Frightfully Forgotten
This is the place to find all your Horror Movie Hidden Gems! Adam and Justin are best friends with a MISSION! To shine light on and take the piss out of underrated forgotten Horror Movies that you may have missed or might even love! Keep it fun, Grab a drink and let's get silly with cinematic skits, stories about VHS collecting and Cult Horror Movies.
Season One
Demonic Toys (1992)
If you like your horror with killer toys, ridiculous gore, and a healthy dose of B-movie insanity, Demonic Toys is ready to play! This Full Moon classic turns an ordinary toy warehouse into a nightmare playground where possessed playthings—including the wonderfully creepy Baby Oopsie-esque demon toy Jack Attack—are out for blood.
The movie doesn't exactly aim for subtlety, but that's part of its charm. It's cheesy, weird, occasionally nasty, and clearly made for viewers who enjoy their horror with a side of fun. The practical effects and bizarre toy designs give it plenty of personality, even when the story goes completely off the rails.
Verdict: Demonic Toys isn't high art—and it doesn't want to be. It's a goofy, gory little slice of '90s direct-to-video horror that's perfect for a late-night B-movie marathon. ★★★☆☆
Frightfully Forgotten's Review:
Don't Look Now (1973)
Don't Look Now is the kind of horror film that gets under your skin rather than simply jumping out at you. Nicolas Roeg's atmospheric classic follows a grieving couple in Venice, where strange visions, unsettling coincidences, and a mysterious red-coated figure slowly turn their grief into something far more disturbing.
The film is beautifully shot, deeply unsettling, and deliberately paced, allowing tension to build almost imperceptibly. Its haunting atmosphere and psychological ambiguity make it feel like a nightmare you can't quite wake up from. The Venice setting only adds to the sense that something is fundamentally wrong beneath the surface.
Verdict: Don't Look Now is sophisticated, eerie, and genuinely haunting—a psychological horror classic that rewards viewers willing to let the atmosphere take control. ★★★★★
Frightfully Forgotten's Review:
John Carpenter's Cigarette Burns (2006)
John Carpenter's Cigarette Burns is a nasty little nightmare that proves you don't need a huge budget to make something deeply disturbing. Part of the Masters of Horror anthology series, the episode follows film collector Kirby Sweetman (Norman Reedus) as he searches for a supposedly cursed movie called La Fin Absolue du Monde—a film that may have driven its viewers to madness.
Carpenter packs the story with paranoia, occult horror, disturbing imagery, and a wonderfully bleak atmosphere. Norman Reedus delivers a strong performance as a desperate man who quickly realizes he's searching for something that probably should have remained lost. The further the investigation goes, the more horrifying the mystery becomes.
Verdict: Dark, gruesome, and unapologetically unsettling, Cigarette Burns is one of Carpenter's best late-period horror works and an essential watch for anyone who loves cursed movies and stories about films that should never be seen. ★★★★☆
Frightfully Forgotten's Review:
The People Under the Stairs (1991)
Wes Craven's The People Under the Stairs is a wonderfully bizarre blend of horror, dark comedy, and social commentary. The story follows young Fool as he breaks into the home of a seemingly respectable family and discovers that the house is hiding something much more terrifying than a few stolen treasures.
What makes the movie so memorable is its sheer weirdness. The creepy house, masked siblings, sinister parents, and people trapped beneath the floorboards create an unforgettable nightmare that can be genuinely frightening one moment and darkly funny the next. Craven also sneaks in plenty of clever commentary without letting it overwhelm the fun.
Verdict: Strange, creepy, violent, and surprisingly entertaining, The People Under the Stairs is one of Wes Craven's most original horror films—and a cult classic that deserves to be revisited. ★★★★☆
Frightfully Forgotten's Review:
Dolls (1987)
Dolls is a wonderfully creepy little slice of '80s horror that proves you should never judge a creepy old doll by its porcelain face. The film follows a group of stranded travelers who find shelter in a mysterious old mansion, only to discover that the house's seemingly harmless collection of dolls may be very much alive—and very unhappy.
Director Stuart Gordon fills the movie with eerie atmosphere, gruesome practical effects, dark humor, and plenty of wonderfully twisted doll imagery. It's campy and fun without losing its ability to be genuinely unsettling, making the tiny killers surprisingly effective horror villains.
