Movies
8 Great Obscure High School Horror Movies
It’s Back to School month over here at Horror Press, which is my favorite time to watch high school horror movies. Mostly to remind myself of why I’m glad to have already graduated, but also because it’s fun! If you’re in the same boat, you’ve probably already seen the big ones – Scream, Carrie, etc. – a million times. If you’re looking for some variety this year, allow me to take you on a strange journey. Presented in chronological order, here is a variety of more obscure high school horror movies that you should check out. Classes aren’t always top of mind, but they’re all set in and around high schools or boarding schools. Or at least have a heavy focus on characters who are high school students.
8 Obscure High School Horror Movies You Need to Watch
Hasta el viento tiene miedo (1968)
The Mexican horror movie Hasta el viento tiene miedo (Even the Wind is Afraid) is a superb exercise in atmosphere. The blustery vibe of the title is reflected by the score and cinematography, creating an unshakeable sense of creeping dread. Plus, it excels as a high school movie. The students who populate the movie’s haunted girls’ school are all well-shaded, making them more than just shrieking meat puppets. This helps amplify the tension of the movie’s classical fright scenes and more subdued dialogue moments alike.
Hasta el viento tiene miedo is currently streaming for free on Tubi.
Penda’s Fen (1974)
Alan Clarke’s keyed-up treatise on national and sexual identity in Britain is perhaps more melodrama than horror. But it has some truly dazzling phantasmagoric imagery as its lead, a Worcestershire teenager, grapples with his notion of himself. Plus its themes, while potentially impenetrable to American audiences, make it a surprisingly great double feature with 28 Years Later.
Strange Behavior (1981)
Have you seen the 1998 James Marsden and Katie Holmes movie Disturbing Behavior? Well, meet its daddy. Both movies admittedly owe a heavy debt to The Stepford Wives. However, Strange Behavior is the progenitor of the “these perfect students sure are creepy” story. In addition to being a compelling sci-fi horror romp, it’s got an exquisite small town vibe. The sense of place runs deep, in spite of a bit of sleight of hand. This U.K.-Australia-New Zealand co-production was set in Galesburg, Illinois, but shot in Auckland.
Strange Behavior (1981) is currently streaming for free on Plex.
Deadly Lessons (1983)
You may recoil in terror when you hear the words “TV movie slasher,” but hear me out. Deadly Lessons, which follows girls being picked off at a luxurious boarding school, is an absolute blast. Sure, the kills are anemic, but it leans into everything that makes the 1980s television movie format fun. It embraces delirious soap opera melodrama at every turn. Plus, it has a cast to beat the band. We’re talking Ally Sheedy, Bill Paxton, CHiPs’ Larry Wilcox, and Top Gun’s Rick Rossovich. We’re talking Bart Simpson herself, Nancy Cartwright. We’re talking Donna Motherflippin’ Reed, folks!
The Majorettes (1987)
This movie about a killer stalking, guess what, majorettes, is a strange bird. It starts off as a generic slasher, which isn’t a terrible thing to begin with. However, somewhere around the end of the first act, it takes off like a shot into Looney Tunes territory. I’m not exaggerating. We run headlong into stuff like gang violence and a topless woman dancing with a snake. The cherry on top is a gratuitously shirtless man running through the woods with a gun like he’s John Rambo. The Majorettes stays weird, wild, and effortlessly watchable.
The Majorettes (1987) is currently streaming for free on Tubi.
Phantom of the Mall: Eric’s Revenge (1989)
Phantom of the Mall is, as you might expect, a retelling of Phantom of the Opera set in a mall. Where could you go wrong? It’s the entire 1980s distilled into one gleaming ball of chintzy glory. Plus, this movie probably boasts the second most star-studded cast of this entire list, behind Deadly Lessons. Pre-Melrose Place Rob Estes and Kelly Rutherford! Morgan Fairchild! Ken Foree! Pauly Shore! Slasher royalty Tom Fridley (Jason Lives) and Brinke Stevens (Slumber Party Massacre)! Plus a toilet snake! Why aren’t you rushing out to see this movie right now?!
Prom Night III: The Last Kiss (1990)
Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II has already begun to rise from obscurity, taking its place in the slasher firmament. However, I daresay it’s high time for its immediate follow-up from the Prom Night franchise to join it. The Last Kiss is cheaper and more tawdry, sure, but that’s not really a demerit. It’s also one of the last fun post-Freddy supernatural slashers before that torch was absconded with by the Leprechaun franchise. The prom queen ghost Mary Lou Mahoney returns in this one, now played by Courtney Taylor. She is also now obsessed with high schooler Alex Gray (Tim Conlon), visiting outlandish kills upon anyone who threatens him. Including stabbing a teacher with ice cream cones. It’s a stupid movie, but it’s also a furnace blast of pure cartoonish joy if you’re in the right mindset.
