Basked in the cruelty of the human nature, blasting deep truths, whilst being equally entrenched in glimmeringly stunning imagery is Drew Hancock’s Companion.
The trending Companion follows an unconventional love story that challenges and startles as we see the likes of Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid, Lucas Gage, Rupert Friend, Megan Suri and Harvey Guillén navigate this disturbingly complex tale, presenting an original take on a dark, unnerving romance.
Companion was set to be directed by ’Barbarian’ director Zach Cregger; however, unlike the marketing for Barbarian that kept the crucial twist tightly under lock, letting the film deliver its full, intended shocking fate, Companion’s marketing essentially handed the film’s events on a silver platter in the ‘spoilerific’ trailer. This expression has somewhat tainted the buzz of Companion, yet, Hancock’s innovative approach to this dark comedy is so fine tuned that the spoilt details become long forgotten after actually watching this superb feat.
Throughout, Companion dances with the subject of toxicity, particularly the kind that appears subtle and contained at first, bubbling under the surface until it boils over and spews venom. It is this kind of thoughtful, cinematic prose that propels Hancock’s story to be more than a one-dimensional piece of malignancy in relationships. The film delivers an emboldened contraption of reality when it comes to scenes of abuse, focusing on how this can be outwardly presented as subdued, but behind closed doors, the matter is profoundly intense.
Where Companion’s distinctive flair peaks resides in the performances, particularly those from Quaid and Thatcher, who together form a wildly dark powerhouse, elevating the project as they both balance moments of vulnerability and contrasting terror with an air of raw intensity.
Beyond the stellar performances and the intriguing, dauntingly ominous experience that the film presents, Companion, weaponises it’s cinematic prowess to deliver an atmospherically striking feature. The cinematography, sound design and setting all build an immersive, harsh peak into the film’s world, making even the most seemingly mundane moments become eerie and sharp.
Companion is not a film to be missed, nor a film to be underestimated. It’s a gripping and provocative picture that stands tall as a solid entry into 2025’s already fantastic line of theatrical releases.
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Serpil Altin’s ‘Once Upon a Time in the Future: 2121’ is an ominous tale with sparks of surreal comedy that acts as a bold and honest take on both the familial regime under pressure and the horror that arises from fears of the future.
In the year 2121, planet Earth has broken down from years of climate damage, leading to a treacherous famine, ultimately leaving behind an uninhabitable, barren landscape. Those who did survive now live underground in confined concrete spaces and communities, ruled under the dictatorship of the irreverent ‘Young Administration’ whose power and authority leads to a disastrous fate for a particular family living in the ‘new world’.
Striking themes of existentialism, authoritarian reign and destruction to the family unit are all tackled throughout in a pragmatically cold and shameless way, owing credence to the film’s overt testimony to topics such as climatology and scarcity threats. Altin has been open about her intentions in conveying the thematics of the film, with the director expressing how the film tackles a global issue.
In fact, Once Upon a Time in the Future: 2121 belongs to a budding trilogy, with the other future narratives being ‘Young Revolution: 2071’ and ‘Heavenly World: 2222’. As such, 2121’ marks itself as being ambitious and certainly not afraid to delve into its storytelling-world-building-plot. For instance, the main characters are incredibly well fleshed-out, with the film fully diving deep into the relationships between the characters, allowing for the family dynamics on display to be compelling and emotional, in turn heightening the stakes to an extremely tense level.
The film’s complexity is further established by the dystopian atmosphere. By trade, the structure of a desolate world governed by a totalitarian state is a claustrophobic and brutalised place, which Once Upon a Time in the Future:2121 brilliantly recreates. The film utilises aspects of industrial architecture, consisting of cold concrete and harsh spaces, complete with a form of controlled symmetry via the lack of individual personalisation to form a grim terrain for the terror to ensue. As the characters descend deeper into the story and come to terms with what the Young Administration’s direction means to them, the film becomes darker, both through its allegorical tone and its setting, with the final act dressing itself as a somber and eccentric buffer for the series to progress.
Once Upon a Time in the Future: 2121’s intriguing world-building setting, complete with its dramatic flair and eccentricity has proven to be a success, with the film dominating the award scene. To name a few, the film has won the ‘Best Feature Award’ at both the 2023 London Sci-Fi Film Festival and the 2023 Phoenix International Horror and Sci-fi Film Festival. Further to this was the multiple wins at the Fantasporto event (2023), Female Filmmakers Festival Berlin (2023) and Miami International Science Fiction Film Festival (2024).
Once Upon a Time in the Future: 2121 is an exciting sci-fi thriller that is not only the first Turkish sci-fi film directed by a woman, but it is also the first of its kind to be released in cinemas across America.
There is a lot to be said about a film that can be daunting and rather frightening in its premise and portrayal of particular ideals, but that simultaneously peppers an odd, quirky humour that speaks to the uncomfortableness of the situation. In other words, this film manages to be disconcerting, formidable and rather wacky in its intentions, leading to a truly refreshing viewing experience that is not often happened upon.
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Unlike anything many have ever seen before, convolutedly excellent, with a slow burn-like atmosphere is precisely what makes Presence the cinematic enigma that it is. This film is not simply genre bending, it is a complete malformation of categorisation, which has left a slew of mixed reviews in its wake. However, forgoing the ruse stirred by the clever marketing and trickery, Presence is precisely the provocatively dense and thoughtfully crafted film that will beremembered for long to come.
Presence follows itself; a ghostly apparition, spirit, a higher being, as it weaves in and out of a family home witnessing the everyday. The family in question is made up of the hardworking, power-hungry matriarch Rebecca (Lucy Liu) and her comparatively gentle husband Chris (Chris Sullivan). Together they have two teenagers, Tyler (Eddy Madday), who seems to take after his mother’s harshness, and Chloe (Callina Liang), an alert young adolescent who is in the midst of heartbreak after her best friend recently died.
The film is shot entirely from the perspective of the ‘presence’, with the point of view angle goading the presence’s autonomy to belong almost entirely to the family dynamic. As such, we only see the household through the eyes of this phantom character. Whilst details are saved for spoilers sake, the mute presence can only show the audience what it is a witness to, in turn forming a puzzle-like story of what is exactly going on.
This idea of a spectre granting us a gaze into the cinematic world is a large part of Presences’ charm. The fresh and innovative take on a traditional ghost story, using this contemporary lens – both figuratively and literally – allows for a raw, authentic boost to be thrust onto the entire film. Just as the ‘presence’ itself takes in the actions of the family it watches, we too are granted this immediate, concentrated peek into the doings of the film’s subjects.
Presence’s tactical experience is made all the more rich by the applaudable performances from all. Liu excels as a powerhouse mother whose complex coldness is enacted with a sense of integrity and believability. Following this is the role of Chris, portrayed by Sullivan, whom perfectly compliments Liu’s emotive tonality. Lastly is the onscreen parent’s kin, Tyler and Chloe, which are both played with a level of maturity that should be far beyond both the young actor’s abilities, but the pair have proven that their acting chops are akin to that of actors with decades upon decades of experience.
Whilst Presence disturbs and disconcerts, particularly through the final act, the film is not overtly ‘horror-coded’, with the ghostly entity not serving its predicted, expected purpose. In a sense, the film weaponizes the presence itself as a filmmaking device to tell the story, rather than material, or even a means to simply frighten. Ghosts by nature are indeed eerie, but in Presence, the matter of the spirit is much more dimensional that what the subject typically provides.
It is this continuous toying of expectations that speaks to director Steven Soderbergh and writer, David Koepp’s, unique talents. Presence is not simple, instead, its alert to its own emotional hue, its revelations are thought-provoking and it certainly requires more than a single screening to digest the intense complexity of it all.
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Leigh Whannell is somewhat contemporary horror royalty, belonging to projects such as Saw (2004), Dead Silence (2007), Insidious (2010), Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013), Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015), Upgrade (2018), The Invisible Man (2020) and now Wolf Man (2025). Regardless of opinion, Whannell is a seasoned horror creator, but is his extensive experience enough to make the long-awaited Wolf Man a film that has a decent bite?
