Stay Home, Watch Horror: 5 Anthologies to Stream This Week – Bloody Disgusting

In the age of streaming, where endless streaming services put countless horror titles at your fingertips, choosing what to watch can be overwhelming. Thats the entire point behind this weekly column; to prevent the hours of browsing and make selections easier. And its also a significant part of the horror anthologys charm.

When you cant decide what to watch, a horror anthology offers a collection of bite-sized moments of terror. Theres a creative freedom to the anthology; theyre not tethered to one central narrative, style, tone, or even voice. Some collections unite multiple filmmakers, each taking on a segment. Some employ a single director for cohesion. Even the framework in which the film weaves its tales varies, whether by conventional wraparound or a complete remix.

This week is dedicated to the horror anthology and the fantastic, easily digestible way they serve up various ghoulish tricks and treats. From seminal classics to more modern fare, these five horror anthologies are all available to stream now.

Tales from the Darkside: The Movie Pluto TV

Based on the TV anthology series of the same name, this movie also has ties to one of horrors most beloved anthologies, Creepshow(currently on Shudder). Not only was it directed by Creepshow composer and first assistant director John Harrison, but the second segment titled Cat from Hell was initially slated forCreepshow 2. In this movie, the three segments tell of mummies, killer cats, and gargoyles, connected by a wraparound that features Deborah Harry (Videodrome) as a modern witch looking to cook up a young boy for her dinner party. The cast is stacked, the stories are all great, and the movie celebrated its 30th anniversary this summer.

ThreeExtremes Prime Video, Pluto TV

As far as anthologies go, few manage to have as apt a title as this one. There are three vignettes, and they lean into the extreme side of horror. Directed by Hong Kong director Fruit Chan, South Korean director Park Chan-wook, and Japanese director Takashi Miike,ThreeExtremeskicks off with a gruesome bang thanks to the secret ingredient in Dumplings. Cut takes a while to unveil its visceral answer to betrayal, and Box offers a surreal story of revenge in the way only Miike can tackle. Its a delightfully creepy anthology, not for the squeamish.

Ghost Stories Hulu

Written and directed by Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman, based on their 2010 stage play,Ghost Stories challenges the traditional anthologys boundaries. Nyman stars as Professor Goodman, a skeptic that dedicates his life to exposing paranormal frauds. He receives an invitation from a former paranormal investigator he worshipped as a child, who tasks him with three unsolved cases of the supernatural. As Goodman embarks on his quest, hell find his beliefs shaken as hes confronted with horrifying accounts of ghosts, the Devil, and more. Dyson and Nyman lay clever and subtle clues throughout that lead into an ending that will likely polarize. But for those in the mood for intense chills, this for you.

Black Sabbath Kanopy, Mubi, Classix

Ever wonder where the metal band got their name? From this seminal classic directed by Italian maestro Mario Bava. If youre familiar with the directors work, you already know to expect a picturesque film of breathtaking horror.Black Sabbathtells three tales introduced by Boris Karloff, who also appears in the segment The Wurdulak, about a vampiric creature. The Telephone sees a call girl receiving threatening phone calls from an unseen stalker, and The Drop of Water follows a nurse who gets her just desserts after stealing a ring from a corpse. Not all segments are equal here, as they rarely are, but Black Sabbath is worth watching for The Drop of Water alone. Its a genuinely haunting segment with unnerving imagery.

The Company of Wolves Cinemax

The Company of Wolves doesnt typically spring to mind when it comes to anthologies. Still, director/co-writer Neil Jordan spins a horror fairytale in which young Rosaleen (Sarah Patterson) falls asleep and dreams of herself as a young girl living in an 18th-century forest. Interspersed with this central dream are smaller segments of werewolf-based tales told by Rosaleen and her Granny (Angela Lansbury). Little Red Riding Hood gets a horror anthology twist here. Look for stories involving deals with the Devil, wedded betrayals, and more, all featuring wolves and beastly transformations. Beware men whose eyebrows meet.

Link:
Stay Home, Watch Horror: 5 Anthologies to Stream This Week - Bloody Disgusting