Verdict: Creepy, imaginative, and delightfully macabre, Dolls is a must-see for fans of killer toys, practical effects, and classic '80s horror. ★★★★☆
Frightfully Forgotten's Review:
Prince of Darkness (1987)
John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness is a wonderfully bleak piece of cosmic horror that slowly transforms a seemingly simple mystery into an apocalyptic nightmare. When a group of scientists and students investigate a mysterious cylinder containing an ancient green liquid, they soon discover that they may have stumbled upon something far beyond human understanding.
Carpenter creates an incredible sense of isolation and dread, trapping his characters inside an abandoned church while an otherworldly evil begins to awaken. The combination of science, religion, dreams, and Lovecraftian ideas gives the film a uniquely unsettling atmosphere, while the practical effects provide some memorably disturbing moments.
Verdict: Dark, atmospheric, and genuinely creepy, Prince of Darkness is one of Carpenter's most underrated films and a fantastic choice for anyone who enjoys horror that feels like the end of the world. ★★★★☆
Frightfully Forgotten's Review:
April Fools Day (1986)
April Fool's Day is a clever little '80s horror mystery that knows exactly what its audience expects—and has a lot of fun playing with those expectations. The story follows a group of college friends who gather at a secluded island mansion for spring break, only to discover that someone may be picking them off one by one.
The movie delivers plenty of atmosphere, suspicious characters, creepy surroundings, and classic slasher-movie setups. But what makes April Fool's Day stand out is its willingness to mess with the rules of the genre. It's less interested in piling up body counts and more interested in keeping viewers guessing about what's really happening.
Verdict: A fun, mysterious, and surprisingly playful entry in the '80s horror boom, April Fool's Day is best experienced without knowing too much beforehand. ★★★★☆
Frightfully Forgotten's Review:
Road Games (1981)
Road Games is a tense and entertaining Australian thriller that turns a long stretch of highway into the perfect setting for paranoia. The film follows truck driver Pat Quid, played by Stacy Keach, who becomes convinced that a mysterious truck driver may be a serial killer—and he isn't about to simply drive away and forget about it.
Director Richard Franklin keeps the suspense simmering as Quid plays a dangerous game of cat and mouse across the Australian outback. Jamie Lee Curtis adds plenty of charm to the mix, while the film's gorgeous scenery provides an interesting contrast to its increasingly sinister story.
Verdict: Suspenseful, atmospheric, and packed with road-trip paranoia, Road Games is a criminally overlooked thriller that's perfect for fans of Duel-style cat-and-mouse suspense. ★★★★☆
Frightfully Forgotten's Review:
Children of the Corn (1984)
Children of the Corn takes one of the creepiest things imaginable—an innocent-looking small town full of children—and turns it into a nightmare. When a young couple arrives in the seemingly abandoned town of Gatlin, they discover that the local kids have embraced a terrifying religious cult led by the mysterious Isaac.
The movie creates an eerie atmosphere with its endless cornfields, deserted streets, and unsettling group of children who speak and behave far beyond their years. The supernatural elements add another layer of dread, while the performances from Linda Hamilton, Peter Horton, and especially Courtney Gains as Malachai help make this small-town nightmare memorable.
Verdict: Creepy, atmospheric, and undeniably strange, Children of the Corn is a classic piece of '80s horror that turned cornfields into something moviegoers could never look at quite the same way again. ★★★★☆
Frightfully Forgotten's Review:
Night Of The Living Dead (1990)
Tom Savini's Night of the Living Dead is a surprisingly effective remake of George A. Romero's zombie classic. While it follows the basic story of strangers barricaded inside a farmhouse as the dead rise outside, Savini gives the material a darker, more modern edge while retaining the grim atmosphere that made the original so influential.
Patricia Tallman's Barbara is one of the movie's biggest strengths, transforming the character from a frightened victim into a much more capable and determined survivor. The zombies are also wonderfully nasty, with Savini's legendary makeup and gore effects providing plenty of gruesome highlights.
Verdict: Faithful enough to respect Romero's original while adding its own personality, Night of the Living Dead is an underrated remake that deserves far more attention from zombie fans. ★★★★☆
Frightfully Forgotten's Review:
The Cat and the Canary (1979)
The Cat and the Canary is a fun, spooky mystery that mixes classic haunted-house chills with plenty of comedy. Set in a creepy mansion where a group of relatives gather to hear the reading of a will, the film quickly introduces secretive characters, hidden motives, strange noises, and the possibility that someone—or something—is stalking the guests.
The movie has a wonderfully old-fashioned horror atmosphere, with the mansion providing plenty of dark corridors and suspicious rooms to explore. It's more playful than frightening, but that combination of mystery, humor, and gothic creepiness makes it an entertaining throwback to the classic "everyone is trapped in the house and nobody can be trusted" formula.
