Editorials
11 Great Made for TV Horror Movies You Can Stream Right Now
Before the advent of the digital age in media, made-for-television movies were event TV. They were a smart way to get family and friends to stay home and gather around the television. The ’60s through the early ’90s marked a boom of horror on the small screen, offering memorable -and some forgotten- gems that proved terror didn’t have to have a big Hollywood budget to be effective.
Even with lower budgets and programming limitations, some of the best horror emerged from the small screen. A lack of gore, nudity, and graphic violence won’t hinder a good scare, after all. What’s more, the format would allow filmmakers and storytellers to push the envelope in absolutely gonzo ways to compensate. Meaning that the made-for-TV movie could be downright frightening, but it could also be pure insanity.
These eleven made-for-TV movies run the gamut in horror. Some elicit chills, and some go off the rails into eccentricity. From ghosts to creatures to killers, there’s something for everyone. Best of all, you can stream them now and recreate that event TV nostalgia.
Invitation to Hell – Tubi
Months before Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street released in theaters, his bizarre made-for-TV sci-fi horror movie aired on ABC. Engineer Matt Winslow (Robert Urich) moves with his wife, Patricia (Joanna Cassidy), and children, Chrissy (Soleil Moon Frye) and Robert (Barret Oliver), to a new suburban community. He’s a workaholic so consumed by his job project in creating a thermal space suit that he doesn’t notice that something is quite off about the idyllic community and country club director Jessica Jones (Susan Lucci). The more Jessica woos his family, the stranger things get. Up until the bonkers final act, in which Matt descends into Hell, it’s a mostly standard horror movie with Lucci going full camp as the villainess. Though, that finale in Hell is out there. Invitation to Hell also earned a Primetime Emmy nomination, so 1984 belonged to Craven.
Satan’s School for Girls – Tubi, Prime Video
Following the suicide of her sister, Elizabeth (Pamela Franklin) enrolls in her sister’s school to find out what happened. Her investigation finds her in the crosshairs of a Satanic cult. Director David Lowell Rich built an extensive career directing made-for-TV movies, including The Horror at 37,000 Feet. While this 1973 movie might be dated in many aspects, Rich knew how to create atmosphere, and there are a few genuinely creepy moments. Producer Aaron Spelling (Charlie’s Angels, Melrose Place) produced the made-for-TV remake in 2000, too.
Devil Dog: The Hound of Hell – Tubi
Richard Crenna stars as Mike Barry, the patriarch of a family that just lost their beloved pup. They decide to get a new one, unaware that it’s been bred and used in a Satanic ritual that renders it possessed by evil. That’s right. This cute puppy is a minion of Satan, and it’s looking to wreak demonic mayhem. It’s up to dad to save the day. Luckily, that dad is played by Richard Crenna. While it has a silly title and the low budget shows some seams, Devil Dog offers up some Satanic fun and a few spooky moments. Assault on Precinct 13 and The Car’s Kim Richards also stars as Mike Barry’s daughter.
Trilogy of Terror – Prime Video
Directed by Dan Curtis and starring Karen Black, this anthology horror film is based on short stories by Richard Matheson. It was the film that Black felt led to her being typecast in horror, and it’s easy to understand why. Playing the lead in all three segments, each a different character, Black played a femme fatale, an unhinged woman with split personalities, and most memorably, a woman who finds independence from her overbearing mother thanks to the help of a pint-sized aboriginal warrior. That Zuni fetish doll, with its razor-sharp teeth and little spear, is the stuff of nightmares. Admittedly, the first two segments tend to be forgettable. Still, the strength of “Amelia,” and her fight for her life against one of the scariest dolls in movie history, keep this one forever at the forefront of made-for-television movie memory.
How Awful About Allan – Prime Video
A TV horror movie starring Anthony Perkins doesn’t need much else to pique your curiosity. Perkins stars as the eponymous Allan, a tormented man who has psychosomatic blindness after his father died in a fire he unwittingly caused. Once released from his stay at a mental facility, he moves in with his sister. She’s also taken in a stranger. When Allan begins hearing strange voices and whispers, he’s unsure whether someone is out to get him or if he’s suffered a mental relapse. The Haunting’s Julie Harris stars as his sister, Katherine. This pick is for fans of slow burn psychological horror. It’s much more interested in creating ambiguous atmosphere than scares. Once again, though, Perkins fully commits.
Dead of Night (1977) – Shudder, Prime Video, Tubi
Like Trilogy of Terror, this horror anthology was also helmed by Dan Curtis and scripted by horror author Richard Matheson. It also features three tales of terror; one involving time travel, the second a vampire, and the last a story about a mother that wishes her dead child back to life. The latter of which was updated and reused in Trilogy of Terror II. When it comes to TV horror, it doesn’t get much more reliable than when Curtis is involved, and he knows how to arrange an anthology. Like Trilogy of Terror, he saves the best segment for last. “Bobby” is some creepy stuff.
