6 Underrated Horror Films We’ve Licensed (That Deserve Way More Love)
One of the most rewarding parts of running Fright-Rags is getting to shine a spotlight on films that don’t always get the attention they deserve. While we’re proud to work with the biggest icons in horror, we also have a deep love for the cult classics, the misfits, and the underappreciated gems.
Here are five titles we’ve licensed that I personally think are underrated — and why they matter.
1. The Exorcist III (1990)
While the original Exorcist is undeniably a masterpiece, The Exorcist III deserves way more attention. It’s eerie, cerebral, and loaded with dread. And it contains arguably the most effective jump scare in horror history. Most people skip straight from the original to the reboot attempts — but this film is a direct sequel to the first, and it’s absolutely chilling in its own right.
2. UHF (1989)
Okay, this one’s not horror — but come on, it’s Weird Al.
UHF is pure chaotic brilliance. It’s a love letter to offbeat creativity, packed with absurd gags, fake commercials, and bizarre characters. It’s a time capsule of late ’80s humor and a reminder that Weird Al was (and still is) a one-of-a-kind force in entertainment.
It’s one of those movies that flopped when it came out, but found its audience over time — and rightfully so. It’s endlessly quotable, weird as hell, and just fun.
3. Prince of Darkness (1987)
If we’re talking about John Carpenter’s most underrated film, this is the one.
Yes, Halloween, The Thing, and They Live all get the praise they deserve — but Prince of Darkness is a slow-burn masterpiece. The synth score alone sets the tone with a pulsing dread that creeps under your skin. The entire movie takes place inside a church over the course of one night, and yet it feels cosmic in scale.
It’s dense, weird, and unapologetically ambitious. The ideas it explores — time travel, evil as a contagious force, quantum metaphysics — feel way ahead of their time. It’s a thinking person’s horror film that still manages to scare the hell out of you.
4. Darkman (1990)
Before superheroes were a guaranteed box office hit, there was Darkman — Sam Raimi’s gritty, tragic, and totally bonkers take on a new kind of hero.
You can feel Raimi’s fingerprints all over this — the frenetic camera work, the blend of horror and humor, the practical effects. And yes, it even features a classic Bruce Campbell cameo.
It may not get lumped in with Raimi’s Evil Dead legacy or today’s superhero juggernauts, but Darkman is pure pulp energy and deserves a lot more love.
5. Clown in a Cornfield (2023)
This was a surprise hit for me.
I’ll admit, I hadn’t read the novels (yet), and I was expecting a toned-down, teen-friendly horror flick. But what I got was smart, brutal, and way more intense than I anticipated. It’s a modern slasher with a brain — and a big bloody heart.
Adam Cesare (author of the book series) is a longtime Fright-Rags customer, and it’s been awesome to see this world come to life on screen. I’ve now seen the movie several times, and I’m genuinely excited to dive into the books and (hopefully) see some sequels hit the screen.
These kinds of films are why we do what we do. They might not always get mainstream recognition, but they have cult followings, passionate creators, and storytelling that sticks with you. And that’s the kind of stuff we love to celebrate at Fright-Rags.