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It’s that time of year – everybody wants the same ten movies, they’re all checked out, your horror movie collection has been gutted worse than the characters in the movies…and the requests just won’t stop coming.

We of course have a variety of tools at our disposal to handle situations like this, but I wanted to give you another one: Tubi.com. Tubi is a totally free and legal streaming service – just make an account and get started.

Now, the trick to Tubi is that you’re not going to find the newest Marvel movie on there. Often, Tubi picks up movies by independent filmmakers, or older movies whose rights are less exclusive/tricky to navigate. I wouldn’t send a patron to Tubi if they’re looking for a very specific title, but the fun here is in browsing and seeing what’s available – especially for horror fans. Tubi is chockful of low budget independent horror, things you won’t really find anywhere else. It’s a great way to discover new voices and approaches to the genre, for people who maybe are a little bit over your usual jumpscare and generous stabbings, or just want to put on something spooky in the background with friends.

(My recommendations to get people started out? Try Sleepaway Camp if they like slashers, and Night of the Creeps for aliens, zombies, and pure camp)

Some other non-horror films you can find on Tubi:

12 Angry Men

The Shawshank Redemption

To Kill a Mockingbird

The Mask (okay, non-horror but it’ll still haunt your dreams)

I hope your patrons find something new and fresh this spooky season!

-Jaime, Penn Hills Library