By Polly “Prime Time” Hughes
I used to be a Netflix gal, but my love of horror films have shifted me over to Amazon Prime, where you get the good stuff…the indie stuff that you won’t see on Netflix. So I have been searching around for the titles that were a little off the beaten path and found some good ones to check out! Cinema Epoch has a great collection of horror titles that they just put on Amazon Prime and they’re free…every horror lover’s dream. Y’all aren’t losing anything…unless you pay for them because you haven’t subscribed. Either way, you’re good.
SHALLOW CREEK CULT
Genre: Found Footage/Monster
Polly’s Quote: “Do you feel lucky Monster? Do you?”
Now, I typically do not enjoy found footage horror films, but when monsters are getting their heads shot off by two guys trying to survive the night, I’m sold. The monsters are great fun and the story is fast and exciting. “You are what they eat” is the tagline of this film and it’s an incredible experience. Directed by King Jeff and starring Gorio, SHALLOW CREEK CULT is one of those great films that you watch on a Saturday night. At times, you feel like you’re in the movie and it almost feels like it’s real…if monsters can ever feel real. This is a must see.
SICKLE
Genre: Paranormal/Slasher
Polly’s Quote: “The ghost hunters got their hands full tonight!”
A babysitter is butchered and a 12-year-old is put away for the crime. He claims a monster did it but they don’t believe him and he is locked up until he reaches adulthood. This monster known as “Sickle” has returned to his life and people are dying and he must figure out how to defeat it or if it even exists at all. “The Other Side Has Answered” is the tagline to this one and it hits the nail on the head. There are paranormal elements, slasher elements and an old school monster movie feel. SICKLE features the music of SLEEPAWAY CAMP’S Jonathan Tiersten and the heavy metal band TigerTailz. It is another great entry on this list. It is written and directed by Geno McGahee.
SOUND OF NOTHING
Genre: Zombie/Survival
Polly’s Quote: “The zombies are always a problem.”
I love that apocalyptic zombie movie stuff, but Chris Grega, the director of SOUND OF NOTHING, has taken a smarter approach and has created quite the movie that shows the dangers of zombies but also the danger of humanity. As Arsenio would say, it makes you go hmmmmmm.. This is a well-acted thrill ride that reminded me of MAGGIE, but actually came out well before the Schwarzenegger film. Watch out for those zombies!
SECRETS OF A PSYCHOPATH
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Polly’s Quote: “The secret is out. They’re crazy!”
Bert I. Gordon brings the beautiful Kari Wuhrer to the screen in this amazing tale. Gordon is known for that great rat movie FOOD OF THE GODS and he proves that he still has it here with this tale about some crazies and the madhouse that they reside in. This film also features a great performance by Mark Famiglietti and has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. You owe it to Gordon to see this one. He gave us FOOD OF THE GODS!
RISE OF THE SCARECROWS
Genre: Monster/Slasher
Polly’s Quote: “Best/worst movie of all time? Sounds right to me.”
The most infamous film on this list. I had to see this because it was voted the “Best Worst Movie” of all time by TheFrisky.com and I walked away completely entertained. A big city cop moves to the small town of Adams and learns of a local legend. Scarecrows infest the woods and are killing campers . It has some slasher elements, monster movie elements, and also some action elements. Officer Brown has some great lines like “I’d rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6” and fights the scarecrows with his fists at times. This movie doesn’t have the best production value but it deserves the attention it gets, both good and bad.
OFF SEASON
Genre: Paranormal/Thriller
Polly’s Quote: “Be careful who you marry.”
This was my Sunday midday watch and it was perfect. Starring Elizabeth Lee, OFF SEASON is about a woman in hiding after her hubby got her into some trouble. While away, she encounters some paranormal activity and starts to discover some things about herself. This is a really cool flick that is as relaxing as it is offsetting. It is almost too beautiful a film to be horror, but it is!
