Shudder Content Guide: June 2021 – Romero Returns
June offers new premieres on Shudder throughout the month, including new exclusives and originals, such as George A. Romero’s The Amusement Park, under the promotion “Summer of Chills” featuring 13 movie premieres in 13 weeks. 13 is a lucky number for Shudder subscribers this summer. Here at Haunted MTL also expanding our coverage for the month by including information on films leaving the service as we can confirm them. As always, Shudder Originals and Exclusives will be in bold. Dates will be regionally formatted.
Queer Horror Collection – Available June 2
Celebrate Pride with a curated collection of must-see LGBTQ+ horror, featuring films with queer themes,
characters and/or creators. Featuring the Shudder premiere of the shorts Islands and Terror, Sisters! along
with the films Der Samurai, Thirst, and Rift.
Additional titles include Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker, Night Breed, The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula: Resurrection, Mohawk, Spiral, Lyle, Scream, Queen!, Hellraiser, Tammy and the T-Rex, The Quiet Room, Stranger by the Lake, Knife + Heart, The Ranger, Lizzie, The Old Dark House, All Cheerleaders Die, Better Watch Out, Sweet, Sweet Lonely Girl, and Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama.
Leaving Shudder in June 2021
Unfortunately, Shudder will be losing the rights to some great films this month across various regions. That also means a few of The Last Drive-In episodes will go dark. However, the “just the Joe Bob” bits will hang around.
So, here is what will be vanishing from Shudder and when.
- 6.6 – BOAR (UKI), A TALE OF TWO SISTERS (US/CA), TETSUO: THE IRON MAN (US/CA — including The Last Drive-In)
- 6.7 – THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL (US — including The Last Drive-In)
- 6.11 – THE COLONY (UK)
- 6.14 – HAGAZUSSA (US/CA)
- 6.28 – BEYOND THE BLACK RAINBOW (CA)
- 6.30 – 13 GHOSTS (US), CURSE OF THE DEMON (US), DEAD SNOW (UK), THE DEVIL’S REJECTS (US), EVE’S BAYOU (US), FROM THE DARK (US), THE MIMIC (CA), STAKE LAND (US), STAKE LAND II (US), THE WICKER MAN (US), WOLF CREEK: SEASON 2 (US/CA)
- 7.1 – WHY HORROR? (US/CA/UK)
Be sure to take the time in the next couple of days to watch The House of the Devil, a personal favorite of mine. It will be missed!
Arriving on Shudder in June 2021
Just as Shudder taketh away, Shudder giveth. Here is what is coming to the service across all regions along with our highlights.
Shudder CA
Our June highlight for Canadian Shudder streamers is An Unquiet Grave, available on Shudder US, Shudder CA, Shudder UK, and Shudder ANZ. Streaming June 24th. The synopsis follows: A year after losing his wife in a car crash, Jamie convinces her sister, Ava, to return with him to the site of the accident and help him perform a strange ritual. But as the night wears on, it becomes clear that he has darker intentions. An Unquiet Grave is an exploration of grief, and the harm we cause when we don’t take responsibility for our own healing. Directed by Terence Krey. Starring Jacob A. Ware and Christine Nyland who also co-wrote the film.
- 6/1
- Burn Witch Burn
- The Neon Demon
- 6/2
- Rift
- Thirst (2019)
- 6/3
- Caveat
- Violation
- 6/4
- The Last Drive-In Ep. 308
- 6/7
- Beyond the Door III
- Night of the Living Dead
- Reunion
- 6/8
- George A. Romero’s The Amusement Park
- 6/11
- The Last Drive-In Ep. 309
- 6/14
- Evilspeak
- Monstrous
- The Retreat
- Your Vice is a Locked Room
- Wolfcop
- Another Wolfcop
- 6/15
- Housebound
- The Similars
- 6/17
- Superdeep
- 6/18
- The Last Drive-In Ep. 310
- 6/21
- Homewrecker
- House on Haunted Hill (1959)
- 6/22
- I Remember You
- 6/24
- An Unquiet Grave
- 6/28
- Coherence
- The Voice
- 6/29
- Vicious Fun
Shudder US
Our highlight for US-based Shudder streamers this month celebrates an American horror icon; We’re going with George A. Romero’s The Amusement Park, available on Shudder US, Shudder CA, Shudder UK, and Shudder ANZ on June 8th. The synopsis follows: Recently discovered and restored 46 years after its completion by the George A. Romero Foundation and produced by Suzanne Desrocher-Romero, director George A. Romero’s The Amusement Park stars Martin’s Lincoln Maazel as an elderly man who finds himself disoriented and increasingly isolated as the pains, tragedies and humiliations of aging in America are manifested through roller coasters and chaotic crowds. Commissioned by the Lutheran Society, the film is perhaps Romero’s wildest and most imaginative movie, an allegory about the nightmarish realities of growing older, and is an alluring snapshot of the filmmaker’s early artistic capacity and style and would go on to inform his ensuing filmography. The “lost” film was restored in 4k by IndieCollect in New York City.