The Spell – Prime Video
If the ’70s taught us anything, it’s that bullies are best dealt with through telekinesis. Poor 15-year-old Rita is frequently bullied by her schoolmates for being overweight. She discovers she has telekinetic powers and begins to seek vengeance. The Spell aired on NBC in 1977, drawing inevitable comparisons to Carrie, though writer Brian Taggert attempted to develop the project for theatrical release before Brian De Palma’s movie released. Despite the similarities, there are key differences. The biggest of which is that Rita’s mother isn’t a monster like Margaret White. Look for young Helen Hunt playing Rita’s sister.
Summer of Fear – Prime Video
Also known as Stranger in Our House, this is Wes Craven’s more recognizable television movie. That’s probably because it’s based on a novel by famous author Lois Duncan, and stars Linda Blair. Lee Purcell also stars as Julia, a teen taken in by her aunt and uncle after her parents’ death. Her cousin Rachel (Blair) is initially excited to have a girl her age around but quickly becomes suspicious after a string of accidents and unlucky coincidences. Rachel soon discovers Julia might be an evil witch. Evil teen witches make for a fun, somewhat campy movie. There’s no real suspense or scares, but the wacky series of events more than compensates. Also, look for an early performance by Fran Drescher.
When a Stranger Calls Back – Prime Video
One of the earliest examples of a sequel far superior to its predecessor, this under-seen cable movie delivers severe tension starting with one of horror’s best openings of all time. If you haven’t seen the original film, that’s okay; this stands on its own just fine and fills in the necessary blanks. Jill Schoelen (The Stepfather, Cutting Class) stars as this outing’s babysitter, the target of an unseen stranger when left to care for two sleeping kids. While the first film delivered the iconic, “The calls are coming from inside the house” trope, this sequel goes to surprising and unnerving places. Airing on Showtime in 1993, When a Stranger Calls Back offers up one of the most eccentric killers of the decade. And that’s saying a lot.
The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane – Prime Video
On Halloween, teen Rynn Jacobs (Jodie Foster) celebrates her thirteenth birthday alone in her father Lester’s house. It’s clear to everyone that aside from Rynn’s frequent solitude, the 13-year-old is also harboring a dark secret. The landlord and her son, Frank Hallet (Martin Sheen), are determined to find out what it is. Despite the PG rating, this small screen flick is rather mature and provocative. His sexual advances render a psychological cat and mouse chase between the adult Frank and young Rynn all the creepier. A pedophiliac villain would be warped enough, but Rynn has some disturbing skeletons in her closet. That Foster and Sheen play the leads further elevates this unique movie into something memorable. Edit: This one wasn’t actually made for TV, though a less explicit version did air on TV.
Gargoyles – Tubi
Dr. Mercer Boley (Cornel Wilde) and his daughter Diana (Jennifer Salt) are traveling in New Mexico for his work. They come upon a colony of actual living gargoyles, and they’re quite unfriendly. These aren’t the Gothic cathedral variety, but evil, demonic beings of folklore. It’s a creepy monster movie that doesn’t bother with any layered story, just monster-induced chaos. That’s okay! Legendary makeup artist Stan Winston handled the gargoyle makeup, earning him his very first feature film credit. Gargoyles won the 1973 Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Makeup. By today’s standards, Gargoyles may not terrify as effectively as it did when it aired on CBS in 1972, but it left an indelible traumatic mark on the generation that caught it on air.
No conversation about cartoons based on live-action movies is ever complete without mentioning The Real Ghostbusters.
This animated continuation is, warts and all, a notable example of turning a hit movie into a hit series. And although the new target demographic skewed a little younger, even kids-at-heart could partake in the further adventures of Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, Winston Zeddemore and Egon Spengler.
For a good part of its run, the show required fans to wait at least a week for more Ghostbustin’. That’s torture for a kiddo. Luckily, though, the entire series, or at least most of it, is now available for streaming.
So, as you revisit The Real Ghostbusters on Tubi—for now it’s just the first five seasons there—use this guide to help prioritize some must-see episodes.
The Boogieman Cometh
“The Boogieman Cometh” (Season 1)
Season One’s “The Boogieman Cometh” is a classic episode featuring one of the show’s more iconic villains. It’s hard to forget the unique character design used for the Boogieman (whose creepy voice was provided by Ray and Slimer’s actor, Frank Welker). In this story, Egon is reunited with that bump-in-the-night entity who haunted his own childhood, all while trying to keep him away from his latest targets: the brother and sister claiming to have the Boogieman in their closet. Although the Ghostbusters do save the day here, the Boogieman eventually returns (“The Bogeyman Is Back“). That same episode also features the love-’em-or-hate-’em Junior Ghostbusters.
Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream
“Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream” (Season 1)
You could say the namesake of “Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream” had good intentions for putting mankind to sleep for the next few centuries—he wanted to end war and keep everyone dreaming. Sounds nice until you remember that whole free will business. But when it seems like the Ghostbusters have lost to their latest foe, the last one standing, Winston, gains a sudden ally. Janine’s dream of becoming a Ghostbuster is manifested, and she helps put this rogue spirit to bed.
When Halloween Was Forever
“When Halloween Was Forever” (Season 1)
Before the show’s execs capitalized on Slimer’s popularity by making him the focus of later episodes, early stories like “When Halloween Was Forever” better utilized that gooey ghost. Here, the spirit of Halloween itself, Samhain, hopes to make the holiday a permanent thing by stopping time. And who does the embodiment of All Hallows’ Eve use in his nefarious plot? Slimer, of course. Thankfully, the lil’ green bud knows where he really belongs, and Samhain is banished (at least until Season 3’s “Halloween II 1/2“).
Night Game
“Night Game” (Season 2)
Because Season Two was rather long, in comparison to other seasons, it accumulated quite a few solid episodes. One of the most beloved, though, is that ultimate good-versus-evil story, “Night Game“. Winston gets to shine here as he participates in a battle that was 500 years in the making. Except this time, the fighting is done on the baseball field. The other-dimensional settings in The Real Ghostbusters are always great, but the one here is particularly memorable.
Drool, the Dog-Faced Goblin
“Drool, the Dog-Faced Goblin” (Season 2)
Not all ghosts and whatnot were bad in The Real Ghostbusters. As “Drool, the Dog-Faced Goblin” showed, some were actually benevolent. Sadly, it took a lot of convincing, and one very heroic act, for Peter and the others to see past this goblin’s grotesque appearance. The heroes find more than one shapeshifter at a sideshow carnival in the Poconos; a sinister Class-4er called the Metamorph does a swell job of menacing the Ghostbusters before they finally realize Drool’s not their culprit. The good guys indeed win here, but that victory is a bittersweet one.
The Collect Call of Cathulhu
“The Collect Call of Cathulhu” (Season 2)
While “The Collect Call of Cathulhu” does misspell “Cthulhu” in the title (probably to avoid legal issues), it is clearly the Old One in this Lovecraft-inspired episode. The story kicks off with the Necronomicon being stolen by the deity’s modern-day cult, who then raise their ancient god at Coney Island. From there, the Ghostbusters’ typical methods don’t work on the big guy, so they seek advice from an old issue of Weird Tales (or “Wierd Tales”, as it’s spelled on screen). That build-up to the finale comes with a decent amount of dread before the Ghostbusters, as well as a scholar named Alice, face off with one of the show’s most powerful entities.
Knock, Knock
“Knock, Knock” (Season 2)
A number of Real Ghostbusters episodes could be reworked into big-screen features, but perhaps “Knock, Knock” is the most hopeful. It helps that this story feels in step with the first two movies. Here, some ignorant construction workers accidentally uncover and open an ancient door in the subway. What’s behind said door is none other than those unspeakable evils that only the Ghostbusters can quell. A good deal of the imagery here is prime for adaptation.
The Grundel
“The Grundel” (Season 3)
One of the darker episodes, which was written by the prominent J. Michael Straczynski, is “The Grundel“. Here, a boy is being influenced by the titular entity, a type of ghost who ultimately turns his targets into new Grundels. The episode does have something of an after-school special quality to it, but that doesn’t take away from the eerier moments. For more Grundel lore, be sure to check out the episode “Grundelesque” from the sequel series, Extreme Ghostbusters.
Standing Room Only
“Standing Room Only” (Season 4)
It’s no secret that The Real Ghostbusters experienced multiple changes after the second season. Out of all of them, though, retooling the show so that Slimer would get more of the spotlight is maybe the most egregious. Thankfully, Season Four (the first to be called Slimer! and the Real Ghostbusters) didn’t completely obey that new directive; episodes like “Standing Room Only” felt more like the old days. The focus here was on the well-being of the city and its people, rather than on the series’ green mascot (or the Junior Ghostbusters). In the episode, Peter’s new ghost attractor isn’t to blame for the ensuing chaos; the ghost-eating Mee-Krah is what’s really imperiling everyone. And the Ghostbusters must dish out everything they have to avoid a doomsday situation.
The Halloween Door
“The Halloween Door” (Season 5)
While many fans will skip the later seasons in their rewatches, episodes like “The Halloween Door” are still worth checking out. This colorful helping of Halloween pandemonium premiered on primetime, so the animation is better than usual. And save for a random musical moment, it’s an enjoyable event. Here, a group of anti-Halloweeners tries to cancel the holiday, but they only end up making things worse by unleashing a baddie named Boogaloo.
The first five seasons of The Real Ghostbusters are available on Tubi, starting on July 15.
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