In an era when streaming platforms have revolutionized how we consume content, Shudder has carved out its own niche by catering to horror enthusiasts and fans of all things spine-tingling. This platform has been on a mission to terrify and entertain, offering a plethora of spine-chilling movies and series that appeal to both casual viewers and die-hard horror aficionados. While Shudder boasts an extensive library of classic horror films, it’s their original content that has truly distinguished the platform.
In this article, we dive deep into the world of terror and suspense, exploring the 10 best original movies Shudder has to offer. From blood-curdling thrillers to supernatural mysteries, Shudder’s originals showcase a wide range of sub-genres within the horror realm, making it a treasure trove for those seeking cinematic scares. So, dim the lights, grab your popcorn, and prepare to embark on a journey into the heart of darkness as we unveil Shudder’s most captivating, fear-inducing, and altogether unforgettable original films.
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10. What Josiah Saw (2021)
Following the Anderson family, who are dealing with various personal and psychological issues. When a tragic accident leaves their mother dead, the family members are left grappling with grief and guilt. The film focuses on the Andersons’ oldest son, Josiah who has a deeply troubled past. Josiah, a deeply religious man, believes he has been given a divine revelation from God. He becomes convinced that he must confront the family’s dark secrets and bring about a reckoning. As he delves into the family’s history, he uncovers long-buried traumas, disturbing secrets, and sins from the past that have haunted the family for generations.
Shudder’s What Josiah Saw weaves a tense and disturbing narrative as Josiah’s religious fervor drives him to extreme measures to uncover the truth and achieve redemption. His actions become increasingly unhinged, and the family becomes trapped in a nightmarish and unpredictable struggle for survival. The film is a character-driven horror film that explores the psychological depths of its characters. It delves into the complexities of faith, family dynamics, and the impact of trauma. Additionally, this original Shudder film has garnered praise for its exploration of dark and thought-provoking themes, making it a compelling choice for fans of psychological horror.
9. Anything for Jackson (2020)
Centered on an elderly couple, Audrey and Henry Walsh who are grieving the loss of their only grandson, Jackson. Desperate to bring him back, they resort to dark and forbidden means. Audrey and Henry, who were once healthcare professionals, have knowledge of the occult and decide to perform a sinister ritual to resurrect their grandson. To carry out this forbidden act, they kidnap a pregnant woman, Shannon, and keep her restrained in their home. The couple, guided by a mysterious book of spells, begins the ritual with the intention of transferring Jackson’s soul into Shannon’s unborn child. However, the supernatural forces they unleash have malevolent consequences, leading to terrifying and chaotic events within their home.
As the ritual spirals out of control, Audrey and Henry find themselves in a horrifying and increasingly dangerous situation. They must confront the consequences of their actions and the terrifying entities that have been unleashed. The story delves into a complex moral dilemma as the couple grapples with the consequences of their actions and the lengths to which they are willing to go to bring back their loved one. Another hit in psychological horror from Shudder!
8. The Mortuary Collection (2019)
Set in a small, seemingly quiet town where a young woman named Sam applies for a job as an assistant to the eccentric mortician, Montgomery Dark. As she begins her new role, Montgomery Dark starts telling her a series of macabre stories about the deceased residents of the town, each story more gruesome and bizarre than the last. Shudder’s The Mortuary Collection is an anthology film consisting of four stories, each depicting a different aspect of the horror genre and exploring themes of morality, justice, and the consequences of one’s actions. As Montgomery Dark shares these stories, Sam begins to uncover a hidden truth about the mortician’s own dark history and the town’s eerie secrets.
The story consists of a babysitter being terrorized by a masked killer on Halloween night, leading to a gruesome revelation. A wealthy old woman, desperate to escape her unhappy marriage, resorts to extreme measures to achieve her freedom. A college student becomes obsessed with proving the existence of a supernatural creature in a local cemetery. A young mother is convinced that her newborn baby is not her own, leading to a nightmarish exploration of identity and paranoia.
7. Revenge (2017)
A young woman named Jen accompanies her wealthy, married lover, Richard to a remote desert vacation home for a weekend getaway. However, their romantic tryst takes a dark and violent turn when Richard’s two friends, Stan and Dimitri unexpectedly arrive at the house. After a night of debauchery, Stan brutally rapes Jen. Horrified and injured, she narrowly escapes and manages to survive, but she’s left for dead in the desert. Despite her grievous injuries, Jen’s strong will to live propels her to seek vengeance against her attackers. Jen undergoes a transformation from victim to avenger, using her resourcefulness, cunning, and resilience to turn the tables on her assailants.
She embarks on a brutal and relentless mission to exact her revenge on the men who have wronged her. As the film unfolds, it becomes a visceral and graphic depiction of her pursuit of justice and retribution. Shudder’s Revenge is notable for its portrayal of a resilient and empowered female protagonist who refuses to be a passive victim. Jen’s transformation from victim to avenger is a central and empowering theme of the film. Additionally, the film doesn’t shy away from graphic violence and brutality, which adds to its visceral and intense nature, making it a gritty and uncompromising revenge thriller.
6. Terrified (2017)
An Argentine film set in a suburban neighborhood in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Strange and horrifying events begin to occur that deeply unsettle the residents. People report experiencing terrifying encounters with supernatural entities, witnessing inexplicable phenomena, and being driven to the brink of madness. The story follows a group of people who become entangled in the supernatural events plaguing the neighborhood. This group includes a police officer named Funes, a doctor named Leguizamón, a paranormal investigator named Albreck and a young boy named Walter.
