There’s some undeniable wisdom in that Mark Twain quote about writing what you know, and that’s likely the reason why some of the best films of all time are about filmmaking itself. This also applies to the horror genre, as we can see from beloved classics like Wes Craven’s New Nightmare and even The Blair Witch Project.
And in honor of recent meta horror flicks like MaXXXine and The Exorcism (not to be confused with The Pope’s Exorcist), we’ve decided to come up with a list celebrating 6 underrated Hollywood Horror Films that explore the dark side of show business.
For the purposes of this list, we’ll be defining ‘Hollywood Horror’ as scary movies where filmmaking itself is a source of scares. That being said, we’ll be avoiding Found Footage movies since most of them are already exercises in meta storytelling.
With that out of the way, don’t forget to comment below with your own favorite Hollywood Horrors if you think we missed a particularly underrated one.
Now, onto the list…
6. All About Evil (2010)
Joshua Grannell is probably best known as the alter ego of infamous drag performer Peaches Christ, but I was actually introduced to this subversive artist through their criminally underseen 2010 indie horror flick All About Evil. Starring the ever-lovable Natasha Lyonne as a down-on-her-luck theater owner literally willing to kill in order to keep her business alive, this cheesy splatter flick is a meta delight for fans of cheap horror.
While the low production value and intentionally hammy performances are likely to get on some viewers’ nerves, I personally think it all adds to the B-movie charm. And while it used to be extremely difficult to track down a copy of this one, All About Evil has since been released on several streaming services – meaning that there’s no excuse for horror fans to ignore it.
5. Blow Out (1981)
A Brian DePalma classic might be stretching the definition of “underrated,” but the fact is that I rarely see hardcore horror fans discussing this highly influential murder mystery. From its iconic visuals to the clever film-within-a-film poking fun at the slasher genre, there’s plenty to love about this conspiratorial thriller about a sound engineer who stumbles across a gruesome assassination plot.
Even recent movies like MaXXXine owe a huge debt to DePalma’s homicidal classic (as well as some of his other thrillers, like Dressed to Kill and Body Double), and that’s the main reason why I think Blow Out deserves a special place on this list – though I admit that the peak John Travolta performance is also a contributing factor.
4. Terror Firmer (1990)
Sensitive viewers beware, as this trashy horror comedy about a vengeful murderer stalking the set of a chaotic indie film is certainly not for the feint of heart. That being said, no one knows more about the dangers of low-budget filmmaking than Lloyd Kaufman and the folks at Troma, so it’s hard to justify omitting this transgressive little flick from the list.
Featuring a blind director, insane amounts of nudity and gore (not to mention extremely dated humor), Terror Firmer is the quintessential Troma flick – for better or worse. This makes sense, as many of the movie’s bizarre situations are actually adapted from Kaufman and James Gunn’s surprisingly informative book All I Need to Know About Filmmaking I Learned from the Toxic Avenger!
3. Starry Eyes (2014)
I’m a sucker for Hollywood conspiracy theories, so it’s no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer’s wild take on the secret societies that allegedly run Hollywood. While Starry Eyes takes a smarter and more allegorical approach to the idea of demonic influence going on behind the scenes, it’s no less horrific when we see an up-and-coming actress become a husk of her former self as she sells her soul to the industry she once dreamed of joining.
Horror fans are sure to appreciate the gnarly effects and spooky imagery here, but it’s the unsettling atmosphere that really makes the film work for me. And if you like this one, I also think it pairs well with Nicolas Winding Refn’s modeling-based thriller, The Neon Demon.
2. Berberian Sound Studio (2012)
A surreal period piece about a British sound engineer who finds himself working on a bizarre giallo film in 1970s Italy, Peter Strickland’s Berberian Sound Studio evolves into a much freakier experience than the premise would have you believe. Equal parts psychological thriller and love-letter to the glory days of Italian horror, this is one hell of a memorable meta-horror experience.
Boosted by an incredible performance from Toby Jones (as well as some appropriately unsettling sound work), the film benefits from letting viewers fill in the blanks as we attempt to figure out exactly what kind of movie the unseen Equestrian Vortex really is.
1. The Hills Run Red (2009)
One of my personal favorite horror flicks from the 2000s, Dave Parker’s throwback slasher The Hills Run Red features one of the most intimidating killers from that era of film – not to mention a surprisingly compelling mystery surrounding a legendary example of fictional lost media.
Taking inspiration from the very best of ’70s schlock, this is a much more brutal experience than you might initially expect, though that only adds to the retro atmosphere. And while the film certainly could have benefited from a larger budget, the fact remains that this is one of the scariest entries on this list and a great example of memorable Hollywood Horror.
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