Over the course of the past decade, Mike Flanagan has become one of the biggest heavy-hitters in the horror genre. Between projects like Hush, Ouija: Origin of Evil, Gerald’s Game, The Haunting of Hill House, Doctor Sleep, Midnight Mass, and now his new Carrie series, the man's output has been full of both quantity and quality. And he shows no signs of slowing down, with a new theatrical release coming in just a few months, in the form of The Exorcist: Martyrs.
That film is taking a unique approach to the Exorcist franchise, with its debut trailer showcasing some clear formal, narrative, and thematic links between it and the under-appreciated ‘90s sequel, William Peter Blatty’s own The Exorcist III. Thus, when tasked with coming up with some ‘90s horror film recommendations for Tumblr’s HalloWatchlist, the filmmaker cooked up some inspired and off-kilter takes.
Here are six ‘90s horror films that Mike Flanagan thinks you should check out this Halloween.
The Exorcist III
First on the list is, fittingly, William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist III from 1990. Regarding the threequel, Flanagan said, “This wildly underrated sequel features incredible performances and one of the best scares in horror history.”
The scare Flanagan is referencing here is certainly the nun-related stinger at the conclusion of the hospital-set one in the middle of the film, which the filmmaker has referenced adoringly before.
Jacob’s Ladder
The second film on the list is Adrian Lyne’s Jacob’s Ladder from 1990. In reference to the Tim Robbins-starring film, Flanagan praised it for having "mind-bending existential horror full of unforgettable imagery and a final act that has fueled decades of discussion.”
Candyman
The third film on the list is Bernard Rose’s Candyman from 1992. Flangan says that the film is "haunting, enduring, and one of the greatest examples of urban folklore I’ve ever seen.”
Interestingly, Flanagan has also praised the tragic elements of the film in the past, going so far as to cite it as an influence on his writing for the screenplay of the just-released Clayface.
Ghostwatch
The fourth film on the list is arguably my own personal favorite pick; Lesley Manning’s Ghostwatch from 1992. Regarding the film, Flanagan says, “If you haven’t seen this, read nothing about it… a once-in-a-lifetime experience that has proven far more influential on modern horror than anyone realizes.”
The man is exactly right here, and I’ll echo those exact sentiments. If you have somehow not ever seen Ghostwatch before, throw it on this Halloween and you’ll be astonished by the absolutely unreal places it takes you.
New Nightmare
Fifth on the list is Wes Craven’s New Nightmare from 1994. Of the extremely meta Nightmare on Elm Street sequel, Flanagan says, “Before Scream, Craven deconstructed the franchise he created to incredible effect.”
Again, Flanagan is dead on the money here, as Craven’s Scream is often hailed as a metatextual masterpiece of horror cinema, and rightfully so. However, far less praised is the film that the director made a few years prior that actually went even more insanely hard on the whole meta aspect in an absolutely bat-shit way that general audiences of the ‘90s were simply not ready for.
In the Mouth of Madness
The final film on Flanagan’s list of ‘90s recommendations is John Carpenter’s In the Mouth of Madness from 1994. Regarding the film, Flanagan said, “John Carpenter’s apocalyptic masterpiece and one of the most underrated films of the 1990s.”
In the Mouth of Madness is the third film in Carpenter’s own self-proclaimed “Apocalypse Trilogy,” with The Thing and Prince of Darkness comprising the other two installments. The film is absolutely insane and features an astounding lead performance from the great Sam Neil. Once again, Flanagan is absolutely right here; this movie deserves far more praise than it’s gotten over the years. Here’s hoping a large-scale re-evaluation comes around sooner rather than later.
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