Wolf Man follows Blake (Christopher Abbott), a family man who along with his wife Charlotte (Julia Garner) and daughter Ginger (Matilda Firth) travel to the remote wilderness of Oregan from the bustling San Francisco after Grady (Sam Jaeger) Blake’s estranged father dies, leaving his estate to his only son. In hopes of repairing their fractious marriage, the family head to the “Beaver State”, however, en route they are attacked by an unseen creature, leaving Blake with a gushing, troubling scratch by the howling beast.
Werewolves are colloquially known as furred giants, gnarling their prey like a rabid frothing dog and unleashing havoc at the sheer warning of a full moon. Wolf Man internalises the essence of the unsightly brutes and spits out a powerful reengineering of the beloved movie creature that is tonally deep and seething with a whole new lease of emotionality. Wolf Man is just as much of a family drama as it is a creature feature, which should be conflicting and over complicated, except Whannell manages to tiptoe the two thematic halves and creates a film that gives equal credence to both components.
Firstly, the transformation element (i.e. the backbone of any good werewolf film) is unique and unexpected, but in the most pleasant of ways as we see Blake go from an unextraordinary man to a strange species. A monster whose personhood experiences a metamorphoses just as much as his appearance.
During the promotional tour, Whannell has been open about the film’s potentially controversial lyncathrophic transformation, with the director speculating that the Wolf Man’s appearance will not be traditional, opting for similar approach to David Cronenberg’s The Fly (1986), where the meanings behind the ‘changing’ will take presidency over the gore-factor. That being said, the film does still include the frequent nasty body horror that one would expect from a werewolf feature.
As such, the few sequences of gross-out visuals are met with an even more haunting feeling manifested by the strict, continuous facets of tragedy that are woven in and out of this complex horror. The film delves into Blake’s relationship with his father and Blake’s own fears and anxieties about his capabilities to be a better patriarchal figure in Ginger’s life.
Amplifying the narrative’s emotive trepidations and woes is Blake’s transformation. Throughout his change, he not only sprouts hairs and gains speed, his core capacities and senses also begin to fragment into that of lycanthropy. No longer can he clearly hear exactly as he once could, with his wife and daughter’s speech becoming strange muttering. Every portion of his sensibility is lost. He is now forever haunted and lost.
Wolf Man is entrenched in a layer of darkness that aims to move, which in a cruel twist of fate makes the film not as traditionally ‘scary’ as it could be. Not every horror film has to frighten, just as not every horror has to be a metaphorical allegory. On the basis of pure fear factor, the kind that will linger and cause the worst kind of nightmares, Wolf Man is somewhat toothless. Nevertheless, audiences should stay for the melancholic portrayal of man versus beast that aims to unravel the psyche more than it does shudder in sheer horror.
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The great David Lynch, filmmaker, musician, artist and actor, recently passed away on the 15th January, 2025, leaving behind an extensive legacy as one of cinema’s finest auteurs.
Over the years, Lynch had become a forger for all things strange, dark and fantastical, with even his surname become synonymous with surrealism within the arts. His eclectic views of the world are often shown throughout his work like a beacon, with each of his efforts, whether that be in film or various other strains of media, exuding tremendous amounts of creativity and emotion, harbouring a unique sense of absurdity and magical realism throughout every piece.
The roots of his art formed from his youth where he grew up in quite a middle class environment, the picture-perfect idea of the ‘American Dream’. However, it was during this period where he noticed that behind the veiled harmony was a darkness in everything and everybody, with Lynch often using a nature-themed metaphor to describe his analogies. Although he was surrounded by lush greens, trees with ripe fruit and sunny rays reflecting onto the scraping paths of grass, the ground underneath was still littered with biting red ants, the dropped fruit would often rot and the cruelness of life still wormed its way into the quaint territory.
This harsh and deep method of thought would follow his career, spanning countless short films, features, music videos and more.
The Shorts: Part I
Having harnessed his admiration for a career in the arts, Lynch enrolled at the ‘Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts’. It was here where the soon-to-be director would make his first short film titled ‘Six Men Getting Sick (Six Times)’ (1967). The short was just as esoteric as the name suggests, with the film showcasing six distorted figures kinetically regurgitating on screen to the sound of high-pitched visceral noises. The film screened at his art school’s annual exhibition, where he won joint first place. In attendance at the exhibit was H. Barton Wasserman, a wealthier student who offered him a sum to direct another film to be screened at Wasserman’s home. Lynch proceeded to spend half the fee on a camera in hopes of progressing from amateur to a semi-professional level of practise, however, the end result of his project was essentially a blurred mess.
Despite the initial result, Wasserman waived the project and let Lynch use the remaining money to create whatever the budding creator wished, leading to the short horror film, ‘The Alphabet’ (1968). This mixed media project used both animation and live action, following a young woman singing ‘The Alphabet’, complete with a visual rendition of what can only be described as the wretched confused messes one experiences in the most horrid of night terrors.
At the time, the now infamous ‘American Film Institute’ (AFI) was still finding its feet, offering small grants to filmmakers, in turn helping the organisation grow. As such, Lynch submitted The Alphabet, along with a script for his future short ‘The Grandmother’(1970), his longest project at the time, spanning 33 minutes of runtime. Successful in his application, Lynch began production on The Grandmother, which would follow a young child who plants a seed, eventually growing a grandmother as an escape from his parents abuse. Once again combining a mix of live action and animation, the short baffles, with even the AFI openly informing Lynch, that although brilliant, the short cannot be categorised and defines the idea of ‘form’ itself.
Prompted by his mentors at the AFI, Lynch was urged to apply to the organisation’s ‘Center for Adavnced Film Studies‘, to which Lynch would once again successfully gain a place at the prestigious conservatory. Now in L.A at the conservatory, he wrote the script for ‘Gardenback’, another short based on a painting of his, but due to continuous interference by the school over the outcome of the film, Lynch would make a defiant step and leave his scholarship behind. In a bid to save who they believed was their best student, the AFI dean pleaded with Lynch to stay, to which he agreed, but only if he could make a film that was his and his alone, no interfering or shenanigans. This project would be ‘Eraserhead’.
Eraserhead (1977)
Just as any viewer of the classic hit would expect, Lynch’s feature debut was based on a daydream that he once had. Further influenced by Franz Kafka’s daring insect novella, The Metamorphosis (1915) and Nikolai Gogol’s short piece ‘The Nose’ (1836), this daydream turned feature would become Lynch’s ‘big break’ that would forever put him on the map.
The film follows factory worker Henry (Jack Nance), whose bleak life in an industrialised barren land spirals after he discovers that his depressive girlfriend Mary (Charlotte Stewart), has given birth to a dysmorphic being. Eraserhead is torturous in its ways of unsettling, as the film refuses to comply with any form of normality, opting to defy logic at every corner. The extremely surreal landscape and turn of events is met with some of Lynch’s most disturbed imagery, particularly in the sequence where Henry decides to ‘unswaddle’ his newborn, revealing an array of visuals that can only be described as a hybrid between mashed roadkill and alien-like substances.
The torrid displays are met with a layered emotive texture that figuratively captures the anxieties of fatherhood in a time of disarray. Although difficult to confirm, it is rumoured that the film’s central thesis concerns Lynch’s own anxieties about being a young father to his daughter, Jennifer, particularly whilst residing in a squalid neighbourhood. Lynch took inspiration from his time living in downtown Philadelphia with a young family when writing Eraserhead. Lynch has often commented on that time as being genuinely scary, with the high crime and drug rates making time outside, or sometimes even in, his apartment a dangerous environment. This idea of unneasy atmospheres combined with a unique tinge of body horror/anxieties towards otherness is a premise that continued long after Eraserhead into the rest of Lynch’s career, particularly in his following feature ‘The Elephant Man’.
