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Original vs. Remake: My Bloody Valentine

“Roses are red, violets are blue, one is dead, and so are you…” 

Heart-shaped chocolates, fuzzy teddy bears, and crimson roses all encapsulate that over-bearing gushy feeling that sets hearts racing across the world all in ode to Valentine’s Day. Whilst I can’t say that I’m not a fan of hopelessly romantic films such as The Notebook (2004), there really is something special about Valentines-set horror’s that ooze bloody appeal. Without a doubt, one of the most reputable Valentine’s thrillers has to be My Bloody Valentine (1981), and as with any rocking slasher, this movie has been remade, leaving just one question- which one is better? 

Let’s find out in the latest edition of Dead Northern’s Original vs. Remake…

The scene is 1981, within the last few years rising classics have dominated the horror market, including Halloween (1978) and Friday the 13th (1980). The genre is very much alive, gaining interest amongst younger viewers rapidly. During this time we’ve had decent Christmas horror’s (Black Christmas [1974]) and of course a plethora of summer flicks, including Tourist Trap (1979). It became clear that seasonal horror was indefinitely a growing trend, leading to studios to pick up newbie-director George Mihalka to create the future classic that is My Bloody Valentine. 

Amongst the cheery atmosphere of Valentine Bluffs, a Canadian mining town, a dark history is fostered. Twenty years previous two supervisors in the mines abandoned the rest of the miners to attend the annual Valentine’s Day dance. In their haste they forgot to check the methane gas levels, resulting in a tragic explosion where the only survivor, Harry Warden, was left to rot, falling back on cannibalism to survive. The year after the incident Warden went on to hunt down the two supervisors, gutting out their hearts and placing them in Valentine’s gift boxes warning the town to never hold another Valentine’s dance ever again or else. Considering decades have passed many of the townspeople have buried his threat and decide to hold another dance, but whilst the residents are hanging up paper mache hearts and red balloons, the mayor and the police chief receive that same old heart shaped box containing a bloody human heart. 

Launching My Bloody Valentine’s celebrated reputation is the full bodied plot basis that refuses to succumb to customary genre archetypes. Screenplay writer John Beaird and writer Stephen Miller established a story rooted in the mythos of tall-tales and the recklessness of jovial youths. The film is far from being a formulaic story, there is no summer camp monster, nor are the characters ridden with stupidity, making all the wrong turns at a risky time. The killer’s ethos may still be entrenched with a revenge based quality, yet the apt pacing and added love triangle element fuse together to concoct a balanced parable. 

Further forgoing simplicity in favour of rich storytelling is the established production values that unfortunately are rather rare in 1980s slashers. The town of Valentine’s Bluff couldn’t get any more theatrical and audacious if it tried. Theming the town to be like the inside of a soppy Valentine’s card works wonders for the subject matter, it’s even somewhat gutsy. As overused as ‘juxtaposition’ is within horror analysis, in the case of My Bloody Valentine it’s entirely fitting. Seasonal horror universally benefits due to its own eccentric use of timely gimmicks. Without jack-o-lanterns and trick or treaters, many horrors set on All Hallows Eve wouldn’t have that same sentimental texture that drawers viewers in; just as My Bloody Valentine wields cupid tokens and sugar-coated characters to sweep the audience of their feet. The overt heart decorations and cozy atmosphere force an endearing streak of emotiveness, meaning that when someone meets their demise a grievous blow is delivered straight to the viewer. 

It’s not just Warden that slashes the town to shreds, the vicious censorship that the film suffered also rips away at Mihalka’s work. When the film hit censors, the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) was less than bemused over the gratuitous brutality. A total of nine minutes were cut and it wasn’t until 2009 when Lionsgate released the film that only an extra three out of those nine were restored. My Bloody Valentine is pretty gruesome with the kills being unmatched amongst many films at the time, but the graphicness that was removed from the film could have made Warden more of a threatening force to be feared, lining him up with genre greats. 

Well, this is where the remake drastically differs. A feast of gratuitous nudity, explicit kills, and powerful stylisation all are put under the spotlight in Patrick Lussier’s 2009 retelling of a small town killer.

Tom Hanniger (Jensen Ackles), son of the Hanniger Mine’s owner accidentally causes an explosion, caving in multiple miners, except for Harry Warden who whilst waiting to be discovered killed his fellow workers to conserve oxygen. One year later Warden awakens from his coma, murdering anyone he can at the hospital. Whilst Warden is preoccupied, Tom and his girlfriend Sarah (Jaime King), and their friends Axel Palmer (Kerr Smith) and Irene (Betsy Rue) attend a party in the mines as if a tragedy never occurred, but it’s not long until Warden makes his way to the mine vowing revenge. Sarah, Axel, and Irene escape but Tom is left to battle it out. Luckily for Tom, Sheriff Burke (Tom Atkins) shoots Warden before he can kill again. 

Ten years have passed since the incident, and all seems forgotten; that is until Tom returns to the town of Harmony where he intends to sell the mines. Unfortunately, losing the tunnels is not the town’s only demise as it seems that a pickaxe wielding killer is on the loose yet again. 

Having a 3D film basically does the marketing itself. Audiences crave immersion, the feeling of being one with the screen, the ability to be fully engrossed within the beauty of cinema. 3D cinema is exciting, especially when you add gory hits and blood spurts into the mix, then you’re in for a real treat, and the results really do show. Within the opening weekend alone over $24 million was grossed. Across the years the film has both raked in over $100 million at the box office and has received a cult status amongst horror fans. 

The film is certainly not perfect, but the acclaim is truly deserved. 

Kicking off the positives is the ruthless homage to crazy 1980s horror that doesn’t hold back on anything, almost like a rendition to B-movie aesthetics without the cynicism. There’s more than enough gore, crude language, and bare flesh to go round for everyone, with the film’s most redeeming quality rooted within the immodest finish that Lussier brazenly brings to the screen. With this being said, the violence was not overtly slapstick and gross, it was instead genuinely horrifying, it made Harry Warden a more iconic figure to be feared. The kills within the original were terrific, but his nature of being this damaged soul forced into revenge is slightly shallow within the execution. Although this is not necessarily Mihalka’s fault, alternatively the blame falls on those pesky censors. Rather than play tennis over which film is more graphic (bear in mind that the time the remake was made the threshold for violence was much higher) it’s vital to focus on how the remake’s gritty aesthetic is thoroughly entertaining and beyond rewatchable, which is aided by the film’s R-rating typicalities. 

The remorseless brutality meant that not a single soul felt safe. Similarly, the way the slate was wiped clean after the exposition based opening meant that throughout the rest of the film every person was a suspect. Whilst Valentine Bluffs is cheery and wholesome, brimming with bubbly charisma, the remake’s town named ‘Harmony’ sweeps away the original’s dreamy atmosphere in favour of bestowing aloof locals who seem stuck in the dead-end town, and that’s just the background folk. The main characters are far from innocent, having affairs and backstabbing one another. To make matters even more complex, the whole whodunnit aspect is dialed up to 100 as the cryptic killer seems to not have a directly clear motive. 

Speaking of the town’s unruly natives, the intertwining character dynamics coupled with the stellar performances propel the film into unfamiliar territory for mainstream slashers. I am a major raver for slashers, the good, the bad, and the ugly all reign supremely in my books, but that’s not to say that over the years the poor acting within a few select films tarnishes the overall effect. Within My Bloody Valentine the performances from Ackles, King, and Atkins definitely make the film a standout feature that begs to not be swept under the remake rug. 

