Why The ‘90s Were the Best Decade For Horror Movies

Let’s set the record straight. The ’90s were a glorious time to be a horror fan. Was there a lot of schlock? Sure. But the ’90s legitimized horror in a way that made it impossible for mainstream Hollywood to ignore the genre, especially during awards season. Notable for the revitalization of the teen slasher film and the genesis of the found footage craze, the ‘90s horror films became a metaphor for the psychological and physical terrors that we inflict on our fellow humans (especially the vulnerable ones).

During the decade, established auteurs like John Carpenter, David Lynch, Rob Reiner, Sam Raimi, Wes Craven and Jonathan Demme flourished in the burgeoning horror market, but new comers like David Fincher, Peter Jackson, and Robert Rodriguez were able to jump start their careers in the genre as well. In addition to attracting such talented directors, the horror genre proved to be very lucrative. M. Night Shyamalan’s groundbreaking The Sixth Sense grossed over $672 million dollars worldwide, for cryin’ out loud!

During the ’90s horror boom, we also began to look outside the U.S. even beyond the Giallo films of Italy and Hammer films of the U.K. J-Horror and K-Horror became internationally recognized sub-genres, producing such terrifying classics as Audition, Ringu, Cure and Whispering Corridors. Michael Haneke’s Funny Games from Austria became a cult sensation and spawned an American remake in 2007.

Here’s a small sample of the best of ’90s horror that is available to stream:

SCARIEST

David Fincher’s grisly Seven pairs veteran detective Somerset (Morgan Freeman) with rookie Mills (Brad Pitt) to track down a serial killer (Kevin Spacey) who goes on a murder spree inspired by the seven deadly sins. You might say that the most frightening moment in this epically frightening film was when a blood splattered Kevin Spacey materialized in a police station. But our pick is another scene in which Somerset and Mills come upon the seemingly-dead third victim, guilty of Sloth, who startles them with a terrifying cough.

Where to stream Se7en

CLASSICS THAT HOLD UP

You bet your ass that phone call is coming from inside the house! Only Master of Horror Wes Craven would dare kill off the bonafide movie star Drew Barrymore in the first ten minutes of Scream. After that shock, reeling audiences were thrown into a nightmare world where Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and her friends are being stalked by Ghostface and his mobile phone. Scream is different than teen slasher films of yore because these plucky teens have a working knowledge of genre tropes and pop culture references, thanks to a genius screenplay by Kevin Williamson. People to this day are still scared to answer the question: What’s your favorite scary movie?

Where to stream Scream

Thanks in part to a brilliant marketing campaign, The Blair Witch Project is responsible for bringing the found footage format back to the mainstream. Shot on location in location in Burkittsville, Maryland with hand-held cameras, the film follows 3 young filmmakers who set out to make a documentary about their search for the legendary witch who haunts a desolate forest. Utilizing their minimal production equipment to the fullest, directors Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Myrick get to the root of what scares all humans: the dark and fear of the unknown.

Where to stream The Blair Witch Project

WORTH DISCOVERING

Written and directed by the visionary Clive Barker, Nightbreed takes place in two worlds: the world as we know it and Midian, a land where monsters can live freely and peacefully. Our hero Aaron Boone (Craig Sheffer) dreams about this place and confides in his therapist Dr. Philip K. Decker (David Cronenberg), who turns out to be a serial killer who wants to frame Boone for his murders. With dazzling creature effects and gothic sets, this cult classic turns the monsters into heroes and men into the monsters we fear them to be.

Where to stream Nightbreed

BEST AVAILABLE TO STREAM FOR FREE

Only the third film is Oscar history to win awards in all the top 5 categories, Silence of The Lambs is the ultimate twisted tale of beauty and the beast. Jodie Foster plays rookie FBI agent Clarice Starling tasked with the daunting challenge of interviewing mass murderer/ cannibal Dr. Hannibal Lecter (an unblinking Anthony Hopkins) to get potential intel on an at-large serial killer named Buffalo Bill. Stylish, subtle and restrained, the film benefits immensely from Demme’s wonderful direction. He lets his cast do the heavy lifting as they explore the dualities of human nature while taking the audience on a compelling and horrifying ride.

Where to stream Silence Of The Lambs

Previously:

Why The 1960s Were the Best Decade For Horror Movies
Why The 1970s Were the Best Decade For Horror Movies
Why The 1980s Were the Best Decade For Horror Movies
Why The 1990s Were the Best Decade For Horror Movies
Why the 2000s Were the Best Decade For Horror Movies