Three under-the-radar horror films to watch this week on Netflix

With nearly 200 horror films on Netflix at any given moment, there’s never a shortage of great films to induce paralytic fear. As a true fan of the macabre, that’s what you want, right? As Stephen King refers to a member of his unparalleled fandom, the Constant Reader craves that jolt to the soul.

Happily, Netlifx is delighted to scare you to your very core, night after sleepless night. I’m certain they’d like nothing better than to see you as their Constant Viewer. My apologies to Mr. King, but he cribs a lot himself, as he’s more than happy to acknowledge. Of course, when King borrows, it typically results in a towering achievement. Clowns were always scary but were never as terrifying until Pennywise entered the culture.

It is not in the following group of films. A property grossing over $1.1 billion worldwide didn’t exactly fly under the radar. More like soaring above the ominous cloudbank that even now mysteriously approaches you - ooo, creepy. Anyway, I mentioned Mr. King as even he can be the source of a film that didn’t quite reach the height of popularity. 

Three underseen horror flix you need to watch this week

1922

Speaking of Stephen King, 1922 is based on a novella by the same name that first appeared in Full Dark, No Stars. The film was a Netflix Original release, premiering on October 20, 2017. It was directed by Zak Hilditch, who just four years earlier brought us the excellent These Final Hours, and stars Thomas Jane in one of his best performances.

Jane plays farmer Wilf James, eking out a meager life with his wife Arlette and son Henry. I won’t give away any plot points, even though the film does within the first few minutes. Suffice it to say that Wilf does Stephen King things soon. The fun here, if I can call it that, isn’t in what James does, but in the aftermath of his actions. Thomas Jane is exceptional in the role. Heck, even Stephen King loved it, and we all know how often he’s been at odds with adaptions of his work. Watch it here.  

Mandy

Let’s move on from the sublime charms of 1922 to the full-on bonkers experience of what might be the most Nic Cage movie of all Nic Cage movies, Mandy. Before you ask, yes, I’ve seen Renfield, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, and Prisoners of the Ghostland. Prolific cuss, ain’t he? Mandy premiered in September 2017 and died a very swift death at the box office - much like several characters.

In Mandy, Cage portrays lumberjack Red Miller, a war veteran who lives with his girlfriend and artist Mandy in the deep woods of the Pacific Northwest. It doesn’t take long before they’re attacked by a horrific cult. Bad things ensue - terrible things, in fact. Then Nic Cage ensues as only he can. The entire film looks like a fever dream, an excellent choice by director Panos Comatos. His debut film, Beyond the Black Rainbow, is definitely worth watching as well. By the way, Mandy is leaving Netflix on New Year’s Eve. What a great way to bring in 2025! Watch it here.

The Girl With All the Gifts

This British science fiction/horror hybrid was first released in the U.K. in September 2016, followed by its U.S. debut in February 2017. Like Cage’s film, it wasn’t exactly a rousing commercial success. It certainly deserved a much bigger audience. Happily, you can be a new member of that group!  

The titular Girl is a zombie, although, as with many films of the new zombie genre, these, indeed, were never dead. Instead, most people have been infected by a parasitic fungus. Yeah, yeah, it’s similar to The Last of Us, but the parasitic fungus both are loosely based on was first identified in 1859. So relax already.

Anyway, the Girl is a study subject at a military base. Just before she’s about to be destroyed the base is overrun, and the survivors must find their way to safety. Yeah, you’ve seen that 100 times before, too, but not like this. It stars Gemma Arterton, Paddy Considine, and Glen Close among its excellent cast. Watch it here.

If you’re a true horror fan, you’ve likely seen at least one of these, if not all three. 1922 never got a theatrical release, and the latter two films combined for a box office haul of less than $6 million. I’m confident that these three films flew far under the radar. All three deserve your attention. More to the point, you deserve them, Constant Viewer.

More Netflix news and reviews:

Home / What to Watch