Shudder is a go-to destination for horror fans, so it makes sense the streamer keeps making clip shows—you know the formula: interviews and movie scenes layered into a blend of cinematic discourse and fan appreciation—that celebrate the genre. Horror’s Greatest takes a broader approach than earlier Shudder Original docs in this format (think Horror Noire, Cursed Films, and Queer for Fear), though it mitigates feeling too sprawling by targeting five themes.
Looking at the genre as a whole, there are so many different sub-topics Horror’s Greatest could have focused on, even leaving out those already covered by the previous series listed above. But Horror’s Greatest does a good job with its chosen five: “Tropes and Cliches,” “Giant Monsters,” “Japanese Horror,” “Horror Comedies,” and “Stephen King Adaptations.” They are standalone episodes, so if all you want is, say, an overview of Japanese horror cinema, you know where to start and end your watch.
That said, because the episodes are only an hour long, they’re not going to read you the encyclopedia. Not every one of your giant monster buddies is going to get a mention, though you have to give Horror’s Greatest credit for ripping through a rogues’ gallery of mostly Japanese and American critters, and exploring why we’re so fascinated with them—even if you kind of wonder if perhaps a lot of the entries are more sci-fi than horror (including the full range of Godzilla movies).
And while the insights offered by the interviewees (just a sampling: Joe Hill, Tananarive Due, Axelle Carolyn, the Boulet Brothers, Alex Winter, Tom Holland) are often spot-on, there can be a bit too much plot summary at times—especially considering Horror’s Greatest is aimed at people who, presumably, have seen most of the films being discussed. (We know the plot of M3GAN!)
Overall, though, the series is a lively blend of entertaining and informative, with pleasingly precise clip selection and editing, and thoughtful in-episode lists (for example: recommended titles to watch, memorable one-liners, best Stephen King cameos) framed by spooky stop-motion animation. All the talking heads—be they filmmakers, performers, film scholars, or authors—are all quite clearly passionate horror nerds, which adds to the fun.
As a horror nerd myself, the standout episodes were “Tropes and Cliches,” a sort of mini film school course that not only breaks down some of horror’s most familiar elements—in slasher films and beyond—but also explains how and why they came to be that way; and “Japanese Horror,” which digs deeper into the archives and casts a wide but well-curated net, with Kwaidan, House, Audition, Pulse, and Ring all getting equal time in the spotlight, to name just a few.
If Horror’s Greatest gets another round, there’s definitely lots more turf to cover, and it’d be great to see Shudder go more obscure and get even more specific. Everyone loves Evil Dead II (a cornerstone of “Horror Comedies”), but how about spotlighting a range of films many fans haven’t been exposed to but might enjoy just as much? More international picks—including the astonishing but often overlooked realm of Indonesian horror—would get my vote if there’s a season two.
Horror’s Greatest kicks off August 27 on Shudder.
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