Everyone Should Watch These Indie Horror Movies At Least Once

Summary

• Indie horror films rival mainstream franchises in quality and popularity.
• Unique concepts and strong storytelling elevate indie films on small budgets.
• Memorable classics like Paranormal Activity and Hereditary showcase indie horror’s success.

Although we’ve had some amazing horror movie releases from established film studios, independent studios have been making great strides in their own right. Despite having a much smaller budget than what’s available for mainstream titles, indie flicks have produced some memorable cult classics and underrated gems over the years.

Some indie horror films have kickstarted horror franchises of their own, standing on par with big-name series like The Conjuring or Scream. From escalating horror to jumpscares galore, here are the best indie horror movies to watch right now.

10

Paranormal Activity

2007

The movie that started the Paranormal Activity movie series, 2007’s Paranormal Activity is a classic in the found footage subgenre. Despite only having a budget of $15,000 at their disposal, director Oren Peli showcased his talent and creativity in creating a compelling, immersive horror story that’s elevated with believable performances from its cast.

Paranormal Activity tells the tale of Micah and Katie, who decide to move into Micah’s home. Katie warns Micah that she’s been terrorised by a malevolent entity since childhood, and Micah, who is sceptical, starts recording their daily lives to catch any weird happenings. The camera notes the increasingly sinister atmosphere in the couple’s home as the demon makes itself known.

9

The Autopsy Of Jane Doe

2016

An indie horror with a unique, original idea at its core, The Autopsy of Jane Doe blends murder mystery with a hefty touch of the supernatural. The movie largely takes place in a morgue, and, as the title suggests, revolves around a father-and-son duo cracking the mysteries surrounding the corpse of an unnamed woman.

Although the main characters, Tommy and Austin, think it’s a run-of-the-mill autopsy, unexplained, creepy occurrences start happening the deeper the two men cut into the body. The movie, starring the legendary Brian Cox as the coroner, is a masterclass in sound design and storytelling. It successfully creates an eerie vibe that builds until it reaches a smashing conclusion.

8

Creep

2014

From the independent studio responsible for Paranormal Activity and The Purge, Creep is another winner for Blumhouse. Shot in a found footage format, the film follows videographer Aaron (played by the movie’s director, Patrick Brice), who travels to the middle of nowhere to meet his client, Josef.

Josef claims to be dying of a terminal disease and wants Aaron to shoot a video diary for his unborn child to watch. Although there are jumpscares, it’s the unpredictable twists and Josef’s enthusiastic, happy facade gradually melting away to reveal his deranged state of mind that make this movie a must-watch for horror fans.

7

The Evil Dead

1981

1981’s The Evil Dead is a timeless classic, a supernatural zombie horror flick that has influenced many other horror films down the line. The first film in the Evil Dead series doesn’t pull back on its depiction of violence and gore, with impeccable camerawork and a brilliant performance by Bruce Campbell in his breakout role.

Somewhat similar to the premise of 2011’s Cabin In The Woods, a group of friends stay over in a remote cabin and accidentally unleash malevolent demons. Trapped with no one coming to help, some of the characters become possessed, and their friends are forced to put them down in brutal ways in this fight for survival.

6

The Ritual

2017

A folk horror film that integrates elements of Scandinavian culture and mythology, 2017’s The Ritual is an adaptation of a horror novel of the same name. The Ritual’s strong points are its cinematography and compelling characters, and an awesome character design for its monster.

After experiencing a loss, four friends decide to go on a hiking trip in Sweden. However, they start to notice eerie symbols along their journey, but the horror makes itself known when they end up getting lost in the forest. Their numbers slowly whittle down as they’re hunted by a deranged cult that worships an ancient beast with a thirst for human sacrifices.

5

Under The Shadow

2016

An underrated gem that deserves much love, Under The Shadow is a Persian psychological horror film set in the 1980s during the height of the Iran-Iraq War. The film tastefully blends the real threat of the war outside the protagonist’s home with the supernatural one inside, driving the sense of hopelessness and the possibility of no escape.

Under the Shadow follows the story of Shideh, a mother who has to momentarily put her dreams of becoming a physician on hold due to the war. After her husband leaves for war, Shideh is left alone with her daughter Dorsa. She begins to notice odd things happening around the flat. As the war intensifies outside, the djinn terrorising them ramps up the spooks in this well-paced, spine-tingling horror spectacular.

4

The Blair Witch Project

1999

The Blair Witch Project isn’t only a masterclass in marketing, but it popularised the found footage trend in films. Upon release, many were fooled into thinking it was real, which is a credit to how good the film and its actors were with next to no sound design and only shot with a camcorder.

It follows three students, Heather, Joshua, and Michael, as they go about town shooting a documentary about the Blair Witch. After they receive information about a serial killer who lived in the forest, the trio journeys there, and that’s when things start to go downhill. Incredibly, we never actually see the Blair Witch herself, only the mounting panic the characters feel as they find themselves trapped in the forest with no way out.

3

The Babadook

2014

The directorial debut of Australian director Jennifer Kent, The Babadook is a suspense-heavy horror film that sees a mother and son duo being mentally and emotionally tortured to their wits’ end. The title refers to the monster that haunts the protagonist and her son, a pale-faced, top-hat-wearing demon that terrorises them.

The movie is a masterpiece, excelling particularly in making you feel dread alongside the main character, Amelia, as her paranoia grows, and you begin to question her sanity. The Babadook also tells the story of motherhood, unresolved trauma and grief; Amelia’s dimly lit house reflects her state of depression after losing her husband, which proves the perfect stomping ground for the Babadook to exploit.

2

The Witch

2015

The brainchild of filmmaker Robert Eggers – who was also responsible for 2019’s The Lighthouse and 2024’s Nosferatu – The Witch is an eerie film that leaves a pit in your stomach from beginning to end. Set during the 1630s in America, the film has amazing visuals and atmospheres, bewitching you with Anya Taylor-Joy’s performance as Thomasin.

The movie revolves around a Puritan family that eke out a hard existence near a forest after being exiled from their settlement. Unfortunately, tragedy strikes the family, and due to the extreme religiosity of the times, witchcraft is assumed, with blame landing solely on the eldest child, Thomasin. But a witch does prowl the grounds, and sows chaos and violent discord within the family.

1

Hereditary

2018

Hereditary became one of the movies of 2018 and remains one of the best, top-notch indie horror films ever created. A movie chock-full of unexpected twists and where characters aren’t what they seem, Hereditary is rife with religious symbolism that not only gives clues as to what’s really going on but also enriches the story.

The story centres on the Grahams, a family of four consisting of parents Steve and Annie and their two kids, Peter and Charlie. Events, both sinister and strange, start happening in quick succession after the death of Annie’s mother. Hereditary gives you a sense of unease throughout its entirety, and it comes as no surprise when you’re dealing with a rabid cult.