Mike Flanagan has become a staple in horror. His latest series, The Fall of the House of Usher, garnered lots of praise, which isn’t news to any Flanagan fan. While he can create incredible, creepy stories with lots of soul, there must be movies this modern master of horror draws inspiration from.
Luckily, in an interview with Rotten Tomatoes from a couple of years ago, Mike Flanagan recommended some of his favorite horror movies, together with the reasons why he thinks they’re so great. These are, by all accounts, fairly underrated movies, so prepare your notebooks (or Letterboxd accounts) and check out Mike Flanagan’s favorites.
10 ‘Tigers Are Not Afraid’ (2017)
Directed by Issa López
Tigers Are Not Afraid is a modern fairy tale resembling something the Brothers Grimm and Guillermo del Toro would devise if they could join forces. The backdrop of the movie is Mexico, and its streets are ridden with gang violence and homeless children. A gang of five children, with the lead girl Estrella (Paola Lara) among them, does whatever it can to survive the warfare on their streets and the adult gangsters that are after them.
The fantastical elements of this story lie, in one part, in Estrella’s unusual possession – she is armed with three wishes that she can use to fight the odds. The director Issa López said in an interview for Entertainment Weekly that the movie was heavily inspired by three horror greats – Stephen King, Guillermo del Toro, and Neil Gaiman. As far as Mike Flanagan is concerned, this movie is “rendered with skill, heart, and talent that cements López as an auteur to watch.”
Watch on Prime Video.
9 ‘A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night’ (2014)
Directed by Ana Lily Amirpour
Have you ever watched a masterfully crafted black-and-white horror, that’s also a Western, that’s set in Iran? If the answer is ‘yes,’ you’ve likely watched A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night because there’s no other movie like it. Its director, Ana Lily Amirpour is one of the better-established indie horror directors, directing episodes for famous shows like Legion, Castle Rock, and Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities.
In A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, the residents of an Iranian city are being preyed on by a vampire – specifically, men who treat women poorly. The Guardian called the movie “a defiant statement of girl power,” while Mike Flanagan simply stated: “If you haven’t seen it, I’m jealous… you’re in for an unforgettable treat.” The captivating lead of A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night is Sheila Vand, also known for Argo and the Snowpiercer series.
Release Date April 20, 2015
Director Ana Lily Amirpour
Cast Sheila Vand, Arash Marandi, Marshall Manesh, Mozhan Marnò, Dominic Rains, Rome Shadanloo
Rating Not Rated
Runtime 101 minutes
Watch on Prime Video.
8 ‘Harpoon’ (2019)
Directed by Rob Grant
The comedic elements in the trailer for Rob Grant’s Harpoon set the tone for what this movie truly is – a horror comedy that’s as funny as it is twisted. Three friends are trapped on a yacht in the middle of the ocean, and this brings out the worst in them and the situation. Secrets are revealed, tension grows, and human nature takes its course.
This is likely one of the most underrated horror comedies many people haven’t heard of, and if anyone needs more convincing besides Flanagan’s great taste – the critics at Rotten Tomatoes gave it a certified fresh 97%. Flanagan called Harpoon “Dark, unpredictable, and downright mischievous in its humor.” Starring are Munro Chambers, Emily Tyra, and Chris Gray as the trapped trio, while Brett Gelman is the narrator.
Watch on Prime Video
7 ‘Lake Mungo’ (2008)
Directed by Joel Anderson
The Australian horror faux documentary Lake Mungo has been praised and lauded since it was released. Reddit users named it one of the best existential horror movies; Jordan Peele recommended it in a podcast with Keke Palmer; and in his interview with Rotten Tomatoes, Mike Flanagan said he “used to actually stockpile copies of it to give away.”
Joel Anderson seems to understand how to tap into the human psyche and terrify, but Lake Mungo is his first and (for now) only feature film. Anderson wrote and directed the story of the disappearance of Alice Palmer, and how her family copes with the loss. The Palmers are depicted through the lens of a camera, in a documentary fashion. The story takes a dark turn as it unveils, revealing the secret of the Palmer family.
Release Date July 30, 2009
Director Joel Anderson
Cast Talia Zucker, Rosie Traynor, David Pledger, Martin Sharpe, Steve Jodrell, Tamara Donnellan
Rating R
Runtime 89
Watch on AppleTV+
6 ‘The Endless’ (2017)
Directed by Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson
Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson are masters of horror in a special category. Their films often dive into science fiction horror paired with existentialism. Moorhead and Benson often ask – what if this possibility was true? What would we do then, and who would we become? The Endless is seemingly in the same universe as Moorhead and Benson’s first feature film, Resolution, but the two features exist without each other just fine (for anyone worried about having to catch up). This isn’t their first venture into multiverse stuff, as their movie Synchronic is meant to be in the same universe, and they directed several episodes for season 2 of Loki.
