The Top 10 Best Horror Anthologies

These Horror Anthologies Offer Deliciously Spooky, Bite Sized Tales of Terror

One of the biggest problems I come across with horror movies is that they take a great idea and ruin them by stretching it to the breaking point. That’s why I want to take a moment to honor all the great horror anthologies out there that know that sometimes less is more. Of course, that doesn’t mean all horror anthologies are great, and I had to wade through some pretty terrible ones to find the top 10 best. In order to qualify for a spot, a movie has to be a legitimate anthology (a collection of short tales) and it has to be firmly planted in the horror genre. I don’t mind if there is a larger story tying everything together (i.e. kids telling ghost stories, a haunted movie theater showing films, etc). In fact, I think a good bookend tale is a huge plus when it comes to horror anthologies, especially since a terrible one can ruin them (see Mickey Rourke in Nightmare Cinema). With attention spans at an all-time low, sometimes a night of easy-to-digest mini-movies is just what the doctor ordered. So, settle in and prepare yourself, because Dr. Death has a prescription for 10ccs of horror anthologies ready for you. 

10. Holidays

I’m kicking off this list of horror anthologies with a movie that inspired me to curate my own collection of holiday horror flicks. Halloween is the one usually associated with the genre (though Christmas has its fair share), but Holidays really branched out to cover a number of neglected ones as well. From a twisted story of love taken too far to a gross-out tale of revenge by camgirls to a body-horror springtime fable, Holidays has something for everyone. Now, some of the shorts are better than others, but that’s always the case with horror anthologies. I decided to include Holidays though because I really enjoy it when there’s a theme running throughout an anthology. Something to help tie everything together and give an overall sense of cohesion. Despite being in the last spot, Holidays is a fun and easy to watch film in which all the storytellers rose to the challenge of crafting eerie tales spanning the calendar year. 

9. Cat’s Eye 

Stephen King provided the three tales for the next film on this list of horror anthologies entitled, Quitters, Inc., The Ledge, and General. So, you know that they’re going to be pure nightmare fuel from the get-go. Now, there have been some issues in the past when it comes to cinematic adaptations of King’s work, but director Lewis Teague proved to be just the man for the job.  The three tales are tied together by a tomcat named Junk, who appears in each one as an observer before moving along in search of a disembodied girl calling for his help. This big-screen kitty’s true purpose is revealed when he reaches the third story, General. He’s adopted by a little girl (a young Drew Barrymore) and renamed General. It turns out that a troll living in the walls wants to steal her breath and kill her. Well, that troll has to learn the hard way that, pound for pound, cats are the most efficient killing machines on the planet. Cat’s Eye is a dark and entertaining collection of some truly creepy stories. 

8. XX 

One thing that I appreciate about horror anthologies is that they present an opportunity for underrepresented voices to be heard. Despite popular beliefs, there are A LOT of women out there who love horror movies. XX gives several female directors a chance to tell four stories geared towards issues facing women with terrifying twists to them. Three of the tales specifically revolve around motherhood and the relentless expectations that come with traditional feminine roles within a family. The sense of empowerment is served with plenty of humor to keep the pace fresh and punch up the more shocking details within the collection. From rebellious sons to the pressures to keep everything perfect to the alienation within the family itself, XX reveals that the same themes audiences love in horror flicks affect women on a daily basis (hopefully to a lesser extent). Personally, I would love to see a sequel with a fresh batch of female filmmakers telling new XX centric stories.  

7. Tales from the Hood 

I can’t help feeling like Tales from the Hood is more relevant than ever these days, which is why I knew I had to include it in this collection of horror anthologies. The film features four stories told by Mr. Simms (Clarence Williams III), a mortician, meant to serve as warnings for three gang members who are trying to buy drugs from him. Each of them deals with issues plaguing the Black community from dirty cops to perpetual black on black violence to a racist senator a bit too proud of his “heritage” (AKA being a descent of those Civil War losers and their white hood club). It’s a hard film to watch at times, not because it’s bad, but because it hits the nail on the head with its twisted tales of systemic racism. Tale from the Hood embodies the idea that horror can be used as social commentary viewed through a funhouse mirror. Unfortunately, it looks like America didn’t take the hint the first time, which is why I’m a proponent of a reboot featuring modern black horror directors, like Jordan Peele, Mati Diop, and possibly Nia DaCosta, depending on how Candyman turns out.

6. V/H/S/2

V/H/S is probably one of the most well-known horror anthologies out there, which is why it managed to earn two sequels. For the sake of this list, I’m going with the second installment, V/H/S/2. It’s a more refined and concentrated version of everything the first V/H/S did right and made all the more effective thanks to a legitimately interesting framing story about a pair of private detectives searching for a missing college student. Finding his dorm seemingly abandoned, they sit down to investigate what the kid got himself into and begin by watching the four tapes left for them. This collection has something for every horror lover out there from crazed cults to zombie outbreaks to alien abductions. There are certainly a few shorts from V/H/S and V/H/S: Viral that I really liked, but when it comes to overall quality, V/H/S/2 is more consistent than the other two.