Scream Factory: Where to Start?

It is becoming quite obvious that Scream Factory is growing in popularity. The official Scream Factory Facebook page has over 7,000 more likes than their parent company Shout Factory has on their official Facebook page as of 9/6/2014 . They have their own Fangoria magazine special issue talking about all of their releases. As well they have upped their output every year and have continued to find a way to release highly sought after movies. These are just a few examples of this company’s continued growth. So as Scream Factory continues to bring in a wider audience and their catalog of releases continue to expand, there is likely going to be some new fans that are wondering where to start. Being a company that focuses on cult horror and the occasional sci-fi title, there are a lot of titles people have probably never heard of or seen. I have previously written an article on the Top Scream Factory releases (Found Here) and some could potentially use that as a start. However, I feel that while those might be the best releases put out by Scream Factory so far, they are not necessarily where an individual should start if they are just getting into Scream Factory. Therefore I have made a list of titles that I believe are a good starting point for people new to Scream Factory and are interested in collecting. 

1. Psycho II

One of the stronger movies in terms of acting, story, and direction in the Scream Factory catalog is Psycho II. Picking up 22 years after the incidents in the original classic, Norman Bates is let out of the mental institution, to the dismay of those he has hurt in the past. After first appearing like a reformed Norman, weird happenings occur and bodies begin to pile up. Was Norman really reformed after all? This movie is great for people to get introduced to the Scream Factory catalog because it is just an outright good movie and has stood up very well over time, much like the original Psycho has. Also unlike a lot of other titles in the catalog, you do not have to have a preference for cult movies to enjoy Psycho II. Therefore I would say that Psycho II is the most accessible movie in the Scream Factory catalog and one of the best films in their catalog.

Purchase Here: Psycho II (Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]

If you like this movie, you will probably like: The Beast Within, The Fog, Deadly Blessing

2. Day of the Dead

With zombies being the big craze at the moment, the zombie filled classic Day of the Dead would be a perfect place to start for someone new to the Scream Factory catalog. One of the surrounding themes of the Walking Dead TV show is the idea that in a zombie landscape people have to worry about problems with other people just as much, and often more than, the zombies that surround them. This is a theme that is also found in Day of the Dead. In the case of Day of the Dead there are a group of people living in an underground military base trying to survive the zombie apocalypse. That group of people is split into three factions, the scientists who want to solve the zombie problem, the military personnel who want to do what they want to do, and the people stuck in the middle who just want to live. Eventually the groups come into conflict with each other and the zombies that surround them. As a result I think Day of the Dead would be a great entry point for newcomers to the Scream Factory catalog because it is one of the top movies in the zombie genre and it has influenced modern interpretations on a zombie world.

Purchase Here: Day Of The Dead (Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]

If you like this movie, you will probably like: Assault on Precinct 13, Evilspeak

3. The Burning

The Burning is a top notch slasher that stands above most of its contemporaries. What makes The Burning stand above so many other similar type films is that it has good acting with a lot of interesting and likable characters that are very rememberable. Most often slasher movies feature boring or poorly acted characters that you couldn't care less about so when they are killed it is no big deal. However in The Burning there is at least some interest in the characters and their survival. Also the kills, and the special effects associated with those kills, are some of the best. The movie revolves around the story of a camp caretaker named  Cropsy and the prank against him that goes wrong, leaving Cropsy severely burned. Now he has come back to the camp to enact his revenge on a new group of kids. This well made slasher film is a great introduction into the Scream Factory catalog because besides being a good movie itself, it also gives a good introduction into the slasher genre, a common genre in the Scream Factory catalog.

Purchase Here: The Burning (Collector's Edition) [BluRay/DVD Combo] [Blu-ray]

If you like this movie, you will probably like: Sleepaway Camp, Terror Train, Death Valley

4. Ginger Snaps

Another movie released by Scream Factory that is just an all around good movie. It is one of those horror movies that is trying to say something by the use of common horror elements. As a result it is a movie that is more than just a bunch of people getting killed. The story of Ginger Snaps follows two sisters as they make their way through the problems of growing into adults, as well as dealing with the complications of one of the sisters slow transformation into a werewolf creature. I think Ginger Snaps would be a great place to start when getting into Scream Factory because it is a really good movie and that while not really new, is a lot newer that some of the other films that are over 30 years old now. So it might be more appealing to viewers with a more modern preference, or someone who has less familiarity or interest in older horror movies.

Purchase Here: Ginger Snaps (Collector's Edition) [Bluray/DVD Combo] [Blu-ray]

If you like this movie, you will probably like: The Howling, Cat People

5. Witchboard

While not the best movie and having moments of cheesiness, Witchboard is capable of creating interest in both the horror going on and the dramatic relationship issues of the main characters, something not a lot of horror films can do or even try. As a result this movie seems to have a little more to it than most the average 80's horror movies. Witchboard follows two former best friends as they try to combat a malevolent spirit who has been released by the girlfriend of one of the friends through the use of a ouija board. Witchboard is a good entry point into the Scream Factory because it is a quality horror film and is a strong representation of a well made 80's horror film, of which Scream Factory has a few more of.

Purchase Here: Witchboard (BluRay/DVD Combo) [Blu-ray]

If you like this movie, you will probably like: Night of the Demons, Night of the Comet

So what do you think of the list? Was it helpful? Do you agree with the list?