The best of the underrated teen movies, rom zom coms, and high school sci-fi horrors...
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00:00Teen horror is a popular enough genre.
00:02You have your heavy hitters, which are seemingly loved by
00:05you all, like Scream, Halloween, and Carrie, and then you
00:08have your smaller pictures with cult followings like It
00:11Follows. As if being in high school wasn't difficult enough,
00:14these teens also have to deal with stuff like supernatural
00:17beings or serial killers.
00:18Terrible for them, but terrific fun for us.
00:21However, not all of these worthy teen horrors get the following
00:25they deserve.
00:26So, with that in mind, I'm Ellie with WhatCulture here with
00:2910 more great teen horror movies no one ever talks about.
00:33Number 10, Cry Wolf.
00:35A parlor game going terribly wrong is always a great
00:38foundation for a horror film.
00:40Just look at entries like Bodies, Bodies, Bodies already
00:43or not.
00:43However, Cry Wolf doesn't seem to be remembered by a lot
00:47of people, despite being a great take on the game going
00:50terribly wrong storyline.
00:51Mysterious murders occur when a group of students at a prep
00:54school plays a game called Cry Wolf.
00:57Is the game somehow related to the piling bodies?
00:59While some parts of its story do feel derivative, Cry Wolf
01:03is so well made that the derivative parts are easy to forgive.
01:06Co-writer and director Jeff Wadlow treats you with a thrilling
01:10and suspenseful time that'll have you on the edge of your
01:12seat, invested until the very end.
01:14There are some great twists here, and no horror fan can resist
01:18a twisty story, especially one with sharp plotting and fantastic
01:22performances from its ensemble cast.
01:24Dripping in style and atmosphere, Cry Wolf is 90 minutes of
01:28excitement, energy, and pure fun.
01:30If you enjoy your horror cinematic experiences with plenty
01:33of twists and turns and an unsettling mood, this is one you'll
01:37howl for.
01:38Number 9.
01:39Disturbing Behaviour
01:41Disturbing Behaviour is right.
01:43This movie is disturbing in all the best ways possible.
01:46This sadly only made $17.5 million against a $15 million budget,
01:51and doesn't seem to have found a second life after its
01:54theatrical release either.
01:56What a shame, though, because this is one of the best teen
01:58horrors from the 90s.
02:00This 1998 picture stars recognisable names James Marsden
02:04and Katie Holmes, and was directed by David Nutter, who was
02:07a director and producer on The X-Files, and follows the story
02:11of Steve Clark, who's new in the town of Cradle Bay.
02:14Steve quickly realises there's something strange going on
02:16with his high school classmates.
02:18They're a little too perfect, almost like there's something
02:21he's not supposed to know going on within their clique.
02:24Wacky, odd, and above all, addictive, Disturbing Behaviour
02:27feels like a full-length X-Files episode in all the best
02:30ways possible.
02:31This is the kind of horror flick you play over and over
02:34again with your friends because it's just so much fun.
02:37This is an entertaining gem, with an ending that feels like
02:39the cherry on top of a tasty cake.
02:42Number 8.
02:43Stage Fright
02:44Musical horror?
02:45Sign us up right away.
02:47Following a young singer targeted by a killer at a
02:50musical theatre camp, Stage Fright takes the crazy idea of
02:53turning Friday the 13th into a musical and runs with it.
02:57But the end result is a wickedly fun time.
03:00This is a project clearly made by people passionate about
03:03musical theatre and slasher offerings, and that passion
03:06shows all the way through the runtime.
03:09While it may not be for everyone, Stage Fright represents
03:11a uniqueness not often seen in teen horror movies, or even
03:15just horror movies in general, and it's this uniqueness
03:18that makes it worth your time.
03:20It's a wonder why this feature hasn't found a cult following
03:23yet, because it is every bit deserving of one.
03:26This 2014 film, not to be confused with the 1987 slasher
03:30of the same name, is a joyous romp filled with clever tunes
03:33and plenty of gore.
03:35There's so much fun to be had here, and the screenplay
03:37doesn't hold back with its campiness, fully embracing
03:40its silly nature.
03:41If you love both musicals and slashers, Stage Fright should
03:44be right up your alley, and you'll want to rewatch it over
03:47and over again.