- 6/1
- An American Werewolf in London
- Ginger Snaps 2
- Ginger Snaps 3
- Burn Witch Burn
- Eve’s Bayou
- 6/2
- Der Samurai
- Islands
- Rift
- Terror, Sisters
- Thirst (2019)
- 6/3
- Caveat
- 6/4
- The Last Drive-In Ep. 308
- 6/7
- Beyond the Door III
- Night of the Living Dead
- Reunion
- 6/8
- George A. Romero’s The Amusement Park
- 6/11
- The Last Drive-In Ep. 309
- 6/14
- Evilspeak
- Monstrous
- The Retreat
- Your Vice is a Locked Room
- 6/15
- The Conspiracy
- Housebound
- The Similars
- 6/17
- Superdeep
- 6/18
- The Last Drive-In Ep. 310
- 6/21
- The Antenna
- Homewrecker
- House on Haunted Hill (1959)
- 6/24
- An Unquiet Grave
- 6/25
- Etheria Film Night 2021
- 6/29
- Vicious Fun
Shudder UK
Shudder UK streamers have fewer options than the US and Canada but get plenty of exclusives. Our selection for those across the pond is Caveat, available on Shudder US, Shudder CA, Shudder UK, and Shudder ANZ on June 3rd. The synopsis follows: Lone drifter Isaac accepts a job to look after his landlord’s niece, Olga, for a few days in an isolated house on a remote island. It seems like easy money, but there’s a catch: he must wear a leather harness and chain that restricts his movements to certain rooms. Once Olga’s uncle Barrett leaves the two of them alone, a game of cat and mouse ensues as Olga displays increasingly erratic behavior as a trapped Isaac makes a series of horrific discoveries in the house. Directed by Damien Mc Carthy. Starring Jonathan French, Leila Sykes and Ben Caplan.
- 1/6
- Piercing
- 3/6
- Caveat
- 7/6
- The Flesh and the Blood Show
- Frightmare
- Night of the Living Dead
- 8/6
- George A. Romero’s The Amusement Park
- 10/6
- Possessor
- 14/6
- Monstrous
- The Retreat
- 17/6
- Superdeep
- 21/6
- House on Haunted Hill (unsure if this is the 1959 version like other regions)
- 22/6
- The Drone
- 24/6
- An Unquiet Grave
- 29/6
- Vicious Fun
Shudder ANZ
We now turn to Shudder ANZ, which rounds out the schedule this month with the slimmest pickings, but a fair number of exclusives and originals making their premier. Our selection for streamers down under is Superdeep, available on Shudder US, Shudder CA, Shudder UK, and Shudder ANZ. The synopsis follows: The Kola Superdeep borehole is the largest Russian secret facility. In 1984, at the depth of more than 7 miles below the surface, unexplained sounds were recorded, resembling the screams and moans of numerous people. Since these events, the object has been closed. A small research team of scientists and military personnel had gone down below the surface to find out the secret that the world’s deepest borehole was hiding. What they have found poses the greatest threat that humanity has ever faced. Now the future of the world is in their hands. Directed by Arseniy Sukhin. Starring Milena Radulovic, Sergey Ivanyuk, Nikolay Kovbas, Kirill Kovbas and Nikita Dyuvbanov.
- 3/6
- Caveat
- 8/6
- George A. Romero’s The Amusement Park
- Daughters of Darkness
- Devil’s Gate
- Night of the Living Dead
- 15/6
- Monstrous
- The Retreat
- 17/6
- Superdeep
- 22/6
- The Antenna
- House on Haunted Hill (1959)
- 26/6
- An Unquiet Grave
- 29/6
- Vicious Fun
Those the the films coming and going on Shudder this month. Have a particular favorite classic premiering in June? Any of the exclusives strike your fancy? Let us know in the comments.
