Hi all!
Today I am going to be sharing my five favourite documentaries on Shudder! This horror/thriller streaming service has some very underrated gems that are worth highlighting and discussing. I couldn’t speak more highly of the list below. Shudder is only $6.99 a month in Australia, and you get access to lots of exclusives, originals and new releases like V/H/S/99, which I recently reviewed here. Without further ado, let’s get into it!
1.) The 101 Scariest Horror Movie Moments Of All Time
Shudder is worth getting purely for this documentary alone. It launched in October – releasing a new episode per week as it counted down from #101 to the #1 scariest horror movie moment of all time. It was so much fun trying to guess what was coming next and adding new spooky films to my watch list. Not only that, there were some surprising and exciting guests featured throughout the series, discussing how the particular scenes mentioned had an impact on them. It will absolutely renew your love for the genre. If you only check out one recommendation in this post, let it be this one.
2.) Queer For Fear: The History Of Queer Horror
I have to mention Queer for Fear, as it came out around the same time as The 101 Scariest Horror Movie Moments Of All Time. This four part docuseries focuses on queer history throughout the emergence of horror films. Guests from the LGBTQ+ community (including many past contestants from RuPaul’s Drag Race) discuss how they felt represented in the genre and what it meant to them. You do not have to be queer to enjoy this documentary. In fact, I encourage all heterosexuals to check it out and learn something. It was a joy to watch.
3.) The Found Footage Phenomenon
If you’re like me and you’re only just starting to foster an appreciation for this horror film sub-genre, I recommend The Found Footage Phenomenon. Not only will you gain some excellent movie recommendations, you’ll learn how it began and what has made it increasingly popular over the years. Various directors and actors in the documentary speak on the techniques used to make an effective found footage feature, as well as how the category has cemented itself in cinematic history. It’s short but well worth your time.
4.) Leap of Faith: William Friedkin On The Exorcist
Leap of Faith is more of a niche recommendation but if you love The Exorcist and wish to hear all about the movie-making process from the director (William Friedkin) himself, this is the one for you. He speaks so earnestly about how fate pushed him to take on this iconic screen adaptation of William Peter Blatty’s novel and the way destiny continued to affect the final product. It’s less about the cursed set and more about the executive decisions he made as it was being shot. I learned so much. It’s absolutely worth checking out.
5.) Horror Noire: A History Of Black Horror
Last but not least, we have Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror. Similar to Queer for Fear, you do not have to be a POC to enjoy this documentary. I highly encourage everybody to sit down and watch it. Filmmakers and actors/actresses of colour converse with one another about the importance of black history in horror and the evolution of it. From Jordan Peele’s Get Out to Night of the Living Dead, audiences receive an honest perspective on how black people have been represented in spooky cinema over the course of many years. It’s deep but quite lighthearted at times. I’m so glad it exists.
Thank you so much for reading! Have you seen any of the documentaries mentioned above? Can you recommend any I haven’t listed?
Peace & Love xoxo