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Have you ever been to London? If so, you might have taken the Underground, the city’s subterranean public transit system. When they announce Whitechapel as the next stop, it’s exciting, especially if you have a taste for the macabre. Whitechapel is the location of the Jack the Ripper serial murders that started in its fog-choked streets back in 1888. 

The identity of the sadistic slasher was never confirmed, much like the U.S.’s Zodiac killer almost 100 years later. Jack has been the inspiration for many films. And because his crimes are still a mystery, it’s a storytelling canvas that’s both true and rife with creative license. 

Below are some films that tackle the Ripper in different ways. They’re all entertaining in their own right, even if they take liberties with the true story. Check out JustWatch to see where they are streaming.

From Hell (2001)

This is perhaps the most well-known modern take on the Ripper story, starring Johnny Depp as an opium-using inspector investigating the murders. The film leans heavily into conspiracy, suggesting a royal cover-up tied to secret societies. What makes it stand out is its thick, oppressive atmosphere and its willingness to turn the mystery into something almost mythic. It’s less about solving the case and more about the inevitability of horror embedded in power structures.

Murder by Decree (1979)

A fascinating crossover, this film imagines Sherlock Holmes taking on the Ripper case. Christopher Plummer’s Holmes approaches the murders with intellect and moral outrage, while the film itself builds toward a conspiracy involving high society. It’s a slower burn, but incredibly effective in portraying the idea that the truth behind the Ripper could be far more disturbing than a lone killer.

Jack the Ripper (1988)

This made-for-TV miniseries starring Michael Caine offers a more procedural approach, following the investigation step-by-step. It’s grounded compared to other entries, focusing on realism and the painstaking nature of detective work. The length allows it to explore suspects and theories in depth, making it one of the more comprehensive dramatizations of the case.

The Lodger (1944)

One of the earliest and most influential Ripper-inspired films, this version stars Laird Cregar as a mysterious tenant who may—or may not—be the killer. It’s less explicit about Jack the Ripper by name, but clearly draws from the legend. The film thrives on paranoia and suspicion, turning the idea of the Ripper into a psychological presence that infects everyone around him.

Hands of the Ripper (1971)

This Hammer Horror entry takes a bold, almost operatic approach: what if the Ripper’s violence was inherited? The story follows his daughter, who becomes a killer herself under psychological triggers. It’s less about the original crimes and more about legacy, trauma, and the idea that evil can be passed down like a curse.

Time After Time (1979)

This one’s a wild card—in the best way. The film imagines author H.G. Wells pursuing Jack the Ripper through time to modern-day San Francisco. It blends sci-fi, romance, and thriller elements while still keeping the Ripper as a cold, calculating force. What’s compelling here is how easily the killer adapts to a new era, suggesting that his kind of violence isn’t confined to the past.

Ripper: Letter from Hell (2001)

A more modern, slasher-style interpretation, this film follows a group of students being stalked by a killer inspired by Jack the Ripper. It leans into the idea of obsession and copycat violence, showing how the Ripper’s legend continues to influence—and corrupt—future generations. It’s less refined than others on the list, but it underscores the enduring cultural grip of the name.

Conclusion

If there’s one thing these films make clear, it’s that Jack the Ripper isn’t just a figure of history—he’s a storytelling archetype. Whether he’s portrayed as a man, a myth, or something in between, the shadow he casts is long, and filmmakers keep finding new ways to step into it.

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There’s nothing that can aompare to Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street: it’s hard to replicate. The dream realm he created was surreal and the villian, Freddy Krueger, added both a psychological and physical threat. Not many can capture that kind of intesity. Which is why movies that tried were never able to. But that doesn’t mean Hollywood didn’t try. When horror leans into a space where dreams, hallucinations, or fractured realities take over—you get something that feels eerily adjacent to Freddy Krueger’s world, even if he’s nowhere in sight.

The films here are the deep cuts—the ones that didn’t dominate the box office or become household names, but absolutely tap into that same nightmare trope. They feel a little like copycats but that’s only because Craven did it perfectly the first time. That’s not to say they don’t have their merits — they are actually good — let’s call them spiritual cousins to Craven’s original. If you’re curious about these films head over to JustWatch to see where, and if, they are streaming.

Bad Dreams

Bad Dreams is probably the closest thing to an unofficial Elm Street sequel you’ll ever find. The film follows a woman who survives a cult mass suicide, only to wake up years later and find herself being stalked in her dreams by the cult leader who died. He invades her sleep, manipulates her reality, and begins killing her friends one by one.

Dream Demon

This is Elm Street stripped of structure and pushed into a Dali painting. The dream sequences are chaotic and disorienting, with sudden violence and shifting environments that feel straight out of Freddy’s playbook. The rules change so frequently, you’re never quite sure what’s real and what’s not.

The Outing

Also known as The Lamp, this one blends supernatural horror with dreamlike possession. It’s not strictly about dreams, but the entity operates like Freddy—appearing suddenly, bending reality, and killing his victims in creative ways. It shifts between the eerie and surreal.

Shocker

Directed by Wes Craven himself, Shocker could be considered a sibling to A Nightmare on Elm Street. An angry serial killer who dies as a result of being put to death in the electric chair, gains the ability to travel through electricity and possess people

You can feel Craven playing within the same sandbox here. The villain is over-the-top and full of Krueger-like sass and everything is exagerrated, almost cartoonish. It’s not as well-rounded as Elm Street, but it’s so corny (in a good way) that it could have been a rejected script in the Elm Street franchise.