They say good things come to those who wait, and boy have we been patient. It has been close to a year since our eyes have indulged a full season of ‘The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs’, in fact, the season 4 finale premiered on Shudder July 1st, 2022. Since then, we have been able to satisfy our appetites with festive holiday specials sprinkled throughout the past year. Specials such as ‘Joe Bob’s Halloween Hangout’ guest starring horror’s favorite Mistress of the Dark, Elvira (played by the legendary Cassandra Peterson) and ‘Joe Bob’s Ghoultide Get-Together’. Last month was a treat in itself, as we were able to witness Joe Bob Briggs and co-host Darcy the Mail Girl (Diana Prince) marry one lucky couple for the first time on the show with ‘Joe Bob’s Vicious Vegas Valentine‘ special.
While the current changes in staff at Shudder have left fans questioning whether we will receive a new season of the popular series, I can happily say mutant family, we need not worry. In fact, to our wonderous surprise, Joe Bob Briggs has officially announced via Twitter, season 5 of ‘The Last Drive-In‘ will be premiering April 21st, exclusively on Shudder! One thing that is noteworthy, is unlike previous seasons, it has been reported by 1428Elm that season 5 will be broken up into two parts of five double-feature blood-curdling episodes. Though we have not been provided the official release schedule for the second block of season 5, here is a sneak peek of what we can expect for the first half of the season:
April 21: Season 5 Launch Party!
April 28: Walpurgisnacht Part 2!
May 5: Cinco de Fucking Mayo!
May 12: Mama’s Day!
May 19: Dysfunctional Family Jubilee!
Unfortunately, we do not have an official list of the brand-new double feature films for the first half of season 5 but, with amusing episode titles such as these, one can only imagine what grindhouse-classics will be joining ‘The Last Drive-In’s’ already eclectic list of sloshy goodness. For those impatient mutants eagerly waiting for more hilarious Joe Bob rant-filled commentaries, or those newcomers who’ve yet to experience the magic that is ‘The Last Drive-In‘, all previous four seasons, including past holiday specials are currently available to stream now on Shudder.
If you are just as big of fans of ‘The Last Drive-In‘ as we here at HauntedMTL are, please be sure to follow us on Twitter @HauntedMTL and join us April 21st as we tweet along with Joe Bob and Darcy the Mail Girl for the season premier. As is tradition, we will be hosting live watch parties every Friday with each new episode, including fresh holiday specials. The road to season 5 is upon us…let the countdown begin!
April 21: Season 5 Launch Party!
April 28: Walpurgisnacht Part 2!
May 5: Cinco de Fucking Mayo!
May 12: Mama's Day!
May 19: Dysfunctional Family Jubilee!
. . . and that's only the beginning.#TheLastDriveIn pic.twitter.com/WfeTx0shNa— Joe Bob Briggs (@therealjoebob) March 16, 2023
Mutant family, please gather ’round as February kicks rocks and we shove our way into March. With the new month comes the shifting from winter to spring as death beautifully resurrects back to life, drunken patrons swarm our local bars like rabid locusts for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, and of course new exclusives and returning favorites on Shudder to satisfy the horror fiend in us all. To quote the prestigious Samuel L. Jackson, “hold onto your butts” and let’s dive right into Shudder’s March 2023 release schedule.
Shudder Exclusives
While it is true that the release schedule for the start of 2023 on Shudder has been minor and slightly mixed, with films such as the much talked about experimental low-budget indie ‘Skinamarink‘, the surprisingly entertaining horror comedy ‘Sorry About the Demon‘, and writer/director Neil Marshall’s return to the genre with ‘The Lair‘. We also graciously received the wildly fun ‘The Last Drive-In: Joe Bob’s Vicious Vegas Valentine” special, with season 5 currently in production and premiering later this year; though it can’t come soon enough. As we like to do here at HauntedMTL, let’s kick off March with Shudder’s newest exclusives currently streaming now and in the coming weeks.
Spoonful of Sugar – Now Streaming
Starting off this list we begin with director Mercedes Bryce Morgan and writer Leah Saint Marie’s latest film ‘Spoonful of Sugar‘, now currently streaming.
