‘Horror’s Greatest’ Recap: ‘Hidden Gems’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Alex Winter in Season 2 of ‘Horror’s Greatest’. (Photo Courtesy of Shudder.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 203 of ‘Horror’s Greatest’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.

Every horror fan out there, has a particularly unique horror film on their shelves, that they are always eager to show their friends and the uninitiated when the opportunity arrives. Simply because this horror flick is special and goes places that others have not or will not and they are always a true delight to behold. For this writer, that film is Chopping Mall, since so many folks I’ve known somehow never got the chance to see a gem of a story about horny teenagers fighting killer robots in a mall in the middle of the night, and I absolutely want people to know about that hidden gem, and that’s just it. Having that film around is about spreading the word about a movie that is special and amazing, and that’s why it should come as no surprise that the Shudder series, Horror’s Greatest, took the time to spotlight such movies.

Because this is a series that wants to bring horror fans together and what better way to do that, than by showcasing stories that will wow the novice fan and showcase what the genre can do in an unfettered fashion. And of course, what better way to care for the seasoned veteran than by giving them a chance to learn about something they haven’t seen before. Something rare and horrifying that they can immerse themselves within. Which was why ‘Hidden Gems’ took the time to offer up special features that were accessible and hardcore in nature. To appease those two sides, and we all received some very amazing recommendations from this episode. Since it truly offered up films that can serve as a gateway to the wonder of the genre, like Freaked, alongside stories that are dark and horrific in other unique ways, such as Ganja & Hess.

But while it was nice to get a comprehensive list of horror films to seek out and watch regardless of where you’re at in your horror journey, what makes this episode of note, is that it took the time to do more than just fire off a list of cool horror movies to watch that you’ve never heard of, it told stories about them. The same way that fan would fill in some blanks about what they know about their chosen hidden gem, and what makes it so incredibly special, which allowed for us to learn why so many of these films were pulled from distribution and how exactly they failed at the box office or disappeared from home video. To help folks understand how production companies and distributors and marketing teams can sometimes get it wrong and fail the project and let it languish because of how unique these kinds of stories can be.

Not to mention, it made sure to explore in amazing detail… how daring they can be and how powerful they can be, and how that can also impact perception and keep it from the mainstream. After all, The Untamed went places that a lot of movies would not. Since it featured sexual interludes with an alien being and deep-rooted ugly themes revolving around the nature of domestic violence and the toxic views some harbor regarding homosexuality. Or it explored how some of these films just pushed the envelope a little too hard, and that freaked out audiences in ways that no one expected. All of which gave us unique perspective on these films and their respective fates and of course, left us eager to explore several if not all of them. To broaden our horizons and to perhaps claim them and share them to others down the line.

Plus, it was also incredible to hear from people involved with these films and garner their perspective on the creation of their project and their insights. For that added amazing depth to an episode that was as unique as the stories it highlighted. Because most horror themed documentaries don’t cover these movies, which of course… keeps them as hidden gems. So, it was quite refreshing to see so many of them in the spotlight and learn their stories and learn about what makes them special. For they do deserve to be celebrated, and they need to be in the spotlight and thanks are due to Shudder for making that happen, and that truly leaves us eager for more. So, we can see what other hidden delights and observations and celebrations about this incredible genre await us as season two continues along. Until next time.

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