The Best Horror Movies On HBO’s Max
Last Updated: December 6, 2024
Max (formerly HBOMax) is giving horror fans Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and nothing else this month. Once that title hits the streamer on December 6, genre fans who have already watched everything in their library must get creative. That is why I am smoking cigars but dressing like a classic femme fatale as I snuggle up to these old crime thrillers. That’s right, doll! If you are looking to party this December, you should look at the noir films hitting the streamer dating back to the 1930s. If you are no stranger to Turner Classic Movies, you will probably do fine figuring out which titles might strike your fancy. However, the rest of us are about to get a bit of a crash course, and I cannot be too mad at that. Shall we do the time warp together, friends?
Check out the five titles I cannot wait to watch this month.
The Roaring Twenties (dir. Raoul Walsh)
After returning home from World War I, three men struggle to reacclimate in a now Prohibitionist America. If not for Max’s adding older movies this month, I may not have known this 1939 film existed. A gangster film starring James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart definitely shot to the top of the list of things I needed to see this month. I love crime thrillers and am the first to admit my knowledge of 1930s cinema is sadly limited. So, I felt fancy adding another one from that decade to my roster. I also think it is fun to have a movie about the prohibitionist era starring two of the biggest names of their era on the app. The Roaring Twenties was my first order of business once I finished admiring my gams in the mirror and calling myself a dame.
They Drive by Night (dir. Raoul Walsh)
Two brothers join a transport company after one of them loses an arm. However, one of the siblings gets framed as an accessory in the murder of the new company’s owner. How awkward! This 1940 film sounded spicy, and I wanted to know more. It was cool that two movies on my hitlist this month are Raoul Walsh and Humphrey Bogart collaborations. It is also nice to see some Bogart films, which are usually not mentioned in mainstream pop culture roundups. Again, as someone who enjoys noir influences in film and comics, I find this Max lineup fascinating. It is almost as if the streamer is challenging me to become a better aspiring cinephile. I wonder what other names will repeat as I dig into more of these classics this December. While I questioned the choice of not adding more horror this month, I am getting kind of excited about this journey.
The Threat (dir. Felix E. Feist)
A criminal escapes from Folsom State Prison and carries out his threats to the D.A. and the detective who put him behind bars. You must admit that you want to see what this criminal could get away with onscreen in the 1940s. What passed as menacing back then is always fun to see through a modern lens. This 1949 tale of revenge sounds similar to many movies we now know drew inspiration from. So, it is pretty cool that Max is letting us see the film, which is in the DNA of many thrillers we grew up watching on basic cable. Because this title was on Arrow Player a few times, it already has a genre stamp of approval, as far as I am concerned. I think you should be good little gumshoes and see if this is the sneaky favorite in this December lineup.
The Two Mrs. Carrolls (dir. Peter Godfrey)
A woman begins forming a relationship with an artist but becomes alarmed as she discovers more about his past. Humphrey Bogart is making another appearance on this list, and this time is bringing Barbara Stanwyck along for the ride. This 1947 thriller about a woman finding out a man is lying to her could easily fit into any decade. After all, that is usually the thesis of most movies in this subgenre. Excuse me while I look directly at What Lies Beneath because I recently revisited it. So, I was here to see how it takes a pretty standard plot and twists it into something unique.
You Can’t Get Away with Murder (dir. Lewis Seiler)
A youth under the influence of a petty cook gets tangled up in robbery and murder. 1939 was a wild time for cinema, and I am glad it was. This Hell’s Kitchen set film has it all. A mobster, heist, a prison break, and so much more. When I started this streaming guide, I knew this was Humphrey Bogart’s era. However, I did not expect to spend all month watching him on screen. I guess 2024 owed us at least one win. We can argue all day about why this is, or is not, one of Bogart’s best movies. However, we must admit the chaos should be viewed (and celebrated) while available on Max. That is what is truly important in times like these.
Everything coming to Max in December
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Creature Commandos, Season 1 (Max Original)
Death Race (2008)
The Goonies (1985)
The Head, Season 3 (Max Original)
How I Live Now (2013)
Invisible Stripes (1939)
Jupiter Ascending (2015)
Key Largo (1948)
Kid Galahad (1937)
King of the Underworld (1939)
Lightning Strikes Twice (1951)
The Maltese Falcon (1941)
Marked Woman (1937)
The Return of Doctor X (1939)
The Roaring Twenties (1939)
San Quentin (1937)
The Secret Fury (1950)
They Drive by Night (1940)
The Threat (1949)
Tomorrow is Another Day (1951)
The Two Mrs. Carrolls (1947)
White Bird in a Blizzard (2014)
White God (2015)
The Woman on Pier 13 (1950)
You Can’t Get Away with Murder (1939)
Are you also excited about these vintage titles hitting Max this month? Or do you think this December is for the birds, sweetheart? We can talk about it at @misssharai when I finish pretending to be an old-timey detective.
Categorized:Streaming Guides