The entire premise of an unknown assailant cutting their way through a small town is the primary likening between both the original and remake. The plots are not separate. Lussier adapts the remake to be more of a companion piece, allowing for a sense of freedom. One of the most noticeable differences actually lies within the set design. Whilst Valentine Bluffs drenched itself in lovey-dovey iconography, in the town of Harmony the killings just so happen to take place around Valentine’s day, rather than the events being a direct correlation to the festivities. In fact, if you took away the odd notion towards the holiday the film could take place at any other point in the year. Although this aspect allows for a lot of flexibility regarding the viewer, for me it took away a certain level of charm that Mihalka honed in on. 

To align both films together is a losing battle as they are entirely individualistic- a quality that is so precious to a successful remake. And whilst the kills in the remake are righteously barbaric, it is vital to remember those epic scenes found in the 1981 version, including the one and only laundromat kill, who doesn’t want to see a charred body lifelessly spinning in a bloody tumble dryer? 

In other words, comparing two slashers that were made decades apart is trivial. Audiences have matured, many fans have seen it all, becoming desensitized to good old-fashioned carnage. The callousness that Lussier exhibits is only natural for a modern-day slasher, but then at the same time the original still holds up with every single watch, never becoming diluted or worn. 

When it comes to this battle of ‘Originals vs. Remakes’ it’s certainly a tie. 

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Oujia boards, planchette’s and the dead: Top seance horror movies

1- Witchboard (Directed by Kevin Tenney, 1986)

At a party a group of friends use an Oujia board in the hopes of harmless fun, but the connection between the afterlife and reality becomes blurred when an evil spirit unleashes a world of chaos. 

Witchboard was notably shunned by many audience goers and critics after its 1986 release, leaving a sour reputation in its wake. Many years after, as with most 1980s cinema, the film received a cult status, with devotees rewarding the over-the-top storyline alongside the flamboyant characters. Witchboard dares to stand out from the rest of seance-based films, partly due to the lack of sterness regarding contacting the dead, but also in how it tiptoes the fine line between being a horror comedy without becoming a mocking parody. 

Movies that delve into supernatural territory, particularly those who use an Ouija board as the tool to talk to spirits, don’t gel well with touches of comedy. Yet, director Kevin Tenney has this unique ability to fuse outrageous plot points with sizable spooky visuals. Speaking of Tenney, it can be said that the brazenly wild dynamics of Witchboard created a stylistic backbone for his future work, especially Night of the Demons (1988), everyone’s favourite Halloween popcorn movie.  

2- The Haunting in Connecticut (Directed by Peter Cornwell, 2009)

In hopes of relieving the journey travelling to and from hospital for their son Matt’s (Kyle Gallner) cancer treatments, the Campbell’s move into a nearby rental where the family begin to experience terrifying hauntings and violent outbursts from the ghosts occupying the house. 

Before everyone knew The Conjuring’s (2013) Ed and Lorraine Warren’s names, there was The Haunting in Connecticut, which is based on a “supposed” true story (the word supposed being used operatively) that the Warren’s investigated in the 1980s. From the outset, the film’s reliance on tropes that horror habitually uses is noticeable, the whole idea of a family moving to a haunted house is not unfamiliar, nor is the notion of the apparition affecting the young in the house, but the execution of such familiarities pushes the film into refreshing depths that creep up slowly on the viewer.

Through a magnifying glass, deeper themes such as the fragility of morality is abundantly clear, mostly owing to Matt’s condition, but also in relation to the house’s history that is unearthed from a terrifying on-screen seance. The seance scene reveals that the previous occupant had some truly sinister intentions up his sleeves. What allows all of these dense threads to disperse is the ultra ominous vibe that is composed by the classic supernatural elements, that no matter how many times they’ve been done can still be a good’un. 

3- Host (Directed by Rob Savage, 2020) 

A group of six friends host an online seance to relieve some boredom, little do they know that they accidentally lured in a deadly demonic presence. 

Though 2020 was a quieter year for cinema, independent filmmaker Rob Savage took the entire world by storm with his spine tingling feature debut, Host. Co written by Gemma Hurley, Jed Shepherd, and Savage is this regenerative effort in injecting an adrenaline boost into found footage and the rising trend of desktop horror. The premise was sparked from a viral prank that Savage pulled on his friends during a zoom meet-up, in which he claimed that strange occurrences were happening in his attic, leading him to ‘inspect’ the site and find a demon. Of course, the unknowing zoom attendees freaked out, and screamed in terror over the charade. With all the viral attention studios quickly became interested in this entirely unique and timely story, leading to the streaming giant Shudder picking up one of the 21st century’s most raved about films.

What’s so special about Host is the personable impression that it holds. The cast and crew were already acquainted, infusing the film with a creepy level of realness. Those brave enough to watch Host actually feel like they’re in the call, taking part in the terrifying action. Across the entire film the seance plays out rather realistically in terms of character reactions. There are those who take the medium seriously, appreciating the threat that the dead can hold, and then there are the others who can’t make it more than two minutes without laughing. Belief isn’t necessary to feel a part of something ‘higher’, and Host uses this sceptical notion to guide and control what the viewer feels. Yes, we may laugh along at the beginning over the *very* precise jargon used within this seance, but by the end it is impossible not to feel provoked by the mysterious art of spiritual channeling. 

4- The Changeling (Directed by Peter Medak, 1980)

After a tragedy, composer John Russell (George C. Scott) begins to experience strange phenomena at his stately home. To confirm his suspicions he holds a seance with sinister consequences. 

Although The Changeling has long garnered gleaming praise, it isn’t held up alongside the genre’s heavyweights such as The Shining (1980) and Rosemary’s Baby (1968), despite the film’s creative and nerve-jangling execution. Driving The Changeling is the sense of existential dread that ceases to remain contained in one space. This terror stems from the emotive connotations of trauma, which we are led to believe is solely confined within the house and its history, but in reality director Peter Medak thematically implies that the hell being unleashed within the building has the potential to grow and grow until it becomes so enriched in evil that nothing will stop the torment.

With such an elaborate backstory it could be easy to become muddled in its own eccentricity, yet any disarray is diffused as a result of the eerie seance scene where the presence of the ‘other’ becomes so heightened and serious that even seasoned horror fans will experience an eerie level of fear. 

5- The Exorcist (Directed by William Friedman, 1973)

When 12-year-old Regan (Linda Blair) becomes possessed by an evil entity, her mother enlists the help of two priests to perform an exorcist. 

It would certainly not be appropriate for a seance movie list to exist without the presence of William Friedkin 1970s showstopper The Exorcist. Many have said that the film is overrated, and maybe they’re right (questionable, I know), yet there is simply no denying the cultural phenomenon that is associated with The Exorcist. To have people fainting in the audience during screenings is extreme enough, let alone the outcry it caused amongst media censoring offices across multiple countries, which is the consequence of the harrowing depiction of Regan’s monstrous descent.

The idea that an innocent little girl could wreak havoc upon religion and humanity all thanks to an ouija board is beyond unsettling, especially considering the depths of hellish behaviour she experiences as a result. The medium of spiritual connection has always been alluring, society is naturally drawn to the idea of a spiritual realm. Regardless of general attitudes towards seances, they are not necessarily meant to provoke evil, nor are they meant to prompt devilish behaviour. Quite refreshingly The Exorcist is aware of this, and instead focuses on creating a narrative that rehashes cinema’s treatment of catholicism; generating a whole new interest and inspiration for audiences and filmmakers to explore. 

6- Verónica (Directed by Paco Plaza, 2017)

In 1991 Madrid, teenager Verónica (Sandra Escacena) begins experiencing the presence of a sinister being after playing with an Oujia board. 

