Say the words “animal horror movie” to most horror fans and they’ll probably just roll their eyes. There’s a good reason for that. A lot of horror films featuring animals—especially older movies—can be more laughable than scary. Are there any genuinely scary animal horror movies out there…and not just the ones that kept you awake at night when you were a little kid? Here are some animal horror movies that you may not have heard of, which horror experts recommend checking out:
Of Unknown Origin (1983)
Peter Weller plays a guy who buys an old New York brownstone. Alone in the house while his family is away, he becomes obsessed with killing one strange rat that lives in his basement…pretty much destroying his house and his sanity in the process.
Long Weekend (1978)
An Australian couple and their dog go on a camping trip and commit all kinds of obnoxious acts against animals and nature. The animals have had enough and begin taking their revenge on these annoying humans.
Deep Blue Sea (1999)
No, it’s not Jaws, but the sharks in this movie have had their brains enhanced by scientists at an isolated research lab. The smart sharks decide to band together and kill the humans who messed with Mother Nature.
Willard (1971)
Check out the original Willard before you watch the remake with Crispin Glover. An awkward young man saves rats destined for the exterminator and they become his pets. They’re led by one very smart rat named Ben, who may or may not be his friend.
Monkey Shines (1988)
Directed by George A. Romero, this film has a frightening premise. A quadriplegic man gets a cute little service monkey named Ella who’s supposed to be his helper. But Ella was the subject of some brain experiments and begins to understand and act out the man’s darkest thoughts and fantasies.
Black Water (2007)
Another Australian film (based on a true story), Black Water follows a group of people who decide to tour a remote swamp and are attacked by a huge crocodile that capsizes their boat, leaving them stranded in the middle of nowhere with a very hungry crocodile.
Images via IMDb