03:49Number 7.
03:50Detention
03:51Detention begins a fairly standard plot.
03:54A group of high schoolers get targeted by a serial killer,
03:57but it's director Joseph Kahn's energy and style that makes
04:00the experience all the more memorable.
04:03A wild ride from start to finish, Detention is messy, wild,
04:06and unconventional in all the best ways possible.
04:09Plus, it stars Josh Hutcherson, who you might remember
04:12from the big screen Hunger Games adaptations.
04:15While Detention may start off with a fairly standard plot,
04:18it only gets wilder and wilder the more it goes on.
04:21We can't say too much because we don't want to spoil you,
04:24and this is one of those viewings where you're better off
04:26going in knowing as little as possible.
04:28Sure, it can be alienating for those who aren't on board
04:31with its off-the-wall nature, but for the right audience,
04:33Detention is an experience you won't soon forget.
04:37There's a sincere dedication here to creating a fun
04:40and energetic experience, and that passion shows,
04:43marking the feature as one of the most notable teen
04:45horror offerings from the 2010s.
04:48Number 6. All cheerleaders die.
04:51A high school outsider named Maddy shocks the student body
04:54by joining the cheerleading squad.
04:56But things get even crazier when something supernatural
04:59happens to the cheerleaders after a confrontation
05:01with the football team.
05:03Twisted and dark, this teen horror comedy is infectious fun,
05:06boasting razor-sharp writing and astute performances
05:09from its cast.
05:10There's so much to like about this should-be cult favourite.
05:13It's hilarious, smart, and anything but predictable,
05:16keeping you guessing at every turn.
05:19It's impossible to be bored by this movie.
05:21Even if the craziness isn't for you, you still can't deny
05:24how much energy is put into just 90 minutes.
05:27If you like your horror cinematic experiences to be short
05:29but smart, crazy but cunningly clever, dark but delightfully
05:33so, All Cheerleaders Die is perfect for you.
05:36It's also something you have to see to really believe.
05:39None of the descriptions or trailers do the film justice
05:42in how highly enjoyable it is.
05:44With its ending, it's unfortunate the movie never got any sequels,
05:47because this would have made for such an addictive franchise.
05:51Number 5. The Black Coat's Daughter
05:54You may recognize writer-director Oz Perkins
05:57from the Netflix offering I Am the Pretty Thing
05:59that Lives in the House, but The Black Coat's Daughter
06:02is his strong directorial debut that he's yet to outdo.
06:06The slow-burn storytelling approach is an approach
06:08many horror writers and directors take, but few get it right.
06:12Oz Perkins is one of them.
06:14The movie takes its time setting up its pieces,
06:16but does so in an unsettling and atmospheric way.
06:19Set during the dead of winter, two young girls, Cat and Rose,
06:22spend winter break at their prestigious prep school.
06:25Cat, however, is being stalked by an evil entity,
06:28one that's beyond what either girl can imagine.
06:31Cold and bleak, this is a flick more concerned
06:33with creating a tale that gets under your skin
06:36than one with cheap jump scares,
06:37and the story just keeps getting creepier and creepier
06:40until it becomes hard to view, even.
06:43Still, a horror offering that's hard to watch
06:45is a horror offering that can't be forgotten.
06:47The Black Coat's Daughter is so well-made,
06:50so clever and chilling, it's bound to stick with you
06:53long after you've finished it.
06:54You'll be staring at the end credits
06:56with an overwhelming sense of awe.
06:58Number 4. The Final Girls
07:01Every horror fan knows what a final girl is,
07:03and those same fans have probably spent many slasher viewings
07:06trying to guess who the final girl will be.
07:09For slasher enthusiasts, The Final Girls is a love letter
07:12made by filmmakers with a clear and deep affection
07:14for the subgenre.
07:16Best of all, it's taking inspiration from Scream,
07:19one of the finest teen slashers of all time.
07:21This really is an absolute blast.
07:24When Max and her friends go to see a screening
07:26of an old horror movie, one Max's mum was involved in,
07:29the last thing they expected was to find themselves
07:32in the world of the movie itself.
07:34Now, they must use their knowledge of horror
07:36in order to survive.
07:37The Final Girls feels like a celebration
07:39of everything we love about horror,
07:41while also not being afraid to make fun of itself.