As they investigate the paranormal occurrences, they uncover a malevolent force that defies explanation. The entities responsible for the horrors appear to be far from benevolent and seem intent on causing fear, chaos, and death. The residents are forced to confront the unexplainable and confront the terrifying presence that has invaded their lives. Shudder’s Terrified weaves a narrative that explores the unknown and the fear of the supernatural, diving into the deep sense of dread that these unexplained phenomena generate. As the investigators and the victims attempt to make sense of the inexplicable, the film intensifies, building a suspenseful and terrifying atmosphere.
5. Host (2020)
Shudder manages to take advantage of real-world horrors. It takes place during the COVID-19 lockdown in the United Kingdom and revolves around a group of friends who decide to host a virtual seance via a video conferencing platform as a way to connect and combat their pandemic-induced isolation. The friends, Haley, Jemma, Emma, Radina, Caroline, and Teddy are led by their medium and spiritual guide, Seylan. They all join the video call from their respective homes, and Seylan initiates the seance. However, things take a dark and sinister turn when they inadvertently make contact with an angry and vengeful spirit.
As the seance progresses, unexplained and paranormal events start occurring in each of the participants’ homes, leading to escalating fear and chaos. The friends must confront the malevolent entity they have summoned and find a way to end the seance before it’s too late. Shudder’s Host uses the found footage format, with each character’s webcam serving as a point of view. The film effectively builds tension and horror within the confines of the virtual meeting, making use of creative practical effects and jump scares to deliver a genuinely frightening experience.
4. Deadstream (2022)
The movie’s focal point is Shawn, a disgraced YouTuber known for his videos featuring daring stunts aimed at “conquering his fears.” Before the events of the film, one of Shawn’s videos triggered a significant controversy, causing him to lose his sponsors and a significant portion of his fanbase. In a desperate bid to regain his popularity and retain his sole remaining sponsor, Shawn devises a plan to live-stream himself spending a night in Death Manor, an allegedly haunted house notorious for several tragic deaths. Under the terms of the sponsorship deal, Shawn must stay in the house and fully explore it; otherwise, he’ll forfeit the sponsorship.
Throughout the livestream, Shawn occasionally interacts with his viewers by reading and responding to their comments in the chat. As the live stream commences, Shawn throws his car’s sparkplugs into the nearby woods, locks the front door, and tosses the key down a sewer grate. While setting up his cameras, he provides a narrative of Death Manor’s history: the house is haunted by the spirit of Mildred Pratt, a wealthy Mormon heiress and an unsuccessful poet who took her own life after the sudden death of her publisher and lover. Just when we thought everything had been done with found footage, Shudder manages to reinvent it.
3. Mad God (2021)
Shudder’s Mad God is a nightmarish and dystopian journey into a surreal and grotesque world. From the mind of Academy Award winner Phil Tippetts, the man behind incredible visual effects for films such as Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, Jurassic Park and Starship Troopers. Mad God is Tippett’s passion project, 30 years in the making. The film follows a nameless assassin, who embarks on a mission to navigate through a nightmarish and labyrinthine underworld filled with bizarre creatures, grotesque environments, and unfathomable horrors.
The film is structured as a series of interconnected, visually striking vignettes that provide glimpses into the assassin’s journey. As he descends deeper into the surreal abyss, the audience is exposed to a phantasmagoria of nightmarish images and scenarios, all brought to life through Tippett’s remarkable stop-motion animation and practical effects. While the film doesn’t rely on conventional narrative storytelling, it weaves a narrative through its visuals, taking viewers on a disorienting and hallucinatory odyssey. Mad God is a visual and visceral experience that immerses the audience in a world that blurs the lines between reality and the grotesque.
2. Mandy (2018)
Set in the early 1980s and follows Red Miller, a lumberjack living a quiet and idyllic life in the Pacific Northwest with his girlfriend Mandy. Their peaceful existence is shattered when a sinister cult led by Jeremiah Sand arrives in their remote wilderness community. Jeremiah becomes obsessed with Mandy and orders his cult to kidnap her. When Mandy rejects him, she is subjected to a horrific ordeal. This prompts Red to seek brutal and supernatural vengeance against the cult members.
Shudder’s Mandy is visually stunning and stands out with its distinctive, otherworldly aesthetic. The film uses vibrant colors and a hypnotic, dreamlike atmosphere, giving it an almost surreal quality. Nicolas Cage delivers a highly memorable and over-the-top performance in Mandy. His portrayal of Red Miller adds to the film’s cult appeal, making it a quintessential “Cage Rage” movie. Additionally, the film doesn’t shy away from extreme violence and gore. The action scenes are intense and gruesome, adding to the horror and revenge elements of the plot.
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1. Satan’s Slaves 2: Communion (2022)
When the tumultuous storm descended upon their lives, it wasn’t merely the elemental fury that struck fear into the hearts of this beleaguered family, but rather the ominous presence of both human malevolence and enigmatic, otherworldly entities lurking in the shadows. Several years had passed since they valiantly escaped a harrowing incident that had claimed the lives of their beloved mother and their youngest sibling, Ian. Rini, the resilient elder sister, now watched over her younger kin, Toni and Bondi, alongside their steadfast father, as they took up residence in a seemingly secure apartment complex.
However, they were soon to confront a stark truth—that the proximity of many souls could render them vulnerable if they remained strangers to their neighbors. On a fateful night cloaked in terror, the ominous veil of the past descended upon Rini and her family once more. They found themselves compelled to return to the very source of their earlier torment, propelled by the looming threat that had resurfaced. This time, however, it seemed as though the hands of fate might have grown too heavy to escape, as a chilling sense of inevitability hung in the air, casting a shadow over their desperate flight for survival.
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