The Elephant Man (1980)
Before reaching mainstream success, Eraserhead soared in the underground circuit, generating masses of attention, leading to a screening at the BFI London Film Festival (1978). Having seen the trippy exploration into madness, Stuart Cornfeld, an executive associate for the legendary actor, director and writer Mel Brooks, urged Lynch to collaborate on his next project. Lynch originally put forth the idea for the unfinished film ‘Ronnie Rocket’, but after realising that the film was not financially viable, he opted to directly ‘The Elephant Man’, a film written by Chris de Vore and Eric Bergen, telling the true story of Joseph Merrick. The study of Merrick proved to be an emotional one, with the man’s story being one of utter heartache and injustice.
The Elephant Man follows Merrick, who as a child was injured and left with facial disfigurements. Twenty or so years on and in Victorian London, Merrick has been the central attraction in a circus called ‘The Elephant Man’, showcasing Merrick’s injuries as a cruel sideshow. What begins as a tale of shock becomes a heartfelt exploration into the depths of humanity, revealing Merrick’s merits that were stripped from him for so long. The film, whilst certainly being a classic tearjerker, is a marvellous experience that captures the oddity of human beings, not necessarily through Merrick, but through the actions of those around him. To no surprise, the film was an abundant success, winning the hearts of critics and viewers, even receiving a whopping eight Academy award nominations.
The Elephant Man continued the pattern that Lynch often earned himself. Upon the success of his direction, the film’s buzz caught the attention of studios who would offer him future projects. His potential next step could have been ‘Return of the Jedi’ (1983), which George Lucas urged Lynch to take. However, Lynch openly declared his lack of interest. The offers continued to role in, with one particular offer peaking his interest, an adaption of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi novel ‘Dune’ (1965).
Dune (1984)
The 1965 novel had been in developmental hell for nine years, unable to reach production. Just as the film rights were about to expire, producer Dino De Laurentiis and his business partner/daughter Raffaella De Laurentiis had decided that they finally found who would bring Dune to the big screen. Upon contact, Lynch admitted to never having even hearing of the book, but after reading the novel, he admitted his new found adoration for the sci-fi story.
The film takes place in the late future, circa 10191 in the desert planet Arrakis, where the spice ‘Melange’ is the most treasured commodity. In a bid to prevent the forces who seek to control Dune’s resources, young heir Paul Atreides (Kyle MacLachlan) leads a treacherous rebellion to save the planet. Dune is a tricky film in the sense that it is baffling, which quite famously left many viewers downright confused as to what on earth they just watched. It seemed that despite the large budget of $42 million and the credentials of Lynch, Dune would be the first commercial downfall that Lynch experienced.
Prior to filming, the script had gone through several redrafts, with the reported number of final drafts being seven. Alongside this, the producers would also excise numerous scenes and add new sequences, leading to the final product being the convoluted project that audiences complained of. As with many rocklily received films, Dune did find itself with a small but strong cult fan base who have defended the film for years, keeping it in the spotlight all this time. Despite the niche status, Lynch has expressed his continued dislike for the film himself. In interviews over the years, he has commented that he felt that Dune was a ‘studio film’, one where his signature creative touch became lost. Admitting that he saw the film as a commercial opportunity to get his further ideas financed, Lynch has said that he ‘sold out’ on his intentions, letting the studio condense the plot into whatever they saw fit.
Although Dune could be viewed as the sore spot in Lynch’s otherwise stellar filmography, the film has seen a contemporary rise in interest, mostly due to the recent revival of the Dune world in the Denis Villeneuve directed adaptions.
Blue Velvet (1986)
Frustrated by the result of Dune and feeling like his cinematic roots had become tied to the commodification of commercial filmmaking, Lynch wanted to make a story that was personal and tied to his passion of surrealist cinema. The result of this call back to his early days was Blue Velvet. Similarly strained by the financial loss of Dune, the De Laurentiis Entertainment grouped decided to go forth with Lynch once again and make a film styled to the art of cinema rather than the economy of it.
The production of Blue Velvet resembled a playground for Lynch where he was left unsupervised and was able to let his imagination soar, creating a film so entrenched in experimentalism and bold absurdity that the effects of its madness are still felt to this day. The writings on Blue Velvet are continuously evolving with the film spawning countless essays and books on the film’s stunning yet mysteriously horrific story. Much of the dialogue concerns how the film is akin to one large dream that Lynch manifested onto screen, with the thematics ranging from critiques over middle class America, the damage left behind from the ‘Oedipal’ family, and the treatment of mental illness.
At first, Blue Velvet received a mixed reception, with many reporting outrage over the film’s provocative manner of emotion, particularly in the visceral sense and how it got under the skin and triggered an unprecedented level of uncomfortability. Ironically, this is the precise statement that also made others love the maddening narrative of Blue Velvet. Regardless of what side audiences sat, the buzz about the film made Lynch and his cinematic style a household name.
Amongst all of its various readings, a sentiment that remains as important now as it was upon its initial release, is the film’s use of music. On various occasions, Blue Velvet uses diegetic music against the backdrop of particularly violent scenes, where the characters are shown almost experiencing a musical interlude in between the chaos. For example, one scene shows the sadistic Frank (Dennis Hopper), kidnapping nightclub singer Dorothy (Isabella Rossellini), and college student Jeffrey (Kyle MacLachian), taking them to Ben (Dean Stockwell), one of his criminal associates. However, before the violent hurrah ensued, Ben performs an impromptu lip-syncing rendition of ‘In Dreams’ by the great Roy Orbinson. The scene takes itself seriously, being careful to not interrupt the sporadic tension of it all by parodying the preposterousness of it all.
The general mixed reactions of either love or hatred over Blue Velvet’s theatricality was not what was important, what mattered was that Lynch’s frankly bonkers approach to cinematic life was now back!
Twin Peaks (1990-2017)
Television producer Mark Frost had met Lynch for coffee, meandering over ideas for potential projects. They discussed the premise of a body washing up on a lakeshore, comprising the very first stages of a project titled ‘Northwest Passage’, which would soon become Lynch’s arguably most famous piece, ‘Twin Peaks’.
Twin Peaks follows the investigation led by FBI agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) who is sent to Twin Peaks, a small Washington town to uncover who murdered local homecoming queen, Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee).
Although the central plot surrounds the mystery of Laura Palmer’s demise, Twin Peaks was conceived as a partial soap opera where once the lives of the Twin Peaks residents were unravelled, the story would evolve into exploring the troubles of the townsfolk, just as much as uncovering Laura’s death. It was this idea of the ominous surroundings of Twin Peaks itself that granted the series its successful pitching to ABC Network. In fact, in expressing their idea to the network, they ran the pitch with just an overt idea and an image, rather than a fully fleshed out dissection of the narrative. The almost whimsical hope placed onto a simple idea was enough to titillate the executives and aid the envision of this uncanny, niche, disturbed drama that is beyond haunting.
The pilot episode was almost a film within itself, totalling a runtime of ninety-four minutes. The rest of the series took a similar approach with each episode being on average forty-five minutes long, which proved enough time to develop a deep lore surrounding the inhabitants of Twin Peaks. The first season ran for eight episodes, which is a stark difference between the second season which ran for twenty-two episodes, followed by a full length feature that acted as a prequel ‘Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me’ (1992), and lastly a long-awaited third season that premiered in 2017 with eighteen episodes.
The legacy of Twin Peaks is just as potent now as it was thirty-five years ago, with the series part of the cultural framings for surrealist media. Although the practice is standard for most television series today, Twin Peaks was one of the first shows that presented itself as a cinematic piece akin to a feature film. Much of this is owed to Lynch, along with Frost‘s specialisation in exhibiting the inner turmoil of the characters in an outward, expressive and eccentric way. Throughout the series, Special Agent Cooper experiences surreal dreams which are displayed as part of the narrative, leading to some truly strange and unnerving sequences that can only be done with such efficacy thanks to Lynch’s talents.
Wild at Heart (1990)
Whilst working on the first season of Twin Peaks, Lynch was gifted a copy of Barry Gifford’s Wild at Heart: The Story of Sailor and Lula (1990) by Monty Montgomery, a producer who wanted Lynch involved in his adaption of the book. However, rather than Montgomery behind the camera and Lynch producing, the roles were reversed, with Lynch once again being inspired to create something dark, passioned and zealous with life.
