30 Best Hidden Gem Horror Movies Perfect For Halloween

Alfred Hitchcock’s grainy classic Psycho is no doubt the father of slasher cinema, featuring Anthony Perkins’ iconic maniac Norman Bates and the shower scene to end them all - sorry, Terrifier 3 - but some think Psycho's legacy ended right there. Instead, it actually spanned another four movies, two of which were absolutely cracking, even if both are painfully underrated. 

Australian genre director Richard Franklin delivered Psycho II, a worthy continuation that picks up as Norman attempts to re-enter society as a rehabilitated member. Of course, outside elements push him, forcing him toward his old ways, and therein lies the pull. This first sequel has Perkins back in the fold as Norman, and whilst Franklin can pull off worthy Hitchcockian set pieces, the true tone is one of tragedy: a man with a good heart but dark past, unable to escape the inevitable. There’s a good reason Quentin Tarantino calls it preferable to the first.

Psycho III, on the other hand, swerves gleefully into the fast lane, as Perkins steps behind the camera as director, too, taking things into a sleazy, funny, neo-noir landscape. The actor-director admitted the influence of the Coen brothers’ debut, Blood Simple, on Psycho III, and the sharp night cinematography, a jazzy Carter Burwell score, and a penchant for dark comedy all bear that out. Add to that a scene-stealing Jeff Fahey as an unhinged motel assistant, and you’ve got one delicious ride - and two movies well worth a Halloween reappraisal.