07:44It's also really funny.
07:45You'll be chuckling and laughing from start to finish,
07:48and it's surprisingly touching at times.
07:50All in all, it's charming, and horror geeks
07:53who spent many nights marathoning Michael, Jason, or Freddy
07:56should find this one irresistible.
07:58Number 3. Freaky
08:00While a modest success, Freaky deserved to be
08:02a much bigger hit than it was.
08:04The concept alone is genius.
08:06A teenage girl switches bodies with a serial killer.
08:09I mean, how much fun is that?
08:11It's an odd idea to mix Friday the 13th with Freaky Friday,
08:14but the oddest idea most often results
08:16in the most fun experience,
08:18and Freaky is one of the most enjoyable times
08:20you can have with a screen offering.
08:22The feature is bolstered by an incredibly game cast,
08:25led by both Catherine Newton and Vince Vaughn,
08:28who both kill it as their characters
08:30before and after the body swap.
08:32This horror comedy is just so hilarious at times,
08:35especially with both Newton and Vaughn
08:37clearly having the time of their lives filming this.
08:39Freaky was also directed and written by Christopher Landon,
08:43whom you might recognize as the director of Happy Death Day,
08:46another genius teen horror comedy.
08:49Freaky should have been just as big a hit as Happy Death Day,
08:52but sadly, it was unable to generate the same buzz.
08:55However, the two flicks together
08:56make for a fantastic double feature.
08:59Number 2. Pie Whack It
09:01When a teenage girl obsessed with black magic
09:03performs an occult ritual in the woods,
09:06she accidentally awakens something
09:07that shouldn't have been awakened.
09:09Both a coming-of-age drama and a supernatural horror,
09:12Pie Whack It succeeds thanks to its intelligent screenplay
09:15and esteemed performances from its cast.
09:18The film works as both an unnerving atmospheric horror,
09:21as well as an honest representation of being a teenager.
09:24Much like The Black Coat's Daughter,
09:26Pie Whack It is a slow burn done right.
09:28Much more interested in building tension and creepiness
09:31all throughout rather than relying on gotcha scares.
09:34It really is a gripping experience,
09:37and writer-director Adam McDonald succeeds monumentally
09:40at having the story hold onto you and never letting go.
09:43This is a feature designed to leave an impression.
09:46It may be a little too subtle for some,
09:48but for viewers who appreciate a great deal of restraint
09:51in their horror watches,
09:52Pie Whack It is guaranteed to become one of their favourites.
09:55It's a masterclass in taking a simple premise
09:58and making something unforgettable out of it
10:00through skilful writing and directing.
10:03Number 1.
10:04Ginger Snaps
10:05Directed by John Fawcett,
10:07Ginger Snaps follows the story of two teenage girls
10:10who have their sisterhood tested
10:11when one of them gets bitten by an unknown animal
10:14and then slowly starts to transform into a werewolf.
10:17Smart and funny, this excels remarkably well
10:20as both a supernatural horror
10:21and a feminist coming-of-age tale,
10:23all bolstered by strong performances from its cast.
10:26It's a real head-scratcher why this one
10:29hasn't gotten as big a cult following
10:30as features like Jennifer's Body and Heathers.
10:33It's easily one of the best werewolf movies ever made.
10:36Not that the competition is heavy,
10:38but Ginger Snaps is so cleverly made,
10:40it pretty much marks itself
10:41as one of the ultimate werewolf titles,
10:43much like an American werewolf in London.
10:46At least, it should have,
10:47but this 2000 film seems to have been
10:49largely forgotten since its release.
10:51It never seems to get the mentions it deserves
10:53when talking about the best teen horrors
10:55or the best horror comedies of all time.
10:58Ginger Snaps should definitely be on your watchlist
11:00because its biting satire and sharp writing
11:03shouldn't be missed.
11:04And that concludes our list.
11:06If you think we missed any,
11:07then do let us know in the comments below.
11:09And while you're there,
11:09don't forget to like and subscribe
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11:13Also, head over to Twitter and follow us there,
11:15and I can be found across various social medias
11:17just by searching Ellie Littlechild.
11:18I've been Ellie with WhatCulture.
11:20I hope you have a magical day
11:21and I'll see you real soon.