Wild at Heart follows Sailor (Nicolas Cage) and Lula (Laura Dern), a pair of star-crossed lovers who set out on a journey of violence and lust in an attempt to escape those who fight to keep them apart. Dingy motels, a 1965 Ford Thunderbird convertible and a killer soundtrack complete with Cage singing Elvis Presley songs is what makes Wild at Heart the beloved road movie that it is. There is a feverish zest to the film that is certainly in clear ode to Lynch’s ability to create the most dimensional of characters. Whilst the audience understand the ludicrousness of the love between Sailor and Lula, there is a quality so vigorous and infectious to their sprightly nature that it is impossible not to get lost in the wild journey they find themselves on.
The maddening hour or so we spent with the pair is one of the film’s most award worthy factors, with the jurors at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival also falling for Sailor and Lula, with the film receiving the prestigious Palme d’Or. Wild at Heart marked the first collaboration between Lynch and novelist Gifford, with the pair later creating ’Lost Highway’.
Lost Highway (1997)
Lost Highway, although not originally a Gifford novel itself, the writer used the intriguing term in his book ‘Night People‘ (1992). This phrase sparked something in Lynch, a feeling strong enough for him to contact Gifford and suggest that they write a screenplay together for a film titled ‘Lost Highway’.
The film chronicles a saxophonist (Bill Pullman) who begins receiving anonymous videotapes on his porch of him and his wife (Patricia Arquette). Soon after the strange occurrences, he is convicted of murder. Whilst incarcerated he goes missing and is replaced by a younger man (Balthazar Getty).
Describing the film as anything less than totally wacky, weird and quite creepy would be a disservice to the truly outlandish plot, with the film weighing heavy on the almost psychedelic side of filmmaking. The at times unexplainable plot has been advanced many times in scholarly literature, however, in accordance to Lynch’s statements about the film’s interpretation, Lost Highway is slightly void of full explanation. Lynch has expressed the film’s connections to themes of identity, but has ultimately commented that the film is flexible, abstract, a media installation that can be consumed without analysis.
The Straight Story (1999)
Unlike any other Lynch project is The Straight Story, a tale of determination and strength in light of hardship. It is not uncommon for even strong Lynch fans to not realise that this G-rated, Walt Disney Pictures film comes from the same mind as Eraserhead. Nevertheless, The Straight Story remains a testament to Lynch’s ability to create a complex, gripping and compelling film.
Written, edited and produced by Mary Sweeney, a longtime collaborator and once wife to Lynch. The film was based on Alvin Straight’s two hundred and forty mile journey from Iowa to Wisconsin in 1994, which was completed all on a lawnmower. Whilst the film is alien-like in Lynch’s filmography, this element becomes null and void when considering the beauty of The Straight Story. Every shot is akin to a dedicated photograph, with the heartiness of the story being permeated into each scene, whether that’s due to the exceptionally written characters or the stunning visuals that exemplify the beauty of the open road. The Straight Story really is a one of a kind.
Mulholland Drive (2001)
In the same year that The Straight Story was released to overwhelmingly positive reviews, Lynch’s idea for a new drama series for ABC titled ‘Mulholland Drive’ was rejected after disputes over the runtime. However, StudioCanal saw the potential that the show’s two-and-a-half hour pilot had, investing $7 million for Lynch to turn his television idea into a feature length film.
Similarly to Lost Highway, Lynch has expressed his willingness for the film to be interpreted as whatever the viewer sees, a rare suggestion from filmmakers who are usually seriously passioned regarding the meaning of their films. Yet, in typical Lynch fashion, anything is possible.
This open-ended film follows a newbie actress (Naomi Watts), who jets to L.A., where she befriends a peculiar woman who is suffering from memory loss after a car collision. What follows is a long string of vignettes involving a director (Justin Theroux) in the height of an industry conspiracy and a nightclub where seemingly nothing is as it seems. The most memorable aspect of the film, and possibly one of the most startling frights from all of Lynch’s work is the famous ‘Winkie’s Diner’ scene, where a man tells an acquaintance an urban-legend-like tale of a recurring nightmare where a sinister figure lurks in an alley waiting to kill. The pair decide to investigate and debunk the dream by venturing out into the alley, only to find that this frightening being really does exist.
The sequence is seemingly completely out of place and random, yet this startling moment encapsulates the entire motives of Mulholland Drive – nothing is as it seems.
The Shorts: Part II
Intent on creating, Lynch decided to return to his roots and create a series of short films on his own website davidlynch.com, one of the first entries being a mini animated series titled Dumbland (2002), complete with eight episodes all animated using a computer mouse and the basic Microsoft Paint package. Dumbland has a deliberately amateurish design, with the narrative following the monotonous routines of a dim witted man going about his daily rituals.
In the same year Lynch released Rabbits, another short that premiered on his website. Rabbits is one of Lynch’s more studied short series, with the eight episode web films showcasing a group of humanoid rabbits in their home. Rabbits takes the shape of a sitcom, but with an unbelievably horrifying twist.
Inland Empire (2006)
The three-hour-long Inland Empire would be Lynch’s last feature film. The retrospectively acclaimed film follows the transformation that a Hollywood actress (Laura Dern) undergoes for a role.
Inland Empire has all of the traditonalities of a Lynch film, from the dreamlike story to a familiar cast, however, the film marks a series of firsts for the director. Rather than being filmed on Lynch’s preferred mode of film stock, Inland Empire was filmed using a handheld camcorder. The film also underwent production before the script had even been completed, let alone finalised and signed off, alongside this, the scenes were shot in chronological order. As a result, the film exercises its own motivations on the strangeness and ritualistic-like quality of filmmaking.
Much of the film explores the meta-like quality that performers go through in portraying a role, particularly the process of having to experience a fictional character, but nonetheless still having to express the character with an air of realism and authenticity. Although now nineteen-years old, Lynch’s final feature is an exemplary feat that is still as prominent today as it was years ago.
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From the same mind that conjured The Witch (2015) and The Lighthouse (2019) is the long-awaited tale of Nosferatu by the brilliant Robert Eggers.
Nosferatu, a remake of the F. W. Murnau silent German Expressionist film Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (1922), follows Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp), who in her youth pledged her devotion to the ancient vampiric creature, Nosferatu, also known as Count Orlock (Bill Skarsgård). Years pass and Ellen is now married to Thomas (Nicholas Hoult), however, soon, the deed she once made with the malevolent nobleman is rekindled; leaving indescribable anguish in its wake.
Eggers has expressed his struggle with ‘decontaminating’ the vampiric vision that lives in his mind after years of reading tales of Dracula and yonks of watching the bloodthirsty creatures on screen. Therefore, when the rights had been secured and pen had to meet paper, Eggers had to forgo the tropes and write a true, heinously evil depiction of an archaic creature that does not sparkle or tease, but kills and infests with brutal force. As such, Nosferatu oozes a profound darkness that mimics the grandiose shadow made infamous from Murnau’s classic 103 years ago. The infamous shot of the rat-like vampire’s shadow creeping up the stairs, with its clawed fingernails casting a blackened silhouette on the wall, emitting a villainous energy that has stood the test of time, is precisely what the entirety of Eggers’ Nosferatu does.
It negotiates an unspoken contract between dread and fear that rouses a foreboding, omniscient sense of wickedness, that like a spell lures the viewer in with its cinematic, engaging beauty and emotionally taunts them through a spate of daringly rich and nefarious sequences. Essentially, the film emulates a vampire, seducing its prey and punishing them for their willingness of terror.
Nosferatu would not possess all of its power without the truly applaudable performances by all. Depp as the tortured soul and Nosferatu’s fixation is simply excellent, baring her acting chops and helping contextualise her character like no one else has done before. Throughout the reign of Nosferatu media, the character of Ellen has often been seen as just an object of desire and hysteria, with nothing more of a personality other than the standard flesh and bones anyone written into a script may possess. However, the ‘new Ellen’ is emotionally complex, with an enriched agency to her motives. Her actions and desires are not easy to understand and are daunting when manifested, yet, it is this aspect of nuance, trickery and intricacy that make her the most important cog in the machine.