Millicent (Morgan Saylor), a disturbed college student working on her thesis about children with severe allergies, is hired to babysit little Johnny (Danilo Crovetti), a sickly, mute child who suffers from every allergy under the sun. His mother Rebecca (Kate Foster) is an accomplished author currently focused on her newest book release, while his father Jacob (Myko Olivier) spends his days in the backyard working on frivolous carpentry projects. After experiencing a bizarre sexual awakening while using LSD as an alternative treatment for Johnny, she soon uncovers the family’s dark secrets as things begin to become unhinged.
Leave – Premiering Friday 3/17
After having been abandoned as an infant at a cemetery wrapped in a cloth with satanic symbols, Hunter White (Alicia von Rittberg) grows obsessed with figuring out who her biological parents are and why they seemingly abandoned her. However, as she gets closer to the answers she so desperately seeks, a malevolent spirit is warning her to leave.
‘Leave‘ premiers exclusively on Shudder Friday 03/17 and is directed by Alex Herron and written by Thomas Moldestad, starring Alicia von Rittberg, Herman Tømmeraas, Ellen Dorrit Petersen, and Stig R. Amda
The Unheard – Premiering Friday 03/31
‘The Unheard‘ follows the story of deaf 20-year-old Chloe Grayden (Lachlan Watson) after she undergoes an experimental treatment to restore her hearing. While recovering at her family’s beach home after the successful procedure, Chloe begins to fear she is not alone as she begins to experience auditory hallucinations related to the mysterious disappearance of her mother.
‘The Unheard’ is directed by Shudder alumni Jeffrey A. Brown (The Beach House) and written by brothers/screenwriting partners Shawn Rasmussen and Michael Rasmussen (Crawl), co-starring Michele Hicks and Nick Sandow. ‘The Unheard‘ premiers exclusively on Shudder Friday 03/31.
Returning Classic and Fan Favorites
Now that we’ve removed the veil for the new exclusive titles dropping this month, I think it’s time we reveal the returning classics jump starting our transition into spring for 2023. Allow me to highlight some of my favorite films returning to Shudder for March including ‘Gretel and Hansel‘ and ‘The Company of Wolves‘; grim re-telling’s of popular children’s fairy tales. We also cannot forget John Carpenter’s haunted coastal horror ‘The Fog‘; no, not the remake…thankfully.
Gretel and Hansel – Now Streaming
Directed by Osgood Perkins, ‘Gretel and Hansel’ is a terrifyingly dark and unique vision to one of history’s most famous childhood fairy tales. After being thrown out of their mother’s home, Gretel (Sophia Lillis) leads her younger brother, Hansel (Samuel Leakey), through the woods in search of food and work. The children soon discover a quaint cottage where a fragile old woman Holda (Alice Krige) offers fresh food and bed. The children accept all Holda has to offer, with little thought as to what may be asked of them in return.
Though it has been met with mixed reviews, ‘Gretel and Hansel‘ offers astounding performances by veteran actress Alice Krige as the films iconic Witch of the woods and Sophia Lillis as lead Gretel. Director Osgood Perkins does well to draw his viewer in with a beautifully haunting score and unnerving cinematography, making this one grim re-telling worth checking out at least once. ‘Gretel and Hansel‘ is available to stream now.
The Company of Wolves – Now Streaming
Continuing our list of returning classics, we have yet another bold re-telling of a beloved children’s fairy tale, 1984’s ‘The Company of Wolves‘. While the story of ‘Little Red Riding Hood‘ has been retold through various forms of media, including numerous films, ‘The Company of Wolves‘ is a beloved horror interpretation with adult themes and memorable practical effects including one of the genres best werewolf transformations.
A wise grandmother (Angela Lansbury) tells her granddaughter Rosaleen (Sarah Patterson) a disturbing tale of innocent maidens falling in love with handsome strangers … and of their sudden mysterious disappearances when the moon is full and accompanied by the strange sound of a beast in the woods.
‘The Company of Wolves’ is co-written and directed by Neil Jordan and stars Sarah Patterson, Angela Lansbury, Micha Bergese, and David Warner, streaming now.
John Carpenter’s The Fog – Streaming 03/31
Writer, director, musician, and horror master John Carpenter is a legend in the genre having provided countless classics such as ‘The Thing‘, a terrifyingly gruesome remake of ‘The Thing from Another World‘. Or his sci-fi action/horror ‘They Live’ where he deals with societal control through corporations and government. And of course, my personal favorite, the film that jumpstarted his career and created one of horror’s most iconic slashers…’Halloween‘.