Verdict: Charming, spooky, and delightfully campy, The Cat and the Canary is a great choice for horror fans who enjoy their haunted houses with a generous helping of laughs. ★★★☆☆
Frightfully Forgotten's Review:
The Wicker Man (1973)
The Wicker Man is one of those rare horror films that becomes more unsettling the longer you think about it. When police sergeant Neil Howie travels to the remote Scottish island of Summerisle to investigate the disappearance of a young girl, he encounters a community whose strange customs and cheerful pagan beliefs couldn't be further from his own worldview.
Rather than relying on traditional scares, the film builds its horror through atmosphere, mystery, music, and the growing realization that something is terribly wrong. Christopher Lee is fantastic as the charismatic Lord Summerisle, while Edward Woodward gives the film its emotional center as the increasingly alarmed Howie.
Verdict: Strange, atmospheric, and deeply disturbing, The Wicker Man is a genuine horror classic that proves sometimes the most terrifying thing isn't what's hiding in the darkness—it's what everyone else already knows. ★★★★★
Frightfully Forgotten's Review:
Dr. Giggles (1992)
Dr. Giggles is a gloriously over-the-top slice of '90s slasher horror that embraces the idea that a killer doctor should be completely unhinged. After escaping from a psychiatric hospital, the deranged Dr. Evan Rendell returns to his hometown, where he begins carving his way through the community while delivering a never-ending supply of terrible medical puns.
Larry Drake is clearly having a blast in the title role, turning Dr. Giggles into an unforgettable horror villain. The movie combines gruesome practical effects with dark comedy, creative kills, and the kind of ridiculous one-liners that could only have come from early-'90s horror.
Verdict: Bloody, goofy, and wonderfully cheesy, Dr. Giggles is exactly the sort of forgotten '90s slasher that deserves to be rediscovered by fans of fun, over-the-top horror. ★★★★☆
Frightfully Forgotten's Review:
The Road (2009)
The Road is a brutally bleak post-apocalyptic drama that strips away almost everything except survival, hope, and the bond between a father and his son. As they travel through a devastated America, they encounter empty towns, burned landscapes, and desperate survivors who are willing to do almost anything to stay alive.
Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee deliver powerful performances, making the relationship at the center of the story feel painfully authentic. The film's bleak visuals and oppressive atmosphere create a constant sense of danger, while its quieter moments give the story surprising emotional weight.
Verdict: Grim, haunting, and deeply moving, The Road isn't an easy watch—but its powerful performances and uncompromising atmosphere make it an unforgettable post-apocalyptic experience. ★★★★☆
Frightfully Forgotten's Review:
American Gothic (1988)
American Gothic is a wonderfully strange little backwoods horror movie that takes the idea of a wholesome family vacation and drives it straight into nightmare territory. After their plane crashes in a remote area, a group of friends stumble upon an isolated farmhouse inhabited by an extremely creepy couple and their even creepier "children."
Rod Steiger and Yvonne De Carlo are terrific as the bizarre Ma and Pa, bringing an unsettling mixture of friendliness, religious fanaticism, and outright menace to their roles. The movie has a wonderfully grimy atmosphere, some nasty surprises, and enough eccentric characters to keep things unpredictable.
Verdict: Creepy, weird, and undeniably entertaining, American Gothic is an underrated late-'80s horror gem for anyone who enjoys their backwoods terror with a generous helping of twisted family values. ★★★★☆
Frightfully Forgotten's Review:
The Funhouse (1981)
Tobe Hooper's The Funhouse takes one of the most exciting places imaginable—a carnival—and turns it into a grimy nightmare. After sneaking into a carnival funhouse after closing time, four teenagers witness something they were never supposed to see, leaving them trapped inside with a truly horrifying monster.
Hooper does a fantastic job transforming the funhouse itself into a character, filling its twisting corridors with darkness, strange noises, creepy props, and a growing sense of claustrophobia. The movie takes its time building the tension before unleashing its creature, making the eventual horror feel even more effective.
Verdict: Atmospheric, creepy, and wonderfully sleazy in that classic early-'80s fashion, The Funhouse is an underrated carnival horror gem that deserves a spot on every slasher fan's watchlist. ★★★★☆
Frightfully Forgotten's Review:
The Changeling (1980)
The Changeling is a masterclass in old-school supernatural horror. After moving into a massive Victorian mansion following a devastating personal tragedy, composer John Russell begins experiencing strange noises, unexplained events, and increasingly terrifying encounters that suggest the house is hiding a dark secret.