Bad Kids of Crestview Academy (2017)
This movie, which most people haven’t seen, is actually a sequel to a different movie that most people haven’t seen. That would be 2012’s Bad Kids Go to Hell. Don’t worry, you don’t need to have seen the original, though it’s fun enough in its own right. Crestview Academy follows kids in detention who find themselves trapped in school and dying one by one. It’s maybe the least good movie on this list, on its own terms. However, its enthusiastic commitment to bad taste is quite a bit of fun. Plus, special guest stars Sean Astin and Gena Gershon light up the screen whenever they stop by.
Bad Kids of Crestview Academy (2017) is currently streaming Amazon Prime Video.
Movies
8 Horror Movies That Are Red Flags When Dating Men
‘Tis February, and because of 2025’s Heart Eyes, we now celebrate Valentine’s Day. While many outlets are going to list romantic horror movies featuring the ultimate horror couples, we’re doing something different at Horror Press. We’re highlighting horror movie red flags. That way, you don’t waste your time this Hallmark season with duds who watch crap. These movies are grounds for automatic swipes to the left and leaving messages on read. Read this list to see the ultimate film filter to help you focus on more sustainable hookups, dates, and cuffing season partners.
8 Horror Movies That Are Dating Red Flags
A Serbian Film (2010)
An old pornstar agrees to do an art film only to discover it’s a snuff film. A Serbian Film is possibly the reddest of the red flags. The pedophilia and necrophilia make it a hard watch, so anyone who revisits it often should probably raise all your alarms. We try not to judge people, but this is definitely a title that will get you some bombastic side eye if you try to bring it to movie night. Would definitely not recommend spending the night after being shown this hellish title.
Any Eli Roth Movie
They’re all the same, and that’s why Eli Roth movies are the free space on this red flag bingo board. Whether it’s taking place in a cabin, a hostel, or during Thanksgiving, there is something inherently gross about a Roth film. I need a shower whenever some guy tries to convince me Roth has made any movies of note. Only people who want to be ghosted are suggesting these movies, and you should respect their wishes this February.
Alone in the Dark (2005)
A paranormal investigator looks into mysterious events that connect to his past. There is nothing nice to say about this Uwe Boll movie. It’s actually one of the few movies where I can’t even count on the design team when searching for compliments. While Christian Slater, Tara Reid, and Stephen Dorff have the misfortune of being the faces we associate with this shit fest, I’m not even letting the colorist and craft service off for their parts in this dud. When we talk about how we all love an occasional bad movie, no one means this one. This makes Alone in the Dark a red flag and alerts you that someone might not have taste.
Fear Street: Prom Queen (2025)
A 1988 prom queen race turns deadly when a killer begins slaying the candidates. Fear Street: Prom Queen is another huge red flag because it has no redeeming qualities. People who like this movie are being contrarians and should immediately lose the right to recommend movies. From the lack of energy to the unserious kills, there is no reason to swipe right on anyone pretending this movie is good. Save yourself some time and probably more ridiculously bad watches and shut it down immediately.
I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer (2006)
When a Fourth of July Prank goes wrong, someone dies, and their friend circle finds themselves stalked by a mysterious figure. No matter what we think of any other installment/iteration of this story, this one is the worst. This is not my franchise, but this steep decline in quality is not like the others. Anyone who likes this movie is a walking red flag and possibly the most chaotic individual you have ever met.
Men (2022)
A woman heads to the English countryside to work through trauma and discovers more horrors are awaiting her. Men should have been my last straw with Alex Garland. However, I am a damn fool and suffered through Civil War, too. Which is why I can confidently say most Garland films are a red flag for me, but Men specifically underscores all of my problems with his work. If someone likes this movie, I will need them to explain it to me like I am five years old.
Skinamarink (2022)
Two kids wake up in the middle of the night and find that all of their doors and windows are gone. Skinamarink is the embodiment of “Girl, What?” The grainy footage gives many people headaches, and too much time is dedicated to the ceiling. Listening to people suggest watching it in closets, under blankets, with headphones to fully “get it” is weird and extremely unsexy. Which is why the movie and the people forcing the mood onto it are all red flags. I don’t want to kink shame but if someone is that into ceilings then maybe we’re not a good match.