Verónica is a first class extravaganza of nightmarish scares that ignites a surge of panic amongst those who are fearless enough to sit through the entire film. The slow beginning takes its time in building up the world around Verónica. By the time the action starts we have become so well connected with her situation, forcing the stakes to be raised. Rather than sitting back and watching the torment go down, we fear for the characters well being and the consequences of such events.

With this bond that Paco Plaza forms a running surge of originality is created, refusing any scene to slip into normality, instead the trepidation always arrives when it is unexpected. Joining the fierce narrative is the evocative ‘true story’ that inspired the events. Verónica is based upon the real case of Estefanía Gutiérrez Lázaro, who engaged in a seance at her strict catholic school using an Oujia board to contact a spirit. However, a nun interrupted the session by breaking the board, supposedly triggering an ancient anger which led to the death of Lázaro. The story may not be the first one of its kind, but where the case of Lázaro stands out is from the presence of the law. Spanish police ended up becoming involved due to the mysterious circumstances of the situation, leading even them to report of unexplained activity. 

7- Seance (Simon Barrett, 2021)

At an elite boarding school a group of friends play a prank on a fellow student pretending to summon a ghost through a fake seance. But when they find her dead shortly after they suspect that they have awoken something evil. To make matters worse, when new girl Camille (Suki Waterhouse) arrives, a string of mysterious deaths occur. 

Seance melds together two components of a great horror movie, an isolated setting and threat of the supernatural. Simon Barrett, who has written some stellar films such as You’re Next (2011) and The Guest (2014), tiptoes around the concerns of the supernatural through making the audience second guess the harrowing occurrences at the school. Not once do we know what direction we’re heading in, one moment the film is a whodunit puzzle and then the next he grapples with the idea of the occult. However, not once does the buffet of themes become messy, alternatively, it’s refreshing and totally absorbing to witness the complex enigma that is Seance. 

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Twenty years on: A deep dive into The Ring’s (2002) legacy

the ring 2002

A nightmarish videotape has begun making the rounds, leading to the unlucky viewer’s receiving a mysterious phone call warning them that they will die in seven days. After investigative journalist Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) learns that her niece and several other teenagers die mysteriously after watching the video, she attempts to track down who made it and why. The investigation soon takes a sinister turn after her son Aiden (David Dorfman) watches the tape, causing her to contact her ex-husband Noah (Martin Henderson) to help her untangle this curse once and for all. 

Upon discovering the dark secrets that the tape beholds, it is learnt that the content is not the cause of a typical urban legend, but instead a treacherous story about a young girl named Samara (Daveigh Chase) and her vengeful spirit. 

Hideo Nakata’s 1998 horror sensation Ringu could be defined as an ubiquitous feat of fragile relationships, infestation of the home, and anxieties over the ever booming spec of technology. All of the above radiate nothing but the truth, yet to condense Ringu’s spine-tingling allegories to mere themes and societal reflections is simply reducing how evoking the film is on an affective level. Even those with nerves of steel will inevitably feel an eerie whisper of fear whilst viewing the film’s terrifying climax, which will not leave your thoughts until long after watching. With any groundbreaking media, there will be those who want to see it go further, to push the interest and increase profits. The most prolific case to date of Japanese horror being remade is Gore Verbinski’s The Ring (2002) which will celebrate its twentieth birthday this year. 

Whilst the remake at hand would not win in an original vs remake battle, what The Ring does deserve praise in is its capacity to attract viewers to the genre, influence a string of filmmakers, and allow international cinema to flood the market, enriching horror cinema for the better. 

The crash that 1990s horror saw was retrospectively quite damning. Besides a few standout films such as Scream (1996), the market was overwhelmingly flooded with uninspiring films, that was until the early 2000s came and a whole new tidal wave of creativity rushed in. The shift that the millennium film market saw was largely helmed by Verbinski. His previous credits at the time were scarce, hence the reason why he was not the producer’s first choice. Luckily enough David Lynch turned down the offer to direct The Ring, clearing up that spot for some new raw talent. From the very first point, it was made clear that The Ring would not be a grand guignol display of bleeding wounds and tedious jump scares. In contrast, the result is a brooding voyage that meshes both a sense of linear passiveness, akin to a false sense of stillness and a fantastical descent, rife with tangled backstories that pivot the film into unique supernatural territory. 

Catalyzing the film’s premise is the infamous cursed tape that is making the deadly rounds. Verbinski folds in layers of symbolism through using smouldering surreality that can come across as slightly ‘film-school-y’, what with all the grainy footage, melding together a heap of Rorschach-esque imagery. Nevertheless, the presence of the tape remains to be nothing less than disturbing, particularly the scenes which mimic the now infamous experimental film Begotten (1989). Permitting shock value is not the tape’s only purpose, the texturized visual scenes of ladders, burning trees, darkened eyes, and most importantly glowing rings are inducing awareness of how Samara’s life mirrors Rachel’s own relationship with her surroundings. Through giving the tape a symbolistic consciousness a deeper meaning of explanation is adhered to.

There is a clear level of juxtaposition between divulging into elaborate character arcs, whilst remaining coherent and uncluttered. In a similar way, the anatomy of the original material and Verbinski’s re-envisioning both make the choice to expose familial-based issues, except the two filmmakers’ methods are rather oppositional. Verbinski has an archetypal take on the tape’s origins, quite bravely he’s not afraid to lean in heavy and get down to the story’s bones. Whereas Nakata conservatively creates a simple backstory of why the events were occurring. If you were to dissect the film with a fine-tooth comb there are major confusions, but it’s fairly obvious that the nonsensical mystery is purposeful. Not everything needs to be untangled, especially when it comes to horror which innately blooms through enigmas. It’s possible that this is the reason why The Ring resonates so well with many, there is no labyrinth of answers to fumble about with, the mystery is fully decoded for you. 

Western produced cinema tends to heavily expose and reveal every little crumb through plenty of exposition, like a story being read out to a child. Yet, Verbinski’s fattening of Samara’s sensibility comes across as a valid attempt at painting a picture that tells a sorrow-ridden story. Rachel, Noah, and Aiden all have distant relationships with one another, causing Aiden to have an unusually sensible manner about him, allowing his parents to slightly take the backseat. Quite refreshingly, Verbinski does not suggest that Rachel should forfeit her career to create a meaningful bond with her son.

Instead, an emphasis is put on Noah who abandoned his own son, leaving Rachel to raise a child alone. Rachel’s career and access to certain technologies actually benefit her in solving the case of the cursed tape, diffusing any stereotype that a person cannot both have a family and a riveting profession. Within the subplot involving parenthood lies the true essence of the narrative. Samara’s wrath stems from the lack of humanity she endured, reflecting Aiden’s bond with his parents. He is now in danger, and it is up to Noah and Rachel to bandage together the tape’s context to save Aiden from a harrowing fate, facilitating themes of unification and regret. 

Accompanying the film’s impassioned pathos is the distinct style that allows for The Ring to stand out amongst the rest. 

It may be basic to revert back to colour theory. Reds and pinks are warm, thus presenting a passionate tone, with blues and green summoning a cold, bleak mood. But alas, Verbinski takes these elementary principles and maximises them to their full advantage. Nakata’s work across the board thrives in its minimalism, that placidity. In comparison American blockbusters relish in their vividness. The colour grading of The Ring defines the entire film, it can even be claimed that the final result would not be the same without it. Dull greys, murky blues, and waterlogged greens catapult the already gloomy Seattle concrete-jungle atmosphere into a horribly dark environment where horror breeds.