Brainscan

Brainscan takes Craven’s dream invasion idea and adds in an early ‘90s tech paranoia. A teenager plays a mysterious video game that immerses him in hyper-realistic murders—but are they happening in real life? The game’s host, Trickster, acts like a gleeful, Freddy-esque villian pushing the gamer deeper into a nightmare.

CD’s, mechanical keyboards and assarole dish-sized hard drives are going to age this kinda Elm Street, kinda-not ripoff. Trickster’s presence feels like a horror RPG that emerges from the computer CRT and into the real world.

The Vagrant

The Vagrant follows a man who becomes convinced that a strange drifter is invading his life. It’s less about literal dreams and more about a waking nightmare. This isn’t a straight bllue pring copy of Craven’s classic, but it lives within its spirit. It’s the kind of film where you feel trapped inside someone else’s unraveling mind.

Anguish

Anguish is a meta-horror deep cut that plays with perception in a way that feels genuinely unsettling. The film follows a disturbed man committing murders under his mother’s control—but it’s framed through layers of reality that begin to collapse in on themselves, especially in its infamous theater-set sequences. It weaponizes perception just like in Freddy’s dream world. Anguish creates a space where the audience—and the characters—can’t trust what they’re experiencing. It’s psychological, disorienting, and laced with that same creeping dread that something is very, very wrong beneath the surface.

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Not everybody likes a critic. In fact, in the movie world, a bad review doesn’t mean squat to many fans. 

However, aggregate sites, especially Rotten Tomatoes, do influence millions of people at the box office–like it or not. It could be the difference between a banger of an opening or a slow fizzle. 

Horror movies are already under heavy scrutiny, and as you will discover, even a good review by a top critic doesn’t mean it will be successful. The list below contains films that got positive reviews by critics, but for some reason, whether it be a bad promotional campaign, the public’s aversion to indie films, or just a scarcity of theater screens, these films were basically swept under the rug. 

But that’s unfair to the filmmakers and investors who put blood, sweat, and dollars into the project, hoping to make a profit. If you’ve seen some of the films below, great. If not, maybe you can put some trust in a critic and check some out. Because, like it or not, a “certified fresh” ranking means a majority of writers were impressed by the movie, and that carries merit.

The following films all hold Rotten Tomatoes scores above 60%, but you won’t necessarily find them dominating Halloween playlists or streaming homepages. What you will find is inventive storytelling, lingering dread, and filmmakers taking risks that pay off. These are the movies that remind you horror isn’t just about scares—it’s about atmosphere, ideas, and the kind of unease that sticks with you long after the credits roll.

The Vigil

Set over a single night, this film follows a man tasked with watching over a deceased member of his Orthodox Jewish community. What makes it stand out is how it blends cultural specificity with creeping supernatural terror. The confined setting and slow escalation of strange occurrences create a suffocating sense of dread, while critics praised its originality and atmosphere.

A Dark Song

This is a deeply unsettling, methodical descent into ritualistic horror. A grieving woman hires an occultist to perform a months-long summoning rite, and the film commits fully to the process. Its strength lies in its seriousness—there’s no wink to the audience here—just an intense, emotionally driven story that critics applauded for its commitment and payoff.

The Blackcoat’s Daughter

Bleak, cold, and deliberately paced, this film weaves together multiple timelines into a story of possession and isolation. It’s less about jump scares and more about atmosphere and inevitability. Critics responded to its haunting tone and the way it builds a quiet sense of doom that never really lets up.

Starry Eyes

A brutal take on ambition and transformation in Hollywood, this film blends body horror with psychological breakdown. It starts grounded and slowly becomes something much darker and more surreal. Critics highlighted its commitment to its premise and a fearless central performance that carries the film into truly disturbing territory.

The Canal

This one plays with the idea of recorded history and whether evil can linger in physical spaces. A man discovers disturbing footage tied to his home, and reality begins to fracture. Its strength lies in its ambiguity—what’s real, what’s imagined—and critics appreciated its eerie tone and willingness to leave questions unanswered.

The Invitation

More psychological than supernatural, this dinner-party-from-hell thriller builds tension with surgical precision. The horror comes from social discomfort and paranoia—are these people dangerous, or is the protagonist unraveling? Critics praised its slow-burn tension and devastating final act.

Relic

A haunting exploration of aging, memory, and family, Relic turns a decaying house into a reflection of a deteriorating mind. The horror is both literal and metaphorical, and it lands emotionally as much as it does viscerally. Critics widely noted its depth and the way it elevates familiar tropes into something more profound.

His House

Following refugees adjusting to a new life in England, this film merges real-world trauma with supernatural horror. The entity haunting the home is tied directly to their past, making the scares feel deeply personal. Critics praised its originality and the way it blends social commentary with genuine terror.

Kill List

What begins as a hitman story slowly morphs into something far more disturbing. The tonal shift is part of what makes it so effective—it sneaks horror into what initially feels like a crime drama. Critics responded to its unpredictability and the way it builds to a shocking, unforgettable conclusion.

Caveat

Minimalist and deeply unnerving, this film traps its protagonist in an isolated house under bizarre conditions. The sense of unease comes from the rules themselves—why are they there, and who set them? Critics highlighted its ability to create dread with very little, proving that atmosphere can be more powerful than spectacle.