The silver lining of a lack of theatrical releases means now is the perfect chance to get rid of any cinematic blind spots. When browsing the ever-increasing number of streaming platforms available, it becomes evident that classic films tend to get overshadowed by newer releases. So, we’re dedicating this week’s streaming picks to foundational, classic horror.
For this week’s selection, “classic” is being defined as a movie with enduring emotional resonance and cinematic significance. Narrowing it down further, all are movies that were released before 1970. Truthfully, there’s a wealth of classic horror gems available, beyond the scope of Universal Classic Monsters, but these five make for a fantastic start…
The Phantom Carriage (1921) – Criterion Channel, Kanopy
Based on Selma Lagerlöf’s novel, Thy Soul Shall Bear Witness, The Phantom Carriage is a tale of New Year’s Eve terror notable for its special effects. Starring, written and directed by Victor Sjöström, the story follows David. This unrepentant and raging alcoholic refuses to grant a dying woman’s wish to speak with him one last time. He bumps his head hard just before the clock strikes midnight, and a phantom carriage arrives to take his soul on a journey through bad memories, to teach him the error of his ways. Think It’s a Wonderful Life but employing a spooky Charles Dickens-like ghost story. Again, the special effects are fantastic for its time, and the film left an indelible mark on Swedish cinema, including filmmaker Ingmar Bergman.
The Night of the Hunter (1955) – Prime Video
Now considered a benchmark for the serial killer genre, The Night of the Hunter wasn’t a success commercially or critically upon release, ensuring that Charles Laughton’s feature debut would be his only directorial credit. It’s a shame because it’s one impressive debut. Based on a novel of the same name, Robert Mitchell stars as the bone-chilling Reverend Harry Powell, a serial killer that targets a gullible widow to steal the money hidden by her now-deceased husband. The only hitch in his plan is the widow’s two children that are reluctant to trust him. It’s a noir crime thriller meets lush Southern Gothic fairytale, making The Night of the Hunter as unnerving as it is beautiful. That it’s currently slated to receive the remake treatment means this is a must-see.
Blood and Black Lace (1964) – Prime Video
One of the earliest and most influential Giallo films, Blood and Black Lace makes for a stunning introduction to vital Italian horror filmmaker Mario Bava. Models in a Rome fashion house are brutally dispatched by a masked killer in this retooled whodunnit, with Bava instead focusing on the stalk-and-slash element over the mystery, which is admittedly fairly easy to predict. Gory for its time, Blood and Black Lace overcame its initial chilly reception to become a significant film that shaped directors like Dario Argento, Martin Scorsese, and Quentin Tarantino. If you’re looking to expand your Bava repertoire further, look for Planet of the Vampires on Prime Video as well, an interesting sci-fi horror film often considered a significant influence on Alien.
Spider Baby (1968) – Prime, Tubi, Kanopy
When you think of classic horror-comedies, it’s often more overtly comedic and slapstick fare like Abbott and Costello’s Monster Movies that come to mind. Writer/director Jack Hill’s Spider Baby or, the Maddest Story Ever Told is delightfully pitch black. Lon Chaney Jr. stars as Bruno, the caretaker of the three orphaned Merrye children. The siblings suffer from “Merrye Syndrome,” a condition that causes them to regress emotionally, mentally, and physically the older they get, meaning they’re feral and a little bloodthirsty. That spells a lot of trouble for the distant relatives who arrive, hoping to cash in as the heirs of the Merrye estate. Look for Sid Haig as the oldest and most regressed sibling, Ralph, in this supremely entertaining horror-comedy full of murder and mayhem.
Targets (1968) – Criterion Channel
Targets marks Peter Bogdanovich’s feature directorial debut and genre stalwart Boris Karloff’s final appearance in an American feature film. Karloff plays Byron Orlok, an aging genre star scheduled to make an appearance at a drive-in theater for a special screening of one of his most famous films. It puts him on a collision course with a clean-cut Vietnam War veteran that’s become a mass-murdering sniper. Drawing from 1961’s University of Texas tower shooting, Targets is unlike any other Roger Corman production, offering an uneasy sense of realism balanced by the warmth of Karloff’s performance as a jaded horror icon. For further homework, Quentin Tarantino’s analysis of this film is required reading, but only after you’ve seen the movie first.
