ONTD Original: Underrated Horror Films Directed by Women
Happy spooky season! I really wanted to make a post about some of my favorite women directed horror films that I feel are underrated. Most people are aware of Jennifer's Body, The Babadook, and Raw so I wanted to highlight some lesser known women directed horror films.
The Slumber Party Massacre (1982) dir. Amy Holden Jones
A female high school student's slumber party turns into a bloodbath, as a newly escaped psychotic serial killer wielding a power drill prowls her neighborhood.
Where to watch: Tubi, Pluto, Prime, Roku Channel, Redbox, Vudu, Plex
[👻🎃😱]
Prevenge (2016) dir. Alice Lowe
Pregnant widow Ruth, whose partner died in a climbing accident, believes her baby is guiding her to exact murderous revenge on those involved in his death.
Where to watch: AMC+, Shudder, YouTube, Apple TV, Roku Channel, Vudu
Near Dark (1987) dir. Kathryn Bigelow
A small-town farmer's son in Oklahoma reluctantly joins a traveling group of vampires after he is bitten by a beautiful drifter.
Where to watch: Shudder, Kanopy
Ravenous (1999) dir. Antonia Bird
In a remote military outpost in the 19th century, Captain John Boyd and his regiment embark on a rescue mission which takes a dark turn when they are ambushed by a sadistic cannibal.
Where to watch: Prime, Criterion Channel, Vudu, Apple TV, YouTube
Helter Skelter (2012) dir. Mika Ninagawa
LiLiCo, a successful model and television personality, seems to have it all until a long-buried secret threatens her career. She descends into a world of nightmares as she desperately tries to retain her perfect image.
Where to watch: FShare
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) dir. Fran Rubel Kuzui
It follows a valley girl cheerleader named Buffy who learns that it is her fate to hunt vampires.
Where to watch: Max, Hulu, Prime, Roku Channel
Huesera: The Bone Woman (2022) dir. Michelle Garza Cervera
Valeria's joy of getting pregnant with her first child is quickly cut short when she is cursed by an evil spirit. As danger approaches and her relationships with her family fracture, she is forced into a chilling world of dark magic that threatens to consume her.
Where to watch: Shudder, AMC+
Censor (2021) dir. Prano Bailey-Bond
After viewing a strangely familiar video nasty, Enid, a film censor, sets out to solve the past mystery of her sister's disappearance, embarking on a quest that dissolves the line between fiction and reality.
Where to watch: Hulu, fuboTV, YouTube
The Mafu Cage (1978) dir. Karen Arthur
Ellen, a successful astronomer, cares for her mentally-ill sister, Cissy, who keeps a variety of primates in the home they inherited from their anthropologist father. When Ellen begins a romance, Cissy's jealousy proves deadly.
Where to watch: YouTube, Plex
Dearest Sister (2016) dir. Mattie Do
A village girl travels to the Lao capital, Vientiane, to care for her rich cousin who has lost her sight and gained the ability to communicate with the dead.
Where to watch: YouTube, Shudder, AMC+, Prime, YouTube
Bulbbul (2020) dir. Anvita Dutt
A child bride grows into an enigmatic woman ruling over her household, hiding her painful past, as supernatural murders of men plague her village.
Where to watch: Netflix
The Invitation (2015) dir Karyn Kusama
A man accepts an invitation to a dinner party hosted by his ex-wife, an unsettling affair that reopens old wounds and creates new tensions.
Where to watch: Tubi, Peacock, Pluto, Roku Channel, Redbox, Prime
Sources 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 + synopsis from Google
Feel free to include your favorite horror films directed by women!
The Slumber Party Massacre (1982) dir. Amy Holden Jones
Click to viewA female high school student's slumber party turns into a bloodbath, as a newly escaped psychotic serial killer wielding a power drill prowls her neighborhood.
Where to watch: Tubi, Pluto, Prime, Roku Channel, Redbox, Vudu, Plex
[👻🎃😱]
Prevenge (2016) dir. Alice Lowe
Pregnant widow Ruth, whose partner died in a climbing accident, believes her baby is guiding her to exact murderous revenge on those involved in his death.
Where to watch: AMC+, Shudder, YouTube, Apple TV, Roku Channel, Vudu
Near Dark (1987) dir. Kathryn Bigelow
A small-town farmer's son in Oklahoma reluctantly joins a traveling group of vampires after he is bitten by a beautiful drifter.
Where to watch: Shudder, Kanopy
Ravenous (1999) dir. Antonia Bird
In a remote military outpost in the 19th century, Captain John Boyd and his regiment embark on a rescue mission which takes a dark turn when they are ambushed by a sadistic cannibal.
Where to watch: Prime, Criterion Channel, Vudu, Apple TV, YouTube
Helter Skelter (2012) dir. Mika Ninagawa
LiLiCo, a successful model and television personality, seems to have it all until a long-buried secret threatens her career. She descends into a world of nightmares as she desperately tries to retain her perfect image.
Where to watch: FShare
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) dir. Fran Rubel Kuzui
It follows a valley girl cheerleader named Buffy who learns that it is her fate to hunt vampires.
Where to watch: Max, Hulu, Prime, Roku Channel
Huesera: The Bone Woman (2022) dir. Michelle Garza Cervera
Valeria's joy of getting pregnant with her first child is quickly cut short when she is cursed by an evil spirit. As danger approaches and her relationships with her family fracture, she is forced into a chilling world of dark magic that threatens to consume her.
Where to watch: Shudder, AMC+
Censor (2021) dir. Prano Bailey-Bond
After viewing a strangely familiar video nasty, Enid, a film censor, sets out to solve the past mystery of her sister's disappearance, embarking on a quest that dissolves the line between fiction and reality.
Where to watch: Hulu, fuboTV, YouTube
The Mafu Cage (1978) dir. Karen Arthur
Ellen, a successful astronomer, cares for her mentally-ill sister, Cissy, who keeps a variety of primates in the home they inherited from their anthropologist father. When Ellen begins a romance, Cissy's jealousy proves deadly.
Where to watch: YouTube, Plex
Dearest Sister (2016) dir. Mattie Do
A village girl travels to the Lao capital, Vientiane, to care for her rich cousin who has lost her sight and gained the ability to communicate with the dead.
Where to watch: YouTube, Shudder, AMC+, Prime, YouTube
Bulbbul (2020) dir. Anvita Dutt
A child bride grows into an enigmatic woman ruling over her household, hiding her painful past, as supernatural murders of men plague her village.
Where to watch: Netflix
The Invitation (2015) dir Karyn Kusama
A man accepts an invitation to a dinner party hosted by his ex-wife, an unsettling affair that reopens old wounds and creates new tensions.
Where to watch: Tubi, Peacock, Pluto, Roku Channel, Redbox, Prime
Sources 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 + synopsis from Google
Feel free to include your favorite horror films directed by women!