Depp’s haunting work is joined by the talents of Hoult, who as per usual delivers both vulnerability and rawness with a touch of passion and strength that makes him the ideal casting as Ellen’s partner. What’s more is Willem Defoe’s role as the occult-specialising scientist, Professor Von Franz, who acts as a catalyst in understanding the mysteries behind the masterfully deceitful vampire who is closing in on Ellen and everyone she holds dear.
The titular Nosferatu himself, portrayed eerily by Skarsgård is the proverbial pièce de résistance that coats the entire film with an unholy aura. Skarsgård is said to have trained with an operatic vocal coach to master Nosferatu’s dramatically deep tone and drawling cadence, the results of which manage to unnerve any time the ‘dark lord’ utters his hypnotic rhetorics. This commanding presence that Skarsgård infuses into his character is not necessarily enchanting in the traditional vampiric sense by lieu of sensuality and appeal; instead, the magnetism comes from a place of otherness, where one can’t help be drawn to something so inexplicable and inhuman.
Further playing a pivotal role in the transcendental film is the design, which with all of its candlelit chamber sticks and sconce’s remains incredibly dark. The atmosphere is bleak and dire, yet opulently grand, mainly due to its castle setting, which is every bit the epitome of gothic tonalities that the film aims to be. Nosferatu has everything a promising viewer would expect, themes of lust and violence, romanticism, displays of gothic architecture and performances that bring a welcomed oomph, and yet, the film still manages to go above and beyond every one of these positive expectations and deliver a horror that has the capacity to last as well as its source material did all those years ago.
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This upcoming atmospheric chiller comes from the mind of the great Steven Soderbergh, whose previous award-winning credits include hits such as Sex, Lies and Videotape (1989), Erin Brockovich (2000), and more recently, Unsane (2018). Presence takes place from the perspective of a ‘ghost’, as the family it watches slowly becomes convinced that their new quaint, suburban home is haunted by a mysterious presence. The execution of this unique idea was said to have caused a stir at its Sundance Film Festival premiere, with a handful of audience members unable to take the heat of this unnerving horror.
Companion (Directed by Drew Hancock)
Expected release date: 31st January
The promotional material for Companion has a similar ambience to that of Don’t Worry Darling (2022) and Fresh (2022) in that it initially presents itself as a romantic vision with a unique blend of coquette, vintage quaintness, only to unravel and reveal a treacherously dark underbelly. Although a visual treat, the trailer keeps the plot under wraps, revealing only a trickle of information, including lead characters Jack Quaid and Sophie Thatcher’s interesting interaction. As such, Companion is certainly one to watch.
Heart Eyes (Directed by Josh Ruben)
Expected release date: 7th February
2025 is the year that Valentine’s Day finally gets another major slasher release to its name. This time around, the lovey-dovey holiday is set to get dark with Heart Eyes, an R-rated gore fest! The film’s teasers have revealed the cinematic lore of “Heart Eyes”, an in-movie killer who has made Valentines a murderous occasion for a small town, stalking and killing couples. Presumably, the film is set to be a typical, yet hopefully exciting classic cat-and-mouse slasher that instigates some corny, mindless fun.
The Monkey (Directed by Osgood Perkins)
Expected release date: 21st February
Many are waiting on tenterhooks to see what Longlegs (2024) director, Osgood Perkins, is up to next, with his distinctive style making him all the rage in the horror realm. His latest feature, The Monkey is based on the Stephen King short of the same name (1980), which follows a cursed monkey toy and the havoc it wreaks. The film adaptation develops the unsettling idea by implementing a darkly comedic spin that gives credence to the wackiness of a haunted toy, whilst still injecting a gruesome flair of bloodied terror.
Sinners (Directed by Ryan Coogler)
Expected release date: 18th April
Frequent collaborators Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan join forces once again, with Sinners, which marks both of their horror debuts. Sinners follows twin brothers (Jordan), as they return to their hometown for a fresh start, only to find that a greater evil lies in wait. If the sheer premise was not enticing enough, the film’s trailer oozes an ominous charm that unveils a string of terrifying glimpses into this 1930s-set thriller.
Until Dawn (Directed by David F. Sandberg)
Expected release date: 25th April
This long-awaited adaptation of the smash hit video game Until Dawn (2015) is finally upon us, with the film set for a late April release. Despite the date closing in, information is sparse, but if the source material is anything to go by, the slasher-like plot chronicles a group of friends who retreat to a ski lodge to commemorate the anniversary of their friend’s mysterious disappearance, however, they soon discover that they are not alone.
28 Years Later (Directed by Danny Boyle)
Expected release date: 20th June
Zombies have never been scarier than in 28 Days Later (2002) and its sequel 28 Weeks Later (2007 [particularly that opening scene!]). The rapid, glazed-eyed, bloody-mouthed, frenzied creatures from the ‘28’ world are nothing short of pure nightmare fuel. However, the wretched zombies from its predecessors have nothing on the damned in the upcoming 28 Years Later. Creator, Danny Boyle returns to the directing chair, alongside writer Alex Garland, delivering what is sure to be another fantastic zombie film unlike any other. The time around, the ‘Rage Virus’ is explored nearly thirty years after the outbreak, showcasing how the world violently evolved.
M3GAN 2.0 (Directed by Gerard Johnstone)
Expected release date: 27th June
Despite M3GAN (2022) being quite negatively received in terms of its cinematic merit, the film was a financial success, essentially taking home quadruple its budget. Therefore it is to no one’s surprise that the viral dancing, animatronic doll is back in the upcoming sequel M3GAN 2.0. No plot details have been revealed, yet, it’s almost certain that the sequel will implore the depths of M3GAN’s mayhem again, causing death and destruction wherever she goes.
The Conjuring: Last Rites (Directed by Michael Chaves)
Expected release date: 5th September
With the upcoming release, The Conjuring Universe will be nine films deep, with this entry being the supposed last film of the series. Continuing with the series, Last Rites will once again show part demon-busting team, part married couple Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) Warren pull together to investigate and destroy a mysterious evil entity.
Him (Directed by Justin Tipping)
Expected release date: 19th September
Produced by Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions and directed by Justin Tipping is Him, a sports-themed horror movie starring the brilliant, Marlon Wayans. Him follows the journey of a young footballer who joins a training programme at an isolated compound run by a dynasty team’s former quarterback. The totally unique and refreshing premise is enough to make Him a definite entry on 2025’s calendar.
Saw XI (Directed by Kevin Greutert)
Expected release date: 27th September
Saw XI sees Tobin Bell reprise his role as John Kramer aka ‘The Jigsaw Killer’ who acts with a twisted moral conscious to enact the most torturous traps. The film is set to be a direct sequel to its predecessor, Saw X (2023), which was also directed by Kevin Greutart. The finite details of the story are yet to be released, but it has been confirmed that the film will tiptoe into the origins of the dealt traps that Jigsaw leaves in his reign of terror.
The Black Phone 2 (Directed by Scott Derrickson)
Expected release date: 17th October
The box office success, The Black Phone (2021) saw a young boy trapped in a basement by ‘The Grabber’ (Ethan Hawke), whilst we all watched in trepidation as he underwent the relentless pursuit for escape. The film concluded with an open end regarding The Grabber’s survival, leaving the perfect gap for a sequel to ensue and answer the many burgeoning questions that the first film’s ambivalent ending. Most of the cast are reprising their roles in the upcoming sequel, including the potty-mouthed Gwen (Madeline McGraw), her brother and previous abductee, Finney (Mason Thames), and most excitedly, The Grabber himself, played by the excellent Ethan Hawke.
Nosferatu (Directed by Robert Eggers)
Release date: 1st January
2025’s first theatrically released horror of the year, Nosferatu, is already off to a fantastic start, with positive reviews gushing over the film’s excellence spawning from every outlet. The film is a bold remake of F.W. Murnau’s classic vampire silent picture Nosferatu (1922). Although the film comes a whopping 103 years after its source material, Robert Eggers’ remake is deeply gothic, a visual feast and an affective force that brings forth horror in the richest of ways.