The Ring understands the rich history that preludes it. The film’s horror motifs all derive from fantastic 1990s Japanese cinema- the presence of an onryō, cruel technology, cityscapes, distant relationships, the delicacy of time, and an overarching emotion of loss. Presenting these tangible strands of dread through an Americanised light proved to be an exceptional profit builder and genre booster. Twenty years on, The Ring still holds an almost unattainable reputation that remakes find it hard to do- become integrated as a valuable, vital piece of cinema.

Major names such as Takashi Miike, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Takashi Shimizu, and Kōji Shiraishi are all honourable within Japanese horror, but prior to their work that propelled J-horror, there were many older films that are under-appreciated on a mainstream level. Work’s such as Tales of Ugetsu (1953), Kwaidan (1964), and Onibaba (1964) kickstarted the trend of positioning societal matters through a supernatural lens. The underlying contemporary issues that Japanese horror explores are entirely compelling, forgoing trivial circumstances, and that is entirely thanks to the above cinema. Without these films, Ringu and the book that acts as its source material (Ring, [Koji Suzuki, 1991]), let alone the remake, would not have been the same. 

The Ring acknowledges that the marketed audience expectations would result in the film needing to adapt its cultural conjectures, hence the heavy background story and subplots. In a bittersweet way the conformity to a westernised forecast resulted in the aforementioned success, but at the same time, the film triggered a string of almost insulting remakes from J-horror classics such as Ju-On: The Grudge (2002), One Missed Call (2003), Apartment 1303 (2007), Pulse (2001), and Dark Water (2002). In trying to continuously adapt culturally-rooted stories a sense of villianisation against these major studios is created. Reimagining plots that belong to Japanese folklore without recontextualizing or appreciating their origins is rather unjust. The Hollywood system is known for its ruthless, remorseless stretches, and the influx of capitalising on East Asian cinema can be viewed as questionable. I highly doubt that Verbinksi created The Ring with the premise of fashioning a recycled meaning of Japanese horror in the west, and considering that Nakata openly admires this adaptation, it’s safe to say that The Ring is actually one of the few remakes that deserve acclaim. 

Despite all the doom and gloom, there is a comforting prospect to come from J-horror’s influence. As with many people old enough to watch these films, I didn’t have a smartphone growing up to research world cinema, nor were there streaming sites that worked on importing foreign language horror for people to adore. Instead, I would watch The Ring or The Grudge (2004) in hopes of experiencing a film that ventured outside of the UK or the USA, seeing a new world. It was Verbinski’s work that helped spark my interest in world cinema. As I became older and had easy access to the internet I was enthralled to learn that The Ring was in fact not an original and that I now had an epically long watchlist from films across the entire land to sink my teeth into. Luckily enough with sites such as Netflix and Youtube, potential horror fans can experience films such as Audition (1999), Visitor Q (2001),  Battle Royale (2001), and Marebito (2004) with ease. 

It is a tricky one to fully decode my thoughts on The Ring. Without a doubt, it is a moving film, brimming with touching connotations that work on sympathising with Samara’s motivations. But the most novel part of bringing this Japanese spirit story to life is the widely sparked interest for a section of cinema that is beyond deserving of international attention.

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The ultimate meta-horror’s to watch after Scream (2022)

meta horror

Meta-horror has an innate way of merging laughs and terror to create a tense story that questions itself and the viewer. Although the origins of meta cinema is hard to pinpoint, it can be agreed that Wes Craven’s Scream (1996) helped catapult this underrated movement.

To celebrate the release of the Scream Franchise’s fifth installment coming out, Dead Northern has compiled a list of top ten must-see meta-horrors.

1- One Cut of the Dead (Directed by Shin’ichirō Ueda, 2017)

One Cut of the Dead follows a team of actors and filmmakers who must shoot a zombie film for a live television slot within one take. 

This low budget Japanese flick began its journey into the horror hall of fame when it premiered in a small art house cinema. Although the reaction was positive, no one expected the film to have grossed over $31.2 million within only a year after its release, thanks to One Cut of the Dead winning the audience vote at the Udine Far East Film Festival in 2018. Considering that the film’s headlining act is zombies, the oozing blood and guts is not what gives it the winning charm that soared its reputation. Instead, it’s the unique structure that many films are not brave enough to explore. After the first act, the ravaging zombie attacks diffuse and a separate plot forms, almost like a prequel prior to the main narrative. From a glance, the smorgasbord of rotating filming methods and self-reflexive formulas seem chaotic, and that is very much true. It can be assured that One Cut of the Dead is not a restful watch, but that chaos and sporadic nature is what allows the film to be so full throttle the entire time. 

2- Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (Directed by Eli Craig, 2010) 

Best friends Tucker (Alan Tudyk) and Dale (Tyler Labine) take a trip to their cabin deep in the mountains. Their holiday soon takes a drastic turn for the worst when a group of vacationing college students believe them to be manic killers. 

Tucker & Dale vs. Evil truly meets the definition of ‘expect the unexpected’ as director Eli Craig runs circles around the viewer throughout the film’s entirety. When an individual goes into a horror movie, whether they are an avid watcher or not, you bring in previous movie knowledge and experiences to know what the warning signs of danger are, and what characters are up to no good. The minute we see a group of young randy college students head into an isolated cabin in the woods it’s a given that they will soon be dropping like flies at the hands of some chainsaw-wielding maniac. I Spit on Your Grave (1978), The Evil Dead (1981), Cabin Fever (2002), and Wrong Turn (2003) all instill this sense of Urbanoia -a term coined by film professor Carol Clover-, meaning a general sense of fear over the inhabitants of backwoods America. The film understands the genre’s cliches and overdone tropes, particularly those found within Urbanoia cinema, including ‘close’ familial ties, parodied southern drawls, lack of hygiene and presentation, and above all sexual deviances. Rather than rip off every woodsy horror there is, Tucker & Dale vs. Evil introduces a pair of harmless West Virginia natives who from the outskirts wear dungarees, and have thick accents, but they are entirely civilized (more so than the college characters). Along the way, the tables are turned and the stereotypes are ripped apart to create a standout tongue-in-cheek extravaganza that is not to be missed. 

3- Funny Games (Directed by Michael Haneke, 1997) 

A family is held hostage by Peter (Frank Giering) and Paul (Arno Frisch), a pair of troubling killers who force their victims to play sinister games.

Funny Games will crawl under your skin at such a slow pace that you won’t even recognise how disturbed you are until after the film reaches its chilling end. Michael Haneke is a celebrated auteur for a reason. His extensive filmography explores the darkest level of the human psyche by breaking cinematic barriers and using film to directly speak to the viewer. Funny Games grandly flaunts a story rife with digs over the depiction of violence within mainstream media as a means of entertainment, tainting enjoyment with austere threat. Don’t be fooled, Haneke is not an ally with moral crusaders such as Mary Whitehouse (video nasty campaigner), in fact, his other work such as Benny’s Video (1992) and Hidden (2005) uses violence as a tool. Alternatively, Funny Games was made as a commentary on how senseless violence with no real purpose has become all too familiar to audiences. Paul breaks the fourth wall more than a couple of times to ask the audience what they want to happen next, asking us to bet on which group will survive. Whilst Peter continuously makes nods to the rules of cinema and what steps they are on within the narrative. 

4- Demons (Directed by Lamberto Bava, 1985) 

A crowd of random people are mysteriously invited to a screening of an unknown movie, only to become imprisoned within the cinema with hungry demons. 

