it’s not that easy to get rid of one of his creations. Aiding Hutton in this darkly constructed piece of horror-noir, are Michael Rooker and Amy Madigan. This is truly a gem from legendary horror maestro George A. Romero.
His deft hand is all over this macabre tale, yet it’s never heavy-handed. So, how did this film from 1993 land on a list of movies that weren’t appreciated in their time? Honestly, that might have more to do with the vagaries of the film marketplace. Perhaps, Timothy Hutton wasn’t who audiences wanted to see in this role. Maybe Romero’s legions of fans wanted moreNight of the Living Deadand less cerebral works. Whatever the reason, this movie should’ve made more than the $10 million it did.
5Event Horizon (1997)
You have to love a space story that involves black holes; it’s set in the future, and it stars the indelible Laurence Fishburne. Set in 2047, theEvent Horizonis a spaceship that disappeared and has now returned seven years after its first voyage. As the crew investigates this newly discovered ship, they soon learn that its disappearance of seven years is no accident. It isn’t just that there’s something lurking on the ship; it’s that the ship itself is its own death chamber. Directed by Paul W. S. Anderson,Event Horizonis a sci-fi tale done right. It is definitely hard to expect anything less from the director of theResident Evilfilms andAlien vs. Predator.
Event Horizonis dark, surreal, and the kind of big-budget, popcorn film that studios probably wouldn’t touch today because of its lack of bankability. With a budget of $60 million, this film brought in just shy of $27 million in the US. Why didn’t the sci-fi folks come out? Well, it might have had something to do with people not being interested in this sort of science-fiction tale. It may seem odd, but perhaps, they wanted films likeArmageddonandDeep Impact(which would bring in loads of loot one year later), more than a moody, philosophical tale.
4Urban Legend (1998)
Okay, it’s hard to say that this movie wasn’t appreciated when it had two sequels. However, this 1998,slasher tale of teens being pursued by a killeron a college campus, which just happens to tie back to a similar urban legend, is actually a pretty well-made film. With a cast that includes Jared Leto, Rebecca Gayheart, Joshua Jackson, and Robert Englund (who plays a professor and purveyor of such creepy tales), this film is inventive, scary, fun, and increasingly interesting. With its multiple storylines, interesting kills, and overall solid direction from Jamie Blanks (Valentine), this movie actually got a solid vote of confidence from the fans to the tune of $72 million dollars. On a budget of $14 million in the late 1990s, that’s pretty respectable. It seems critics had harsher feelings, with its Rotten Tomatoes score being a paltry 21% on the Tomatometer.Urban Legendfared better (but not by much) with an audience score of 37%.
3The People Under the Stairs (1991)
This mostly unsung film fromMaster of Horror, Wes Craven, really didn’t hit with critics. In fact, given that its box office was $31 million (on a budget of $6 million), it could be argued thatThe People Under the Stairsgot all the love it needed where it matters most; the box office. Still, there’s something about this film that audiences seem distant from. Inspired by a news story in which burglars broke into a home and discovered some kids locked up by their parents, this film follows a similar motif. A young boy attempts to break into a home with the help of his sister’s boyfriend. They manage to get inside, but as they attempt to leave they can’t. Things take a turn when the young boy realizes that there are some very lethal people inhabiting this dwelling.
Seen as a somewhat important film because of the statements it made about classism,The People Under the Stairsis actuallyhorrordoing what it does best, shedding light on the social ills of the world. Still, despite all of its merits, the critics and audience reviews have not rated this film highly. This is a shame because given the state of the world today, the statements made inThe People Under the Stairsare very necessary.