Final Destination: Bloodlines (Directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein)
Expected release date: 16th May
After what seems like an infinite amount of time, the long-anticipated sixth entry into the Final Destination franchise has finally obtained a release date. The Final Destination films rely on its formulaic approach of people barely escaping death, only to find themselves running from their demise in the most tense and dire of ways. Whilst the same brutally entertaining sequences of gory ends are bound to make an appearance, it is heavily rumoured that the upcoming franchise entry is anything but predictable as it deviates from its expected plot.
Fear Street: Prom Queen (Directed by Matt Palmer)
Expected release date: TBC
The Fear Street film series, which was based on R.L. Stine’s book series of the same name, made a giant splash, generating quite the buzz. The trilogy of films was released all within a three-week period, akin to that of a TV series, leaving us all waiting for the next chapter. Four years on, the Fear Street series is back, but this time supposedly only one film is being released. The latest film explores the strange disappearances of Prom Queen nominees at Shadyside High, circa 1988.
Frankenstein (Directed by Guillermo del Toro)
Expected release date: TBC
Following in the gothic footsteps of Nosferatu is Academy Award winner Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, a straight to Netflix horror telling the classic story of how a scientist fashions the dead back to life. Frankenstein is equipped with a stellar cast, including; Oscar Isaac, Jacob Eldori, Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz, Lars Mikkelsen and Ralph Ineson. Del Toro has often said that he has been desperate to adapt Frankenstein for as long as he can remember, with the director often commenting on how he specifically wishes to screen the parts of Mary Shelley’s original novel (1818) that are not commonly known.
The Ritual (Directed by David Midell)
Expected release date: 18th April
This upcoming exorcist themed feature stars Dan Stevens and Al Pacino as they portray a pair of troubled priests who tackle one hell of an exorcism on a young woman. The film is said to be based on the true story of Emma Schmidt, whose case with the church and demonic possession remains notorious due to her receiving countless ‘treatments’ from the church, from 1912 to 1928.
The Woman in the Yard (Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra)
Expected release date: 28th March
The excellently terrifying title is not the only chilling facet that makes the upcoming feature from Jaume Collet-Serra, The Woman in the Yard, absolutely unnerving, with the film’s synopsis being equally compelling. The upcoming horror follows a family whose life is flipped upside down when an uninvited woman draped in black suddenly appears on their front lawn with an ominous warning.
Drop (Directed by Christopher Landon)
Expected release date: 11th April
Drop follows a widowed mother (Meghann Fahy) who finally ventures out on a date with the charming Henry (Brandon Sklenar), only for the romantic evening to be spoiled by a series of strange, violent texts erupting on her phone. With Christopher Landon (Happy Death Day [2017] and Freaky [2020]) behind the camera, expect dynamic pacing, self-aware comedy and a touch of genre-bending charm.
Wolf Man (Directed by Leigh Whannell)
Expected release date: 17th January
Wolf Man is set to be every bit the monstrous creature feature as this long-awaited new entry into the ‘Universal Monsters reimagined‘ series is at last upon us. The film examines the lycanthropic journey of Blake (Christopher Abbot), who was struck by an unknown beast. Wolf Man toys with its remote location and portrayals of family dynamics to create a story steeped in exploring the duality of human nature and the battle between control and chaos.
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Abigail (Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett)
Abigail is part heist movie, part monstrous horror. A film of two halves. The first half plays on its own genre stereotypes and known ploys, lulling us into a sense of familiarity, before ripping the curtain back and unveiling an exhilarating ride that ceases to calm right until the credits roll. The film thrives in its fantastic performances by Melissa Barrera and Alisha Weir, who together add a depth of performativity that elevates the entire project. Abigail brings unprecedented levels of bloodied mischievous and anarchy to the screen, making Carrie’s prom meltdown (1976) or the blood elevator scene in The Shining (1980) seem like a papercut worth of gore. Abigail’s bountiful twists and turns, alongside the impressive scoring and unmissable performances, make this one of the best films of the year.
Longlegs (Directed by Os Perkins)
Longlegs epitomises fear, with the film exhibiting some of horror’s most frightening imagery to date, mainly in the form of the titular villain himself ‘Longlegs’ – a devil-worshipping man whose energy and appearance are nothing less than nightmare fuel. The enigmatic Longlegs is portrayed by the one and only Nicholas Cage, who enters into the uncanny role with a disturbed naturalness. Despite Longlegs’ strange appearance, the costumery of his garb, personhood and appearance is not entirely alien, with his expressions still resembling some form of a person. It is this precise aura of realism entwined with absurdity that makes Longlegs a film steeped in an uncanny atmosphere. Fantasticality combines with the monotonous every day to create a horror that lingers with the viewer long after watching.
Kill Your Lover (Directed by Alix Austin and Keir Siewert)
Kill Your Lover portrays deeply seeded toxicity within tainted relationships with a level of understanding and richness that is rare to come by. Exemplifying the portrayal of poisonous dynamics is the film’s stellar effects that take the form of body horror, combined with a touch of sci-fi-like venom and a hint of uncanny viscerality that is both gripping and distressing.
In a Violent Nature (Directed by Chris Nash)
Many reviews for Chris Nash’s feature debut commented upon the film’s slowness and its supposed style-over-substance approach. Perhaps the film is ambient-heavy and leisurely in its pacing, yet it is this precise unhurried, tender sense of built-up dread that makes the film the atmospheric, almost hypnotic slasher that it is. The switching of typical slasher perspectives and toning is both refreshing and satisfying, particularly when a plethora of truly gnarly kills are thrown into the mix.
Oddity (Directed by Damian McCarthy)
Damian McCarthy’s Caveat (2020) has one of horror’s most terrifying scares, which was so intense, freaky and suspenseful that it seemed the director had peaked. In no way could he top his own debut. However, not only did Oddity go above and beyond, it blew nearly every horror film out of the park with its shuddery, pulse-pounding frights that will have even the strongest of horror fans watching with the lights on (not that I am speaking from experience…). With the combination of an excellently spooky location, mysterious lore and a whodunit-like backbone, Oddity is bound to provoke one hell of a reaction.
You’ll Never Find Me (Directed by Josiah Allen and Indianna Bell)
This Australian horror brings new meaning to the word ‘tension’ as we are fed the plot bit by bit, with directors Indianna Bell and Josiah Allen opting for a painstakingly disconcerting breadcrumb approach. The entire film is one whole build-up to a disturbing conclusion, provoking an array of dreaded thoughts as we play detective in getting to the bottom of the film’s devastating conundrum. The drip-feed-esque terror is exacerbated by the film’s single location of a rural low-lit caravan, where the confined, desolate environment allows for the unnerving tension to be heightened to new extremes.
Woman of the Hour (Directed by Anna Kendrick)
Regarding the context of genre capacities, Woman of the Hour does not cast itself as a horror film, however, anyone who has bared the ‘parking lot’ scene knows that this anxiety-inducing story is a lesson in dark cinema. Actress Anna Kendrick is both in front of and behind the camera in this retelling of serial killer ‘Rodney Alcala’ (also known as ‘the dating game killer’ due to his winning appearance on a dating show). Despite the sensitive origins of the narrative, the film is not exploitative of the heinous acts of Alcala, with the film instead showing the true barbarism of his crimes. Kendrick is joined by actor Daniel Zovatto who portrays the slimy, wretched killer in all of his evil ways, which gives credence to him being a perpetrator, not an idol. Woman of the Hour is a crime adaptation done respectfully and rightfully.