Demons appears on nearly every ‘must see’ classic horror list for a reason. The film satirises the main issue facing horror since its very beginning, particularly the troubles that were heightened in the 1980s. Decades ago horror was under threat from the media, not only were many films banned across the world but filmmakers and video store owners were being prosecuted for selling such ‘filth’ as the media would come to call it. The video nasty panic soared, concocting an intrigue amongst the curious thanks to its taboo nature. Demons capitalises on this allure, and it’s not very discreet in its manner either. The notion of a cursed theatre coming to life, corrupting random viewers for literally no reason is almost laughable in retrospect, but unfortunately very necessary. The fictional film presented within Demons is overtly graphic and violent, then all of a sudden the bystanders turn into monsters, killing anyone who they can latch their claws onto. Joining the copious reasons as to why Demons is considered a classic is the outrageously gruesome practical effects. Gory oozy pus, pulsating veins, extending fangs, green drool, and zombie red eyes are just some of the repulsive effects that are enough to make a horror veteran squirm. 

5- Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (Directed by Scott Glosserman, 2006) 

Leslie Vernon (Nathan Baesel) is a future serial killer who enlists the help of a documentary crew to follow him as he prepares for a night of slashing. 

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon takes the form of a mockumentary aiming to deconstruct everyone’s favourite slashers through creating its own villain-based folklore. Wes Craven masterfully dissected the slasher subgenre in Scream (1996)  with endless references to Halloween (1978), Friday the 13th (1980), Prom Night (1980), and The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976). Since then many films have attempted to recreate the magic and nostalgic warmth that Craven managed to capture, but these tries have just come across as a carbon copy of recycled jokes, that is until Scott Glosserman created this epic descent into fictionalised monster-mayhem. Throughout the film we are treated to plenty of chucklesome moments, particularly Leslie’s exclaims over his fitness regime to keep up with his victims and his upkeep in theatre performance to create a suitable atmosphere. Amongst all the quips about the genre are the quick nods that certainly don’t go unnoticed, including the cameos from Robert Englund and Kane Hodder. 

6- Return to Horror High (Directed by Bill Froehlich, 1987) 

Director Josh Forbes (Scott Jacoby) is making a horror movie based on a series of murders at a high school where the killer was never found. Years have passed and there has been no signs of the murderer, that is until crew members begin to suddenly disappear. 

Within the current climate, the common gripe with the genre surrounds the stream of remakes flooding the market. Many audience members reminisce about the good old days of horror. In the past (the good old days that people rave about) the general complaints regarded the abundance of slasher films which had been done time and time again. There is always going to be something to rant about, and Bill Froehlich noticed this. Return to Horror High bravely ignored the concerns over creating another slasher though reinventing the subgenres realm of expectations. Froehlich focused on the ‘film-within-a-film’ plot and a whole new territory was stirred. No character is safe and not a single scene could be trusted as we can’t tell whether the events were part of the in-house movie or the actual plot. Furthering the self-deprecating humour is the back and forth between the characters of Josh and sleazy producer Harry Sleerek (Alex Rocco). Josh wishes to create a meaningful piece of art that explores allegorical terrain, whereas Harry wants Josh to up the nudity and gore to increase sales; taking aim at the harsh reality of filmmaking. 

7- Be My Cat: A Film for Anne (Directed by Adrian Țofei, 2015) 

Adrian (Țofei) is an aspiring filmmaker with a very strong obsession with actress Anne Hathaway. In hopes of getting her to star in his upcoming project, he goes to extreme lengths to create a deadly demo. 

Be My Cat: A Film for Anne is a Romanian found footage film that gets downright nasty in its harrowing portrayal of obsession, toxicity, and megalomania. Found footage films originate from movements such as Cinéma vérité and Mondo cinéma, assembling an end result that leans on the side of reality to conjure an intimate vibe. To say that this film blurs the lines between fiction and reality is one bold statement as Be My Cat goes above and beyond any found footage film’s attempt at transfusing the two. Țofei will genuinely have the viewer questioning whether this is a real snuff film coming from the dark depths of the web. The extremity is not the concern, in fact, it does not overindulge in explicit imagery, in lieu the terrifying pathos is owed to the acting and staging from Țofei. His character shows signs of humanness through explaining his favouring of women and cats and hatred of men and dogs thanks to his experiences of bullying growing up, notedly there are some signs of empathy between relations. Adrian has an almost childlike element to his persona where he constantly refers to his actions as not his own and just his characters. Forcing the viewer to determine whether he is just a very sick and confused man or a complete psychopath.

8- The Final Girls (Directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson, 2015) 

Max (Taissa Farmiga), a young woman reeling over the loss of her mother who was a famous scream queen is transported back to the 1980s into the world of her mother’s famous movie, Camp Bloodbath. 

Drew Goddard’s Cabin in the Woods (2011) seemingly changed the game for meta horror with the parodic take on the genre radiating success. Joining this boom in modern horror exercising conscious narratives is The Final Girls which has seemingly slipped under the radar despite the film’s critical acclaim. The Final Girls realises the silliness at just redoing what great summer camp movies such as The Burning (1981) and Sleepaway Camp (1983) have already done. Rather than focus on replicating overdone chase scenes and machete battles with the camp’s resident killer, the film takes us in a new direction through commenting upon how ridiculous the writing was from genre classics. There was always the forceful jock, the stoner, the dumb (and over-sexualised) blonde, and most importantly the final girl. Strauss-Schulson knowingly avoids these gimmicks and refreshingly delivers something that genuinely hasn’t been done before. 

9- The Last Horror Movie (Directed by Julian Richards, 2003) 

Wedding photographer by day and serial killer by night, Max Parry (Julian Richards) takes us with him as he documents his grizzly murders. 

The Last Horror Movie’s chilling portrayal of a damaged and ruthless man is entirely owed to writer and director Julian Richards, and Kevin Howarth who plays the titular serial killer Max. The story at its roots is not completely original, that’s not to say that it’s not utterly captivating and unique, but films such as Man Bites Dog (1992) have gone there before. The true terror is found within the film’s execution, thriving within its storytelling methods.

Max gets his assistant to film the events, creating a level of flexibility. it’s almost as if we were a fly on the wall watching his dirty deeds go down. Max appears as a rather middle class man with his extensive monologues delving into why the viewer wants to watch a horror film in the first place, this one in particular. The Last Horror Movie’s tone is conversationalist, creating a natural note, which of course sounds pleasant. That is until we are directly questioned about why the viewer is technically a voyeur deep down, receiving gratification from incredibly brutal material. 

10- Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (Directed by Wes Craven, 1994) 

Ten years after A Nightmare on Elm Street made its debut the movie’s lead, Heather Langenkamp (played by herself) has her life turned upside down as Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) has entered real life. 

A meta-film list would not be complete without an entry from the one and only Wes Craven. The primary purpose of meta-horror is to bring cinema to life, to block the barrier that makes movies fictional. New Nightmare transfixes on tributing what makes horror so fascinating. At the end of the day, no matter whose side you take, horror films aim to scare and shock, in reality, why would anyone possibly want to feel purposefully alarmed? Craven acknowledges arguments made against the genre and mocks those who feel that the horror is exploitative. New Nightmare focuses on Freddy Kreuger leaving the on-screen universe to breach the railings of the real world. 

In an expressive way, the film boxes up what Craven had advocated for years. It’s not horror that causes issues, alternatively, horror just releases what’s already there. Similarly, this exact same premise is explored in his next feature Scream. When Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich) reveals himself as Ghostface he states that “movies don’t create psychos, movies make psychos more creative”. At this current moment in time scrutiny is at an all-time high, making Wes Craven’s New Nightmare more crucial than ever.

