If there’s one thing horror fans like almost as much as watching horror movies, it’s learning about their favorite movies. There’s no shortage of fantastic horror-themed documentaries that provide insight and detailed accounts about the making of horror’s finest. Lengthy docs like Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy and Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th provide expansive historical context to our favorite franchises. Both are on Shudder, and both serve as great gateways into the ever-growing world of horror documentaries. With the upcoming June 4 release of Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street on Shudder, we’re dedicating this week’s picks to documentaries for the horror fan.
These five feature-length documentaries offer something for all tastes, from deep-dives into classic films and filmmakers to shedding light on a horror fan’s favorite Halloween pastime.
As always, all are available to stream now…
King Cohen: The Wild World of Filmmaker Larry Cohen – Shudder
The title says it all; this documentary spotlights the work of maverick genre filmmaker Larry Cohen. The “wild” isn’t hyperbole either; Cohen’s fearless attitude and often guerilla filmmaking style made for a one-of-a-kind auteur that can’t be replicated. His career is told through a series of riveting interviews with notable talking heads like Martin Scorsese, Michael Moriarty, Fred Williamson, J.J. Abrams, Cohen himself, and many more. With a career that spanned 50 years, there’s a lot of ground to cover. King Cohen makes it seem effortless, including all the highlights and behind-the-scenes anecdotes of Cohen faves like The Stuff, Q: The Winged Serpent, and beyond.
Haunters: The Art of the Scare – Prime Video, Shudder, Tubi
Ah, Halloween. The most wonderful time of the year. Jon Schnitzer’s vibrant doc delves into the subculture surrounding a major seasonal staple- the haunt. While it features a slew of notable talking heads, Haunters focuses on the distinct branches of this subculture through three central storylines. They follow home haunter Donald Julson, the unhinged Russ McKamey and the world’s most controversial extreme haunt, along with legendary scare actor Shar Mayer providing the beating heart of the film. This doc is as much an examination of what drives a person to dedicate themselves to the haunt as it is a celebration. If you’re missing Halloween, this is a must.
Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley’s Island of Dr. Moreau – Prime Video
1996’s The Island of Dr. Moreau was a catastrophe from start to finish. This documentary chronicles the disastrous production, from horrible creative decisions and extreme weather conditions, to cast and crew upheaval. As the title indicates, it focuses on original director Richard Stanley’s journey with what was meant to be his ideal dream project as he faced continuous, insurmountable obstacles that eventually led to his firing only three days into filming. Yet, what transpires on screen is far more insane and unbelievable than anything I’ve written here. Lost Soul details how the Hollywood system chewed up Stanley and spit him out, explaining his long absence from the spotlight until Color Out of Space. It does it in the most captivating way possible.
Memory: The Origins of Alien – Crackle
This examination of a horror classic comes from Alexandre O. Phillipe, who previously brought us the comprehensive 78/52: Hitchcock’s Shower Scene (currently available on Hulu). Phillipe turns his laser focus to the chest-bursting scene in Alien. Instead of a technical breakdown, he embarks on a philosophical and mythological journey into the origins of the creative process. An academic approach, Phillipe weaves together the film’s influences, the visions of H.R. Giger and writer Dan O’Bannon, and even the emotions of the actors involved in the critical scene. The atypical approach means it’s the least accessible pick on this list, but it’s perfect for those who appreciate a vastly different, ideological angle on an oft explored subject.
Nightmares in Red, White, and Blue – Tubi
Written by Joseph Maddrey and based on his book, Nightmares works as a history lesson on horror. More specifically, the documentary breaks down horror by decade, exploring the correlation between the movies and how they reflected the era in which they were made. From wartime anxieties to counterculture, this doc brings interesting context to our favorites. Narrated by Lance Henriksen, look for a revolving door of notable genre filmmakers like John Carpenter, George A. Romero, Joe Dante, Larry Cohen, Mick Garris, Brian Yuzna, and Roger Corman. The broad overview structure means it doesn’t go too in-depth, meaning that it may not be as informative for the already well-versed horror fan. But for an introductory social and history lesson on horror’s evolution, constructed in a highly entertaining manner and chock full of nostalgia, it’s a well-rounded doc worth watching.