Although Halloween is the spooky season, every day is a good day for horror, andAmazon Prime Video’s Now Streamingcollection is packed with creepy delights. The streaming service has such a wide assortment of terror-inducing movies that there should be something to suit everyone’s needs, and there is enough content to cover months of afternoons rather than just a weekend.
The sheer volume on offer is overwhelming, and selecting which movies to prioritize can be difficult. Ultimately, the picks come down to personal preference, however, a few movies do stand out from the crowd as being particularly memorable (and terrifying). Let’s take a look at thebest Prime Video horror movies.
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Amazon Prime Video Page
A Quiet Place Part 2
A Quiet Placedid not need a sequel, but the follow-up managed to justify its existence anyway. This part’s selling point is that it forces the characters to venture out of their home and intoA Quiet Place’s world, a decision that suggests Evelyn and her children might face threats beyond just monsters.
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As good as this storyline is,A Quiet Place Part 2’s strongest sequence takes place prior to the events of the previous film. The prologue chronicles the events of Day 1 through the eyes of the Abbott family, and this short section is incredibly intense.
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[REC]
Some viewers might be familiar with 2008’sQuarantine, the English remake of 2007’s[REC]. While by no means terrible, the former falls short of the latter in nearly every area.[REC]is a by-product of the found footage crazethat dominated the 2000s and early 2010s, and it presents a convincing case for deserving a spot on the Mount Rushmore of that subgenre.
The premise is straightforward enough: A reporter and her cameraman are shooting a special on the fire department, and they accompany the fighters as they answer a call concerning a screaming woman. Before they know it, they are locked in an apartment block as an outbreak spreads causing people to turn violent.[REC]masterfully builds suspense and tension through its restrictive framing device and claustrophobic setting. Except for a somewhat slow start, the scares come fast and thick.
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Rosemary’s Baby
An unquestionable classic,Rosemary’s Babypredates the Satanic Panic craze that spread throughout the 1980s and ’90s. In the film, a pregnant woman begins to fear her neighbors might be part of a cult that intends to use her unborn child as an offering. Rosemary’s anxiety is founded both on legitimate concerns and paranoia, and these two components mix to create a deeply unsettling and unpredictable experience.
Rosemary’s Babyboasts an all-time great performance by Mia Farrow, who manages to bounce back and forth between understated and hysterical with ease. Even though the concept might seem farfetched (especially nowadays), Farrow grounds her character in a way that makes everything seem plausible. While a slow-burner, this 1968 release is one of thescariest movies on Amazon Prime Video.
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Saint Maud
A disconcerting look into faith and obsession,Saint Maudfollows a nurse who is desperate to save the soul of her dying patient. She will go to any extreme to accomplish her goal, and things get chilling quickly.
Saint Maudwisely opts to depict the story’s events almost entirely from the nurse’s perspective, raising questions about what is truly happening. This also adds a degree of sympathy to this terrifying character.
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Tucker and Dale vs. Evil
Do not judge a book by its cover or, in this case, a hillbilly by their overalls.Tucker and Dale vs. Eviltwists the slasher horror formula by focusing on two guys who would typically act as villains, roles they are incorrectly assigned by a group of teenagers who happen to be camping in the same woods as Tucker and Dale. From there, accidental deaths follow, while the lovable leads ponder why kids seem to be killing themselves all over their property.
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Tucker and Dale vs. Evilis not just ahilarious parody of slasher flicksbut an above-average entry into the horror genre as well. The film’s death scenes are creative and over-the-top, while the eponymous characters are well-written and acted.
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Carnival of Souls
While it didn’t find an audience upon release,Carnival of Soulsgained a cult following over the next decades, and it is now hailed as one of the better low-budget horror movies of the ’60s. Following a car accident, Mary Henry moves to a new city but struggles to immerse herself in this climate. Eventually, she finds herself attracted to a deserted carnival.
Atmospheric and surreal,Carnival of Soulsblurs the line between reality and the unearthly through effective sound design and framing. Even if it does not deliver much in the way of extremely terrifying moments, the film is constantly disorienting and compelling.
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Let the Right One In
Adapted from a novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist,Let the Right One Inpresents a unique take on thevampire mythos. The film focuses on the relationship between a young boy and a girl, the latter of which happens to be something other than human. Their characterizations and relationship are complex and gripping, and both characters are elevated by strong performances.
In 2010,Let the Right One Inwas adapted into an American production asLet Me In, a good horror movie that arguably does not quite reach the same heights as the original. This Swedish production is one of thebest Prime Video horror movies.
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Maniac
Despite debuting at the onset of'80s slasher fever,Maniacis a serial killer movie rather than something in the vein ofFriday the 13th. This is an important clarification to make as a viewer needs to not only be in the right mindset to appreciate this grimy classic but also be prepared for just how uncomfortable of a watch this movie is.
Maniacfollows the disturbed Frank Zito as he commits a string of gruesome murders. These visceral sequences are separated by equally unsettling scenes that show the killer’s capacity for manipulation. Joe Spinell’s performance is nothing short of brilliant.
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Suspiria
Loosely based onDario Argento’s 1977 horror epic, 2018’sSuspiriaremoves quite a bit of the mystery from the original, opting to drop Dakota Johnson in a school filled with witches while making it clear that is the case.
Similar to the classic movie,Suspiriarevels in gore and blood, albeit this version utilizes an aesthetic that is far seedier than the stunning visuals of its predecessor. Although an acquired taste,Suspiriais an intriguing experiment in symbolic horror that mostly is a success.
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House
Steve Miner’s delightful spookfest is one of the fewhorror movies on Amazon Prime Videothat is acceptable for the whole family.Housealso screams Halloween, be it through its charming practical effects or sense of humor.
The story follows a writer who steps into an inherited house to try and pen a book. Naturally, the author has a few demons to work through, and this house just happens to be the best place to get some therapy done.