Looking for more top horror lists and reviews? Check out our blog here..

 

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Scream (2022) – Review

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Dead Northern reviews the greatly anticipated fifth instalment in the slasher film series below.

There are SPOILERS AHEAD, you have been warned!


One fateful night Tara Carpenter (Jenny Ortega) is all alone at home texting her friend Amber (Mikey Madison), convincing her to come over. But all of a sudden the landline starts ringing, at first the slightly off-kilter banterfull conversation is innocent, that is until we hear that iconic low, scratchy octave ask Tara “would you like to play a game?”. And just like that Scream is BACK! 

In 2019 when filmmaking duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett announced that they would be taking the bull by the horns and brazenly tackling the fifth instalment in the Scream franchise, many fans were beyond thrilled that Ghostface would be continuing their rampage. The man, the myth, the legend Wes Craven who created the franchise sadly passed away in 2015, leaving behind an unbeatable legacy. Could Scream even continue without the helm of Craven? Well, let’s find out… 

After twenty-five years since a string of savage murders erupted in the small town of Woodsboro, a new villain takes on the identity of Ghostface, leaving a bloody trail amongst the unlucky residents. Scream’s next generation serves a purpose. They are all connected to previous characters, including Woodsboro’s own movie expert Randy Meeks (Jamie Kennedy), Sheriff Judie Hicks (Marley Shelton), and everyone’s favourite partners in crime, Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard) and Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich). 

The original Scream jostled with the postmodern boom that 1990s films thrived in. It’s this combination of self-referential treatment mingling with meta-cinema that facilitated the quick ironic humour that the franchise is known for. Across the previous films, every joke about sequels, franchises, fandoms, actors, and the Hollywood cycle has been done. Nothing else could possibly be added. Here’s where writers Guy Busick and James Vanderbilt regenerated the already embellished one-liners. Many of the filler characters have extensive movie knowledge, allowing for hysterical tirades about how devoted horror fans don’t want increasingly popular “requels” (reboot-sequel) to be a stand alone story with no continuing context- à la Black Christmas (2019); alternatively, franchise-enthusiasts want a connection to an original legacy. Just as Amber states “you can’t have a bonafide Halloween without Jamie Lee”. 

The film exchanges with the audience directly, transfusing the fourth wall with reality. These rants about movie rules are precisely aimed at the viewer, making quips about how obsessive diehard fans are to please. Almost digging at those who’d immediately shun this new entry before even giving it a chance. Of course, many chuckles were had at the numerous easter eggs and mention of the fictional in-house ‘Stab’ movies, but the film’s strength doesn’t derive from the humour which will eventually fade after a couple of watches, instead the cardinal prizewinner is the unyielding brutality of the kills. Throughout all five films, this one takes the lead as the most shockingly savage and graphic film to date. Casey Becker (Drew Barrymore) has one of the franchise’s gnarliest deaths. Whether or not she can continue to hold the top spot is now another issue. Ghostface slices and dices their way through bodies with ease, not holding a single ounce of remorse, nor does the camera shy away from the direct insertion of their gleaming hunting knife. 

As delightful as it was to see Sidney (Neve Campbell), Dewey (David Arquette), and Gale (Courteney Cox) step back into their stomping grounds, the film’s main protagonist Sam who was fantastically portrayed by the very talented Melissa Barrera was indeed a breath of fresh air. Her natural ability to be both vulnerable and fiercely strong allows her to stand beside the genre’s greatest final girls with ease. Joining Barrera is her on-screen boyfriend Richie Kirsch, played by Jack Quaid, who is the receiver of the film’s best jokes by far. Lurking alongside the stellar performances is the factor of unexpectedness. Not a single soul is safe. Scream isn’t the first and last franchise that sheds characters as and when needed, however Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillet truly don’t have a whiff of compassion at all for who gets to survive and who gets to die. The ever looming threat of death loiters over every character’s head, legacy or not…

Much praise has seen the light of day in regards to the film. Yet, there does seem to be a general critique floating around about the lack of scares. Horror is subjective, there’s no denying that. What works for one person will almost never work for the next, but within the last couple of decades, horror has evolved and changed. As controversial as it is, horror cinema does not have to make your blood run cold or have you quaking in your boots to be considered ‘good’ anymore. Scream raises the threat level and creates admirable tension, despite the fact that it didn’t have me terrified to turn the lights off. Although the 1996 original did give me the ‘heebie jeebies’, it wasn’t intended to be blood-curdling terrifying.

This instalment playfully mocks pestering film bro’s who mention the term that makes my eyes roll- “elevated horror’. When asked what her favourite scary movie is, Casey replies with John Carpenter’s infamous Halloween (1978), whereas Tara answers with The Babadook (2014), a fantastic film in its own right. But what comes next is Tara’s betrayal of the genre. She disavows typical horror as pure schlock and guts. Almost directly commenting on how elevated horrors wouldn’t stoop to the level that slashers do, opting instead for emotionally developed, politically enamoured narratives. 

It is with this boldness and knowingly critical lens that Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett shine. They know how to rinse inside genre jokes and make fun of their own attempt of recycling an already perfect classic. The Scream franchise has always managed to tiptoe between not taking itself too seriously, whilst still not becoming a total parody. Scream (22) captures this essence with ease, making it a solid and welcomed entry into horror’s most unique franchise.

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Dead Northern’s top films of the year 2021

top horror 2021

In no particular order here is our favourite films of 2021, from film festival premieres to big screen releases its been a great year for independent releases!

1- Psycho Goreman (Directed by Steven Kostanski) 

Siblings Mimi (Nita-Josee Hanna) and Luke (Owen Myre) discover a glowing crystal whilst digging in their garden, in doing so they unknowingly resurrect PG, an ancient Alien creature who threatens to destroy the entire world. 

Psycho Goreman is simultaneously wacky, wild and witty, as Steven Kostanski delivers a vivacious love letter to classic 1980s B-movies. The film is brimming with impressive effects. PG’s design is practically flawless, as his extraterrestrial demonic exterior oozes a textured glow that stands alongside fellow horror movie monsters such as Hellraiser’s Cenobites and The Toxic Avenger himself.

The gory aesthetics washed across the film is a blast to watch, but the whopping effects are not the only punch packed. Plenty of savage dark humour is sprinkled throughout, creating many laugh out loud moments. The majority of the absurd comedy comes from Mimi, who is both extremely well written and entirely hilarious without coming across as immature and clumsy. Mimi’s quick comedic timing nails the scene, with one of the most memorable moments coming from Mimi, Luke, and PG’s garage band session where the film is interrupted by a two-minute song and dance break. And this is precisely why Psycho Goreman is entirely ludicrous, yet so very entertaining – it simply doesn’t take itself too seriously. 

You can check out our full review here.

2- The Night House (Directed by David Bruckner) 

Beth (Rebecca Hall) is grieving the death of her husband Owen (Evan Jonigkeit) after he suddenly commits suicide. Whilst searching for answers as to why he killed himself she unearths a sinister secret.

The Night House brews a slow, moody horror that ignites a melancholic spark to provoke intense sensations of dread and foreboding angst. David Bruckner demands the audience’s devout attention. The Night House delivers its terror through employing staggering reveals and bountiful metaphors, the film simply grasps us from the outset without becoming overbearing. The overarching significance of Beth’s journey becomes more and more suffocating as the sinister understanding of Owen’s death is revealed. Hall’s acting has to be one of the most exemplary performances throughout any film of the year, her devotion to transcending into an unhinged, morose woman stricken with heartache is unbelievably moving. 