DV – SNUFF FILM
Genre: Found footage/Thriller
Polly’s Quote: “Is it real?”
Evan Jacobs brings a snuff film to life in this intense thriller. This one falls into found footage, but it’s a little different. James, a serial killer, starts recording his day to day activities, but the script gets flipped when the hunter becomes the hunted. This one was quick and intense and had me feeling a little bit like when I watched the TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE for the first time. It had this genuine real feel to it. Maybe it was a real snuff film after all.
SCARY TALES: LAST STOP
Genre: Anthology/monster movie/slasher
Polly’s Quote: “A sasquatch? A filmmaker after my own heart.”
I was rocking in Cali and met up with one of my favorite bands “BAD BOY EDDY.” They told me of a movie they were involved with called “SCARY TALES: LAST STOP” and I just so happened to find it on Amazon Prime. It is an anthology with a Bigfoot and y’all know I love that Sasquatch. There are also tales involving cross dressers, masked killers and a cult of killer babes. This is one of the better anthologies that I have seen in some time. Think CHILLERS mixed with CREEPSHOW…mixed with Bigfoot.
STIFF
Genre: Thriller
Polly’s Quote: “Weird…very weird.”
OK, it’s time for a little bit of crazy. A love story between Lorri, a counselor, and Troy, a suicidal office worker, but there’s a catch. Lorri is into sleeping with the dead and wants Troy to kill himself so she can have sex with him. Interested yet? Bill Scott and Lulo Benton star in this one and it really is a strange journey into some dark territory. I loved this one!
CROSSLAND
Genre: Thriller
Polly’s Quote: “Run man run!”
This is one of those films that just feed on your fears. It’s relatable. It’s about a jogger. OK, it’s not relatable to me. This big bitch doesn’t jog, but the lead character does and he stumbles upon a nightmare. The jogger can only run so fast and the pace increases with every minute that passes, leading to a great conclusion. Run for your life jogger!!!
LOVERBOY
Genre: Thriller
Polly’s Quote: “I’m staying single.”
Did you like FEAR with Marky Mark? Well, LOVERBOY takes that one step further and then some in this tale of love gone bad. You have to love bad boys because they make you feel so good as the song says, but here, you see a story told by Erica Summers and it hits close to most homes. You’ve had to know some poor girl that dated a jerk. Well, it’s captured here amazingly. This is a suspenseful journey that will have you on the edge of your seat.
EVIL AWAKENING
Genre: Slasher/monster movie
Polly’s Quote: “Stay out of the woods!”
Ever wondered what FRIDAY THE 13TH would be if it was made on a much smaller budget? Awesome is still the word. A monster in the woods with an axe is crashing a party in this New England killer in the woods bloodbath and I found it very endearing. This film features an old man being pissed on, a man being pushed out of a wheelchair, a man thrown over a couch and as much absurdity as you can take. There is some air guitar in this too. This is a great tribute to FRIDAY THE 13TH.
THE CARRIER
Genre: Thriller
Polly’s Quote: “Can I put your package in my hands sir?”
Be careful what you deliver! Ever worry about what’s in a package? Well, in THE CARRIER, we see the worst case scenario as a virus hits the main character hard and he is slowly turning into a killing monster and worst of all, it’s contagious! This was so dark and gritty and it really hits the mark. It’s the sort of film that you need to watch with the lights off!
SOCIOPATHIA
Genre: Thriller/Slasher
Polly’s Quote: “What a cute killer.”
Tammy Jean rules in this movie as a crazy but lovable killer that can’t help but to surround herself with human dolls. The movie relies on a great female lead and we get a film that plays out very much like MANIAC and that’s a good thing. It’s difficult not to root for the killer in this because she is so likable and the film gets better every time that I watch it.
So, check out these titles on AMAZON PRIME for free. I was so entertained and there is something for everyone! My hat is off to Cinema Epoch for releasing these titles to the public and for releasing them for free of charge on Amazon Prime.