Milk and Serial (Directed by Curry Barker)
Milk and Serial is independent cinema at its finest, showing the capabilities of just an idea and a camera, forging large budgets, additional crew, expensive studio equipment and top locations. The film stars Curry Barker, who also serves as the writer, director, producer, composer, cinematographer and editor. This straight-to-YouTube horror appeared on the streaming platform via Barker and co-creator Cooper Tomlinson’s channel ‘That’s a Bad Idea’, which typically posts sketch comedy skits and short films. Part of the film’s effectiveness stems from its sporadic release. The only marketing was self-promotional posts on social media platforms from the likes of Barker, yet the film, which is essentially a long YouTube video, has amassed over one million views, alongside glowing reviews from major media outlets. Milk and Serial is a film replicating the new age of filmmaking that thrives in the grassroots approach to creating cinema that stands alongside wide releases.
The Substance (Directed by Coralie Fargeat)
Body horror has never looked so good in Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance, starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley. The Substance is powerfully symbolic in its thematics, with the film reflecting on the consequences of obsession and addiction over beauty, particularly the evolution of one’s beauty over time. These dramatic, figurative elements are unveiled slowly as the film unravels, with the conclusion piecing together all of the gruesome tidbits portrayed throughout the film, leading to a ghastly, heinous ending that is shocking, unsettling and marvellously sick.
Heretic (Directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods)
Heretic stirs many questions that range from the philosophy of belief systems and religion to the strange psyche of the human condition. Yet the most prominent thought to arise from this provocative film surrounds Hugh Grant’s previous missed opportunities as a horror performer. If religious horror seems overdone, simply watch Heretic just for Grant’s unbelievably macabre role! Heretic’s cryptic narrative and uneasy atmosphere melt together to form a horror steeped in layers upon layers of mystery, chaos and hectic emotions that make it one of this year’s most interesting pieces of cinema.
All This Time (Directed by Rob Worsey)
All This Time is a unique spin on a gothic tale that thrives on a groundhog-like cyclical nature where the consequences of time enforce a sinister sense of being trapped within the most devastating and haunting of nightmares. The dreaded emotions of confinement and anxiety fuse and create a film that is a testament to independent cinema. All This Time is an enigma in every way possible, with the film being a true slow-burn right down to the bone.
Speak No Evil (Directed by James Watkins)
Christian Tafdrup’s Danish horror Speak No Evil (2022) erupted onto the horror scene like a fireball, picking up accolades and nothing but positive reviews. However, there was a collective eye roll when only a year later it was confirmed that there would be an American remake. Yet, by some strange turn of events, the remake surpassed every expectation and ended up being an excellent recreation. Speak No Evil nailed the excruciating frustration felt in the original, alongside the grand reveals and scenes of disturbed unease, all with a sense of originality that gives hope to the future of contentiously received remakes.
Strange Darling (Directed by JT Mollner)
Strange Darling is a remix of linear filmmaking in the best way possible, subbing a coherent narrative for something much more surreal, twisted and utterly absorbing in all of its complexity. Joining the feverish assembly of events is the film’s stylish aesthetics and looks that resemble the lurid, boldness of giallo horror, but with a neon spin, emphasising the daringness of the entire movie.
Cuckoo (Directed by Tilman Singer)
Hunter Schafer excels in this mind-warping horror that is akin to that of a contorted circus of outlandish disarray. The film’s overall composition resembles a kaleidoscope of terror, with the villainy of the film being so far-fetched and ridiculous that it makes the entire premise absolutely bonkers. Cuckoo is 102 minutes of pure devilish fun that will certainly hold up for many rewatches.
Late Night with the Devil (Directed by Cameron Cairnes and Colin Cairnes)
David Dastmalchian excels as late-night television host Jack Delroy, with the actor adding the necessary pizzazz and flair needed for such a forefront role. The film takes all of the best elements of occult cinema, from possessed youths through to religious cults, and dials them up to the max. Late Night with the Devil’s storytelling device is presented in the form of a lost broadcast from a fictional 1970s talk show, which makes for an immersive, gripping journey from start to finish.
Terrifier 3 (Directed by Damian Leone)
Everyone’s favourite clown returns in Damien Leone’s highly anticipated Terrifier 3, which is just as gory and stomach-churning as the rumour mill purported. The Terrifier films are brilliant because they do not know when to stop, they will just keep pushing the limit with each scene, with the third and latest entry being the most daring one yet. Complimenting the visceral experience is the equally as fleshed-out plot that continues with the lore developed in its predecessor, trickling a hint into the exciting future that Terrifier has to offer.
MadS (Directed by David Moreau)
MadS is nothing less than riveting, with the film being a single 90-minute long take with no breaks. The characters and events change and evolve, yet the camera does not take a single cut. Commenting from a technical point alone, MadS is a feat worthy of extensive praise, but director David Moreau refuses to rely solely on the sheer tactility of the one-shot approach, as the film is equally as wild through its tonality and plot points.
Red Rooms (Directed by Pascal Plante)
Quite possibly the most underrated gem of the year is Pascal Plante’s Red Rooms, a psychological horror that exposes the morality of obsession and the capacity of self-destruction to appease the curious mind. Where Red Rooms reaches its pinnacle of effectiveness is within its intelligent displays of the film’s central spectacle and how it handles a rich, broad issue surrounding the dark side of media.
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The infinitely popular and highly respected Tales from the Crypt is a cinematic treasure whose history and legacy is a potent example of how horror films can last for generations and still remain as culturally influential as ever. This quintessential British horror is based on the EC comic series of the same name, which ran for twenty-seven issues between the early 1950s all the way through to 1955. The magazine was known for its ghoulish yet beautiful artwork and darkly humorous tales that captured every monster-mania story from whodunits and vengeful killings to ghosts and cursed familial clans. The enigmatic world of comics is infamously difficult to capture on screen, and yet director Freddie Frances manages to bring the pages to life in this 1972 classic.
The filmic adaptation is structured as an anthology piece, chronicling five segments, which are all wrapped up by an overarching narrative. This larger connecting story follows a group of five strangers who happen into a dusty, haunting layer where the mysterious and magical Crypt Keeper (Ralph Richardson) tells them a story of how they will all meet their fatal end.
The first story begins with how a flashy woman, Joanne (Joan Collins) kills her husband (Martin Boddey) for his hefty life insurance payout before she comes under attack by a blood-thirsty killer dressed as none other than Mr. Claus. The second story follows married man Carl (Ian Hendry) and his secretary/mistress Susan (Angela Grant) who suffer through a disturbed case of retrospection and foreshadowing allegories just as they meet their demise. The third tale features the fate of James (Robin Phillips), an aristocrat who takes it upon himself to drive an older man, Arthur (Peter Cushing) to his death.
Little does the supposed nobleman know that Arthur dabbled in the occult. The penultimate segment closes in on businessman Ralph (Richard Greene) and his wife Enid (Barbara Murray), who undergo an awful fortune at the hands of their greed and foolishness. Last but not least is Major William’s (Nigel Patrick) ghastly end as he is struck down with a vengeful death by the impoverished members of his own care facility after they tire from the man’s cruel treatment.
These rich and dramatic narratives are the reason why Milton Subotsky fell for the series. Subotsky is better known for being one-half of the founders of the legendary British production company Amicus Productions. In their heyday, Amicus were known for their horror movies that thrived in stylish aesthetics and anthology structure, with their filmography often being compared as a previous rival and retrospectively as somewhat of a ‘compadre‘ to Hammer Studios. Subotsky’s adoration for the story was enough to convince business partner Max Rosenberg to green light production, leading to the soon-to-be hit being filmed at Britain’s own Shepperton Studios.
Tales from the Crypt captivated from the very start with the film being both a commercial victory and a success amongst the film critic scene. As it stands, Tales from the Crypt remains as one of Amicus Productions’ most profitable films. One of the factors behind the film’s immediate triumph was the narrative’s dazzlingly elaborate, multifaceted and eerie nature.
The moralistic undertones are a key element in defining the film. If it weren’t for the various cautionary tales that clearly distinguish their own lesson and principles, the film would not have the same beloved, urban legend-like quality to them. Tales from the Crypt recreates short, traditional stories that in some way or another have been passed down to us for centuries. The anecdotes surrounding greed, recklessness, selfishness, lack of empathy and so forth all establish a sense of poetic justice. In other words, the film mimics karmic retributions, adding a gravity to the plot that reinforces the ambiguous enigma surrounding the Crypt Keeper himself and his treasure-chest-like book of the evilness behind the human condition.