The Night House is an outstanding entry into the world of horror, but beyond everything, the focal point of the praise emerges from Bruckner’s handling of death. The film wields a mirror technique that forces the viewer to look at their own understanding of grief, and how it would feel to actually experience a tragedy so deep that you forget the reality that resided beforehand. 

3- Wyvern Hill (Directed by Jonathan Zaurin) 

Beth (Pat Garrett) has begun to show early signs of alzheimer’s, leading to her daughter and son-in-law taking her in. However after their move to an old house on Wyvern Hill her symptoms begin to worsen as she loses her grip on reality. 

Wyvern Hill is a haunting portrayal of personal grief through an entwined tale of uncertainty, lingering memories, and the decay of reality. Director Jonathan Zaurin, joined with writer Keith Temple, constructs a deeply haunting narrative that lingers with the viewer long after watching, in response to the strangely cathartic world built throughout the film. Whilst the reliance of emotions and diminishing identity is important to the heart of Wyvern Hill, the film has a brutally callous edge that is not afraid to pull out all the gory stops to ensure that we will not forget it for a long time. The viewer is continuously pushed and pulled in every direction, mainly thanks to Zaurin and Temple’s deceptive motives; Beth’s perspective is not entirely meant to be trusted, with the disturbing visions she’s experiencing both confusing and alluring us into her eerie state of mind. This avoidance of settling into a formulaic plot shoves the film onto another level that many other horror’s wouldn’t even dare to go, making Wyvern Hill a film not to be missed. 

Premiered at the 2021 festival and winner of ‘Best feature’, you can check out our full review here.

4- Censor (Directed by Prano Bailey Bond) 

Enid (Niamh Algar), a particularly cautious film censor, views a heinous video nasty, inspiring her to embark on a journey to unravel what happened to her missing sister all those years ago. 

Censor births a retelling of the systemic delusions that were formed under the video nasty movement in 1980s Britain. This rise in hatred saw horror films being ripped to shreds by the media in a contradicting moral panic where literal laws were put in place to prevent the ‘innocent’ from getting ahold of so-called filth. Despite this movement being notoriously documented, not many filmmakers set out to taunt horror’s biggest scandal… Well, that was the case until Prano Bailey-Bond created Censor. The film devotes itself entirely to rarefied horror, with Bailey-Bond’s esoteric treatment of enticing panic alongside contemporary commentary forcing a stirring rendition of cinematic history. Provocative digs at film classification are rife throughout the film, with the various nods to the ridiculous rules even provoking the odd chuckle out of the viewer. But, the most dominating factor is the harrowing subplot that is explored. The feeling of loss experienced by Enid worms its way through the film’s emotional undertone, allowing the viewer to become lost in grief alongside Enid, creating a frightening account of moral turmoil. 

You can check out our review here.

5- Zomblogalypse (DIrected by Hannah Bungard, Tony Hipwell & Miles Watts) 

Zomblogalypse follows three rather amateurish survivors of a zombie apocalypse that destroyed life as we know it. To counteract the inevitable boredom that surrounds complete isolation they maintain a video blog to tell their story.

Zomblogalypse unleashes a world of chaos, fun and utter madness throughout, with the neverending laughs and gory effects creating a zombie film to remember. Zomblogalypse is an adaptation of the beloved web series of the same name created by Hannah Bungard, Miles Watts and Tony Hipwell. Pushing the film’s brave bravado into the spotlight is the immense comedic timing emphasized by the grand element of found footage. The entire premise of the film relies upon the banter between the trio as they navigate life post-apocalypse.

Through utilising the intimate vibe that found footage provides, the viewer becomes heavily involved within the story, almost joining the gang on their ridiculously hilarious journeys. There are many quick jokes that don’t even need a ‘song and dance’ to be funny, in fact, one of my favourite moments has to be the casual ‘days without bites’ notice board. But, rather than allowing the film to slip into a trivial parody, elements such as superb gory effects and a deeply original plot allow the film to rise above and become the most refreshing zombie film of the year. 

Winner of the Dead Northern Award at this years festival, you can check out our full review here.

6- There’s Someone Inside Your House (Directed by Patrick Brice)

After Makani (Sydney Park) moves from Hawaii to Nebraska it seems that all her troubles have been left behind, that is until a series of brutal murders erupt amongst the graduating class of the small town. 

There’s Someone Inside Your House may not have received stellar reviews across the board, which despite my praise of this film is not overly surprising thanks to mass audiences not being fond of the slasher genre revival. Over the course of recent years there have been many stabs at reinvading slasher territory, with the likes of Cold Prey (2006) and Terrifier (2016) all taking aim at reviving nostalgic horror.

However, although acclaim is found amongst these film’s target audiences, there still is a universal lack of general appreciation. Patrick Brice’s adaptation of Stephanie Perkins’ 2017 novel of the same name may have garnered a slightly rocky reputation, but for many (including myself) it hit a sweet spot. From the very first opening scene, it wouldn’t be impossible to guess the standard plot points. That said, the entire film revived this certain feeling that I haven’t felt in years whilst watching a horror. Do you remember when you first got into the genre? When you were watching some grizzly frightfest when you should have been getting ready for school the next day, but instead you’d be hiding behind a cushion and screaming for the unknowing victim to turn around to see Michael Myers or Jason Voorhees standing right behind them? Well, that exact excitement and boldness were recaptured within There’s Someone Inside your house.

If you want to forgo reality for a while and not pay attention to whether the narrative is socially significant, or whether the timings are truthful then this gem is exactly what you’ve been waiting for. Not every film has to be a meaningful journey, sometimes all it takes is a creepy mask and some killer antics. 

7- Titane (Directed by Julia Ducournau) 

Alexia (Agathe Rousselle) has grown up with a titanium plate fitted into her head after surviving a tragic car accident when she was younger. Years later, she now works as a performer at a motor show, keeping her strange devotion to vehicles close. 

As with Julia Ducournau’s previous feature Raw (2016), Titane blasted through film festivals with ease, earning the Palme d’Or at Cannes 2021. Titane oozes a certain slickness that makes way for the intense titillation, dominating the screen and dictating the audience’s observations. Through this full-throttled antagonism that is paraded, an exploitative form of body horror is closely held, muting any concerns as to whether Ducournau is brave enough to ‘go there’, particularly through the symbolic bond between hardware and the body.

Documenting such controversial topics is not entirely foreign to horror cinema, with David Cronenberg’s Crash (1994) previously exploring those with Symphorophilia (arousal via car crashes). Crash focuses on this similar autoerotic asphyxiation towards vehicles; but do I dare to say that Titane goes above and beyond every ‘mainstream’ film that has explored similar topics. In a valiant way, the film leans into this void of understanding, we could easily pin fetishism to Alexia’s fascination, except her inner delirium runs far deeper than an obsession with something. Ducournau exaggeratedly taps into humanity’s primitive state of needs, forgoing traditional methods in favour of sculpting a mechanical outlook on intimacy and desire. 

8- The Columnist (DIrected by Ivo van Aart) 

Femke Boot (Katja Herbers) is a writer who is juggling pressure from her publisher to complete her book alongside handling a barrage of anonymous death threats online. Tired of the houndings she decides to take matters into her own hands. 