1980’s ‘The Fog‘ is a terrifying shoreside tale of vengeful spirits haunting the fictional coastal town of Antonio Bay, OR. as they begin preparations to celebrate its centenary. Following exactly 100 years after a ship mysteriously sank in the town’s waters, a thick unearthly fog harboring the souls of those who perished rolls in and with them, the dark secrets of Antonio Bay’s past.
John Carpenter’s ‘The Fog’ stars scream queen and recent Academy Award winner Jamie Lee Curtis, genre alums Adrienne Barbeau, Janet Leigh, Tom Atkins, Charles Cyphers, and Nancy Kyes, and was co-written by the late Debra Hill. ‘The Fog‘ will be available to stream on Shudder 03/31.
Full Shudder March 2023 Film Releases
For a full comprehensive list of all the titles being added to Shudder for the month of January, please refer to the graphic below. Please be on the lookout for our review of ‘The Last Drive-In: Joe Bob’s Vicious Vegas Valentine’ to drop later this week here on HauntedMTL and be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more Shudder news and spooky reviews!
3/1:
Gretel and Hansel
3/2:
Spoonful of Sugar
3/9:
The Company of Wolves
3/13:
Holidays
3/17:
Leave
3/20:
Jack be Nimble
3/27:
Ultra Pulpe
After Blue
3/31:
The Unheard
The Fog
The Blair Witch Project & Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2
Breaking News
The Last Drive-In: Joe Bob’s Vicious Vegas Valentine Special Live Watch Party February 10th!
The sweet putrid stench of love lingers through the air which can only mean one thing…Valentine’s Day and its annoying little winged cherub mascot, Cupid, is fast approaching. Soon, partners will be spoiling one another with extravagant bouquets of roses, heartfelt Hallmark cards, obnoxiously large teddy bears, glistening diamond jewelry, and heart-shaped candies or boxes filled with assorted mediocre chocolates. You know? Normal things couples do. I tend to prefer my chocolate boxes filled with bleeding hearts, à la ‘My Bloody Valentine’ but, beggars can’t be choosers, right? All jokes aside, Valentine’s Day is special for many couples, however, there are also many others who find themselves celebrating this day without a significant other. Luckily, Shudder, along with drive-in king Joe Bob Briggs and co-host Darcy the Mail Girl (Diana Prince) will graciously be keeping us lonely mutants’, and yes, all you horror fanatic couples’ company on Friday, February 10th as they return with The Last Drive-In: Joe Bob’s Vicious Vegas Valentine, premiering live at 9pm EST.
Love Spells Abound…
Back in 2021, Joe Bob and Darcy invited us to a gruesomely passionate night of spell-binding love witches and animatronic dinosaurs infused with teenage human brains during The Last Drive-In: Joe Bob Put a Spell on You. Many, including myself, were introduced to the tantalizing 70’s inspired retro throwback ‘The Love Witch’ and the graphically goofy cult classic ‘Tammy and the T-Rex’, providing the perfect viewing pleasure to mend any broken heart. While the two films for this year’s morbid love-induced special have yet to be announced, as a special treat, Briggs has announced for the first time on The Last Drive-In, he will be marrying one lucky couple during the live showing. We here at HauntedMTL are eagerly awaiting the return of the ghoulish duo so, as is tradition, we will be proudly hosting a watch party on Twitter during the broadcasting of The Last Drive-In: Joe Bob’s Vicious Vegas Valentine. Be sure to follow us on Twitter and tag us @hauntedMTL as well as @shudder, @therealjoebob, and @kinky_horror to partake in this night of unholy love.
What started off as a one-time special premiering on Shudder July 13, 2018, ‘The Last Drive- In’ was originally meant to be Brigg’s swan song; one last special before hanging up the bolo tie in retirement. However, due to so many mutants, excuse me…viewers tuning in and breaking the Shudder servers, it was only natural to announce an official full season of ‘The Last Drive-In‘, which would make its explosive debut March 19, 2019. Since then, Darcy and Briggs have spawned many exclusive holiday specials, have graciously donated to many charities within the community, and have accumulated 4 seasons of ‘The Last Drive-In’, with a fifth currently in production premiering on Shudder’s 2023 schedule sometime this year, let’s hope sooner rather than later.
