Mike Flanagan Praises this Free-to-Stream Hidden Horror Gem as “Creepy, subtle, tragic”
Seeing as he’s effectively batting a thousand with his own output, it should come as no surprise that Hush director Mike Flanagan has impeccable taste in genre cinema. In order to make great movies, you must first know what makes a movie great.
During Covid lockdown, Flanagan compiled a binge guide for housebound horror fans via Rotten Tomatoes. His list features a number of great horror films, several of which we have previously featured here. One of the gems Flanagan recommended via that comprehensive list is They Look Like People.
An excerpt from Flanagan’s commentary on the picture reads: “ [Perry] Blackshear doesn’t just do a lot with a little here — he conjures things out of thin f–king air. This creepy, subtle, tragic, and ultimately uplifting tale of insanity and friendship is one of my all-time favorites and an inspiration to anyone who wants to make a movie. You can if you have the heart! This film proves that’s all you really need.”
Flanagan has long been a champion of indie filmmakers and their output. It’s a pleasure to see him pay it forward, seeing as he, himself, first came onto our radar with his scrappy indie horror effort Absentia. He’s made quite the name for himself in the years since.
Where is this Mike Flanagan-approved horror thriller available to stream?
I’m glad you asked. They Look Like People is currently available to watch for free (with ads) on Tubi. You can also find it on several other ad-supported VOD platforms.
As Flanagan alludes to in his recommendation, Perry Blackshear wore multiple hats while making They Look Like People. He worked as the writer, director, cinematographer, editor, and producer of the project. That’s a testament to one man’s ingenuity and will to get a movie made. Bravo.
Blackshear is still active in the genre space more than 10 years after the release of They Look Like People. He recently co-wrote the screenplay for Gigi Saul Guerrero’s Bingo Hell.
The setup for They Look Like People is this:
Suspecting that people around him are turning into evil creatures, a troubled man questions whether to protect his only friend from an impending war, or from himself.
That is all we’ve got for you at present. Make sure to stay tuned to Dread Central in the near future for more enticing recommendations from your favorite creators in the genre space. If you’re keen to keep up with my comings and goings on social media, you can find me on Threads @FunWithHorror.
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