What makes the film so effective is how little it needs to show. Peter Medak builds an atmosphere of creeping dread through creaking floors, mysterious sounds, subtle supernatural activity, and one particularly unforgettable séance scene. George C. Scott also delivers a terrific performance, giving the story an emotional weight that makes the haunting feel genuinely tragic rather than simply frightening.
Verdict: Atmospheric, chilling, and deeply unsettling, The Changeling is one of Canada's great supernatural horror films and a must-see for anyone who prefers ghosts that haunt you long after the credits roll. ★★★★★
Frightfully Forgotten's Review:
The Collector (2009)
The Collector is a nasty, tense home-invasion horror film that turns a simple burglary into a nightmare of survival. When professional thief Arkin breaks into a wealthy family's secluded home, he discovers that someone has already turned the house into a deadly trap—and the family is still inside.
The movie wastes little time putting Arkin through an escalating series of brutal traps, creating a claustrophobic atmosphere where almost every room could contain another horrifying surprise. Josh Stewart gives the film a strong central performance, making Arkin feel like a desperate survivor rather than your typical horror hero.
Verdict: Violent, suspenseful, and relentlessly mean, The Collector is a grimy modern horror thriller that delivers plenty of tension and some seriously nasty surprises. ★★★★☆
Frightfully Forgotten's Review:
The Amityville Horror (1979)
The Amityville Horror is a classic haunted-house movie that turns a seemingly perfect family home into a place of growing terror. After moving into their new house, the Lutz family begins experiencing strange occurrences that become increasingly disturbing as the supernatural forces inside the house seem to take control.
The film's greatest strength is its atmosphere. Rather than constantly throwing monsters at the audience, it slowly builds tension through strange noises, unsettling imagery, sudden changes in behavior, and the feeling that something is watching from the shadows. James Brolin and Margot Kidder help ground the story with convincing performances as a couple whose dream home quickly becomes a nightmare.
Verdict: Creepy, atmospheric, and influential, The Amityville Horror remains an entertaining example of classic haunted-house horror—even if you spend half the movie wondering why anyone would stay in that house. ★★★★☆
Frightfully Forgotten's Review:
A Tribute to Tobe Hooper
IT (2017)
IT brings Stephen King's terrifying world of Derry, Maine, to the big screen with a great mix of horror, adventure, humor, and coming-of-age drama. The story follows the Losers' Club, a group of kids who discover that their small town is being terrorized by an ancient shape-shifting entity that takes the form of their worst fears—most famously, the terrifying Pennywise.
Bill Skarsgård is fantastic as Pennywise, giving the character an unpredictable, creepy personality that makes every appearance memorable. The young cast also has fantastic chemistry, making the friendship at the heart of the movie just as important as the scares. Add some impressive creature effects and genuinely creepy sequences, and you've got one of the strongest mainstream horror movies of the 2010s.
Verdict: Scary, funny, entertaining, and packed with personality, IT successfully turns one of Stephen King's most famous monsters into a modern horror icon. ★★★★☆
Frightfully Forgotten's Review:
The Amityville Horror II: The Possession (1982)
The Amityville Horror II: The Possession takes the Amityville story in a much darker direction, serving as a prequel inspired by the real-life DeFeo murders and the supernatural events that supposedly followed. This time, the focus is on the Montelli family, whose new home becomes the setting for a terrifying series of violent and disturbing events.
The film is considerably nastier than its predecessor, with a grim atmosphere, strong practical effects, and a memorable performance from Burt Young as the increasingly unstable father. The possession storyline also gives the movie plenty of opportunities for creepy imagery and disturbing supernatural horror.
Verdict: Darker, meaner, and more disturbing than the original, The Possession is a surprisingly effective sequel that leans heavily into the uglier side of supernatural horror. ★★★★☆
Frightfully Forgotten's Review:
Deranged (1974)
Deranged is a grimy, disturbing slice of '70s horror inspired by the crimes of notorious murderer Ed Gein. The film follows Ezra Cobb, a deeply disturbed recluse whose unhealthy relationship with his deceased mother sends him spiraling into increasingly horrific acts after her death.
What makes Deranged so unsettling is its deliberately ugly atmosphere. It doesn't try to make its central character sympathetic or glamorous, instead presenting his descent into madness with a mixture of bleak horror, grotesque dark humor, and surprisingly effective practical effects. Roberts Blossom gives a wonderfully disturbing performance as Ezra, creating a character who is both pathetic and horrifying.
