It is 2023, and streaming services are constantly in our faces and on our TVs and devices. Whether it be Max (or The Artist Formerly Known As HBO Max), Apple TV+, Disney+, Paramount+, or old stalwarts like Netflix, Hulu, and Prime Video, it seems like we have unlimited options for content.
But even with genre-specific services like Shudder and SCREAMBOX, free-services full of movies like Tubi, or deep cut catalogs like The Criterion Channel or Arrow Player, there are still many movies which are not currently available on any service, so we have to call physical media in for the rescue.
Here are 5 excellent horror movies that are not available to stream, rent, or buy on any digital service, but do have excellent physical media Blu-ray and 4K UHD releases.
Martin (1977)
Zombies. That is probably what comes to mind first when you think of George Romero. What many people don’t know is that Romero also had a bit of a cult hit with another mythical creature – the vampire.
Romero’s 1977 film Martin tells the story of Martin, a troubled young teen who seems to have a real taste for blood. Is he a vampire? Can he fit into society? Can he control his urges? It is a very interesting character study that is an underrated piece of Romero’s catalog.
The film was quite the enigma, with only shoddy VHS-quality uploads on YouTube for years. As such, the film has never had a streaming release available, but horror fans were overjoyed when Second Sight Films, a label out of the UK, remastered the film and released an incredible 4K UHD Blu-ray box set in early 2023.
Not only did fans finally get a legit release of the film, but the 4K remastering work was incredible, and Second Sight included loads of bonus features and a premium limited edition package with booklets and art cards. I would highly recommend this limited edition or the cheaper standard edition as they are currently the only way to watch the film in any decent quality.
Lovers Lane (1999)
Lovers Lane was one of the last in a long run of late ’90s teen slashers that followed the success of Scream, riding hot on the heels of titles like I Know What You Did Last Summer, Urban Legend, and Halloween: H20. The film has many elements similar to all of these films, including a killer with a hook for a hand from the famous urban legend “The Hook.” It also features the film debut of Anna Faris, famous for her role in the Scary Movie franchise.
While it can be a bit of a copycat, it has many redeeming qualities and is a super fun addition to the teen horror craze. It has never had a streaming release, which is a bit surprising given the recent rise in popularity of 90s teen horror, and the fact that it was a major studio production backed by MGM.
But fear not, because physical media saves the day again. Arrow Video released a beautiful special edition Blu-ray of the film in April of 2023 with new artwork, a brand new 2K restoration from the original film source, and a brand new commentary track with writer-producers Geof Miller and Rory Veal. If you enjoy this time period in horror history, this is one film that doesn’t often make recommendation lists but is well worth picking up on Blu-ray.
The Haunting of Julia/Full Circle (1977)
Whether you go by The Haunting of Julia or Full Circle, this 1977 film is a hidden horror gem in the same vein as Rosemary’s Baby (with which it shares star Mia Farrow), The Changeling, and The Exorcist. While it has an impressive cast featuring Farrow, Keir Dullea (2001: A Space Odyssey, Black Christmas), and Tom Conti (Reuben, Reuben, Oppenheimer) and was based on a book by multiple time Bram Stoker Award Winning author Peter Straub (The Talisman, Lost Boy, Lost Girl), the film never found a solid audience upon release.
With this lack of interest and its rights owned by fairly obscure distribution and production companies, the film sat in obscurity for many years, with only old VHS or obscure DVD releases providing interested viewers a chance to watch. It was truly becoming a forgotten film from a time period that had delivered such great supernatural and atmospheric horror.
Even today, there are no streaming options available, but we are lucky to have an embarrassment of riches now available for those who want to watch the film on physical media. In January of 2023, Imprint Films in Australia released a Blu-ray of the film with an amazing lenticular package, and this was followed by a 4K UHD release by both Scream Factory in the US and the British Film Institute in the UK.
Cherry Falls (2000)
Cherry Falls is another teen slasher from the same time period as Lovers Lane, but with a much sketchier release history. After being submitted to the MPAA several times for a rating and getting a rejection each time, the film never had an official theatrical release. For that reason, it has developed a bit of a cult following, but it was always a notoriously difficult release to track down.
After a VHS release, there was a DVD release that went out of print in the early years of the format, and so there was no legitimate way to watch Cherry Falls for many years. It’s currently unavailable on any of the legitimate services, though it was recently available to stream on Shudder. However, in 2016 Scream Factory released a nice Collector’s Edition Blu-ray of the film with a nice selection of special features and brand new artwork.
As it has now been 7 years since the Blu-ray release, it appears that Scream Factory has locked up the long term rights to the film which is a good thing for physical media fans who fear it could go out of print. However, based on the film’s tumultuous history on home video and lack of other viewing options, I would 100% recommend getting this one while it is still widely available.
The Uninvited (1944)
The Uninvited is one of the best ghost stories of all-time and was way ahead of its time when it was released in 1944. It became an instant hit, out-grossing other horror films from horror heavyweight Universal Studios like House of Frankenstein and The Invisible Man’s Revenge. The film was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography and is widely regarded as one of the best horror films in the early days of Hollywood. Personally, I think it still holds up well today as an effective supernatural horror movie with great black-and-white imagery.
While The Uninvited has quite the pedigree and critical acclaim, it is a prime example of the types of films that cannot be found on streaming services. Even though it was distributed by Paramount, it is not on Paramount+, and even though it has a Criterion Collection Blu-ray release, it cannot be found on The Criterion Channel. In my research, I did find a copy of the film on The Internet Archive with forced Spanish subtitles that looks like it was pulled from an old VHS. Sure, that could be an option, but it isn’t pretty and would be hard to get on a TV, so I don’t really count that.
If you want to watch this classic, you have to go out and buy the physical copy, which Criterion did an excellent job curating. The Blu-ray disc includes a new remaster, two radio adaptations of the film, a visual essay, and an additional booklet with an essay and interview with director Lewis Allen.
So there you have it – 5 great horror movies that you can only find on physical media. And trust me, this is just scratching the surface, although I do have to give credit to services like Shudder, SCREAMBOX, and Tubi for giving the horror genre in particular an excellent footprint across streaming. Across other genres, there are thousands of films that are not available on streaming, which only strengthens the argument for owning your favorite movies on physical media to ensure you have the best quality, best sound, and future accessibility.
Long live physical media!