Eli Roth’s History of Horror season 2: When does it start? What scary films will it explore? How to watch AMC’s documentary series

Eli Roth’s History of Horror, the gripping documentary series about landmark scary movies and cult classics, returns in November for season 2 on AMC.

Halloween may be over, but horror fans can keep the spooky season going with this deep dive into the catacombs of creepiness.

The series explores the dark power and wicked fun of scary movies, the craft that went into making them, and the ways that horror films reflect the anxieties of their times.

The story is told by director and producer Eli Roth and a celebrated cast of writers, directors, actors, cinematographers, composers, and special effects artists who bring our nightmares to life. 

Season 2 includes a glittering cast of interviewees including horror movie legends and stars, Stephen King, Quentin Tarantino, Jordan Peele, Ari Aster, Bill Hader, Nancy Allen, Megan Fox, Greg Nicotero, Rob Zombie, James Brolin and Edgar Wright.

How to watch Eli Roth’s History of Horror

Season 2 premieres on AMC on Tuesday, November 10 at 9pm.

The first episode, Houses of Hell, explores the role of the home in horror.  Home is where the heart is, unless you live in a house of hell. Whether they’re filled with spectres or psychos, every house of hell pokes at our illusions of comfort and safety.

Watch AMC on BT TV channel 332/381 HD. Catch up on episodes on the BT Player and BT TV App.

AMC is exclusive to BT TV.

It is the home of TV series including Fear the Walking Dead, The Terror and Dispatches from Elsewhere.

Eli Roth – My Life in (Horror) Films

What's the first horror film you remember watching?

It’s funny, but I think the first film that scared me was Pinocchio, which was my favorite film when I was three years old.  The kids turning into donkeys terrified me, as well as being eaten by the whale. It was by far my favourite of all Disney films, it was beautiful and dark and scary. 

I of course forgot this and then remembered that Alien, Halloween, Dawn of the Dead, The Evil Dead, The Thing were the films that inspired me, until a critic pointed out that Hostel has the exact same themes as Pinocchio. 

The kids going to Amsterdam, it’s Pleasure Island.  The torture factory, it’s the belly of the whale.  I guess we can’t escape our obsessions.

Which five classic horror films should all young filmmakers and film fans watch?

Horror is one of those genres that really matters how old you were and where you were when you saw it. If you saw The Exorcist in the theater when you were a teenager, it will terrify you.  If you saw it on TV with the lights on in the afternoon with a bunch of friends over, it’s not going to scare you. 

Also - the haunted house is never as scary the second time through.  What makes it scary is the unknown and unexpected.  So there are certain films that you can watch that even if they don’t scare you there are amazing things about them.

I would say The Evil Dead, The Thing, Dawn of the Dead, Reanimator and Audition.

What horror film would you recommend for people who claim they don’t like horror movies?

I think people need to be eased into it. That’s why I made House with a Clock in Its Walls, a film that gives kids the joy and fun of being scared but isn’t going to traumatize them. 

I think Sleepaway Camp is a great one.  The ending is amazing.  So even if you don’t like scary movies you can have fun with that one.  If that’s too much start with Gremlins or Beetlejuice.

Which interviewee were you most excited to hear from in the second series of History of Horror?

There are so many I’m excited about, and trust me - if someone is not on the series we tried to get them. But I finally got to sit down with Ari Aster and talk about Hereditary and Midsommar.

And Megan Fox talking about Jennifer’s Body and what that whole experience was like being the most famous and scrutinized girl in the world - in a world before social media - that was fascinating. I’ve never met her, she was amazing, and it’s nice to see Jennifer’s Body being appreciated the way it is 10 years later.

It’s an incredible performance and a great film on so many levels that was really dismissed and trashed at the time of release.

Watch Eli Roth’s History of Horror season 2 on AMC, the BT Player and BT TV App from Tuesday, November 10 at 9pm.