Verdict: Uncomfortable, bizarre, and genuinely creepy, Deranged is a fascinating example of grimy '70s exploitation horror and a film that will likely stick with you long after you've finished watching it. ★★★★☆
Frightfully Forgotten's Review:
Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)
Halloween III: Season of the Witch is the wonderfully weird black sheep of the Halloween franchise. Forget Michael Myers—this time, the threat comes from Silver Shamrock and a sinister plan involving Halloween masks that nobody should be wearing when the commercial comes on TV.
Tom Atkins brings plenty of personality to the role of Dr. Dan Challis, while director Tommy Lee Wallace creates an eerie atmosphere filled with ancient rituals, creepy robots, corporate evil, and one of the most memorable commercial jingles in horror history. The practical effects are particularly nasty, and the movie has a bizarre charm that becomes more enjoyable with every viewing.
Verdict: Strange, atmospheric, imaginative, and unapologetically different, Halloween III has gone from franchise misfit to beloved cult classic—and honestly, those Silver Shamrock masks are still a terrible idea. ★★★★☆
Frightfully Forgotten's Review:
Top Ten Dr. Loomis Moments
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers does exactly what the title promises: Michael Myers is back, and he's once again stalking the streets of Haddonfield. After sitting out the previous installment, the Shape returns with his sights set on his young niece, Jamie Lloyd.
The movie does a great job recapturing the atmosphere of the original while giving Michael a more imposing presence. Danielle Harris is excellent as Jamie, delivering a surprisingly strong performance, while Donald Pleasence returns as the always-intense Dr. Loomis. The film also features some memorable chase sequences, creative kills, and a terrific finale that makes excellent use of the darkness and Halloween setting.
Verdict: A fun, atmospheric return to Haddonfield that successfully gets the Michael Myers formula back on track. Halloween 4 may not surpass the original, but it's one of the franchise's most entertaining sequels. ★★★★☆
Frightfully Forgotten's Review:
Michael Myers Masks Ranked
Original Halloween Movies Ranked
My Bloody Valentine (1981)
My Bloody Valentine is a quintessential '80s slasher that proves Valentine's Day can be just as deadly as Halloween. Set in the mining town of Valentine Bluffs, the film follows a group of young people whose celebration is interrupted by the return of a seemingly forgotten killer wearing a terrifying miner's mask.
The mining setting gives the movie a fantastic atmosphere, with dark tunnels, claustrophobic passageways, and plenty of places for Harry Warden to hide. The practical gore effects are also a major highlight, although some of the film's nastier moments were famously trimmed for its original release. The mystery surrounding the killer adds another layer of suspense beyond the usual slasher formula.
Verdict: Bloody, atmospheric, and packed with memorable kills, My Bloody Valentine is an underrated slasher classic that's practically mandatory viewing for fans of masked killers and '80s horror. ★★★★☆
Frightfully Forgotten's Review:
The Toolbox Murders (1978)
The Toolbox Murders is a grimy, nasty piece of '70s exploitation horror that wastes little time showing just how dangerous a toolbox can become in the wrong hands. When a masked killer begins terrorizing the residents of an apartment building, ordinary tools become instruments of murder.
The film isn't exactly subtle, but that's part of its appeal. Director Dennis Donnelly delivers a raw, sleazy atmosphere, while the killer's mysterious identity and the increasingly brutal attacks keep things moving. The movie also has a surprisingly effective sense of claustrophobia, turning the apartment building into a creepy maze where danger could be lurking around any corner.
Verdict: Mean, violent, and unapologetically grimy, The Toolbox Murders is classic exploitation horror at its most lurid. It's definitely not for everyone, but slasher fans looking for something rough around the edges will find plenty to enjoy. ★★★☆☆
Frightfully Forgotten's Review:
Hide And Go Shriek (1988)
Hide and Go Shriek is a fun little late-'80s slasher that takes the classic "teens trapped with a killer" formula and drops it into an abandoned department store after hours. What could possibly go wrong? Quite a lot, as it turns out.
The empty store provides a great playground for a masked killer, with dark aisles, mannequins, storage rooms, and plenty of places for someone to hide. The movie doesn't reinvent the slasher genre, but it delivers the kind of cheesy characters, practical effects, suspenseful chase scenes, and unmistakably '80s atmosphere that make these movies so much fun.
Verdict: Silly, spooky, and entertaining, Hide and Go Shriek is a solid choice for fans of obscure '80s slashers who enjoy their horror with a healthy dose of cheese. ★★★☆☆
