Consisting of five segments,Southbound(2015) is ahorroranthology movie that saw direction under numerous creatives: a filmmaking collective called Radio Silence directed the first segment, and the last. Filling the void was Roxanne Benjamin, David Bruckner, and Patrick Horvath. And within each story, talented thespians perform to their greatest extents, emitting heartfelt screams that will echo in your head long after an initial viewing.
While there are dozens of well-known examples of filmmakers making more grounded anthology films — take Jim Jarmusch withNight on Earth(1991) andCoffee and Cigarettes(2003) — most popular projects of this ilk are categorized as horror films. Just look atTales from the Crypt(1972) andCreepshow(1982), for instance. You’ve undoubtedly heard of those, if you haven’t seen them outright. But the same can’t be said forSouthbound.
The film at hand flew drastically under the public radar upon release, and its popularity has remained rather stagnant ever since. This can be attributed to its short time spent in theaters, to the independent nature of its production, or to the fact that several other horror movies were released around this same time. For decades, audiences and critics alike have slept on horror films upon release, only for the films topick up cult statusesdown the line. The examples are frankly endless.
Other Scary Movies You May Have Missed
One of the earliest American horror films that can be deemed underrated isHomicidal(1961), withCarnival of Souls(1962) continuing the overlooked trend in the following year. Another one from that era isThe Flesh Eaters(1964), directed by Jack Curtis. The seventies saw stints such asThe Other(1972), and of course, filmmakers continued putting out overlooked scary flicks in the following decade: takePossession(1981), for example. But that’s still just scratching the surface.
An entry in the supernatural subgenre,The Entity(1982) fell beneath the public radar, as did a body horror film calledSociety(1989). There are also stints from the nineties likeIn the Mouth of Madness(1994),The Addiction(1995), andEvent Horizon(1997). But of course, there are dozens of other underrated releases from all of the aforementioned decades that giveSouthbounda run for its money regarding scary movies you’ve never seen. And in the twenty-first century, a filmmaker named Brad Anderson released what should have been a classic.
20 Underrated Horror Movies From the 2010s
There may not be a decade in film history that’s produced scarier movies than the 2010s. These are the most underrated of the bunch.
Even today,Session 9(2001) doesn’t quite get the love it deserves despite boasting the status of a cult film. And just one year later, a psychological horror film calledMay(2002) experiencedan under-the-radar release, along withWrong Turn(2003) thereafter. There’s alsoVacancy(2007), and to an extentThe Strangers(2008). They all deserve more love. And even in the same decade as the film at hand, dozens of horror movies went under the public radar.
Another you may have missed isBone Tomahawk(2015), a horror western. Consisting of well-known actors like Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, and Richard Jenkins, it’s perhaps the scariest movie ever set in the wild west. One scene in particular standing out as especially haunting. The viewing experience is defined by high-quality screenwriting and charismatic performances, and it’s undoubtedly worth a watch. But in the following years, underrated horror movies began materializing en masse.
Hush(2016),The Autopsy of Jane Doe(2016),The Cleansing Hour(2017), andThe Endless(2017) — none of these films ever quite got the love they deserved. There were even other anthology films from the 2010s that you may have missed: takeXX(2017) andNightmare Cinema(2018), for instance. They provide decent scares, with some of the biggest horror directors of their respective generations at the helm of the individual segments. But through all of the overlooked titles in Hollywood horror history, one movie in particular stands out as the scariest you’ve never seen.
Why Southbound Stands Out
Each segment produces a different kind of scare, from supernatural entitiesto masked home invaders. But each individual story also flows seamlessly to the next by dint of keen tactics of editing and an adherence to story structure. The filmmakers responsible forSouthboundwere battle tested in the realm of horror, let alone filmmaking in general. And the underrated names they cast to see the product into fruition can also be held in the highest of horror regard.
The first segment, written by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, saw direction under a collective filmmaking group known as Radio Silence. They consist of the aforementioned writer alongside Chad Villella and Tyler Gillett, with one prior title of theirs giving them great experience in the horror regard. Another anthology film,V/H/S(2012) also blends elements of the found-footage subgenre to create a unique horror experiences that resonate with audiences across the board.
Numerous notable names were attached to the behind-the-scenes production ofV/H/S, such as Roxanne Benjamin and David Bruckner. They both worked on in the film at hand, with the former creating the second segment calledSiren. Following up with the third was Bruckner, writing and directingThe Accident. That particular director was perhaps the most practiced of the pack up to this point in their careers, with Bruckner also making horror movies likeThe Signal(2007).
The fourth featured story inSouthboundfollows a man named Dannywho combats demonsin a bar while searching for his sister. CalledJailbreak, it saw direction under Patrick Horvath, who had help from Dallas Hallam when penning the script. It’s a terrifying and enticing tale, with the same applying to each story that came before. And ending the film, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and his Radio Silence teammates tied together each tale withThe Way In.
Best Horror Anthology Movies, Ranked
Capitalizing on cult followings and the must-see nature of movie magic, some of the most successful horror stories are anthologies.
It’s an intriguing premise in general. Considering each story features well-written dialogue with legitimately frightening moments from veteran horror directors and actors alike, the overall product should be cited among the greatest horror movies of the decade. Alas, in spite of great acclaim from critics, this anthology masterpiece received a limited theatrical release, accrued poor money, and holds little name value today. There’s a solid chance you’ve never seen it. But for your next horror movie night, there’s no better option than the underratedSouthbound.