The directors also play the two main characters, brothers Aaron and Justin who revisit the UFO cult they escaped from years ago. As they return, intrigued by the invite, it’s easy to notice the grip the community used to have on them. It’s tough to describe the movie without spoiling anything, which is why it’s one of the best mind-bending sci-fi horrors out there. Flanagan simply stated: “I love this movie and all of their work.”Watch on Prime Video
5 ‘A Dark Song’ (2016)
Directed by Liam Gavin
A dance with the occult rites plagued with grief – that’s one (and often the best) way to describe Liam Gavin’s A Dark Song. This movie could definitely attract an audience interested in movies that describe occultism, but they’d stay for the emotional toll it packs by the end. Reddit users decided this movie is one of the best horrors about the occult out there.
Catherine Walker plays Sophie, a tormented woman who lost her son and wishes to contact his soul and bring him back. Sophie rents a manor in Wales and asks the former occultist Joseph Solomon (Steve Oram) to help her perform the rite. Liam Gavin and Mike Flanagan joined forces on The Haunting of Bly Manor, with Gavin directing two episodes; this must be because Flanagan is such a big fan of A Dark Song. In his interview, he said it’s “an exploration of the horrors of grief and rage, anchored by Catherine Walker’s devastating performance.”
Watch on Prime Video
4 ‘They Look Like People’ (2015)
Directed by Perry Blackshear
A paranoid man believes everyone around him is turning into evil creatures; this causes him to fear for his life and take actions that might be worrisome to his friends. This isn’t just a random sentence – it’s the premise of one of Flanagan’s favorite indie horrors, They Look Like People. This movie was made with virtually no budget and a small crew, by writer/director Perry Blackshear.
They Look Like People doesn’t feel impacted by its low budget – it manages to turn it into an advantage. What’s left is a stripped-down, psychological horror about a schizophrenic man and his friend trying to figure out how to help. For many critics and reviewers, the strong acting from the two leads, Evan Dumouchel and MacLeod Andrews carries the film; for Mike Flanagan, it’s “perhaps one of the greatest miracles of DIY filmmaking I’ve ever seen.”
Release Date January 25, 2015
Director Perry Blackshear
Cast MacLeod Andrews, Evan Dumouchel, Margaret Ying Drake
Rating Unrated
Runtime 80
Watch on Prime Video
3 ‘Possum’ (2018)
Directed by Matthew Holness
What makes a good horror film? For many, jumpscares are the element that defines horror. However, horror can lie in a single sentence, facial expression, and even a moment of uncertainty. Possum has all those elements and frightens to the core; in Mike Flanagan’s eyes, the takeaway from the film is that “you feel stained by the time you reach its conclusion.” Sean Harris leads this Matthew Holness-written and directed piece as Philip, a man returning to his childhood home.
It seems Philip was forced to return, and Harris magnificently portrays the tortured man. The Guardian review of the film said his “fierce, pained face is scared and scary at the same time, a realist Halloween mask of loneliness.” Interestingly, Matthew Holness is more known as a comedy writer. He created Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace, starring Richard Ayoade and Matt Berry in one of his best roles; The Guardian’s article about Holness said Possum was inspired by Jimmy Saville, Britain’s famous children’s entertainer who was uncovered as an abuser in 2012.
Watch on Prime Video
2 ‘The Taking of Deborah Logan’ (2014)
Directed by Adam Robitel
Found-footage horror movies don’t deserve the hate they get, especially since they’re now a staple of the genre. The Taking of Deborah Logan is one of the best gems it has to offer – at least according to Mike Flanagan. He said this movie “functions just as well as an exploration of dementia and its effects on a family as it does a terrifying story of possession.” Jill Larson, who plays the titular Deborah Logan, acts to incredible lengths; she’s as terrifying as she is tormented.
The premise follows a young documentary filmmaker who enters Deborah Logan’s family’s home to film their struggle with her onset of Alzheimer’s. When unusual things start happening, the family decides to install security cameras. What they discover becomes a story of possession and struggle to save a beloved family member. The visual effects for the movie were done by Vincent Guastini, who gave an in-depth interview about creating them for Deborah Logan. Guastini is a veteran in the industry, with numerous successful films on his resume, but is most known for creating the prosthetics for Ellen Burstyn in Requiem for a Dream.
Watch on Prime Video
1 ‘Freaks’ (2018)
Directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein
Mike Flanagan said Freaks is “a dark sci-fi film that gives Marvel a run for its money.” Without more than just that, Marvel fans might become intrigued by the idea, though Freaks is a sci-fi horror at heart. Emile Hirsch plays a father to seven-year-old Chloe (Lexy Kolker), convincing her they can’t go outside because of the everlasting dangers. But Chloe wants to go outside and stop hiding. Bruce Dern appears as a mysterious Mr. Snowcone, a figure meant to tempt Chloe to finally disobey her dad.
Freaks is one of the most underrated sci-fi thriller/horror films, and for no good reason. It’s an exceptionally twisted story with excellent visual effects, and Hirsch, an underrated actor by all accounts, carries the film with Kolker with brilliant chemistry. Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein did such a marvelous job of creating a visually stunning movie on a low budget, that it would be incredible to see what they can do with a lot of money. Variety called Freaks “a film whose greatest virtues are inseparable from its limitations.”
Watch on Prime Video
