Horror anthology films have existed since the era of silent movies, offering a collection of at least three short horror films, each with a unique premise and a different cast. While some horror movies run out of steam as they stretch their story to 90 minutes, anthology shorts have the benefit of wrapping things up in a taut 20-30 minutes.
The concept owes much to short story books. Stephen King, in particular, has published many short story collections that have been adapted within anthology films. He even provided the screenplay for the horror anthology Creepshow. With the rise of TV shows such as Black Mirror, anthologies have found a new home on streaming services and more horror films are being produced in the genre than ever before. Below are ten of the highest-rated by critics.
‘ABCs of Death 2’ (2014) RT Score: 73%
Based on the concept that each entry must relate to a letter of the alphabet, ABCs of Death 2features 26 short horror films directed by 26 different filmmakers. There is no wraparound story, so audiences can expect to experience tonal whiplash as the films leap between grotesque, laugh-out-loud funny, and disturbing.
As well as featuring famous horror names such as Larry Fessenden, Jen and Sylvia Soska, and Vincenzo Natali, the anthology also invited amateur filmmakers to submit their films for the letter M with the winner appearing in the film. While some shorts are weaker than others, the overall package makes for a more consistent and enjoyable watch when compared to its predecessor.
‘Southbound’ (2015) RT Score: 81%
Produced by Brad Miska of Bloody Disgusting fame, Southbound is an underrated horror anthology that tells five tales all centered around the same stretch of highway in the US. There is a prevailing theory that the characters are stuck in purgatory, as they face scenarios that include evil spirits, shady old people, and masked intruders.
Having the stories directly lead into each other, rather than having a wraparound segment, allows the film to avoid the massive tonal shifts that some anthologies suffer from. Southbound features segments by filmmakers who have become some of the brightest names in horror going forward, such as Radio Silence (the latest Scream) and David Bruckner (the upcoming Hellraiser reboot). Southbound is available to stream on Hulu and Tubi.