As it stands, the film is a horror landmark, reigning supreme at the top of many movie-goers ‘must-see’ lists. The film has been donned as a trailblazer in British cinema, with the narrative’s pivotal cynicism and coldness speaking to the nation’s brilliantly nihilistic, dark humour that really is a one of a kind. If the lasting positive reviews were not enough, the film also sparked a cinematic multiverse-esque franchise that tied in an entire television series (Tales from the Crypt [1989-1996]), a radio series (2000), a sequel – ‘The Vault of Horror’ (1973), followed by further films ‘Demon Knight’ (1995), Bordello of Blood (1996), and ‘The Ritual’ (2002).
Tales from the Crypt epitomises the sinister joy that Christmas horror brings, from the evil Santas, to the morbid deaths surrounded by a strange, macabre and obscure sense of reflectiveness. Last but not least, the film is brimming with the talents of many, particularly the bold dramaticness of Joan Collins playing a murderous housewife, followed by Peter Cushing, who excels in every manner – not that this is surprising at all! The superb aesthetics, theatrical nature and uncanny tales from the Crypt Keeper all make for an excellent, no matter how many times you may have seen this brutal, Yuletide gem.
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Bob Clark’s 1974 classic, Black Christmas is undoubtedly one of the most beloved Christmas horrors, a bonafide slasher must-see and more often than not hailed as a true genre forefather, cementing the tropes we all know and love today. To phrase it simply, Black Christmas is an exceptional feat.
The chilling urban legend, often coined as “The Babysitter” or the more plot-revealing “The Babysitter and the Man Upstairs” is a campfire essential, the kind where a torch is held under the chin, creating ghostly shadows as the terrifying story bleeds out from the speaker. Its gravity is palpable, which Clark so impactfully captures within the plot of Black Christmas, based upon this iconic tale. Black Christmas opens with a Sorority house hosting a small soiree before the night is interrupted when Jess Bradford (Olivia Hussey) answers the phone to a disturbing caller, grunting obscenities. This is not the first time the unwelcomed caller has rung, earning himself the sorority-granted nickname “The Moaner”. Distressed by ‘The Moaner’s’ continuous threatening mumblings, student Clare (Lynne Griffin), retreats upstairs to pack for the upcoming holidays, however, she is soon suffocated to death by an unseen man lurking in her wardrobe. This first domino of Clare’s murder sets off a chain reaction of pure mayhem as the killer strikes again and again.
Black Christmas’ prototype-like properties for horror cinema vary from the intimate cinematography, all the way through to the ‘final girl’ theory. Beginning with the visuals, cinematographer, Reginald Morris continuously plays with the film’s voyeuristic tones, whether that be through the recurring point of view shots, or the positioning of the camera to show the characters from the perspective of ‘the other’; think of long drawn out shots of the camera peering at the characters through a window, or static scenes of a character going about their business, with the camera lurking from behind an object, replicating a prying, hiding gaze from an antagonistic force.
It is these sinister, foreboding visuals that were replicated in the likes of ‘Deep Red’ (1975) ‘Halloween’ (1978), and ‘Friday the 13th Part II’ (1981). Peeping into the privacy of others and watching in wait are common tropes that were not ‘invented’ from Clark and Morris’ work in Black Christmas, but it was one of the kickstarter’s that forged an unforgettable flame that remains to this day the initiator of some of cinema’s most terrifying scares.
Further elements that don Black Christmas as an iconic exhibition of genre cinema are its genuinely thought-provoking and intriguing politics that extradite the horror of reality and place it against an unnerving, tinsel-decorated background. Whilst the dramatic undertones have always been present within the reception that the film received, it is noticeable that over the fifty years (!) since its release, Black Christmas has been acknowledged as quite the feminist piece.
Professor Carol Clover cemented the idea of a ‘final girl’ in her 1992 book ‘Men, Women and Chainsaws’, with her work examining this idea of the surviving female in slasher films, a character that she describes as the one “who is chased, cornered, wounded; whom we see scream, stagger, fall, rise and scream again”. She is the one who lives to tell the tale, and in the case of Jess Bradford (alongside all the other established final girls), she is the catalyst that blurs the screen and the viewer personifies a sense of contagious empowerment and enforces a sense of active agency.
Latching onto this string of agency is the film’s exploration of bodily autonomy. A subplot of the film concerns Jess’ pregnancy and her possessive boyfriend Peter’s (Keir Dullea) reaction. Whilst Peter sings the positives of the situation and how the pair should settle down and start a family, Jess expresses her anxieties over the citation, leading to a receptive conversation about autonomy that is still ignited as a topic towards the film to this day. As such, Black Christmas is infused with an autonomy-tinged undercurrent that speaks to the entirety of the narrative.
To digress, the film was released one year after the landmark event ‘Roe v. Wade’ (1973), which by a Supreme Court decision dictated abortion should be legalised across the United States, formed upon the basis of the constitutional right to privacy. Incorporating a current subject into a narrative structure, only to forgo its significance is a disservice to the weight of whatever situation is at hand.
What makes Black Christmas still significant to this day is that Jess and Peter’s subplot did not fade into the midst, the story properly took hold of the matter and saturated its gravity into the film. For instance, Jess’ internal conflict is voiced with a maturity that does not deem her ‘irresponsible’ for wanting to terminate her pregnancy, nor bound to the patriarchy for wanting to keep the child. Black Christmas allows Jess room to breathe as a character, and to be morally multifaceted. The nuanced exploration adds a certain depth to the film that aids its transcendence as a true classic.
The slasher genre is ballooned with an array of treasured films including but not limited to: ‘Scream’(1996), ‘Friday the 13th’ (1980), and ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ (1984). Alongside this is a barrage of slashers that do not hold a flame to the key players, the ones that slipped through the cracks, and for good reasons why. To create a meaningful slasher there need to be the obvious, blanket positives across all films – a soundtrack with a dramatic flair that adds buoyancy to the tension, interesting story hooks that drop intriguing twists and turns, and a form of memorability that typically manifests within the main villain, often a masked, cunning and nefarious being. Black Christmas, ticks all of these boxes whilst still maintaining a unique, savviness that allows it to be a jolt to the expected elements, even on a contemporary watch.
Unlike the famed cloak-shrouded, claw-gloved, hockey-masked monsters of slashers (with goodwill, we here at Dead Northern are massive admirers of the mentioned villains), the primary antagonist in Black Christmas, later known as ‘Billy’ (Nick Mancuso), is largely physically unidentifiable, with his motives, nature and complexities also being concealed. Billy’s anonymity is a large part of the film’s disturbing nature, with him not only naturally gaining an omnipresent aura of terror, but also an air of uncertainty as to how his reign of terror is resolved. There is no unfolding backstory over the whole course of the narrative where bread crumbs can be left for his capture, nor is there a resolute understanding of what he wants, the end goal, and what can make him stop. He is a force of chaotic and sporadic violence that can taunt anyone and everyone.
The film’s conclusion nods to Billy still being on the prowl, despite the incessant ploys, fights and will to put an end to his madness. Billy’s unrelenting pursuit is demonstrative of Black Christmas’ legacy in cinema. The film marks the top of many slasher “listicles”. Its structure catalysed the subgenre that we know and love today. Black Christmas has spawned a desirable endowment to horror, with the film even spawning two further entries with the quintessential 2000’s ‘Black Christmas’ (2006), and the not as popular ‘Black Christmas’ (2019). Fans even joined together to make a mini feature titled ‘’It’s Me, Billy: A Black Christmas Fan Film’ (2021), which was followed by the sequel ‘It’s Me, Billy Chapter 2’ (2024).
Bob Clark’s masterly composition of a Christmas-themed slasher is a seminal work that has stood the test of time for fifty years, with its impact surely lasting many more decades. The film is an emotionally complex touchstone of precisely what a festive, bloodied yule-tide bonanza should be – dark, mysterious, contemplative and a celebration of all things horror.
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