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Best Eli Roth Movies To Watch Before, or After, ‘Thanksgiving’

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If you can’t get out this weekend to see the latest Eli Roth slasher, Thanksgiving, it wouldn’t be a bad time to bone up on some of his other works. Roth was once the golden boy of horror. The 51-year-old director and producer kind of changed the game in the early 2000s by re-invented the splatter film eventually creating a genre of his own called “torture porn.”

Born in Newton, Massachusetts, Roth got behind the camera at an early age, shooting parodies or homages to horror movies popular at that time. Quentin Tarantino was a huge influence in Roth’s college years while attending NYU’s film school. He was even nominated for a Student Academy Award for Restaurant Dogs, a gritty homage to Tarantino.

Hostel

Roth loves horror movies. His History of Horror docuseries is one of the best in-depth looks at the genre from its beginnings to its modern-day appeal. He is also a producer of many projects including The Last Exorcism I & II, The Sacrament (2013) and Aftershock (2012).

He hasn’t directed a mainstream movie in five years so it is exciting to see his name on a movie theatre marquee once again with Thanksgiving. His next project is a movie adaptation of the popular video game Borderlands which has seen more than its fair share of production woes. Due to his commitment to Thanksgiving Roth couldn’t do any Borderlands re-shoots, but gave his blessing to director Tim Miller (Deadpool) to take over.

Below are some great Eli Roth-directed movies to catch up on if you find yourself unable to make it to the theater for Thanksgiving. Most of them are underrated and deserve a second look because one thing Roth knows more than horror movies is the fans who love them just as much as he does.

Cabin Fever (2002)

What started it all. This film will literally get under your skin. It’s a standard horror narrative: friends decide to vacation in the woods, in a cabin, partying. What they don’t know is that they have been exposed to a virus which has devastating lethal effects. Since it’s a flesh-eating virus you know things are going to be icky, and they are. The leg-shaving scene alone is a graphic reminder of how Roth makes movies; suspenseful, moody, and extremely gory. Don’t get this mixed up with the inferior 2016 remake. You can watch this free on the Roku app (with commercials) or on Starz. You can also rent or buy it on all digital platforms.

Cabin Fever

Hostel (2005)

You can’t mention Roth’s name among friends without saying Hostel. What Jaws did to swimmers, Hostel did for international travelers. Again a troupe of male teenagers gather to have some fun, but this time it’s in Slovakia. They are enamored by two young women who flirtatiously get them to spend the night at a hostel. It’s all bled and breakfast from there as each member of the friend group is dissected one-by-one by a cult of rich psychopaths. “Torture Porn” is born. You can watch this free on Roku, Amazon, Pluto, or Plex. Rent or buy it on all digital platforms.

Hostel

Hostel: Part II (2007)

More of the same as above, but this time women are the marks. Although it never reaches the terrifying levels that its predecessor did, Hostel: Part II still packs a punch. Continuing with the “torture porn” theme a group of young ladies are vacationing in Europe when they are coerced into staying at the hostel. Each of their passports is used as auction lots with the highest bidder getting to dismember them. It’s disturbing but effective. Free on Roku, Freevee, Pluto, or Plex. Rent or buy it on all digital platforms.

Hostel: Part II

The Green Inferno (2015)

This one deserves a second chance. It’s Roth’s homage to the 70s found footage splatterfest Cannibal Holocaust. Although he doesn’t use the cinéma vérité technique like the original film, it’s no less a brutally realistic look at the savagery suffered by victims of an ancient cannibalistic Amazonian tribe. Rent or buy it on all digital platforms.

The Green Inferno

Death Wish (2018)

As we mourn the acting loss of Bruce Willis as he slowly succumbs to the effects of dementia in real life, we at least can remember him in his films. Death Wish isn’t one of Roth’s best movies, but Willis is outstanding as Paul Kersey who takes justice into his own hands after his wife and daughter are brutally attacked during a home invasion. Not as gruesome as some of his other films, Roth’s Death Wish definitely has its moments and deserves a watch based on Willis’ performance alone. It is a remake of the 1974 Charles Bronson film of the same name. Subscribers to DirectTV can watch for free or rent or buy it on all digital platforms

Death Wish

The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018)

One of his more recent projects, The House with a Clock in Its Walls transitions Roth from R-rated adult content to a PG one. Starring Jack Black, this fantasy movie is a fun one. Using more CGI than practical effects, Roth loses a little bit of his horror cred, but this is still a wonderful Halloween movie the whole family can watch. Free on Fubo or FXNOW or rent or buy on all digital platforms.

The House with a Clock in Its Walls
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Unbelievably Cool ‘Scream’ Trailer But Re-Imagined As A 50s Horror Flick

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Ever wonder what your favorite horror movies would look like if they had been made in the 50s? Thanks to We Hate Popcorn But Eat It Anyway and their use of modern technology now you can!

The YouTube channel reimagines modern movie trailers as mid-century pulp flicks using AI software.

What is really neat about these bite-sized offerings is that some of them, mostly the slashers go against what cinemas had to offer over 70 years ago. Horror movies back then involved atomic monsters, scary aliens, or some sort of physical science gone awry. This was the era of the B-movie where actresses would put their hands against their faces and let out over-dramatic screams reacting to their monstrous pursuer.

With the advent of new color systems such as DeLuxe and Technicolor, movies were vibrant and saturated in the 50s enhancing primary colors that electrified the action happening on screen, bringing a whole new dimension to films using a process called Panavision.

“Scream” reimagined as a 50s horror movie.

Arguably, Alfred Hitchcock upended the creature feature trope by making his monster a human in Psycho (1960). He used black and white film to create shadows and contrast which added suspense and drama to every setting. The final reveal in the basement would probably not have been if he had used color.