Red Christmas (2016)
A family Christmas Eve gathering is interrupted by a killer seeking revenge. I cannot think of a bigger red flag than an anti-choice Christmas movie. I like my horror to be on the correct side of feminism, and this mess feels gross from a distance. That’s why this Dee Wallace title is a huge red flag and a festive horror mood killer. I know people like to talk about the great kills in this movie, but I insist on not hooking up with guys who like this one. If for no other reason, it probably tells you where they land on Roe v. Wade and we do not have time for that.
So these are some horror red flags from our team to your group chats. Now you can’t say no one warned you about the Eli Roth filmbros, or A Serbian Film fanatics.
Happy hookups and potential dating now that you know what to be on the lookout for! Never forget that it’s okay to swipe left, force close the app, and watch better horror movies than the ones listed above.
Movies
The Best Horror You Can Stream on Netflix in February
It’s still too cold to seriously consider going outside, so I am still in my couch potato era. Cozy, comfort, and Netflix are the three words people will hear me chanting under my breath this month. I also recently finished a group rewatch of Slasher: Solstice and have been looking at the other TV shows currently living on Netflix. Which is why I am looking for the warmth of my next quick binge. That’s right! I’m here with a few shows that could be taken down in one frosty February weekend. Most of them have been on my radar forever, and one of them I want to revisit because it screams lazy Stephen King Sunday. However, what I find most appealing about each of them is that I am guaranteed to lose at least a whole day if it’s a match made in hell.
Without further ado, here are the five titles I have my evil eye on this month. Check out my five Netflix picks for this February below! Happy binging to all my fellow couch potatoes!
The Best Movies to Stream on Netflix This Month
Archive 81 (2022)
An archivist finds himself reconstructing the work of a filmmaker and her investigation into a dangerous cult. I missed Archive 81, but have only heard good things about it. Which is why it’s weird it was cancelled after only one season, consisting of eight episodes. The popular show was created by Rebecca Sonnenshine and starred talent like Mamoudou Athie and Matt McGorry. So, I’m long overdue for this Netflix watch and am excited to finally see what all of the fuss is about.
Castle Rock (2018 – 2019)
A series set in the town of Castle Rock and inhabited by characters from some of Stephen King’s most infamous works. This is the only show on this streaming guide that I have already seen. However, it’s very cozy, and I want to go back in. While this divisive series wasn’t for everyone, it scratched my King itch better than most of his adaptations. Also, this cast was ridiculously stacked. Where else can you see André Holland, Melanie Lynskey, Bill Skarsgård, Jane Levy, Sissy Spacek, and Lizzy Caplan all play together? I will definitely be revisiting these twenty episodes that make up these two seasons of what the fuckery.
NOS4A2 (2019-2020)
An immortal who feeds on children is threatened by a young woman with a mysterious gift. This show has circled my list forever, and it’s high time I cross it off my list. I also need to know what Zachary Quinto and Ebon Moss-Bachrach were doing during this era of genre TV for research. I’m ready to run through these twenty episodes and report back on my findings. More importantly, I love to see a show with big “fuck them kids” energy. So, fingers crossed, he eats a few kids to keep me leaned in. I need this to be good for so many reasons.
Peaky Blinders (2013 – 2022)
A mob family in 1900s England sews razor blades in their caps and causes a ruckus. I am so ready to find out how this alleged crime drama collected so many horror fans. Is it just because it stars Cillian Murphy? Or is it very bloody and violent due to the razor blades being a key factor? Whatever the case, I’m excited to see all six seasons on Netflix. I plan to take these thirty-six episodes down like it is my job. I also cannot get over how lucky I have been to avoid all spoilers for the show, and I need to jump on it before someone ruins it for me already.
Reality Z (2020)
When a zombie apocalypse breaks out, a TV studio becomes a shelter for a small band of survivors in Rio de Janeiro. Because of the pandemic, I missed this Brazilian horror show. However, this seems like the kind of international gory zombie situation that I would like to make my new personality. I’m looking forward to seeing if these 10 episodes are one of the few reasons to keep talking to Netflix this year. Fingers crossed it is a scary good time, because we deserve some scares this February.
So, that’s where you can find me this February. Under a weighted blanket, in front of a TV, and eagerly taking advantage of the shows Netflix has collected. Let me know if any of these titles on my list will be your excuse to stay in this winter, too. Although, I am sure many of you will be revisiting your favorite Mike Flanagan Netflix Originals. Meanwhile, I am trying to get into some new (to me) stuff because the winter of our discontent is upon us. I plan to beat the winter of our discontent by being unreasonably comfortable and drowning in genre shows. I advise you to do the same because the weather outside is frightful and we have no place to go.