Jump to the 80s and beyond, actresses were less histrionic, and the only emphasized primary color was blood red.

What is also unique about these trailers is the narration. The We Hate Popcorn But Eat It Anyway team has captured the monotone narration of 50s movie trailer voiceovers; those over-dramatic faux news anchor cadences that emphasized buzz words with a sense of urgency.

That mechanic died out long ago, but luckily, you can see what some of your favorite modern horror movies would look like when Eisenhower was in office, developing suburbs were replacing farmland and cars were made with steel and glass.

Here are some other noteworthy trailers brought to you by We Hate Popcorn But Eat It Anyway:

“Hellraiser” reimagined as a 50s horror movie.

“It” reimagined as a 50s horror movie.
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The Top-Searched Free Horror/Action Movies on Tubi This Week

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The free streaming service Tubi is a great place to scroll when you’re unsure what to watch. They are not sponsored or affiliated with iHorror. Still, we really appreciate their library because it’s so robust and has many obscure horror movies so rare you can’t find them anywhere in the wild except, if you’re lucky, in a moist cardboard box at a yard sale. Other than Tubi, where else are you going to find Nightwish (1990), Spookies (1986), or The Power (1984)?

We take a look at the most searched horror titles on the platform this week, hopefully, to save you some time in your endeavor to find something free to watch on Tubi.

Interestingly at the top of the list is one of the most polarizing sequels ever made, the female-led Ghostbusters reboot from 2016. Perhaps viewers have seen the latest sequel Frozen Empire and are curious about this franchise anomaly. They will be happy to know it’s not as bad as some think and is genuinely funny in spots.

So take a look at the list below and tell us if you are interested in any of them this weekend.

1. Ghostbusters (2016)

Ghostbusters (2016)

An otherworldly invasion of New York City assembles a pair of proton-packed paranormal enthusiasts, a nuclear engineer and a subway worker for battle.An otherworldly invasion of New York City assembles a pair of proton-packed paranormal enthusiasts, a nuclear engineer and a subway worker for battle.

2. Rampage

When a group of animals becomes vicious after a genetic experiment goes awry, a primatologist must find an antidote to avert a global catastrophe.

3. The Conjuring The Devil Made Me Do It

Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren uncover an occult conspiracy as they help a defendant argue that a demon forced him to commit murder.

4. Terrifier 2

After being resurrected by a sinister entity, Art the Clown returns to Miles County, where his next victims, a teenage girl and her brother, await.

5. Don’t Breathe

A group of teens breaks into a blind man’s home, thinking they’ll get away with the perfect crime but get more than they bargained for once inside.

6. The Conjuring 2

In one of their most terrifying paranormal investigations, Lorraine and Ed Warren help a single mother of four in a house plagued by sinister spirits.

7. Child’s Play (1988)

A dying serial killer uses voodoo to transfer his soul into a Chucky doll which winds up in the hands of a boy who may be the doll’s next victim.

8. Jeepers Creepers 2

When their bus breaks down on a deserted road, a team of high school athletes discovers an opponent they cannot defeat and may not survive.

9. Jeepers Creepers

After making a horrific discovery in the basement of an old church, a pair of siblings find themselves the chosen prey of an indestructible force.

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New to Netflix (U.S.) This Month [May 2024]

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atlas movie Netflix starring Jennifer Lopez

Another month means fresh additions to Netflix. Although there aren’t many new horror titles this month, there are still some notable movies well worth your time. For instance, you can watch Karen Black try to land a 747 jet in Airport 1979, or Casper Van Dien kill giant insects in Paul Verhoeven’s bloody sci-fi opus Starship Troopers.

We are looking forward to the Jennifer Lopez sci-fi action movie Atlas. But let us know what you are going to watch. And if we have missed something, put it in the comments.

May 1:

Airport

A blizzard, a bomb, and a stowaway help create the perfect storm for the manager of a Midwestern airport and a pilot with a messy personal life.

Airport ’75

Airport ’75

When a Boeing 747 loses its pilots in a midair collision, a member of the cabin crew must take control with radio help from a flight instructor.

Airport ’77

A luxury 747 packed with VIPs and priceless art goes down in the Bermuda Triangle after being hijacked by thieves — and time for a rescue is running out.

Jumanji

Two siblings discover an enchanted board game that opens a door to a magical world — and unwittingly release a man who’s been trapped inside for years.

Hellboy

Hellboy

A half-demon paranormal investigator questions his defense of humans when a dismembered sorceress rejoins the living to wreak brutal vengeance.

Starship Troopers

When fire-spitting, brain-sucking bugs attack Earth and obliterate Buenos Aires, an infantry unit heads to the aliens’ planet for a showdown.

May 9

Bodkin

Bodkin

A ragtag crew of podcasters sets out to investigate mysterious disappearances from decades earlier in a charming Irish town with dark, dreadful secrets.

May 15

The Clovehitch Killer

The Clovehitch Killer

A teenager’s picture-perfect family is torn apart when he uncovers unnerving evidence of a serial killer close to home.

May 16

Upgrade

After a violent mugging leaves him paralyzed, a man receives a computer chip implant that allows him to control his body — and get his revenge.

Monster

Monster

After being abducted and taken to a desolate house, a girl sets out to rescue her friend and escape from their malicious kidnapper.

May 24

Atlas

Atlas

A brilliant counterterrorism analyst with a deep distrust of AI discovers it might be her only hope when a mission to capture a renegade robot goes awry.

Jurassic World: Chaos Theory

The Camp Cretaceous gang come together to unravel a mystery when they discover a global conspiracy that brings danger to dinosaurs — and to themselves.

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