The Columnist exudes a magnetising charm that toys with your expectations and scrambles any form of routine when it comes to tropes. We’re all guilty of it, searching through some pointless comment section to read foolish replies that you fully know will tick you off. We just can’t help it. This animosity that comes with such child’s play was just screaming to be adapted for the big screen; luckily enough this is where The Columnist comes into frame. The film is very much reliant upon Femke’s character to show off the script’s devilishly dark humour and manically graphic kill scenes. And through this intriguing amalgamation of morally tainted actions comes a warming sense of gratitude, we totally end up routing for Femke. Hell’, I even cheered her on at multiple points, but the film doesn’t solely target her incessant revenge plot, instead, we are treated to a couple of interesting subplots to keep the pacing exciting, particularly Femke’s blossoming romance with a fellow writer, and her daughters journey into self-confidence. 

The Columnist may from the outskirts seem like another kill-revenge sequence, but it is truly a powerhouse of delightfully savage barbarism. 

You can check out our full review here.

9- Violation (Directed by Madeleine Sims-Fewer & Dusty Mancinelli) 

Miriam (Madeleine Sims-Fewer) along with her estranged husband Caleb (Obi Abili), visit her younger sister Greta (Anna Maguire) and her partner Dylan (Jesse LaVercombe) for a fun weekend trip. But, when the evening quiets down Dylan assaults Miriam, inspiring her to take revenge. 

Violation refuses to beg for our attention, nor does it take any pity when it comes to exhibiting the harsh truths that emerge from rape. Miriam confides in her sister, expecting to be met with anger and sorrow towards Dylan’s actions, not Miriam’s. Alternatively, she gets scolded by her own sibling and is quite quickly dismissed as being an attention seeker, igniting a stern fury amongst every viewer. Dylan as to no surprise brushes the incident off and acts stunned that his own sister-in-law would make such an accusation. Violation doesn’t just immediately revolt to an over salacious assault scene, followed by a barrage of cathartic kills. Instead, we are treated with a tortuously slow release where nothing (literally nothing) is shielded from our eyes. Sims-Fewer and Mancinelli understand that this subject matter is not to be miscalculated or fraudulently paraded, it is to be respected with a strong portrayal of accuracy; and it is through this emotionally encompassing evocation that Violation shines. 

You can check out our full review here.

10- Last Night in Soho (Directed by Edgar Wright) 

Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie) is a wannabe fashion designer who moves to London to achieve her dreams. During her time in the city she finds solace in a place infused with such iconic history, but after she discovers her ability to travel back in time to the 1960s she discovers that everything is not as it seems. 


Last Night in Soho thrives through its own chaotic exploration into 1960s media and social culture. Throughout, the film is laden with stylish iconography of the swinging sixties, making you nostalgic for a time that may be totally irrelevant to the viewer’s personal history, but that’s where Edgar Wright yields his charm. We become entirely lost with Eloise in this twisted time scale, not knowing where we are headed next. Naturally, as a result, all of the eerie moments are harshened, exemplifying the fear factor. Accompanying the bold twists and turns is the dazzling aesthetics that are reminiscent of lush giallo films from the 1960s and 1970s. Neon lights douse the film’s daring climaxes with a warming glow, ensuring that the graphic violence has a spotlight the entire time.

You can check out our full review here.

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Classic to modern: 10 Giallo films you need to see

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giallo-and-chill-tshirt

1- The Girl Who Knew Too Much (Directed by Mario Bava, 1963)

Nora Davis (Letícia Román), an American tourist visiting Rome is viciously mugged and knocked unconscious, upon awakening she witnesses a brutal murder. Nora reports this to the local authorities, but no one believes her. After a cryptic phone call she fears she’ll be the killer’s next victim and sets out on a frenzied mission to find the murderer. 

Bava’s The Girl Who Knew Too Much is largely considered to be the first giallo film, this full-bodied tale extracts archetypal horror elements such as threat, an illusory killer, and brazen imagery. Bava furthered these already established cinematic elements through exercising an accelerating level of suspense that will be seen across future giallo cinema. The film also creates an ever rising tension through employing a stark cinematography that basks in chiaroscuro shadows and transports the viewer into a dream-like world where the visuals completely take over. It can be said that The Girl Who Knew Too Much was inspired by the master of suspense himself, Alfred Hitchcock. Films such as Psycho thrive on this mentioned mystery and the whole thrill of the ‘whodunnit’ story. Throughout the film we are taken on this journey of discovery with Nora, the viewer plays a part in her involvement with the case. Future giallo films continued to use this

aspect of witnesses aiding investigations in retaliation to their fears of being the next ‘victim’. Thus establishing the authorities to be a secondary character whose importance is noted, but never fully deserving of any credibility as the protagonist typically solves the case on their own. 

As it was early days not every key essence of the sub-genre was featured in The Girl Who Knew Too Much, but what was established is the essence of what makes giallo cinema so recognisable, the element of judicial interference and stark visuals. 

2- Blood and Black Lace (Directed by Mario Bava, 1964) 

Model’s at a fashion house in Rome are killed off one by one by a mysterious faceless killer with metal clawed gloves. 

It seems that The Girl Who Knew Too Much left a mark on Bava’s cinematic inspirations as Blood and Black Lace was made soon after his 1963 breakthrough. The film hones in on everything that defines giallo. There is not an element that isn’t ticked off from the genres checklist, with a vivacious colour palette, a covertly dressed killer (trench coat and gloves), and sensualised murder scenes. The film pushes the boundaries that were creatively established during 1960s filmmaking, such as clear plots and a linear narrative. Each scene is treated delicately, there isn’t a single moment that hasn’t been carefully curated. For example, each death is warmed with a rich, elegant lighting that dares you to carry on watching and embrace the beauty amongst harrowing images. The film is set in a fashion house, meaning that couture and chic stylisation are at the core of the mise-en-scene. Plenty of lavish silks and velvets feature in several kill scenes, prominently forcing this contrast between harm and sensuality. 

At the time the implementation of eroticised gore was definitely a sight for sore eyes, little did Bava know that this would be a key factor in giallo’s progression. 

3- The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (Directed by Dario Argento, 1972) 

American writer Sam Dalmas (Tony Musante) witnesses a murder attempt by a black gloved assailant in an art gallery. The killer is suspected to be a serial murder who is killing young women across the entire city. As a key witness Sam must help the police in their ongoing investigation before he becomes the next victim. 

Argento and giallo is a match made in heaven. There’s a reason as to why Argento is heavily tied to Italian horror, it’s his melodic combination of textured conventions and stylised symbolism that melts the barrier between horror and art. His early work of The Bird with the Crystal Plumage gets majorly overlooked within his filmography, but it is one of the richest films lurking within the entire genre. Bava may have given giallo its first lease of life, but Argento’s early work thickened one of the most important essences that would be seen in future giallo classics. This film revels in its own ludicrousness, the incoherent why’s, when’s and where’s of the murders are almost comically hazy, it wouldn’t be surprising if audiences even became irate at the films ‘big reveal’. Despite the ill-defined conclusion, it somehow works as a consequence of Argento’s fever dream bravado that takes the wheel throughout the film. The story (as does most giallo’s) works on coincidences and deceptions, moulding bizarre worlds that are supposed to take place in reality, but always seem disorienting. 

4- Dont Torture a Duckling (Directed by Lucio Fulci, 1972)

Chaos erupts within a small Italian town when it becomes clear that a child killer is on the loose. A reporter and the police must band together to find the culprit before it’s too late. 

Fulci within his own right is very much a key player within giallo cinema, Don’t Torture a Duckling is actually known to be an introductory film for many wanting to get into the genre. 

This film aided the bleakness and alienation of society that the genre thrives upon. The picturesque village may be pleasing to the eye, but beneath the surface is a corrupt town overflowing with perversion, paranoia, threatening attitudes, and simple-minded ignorance. 

Fucli dares the viewer not to applaud the braveness of the film’s themes. Sins, guilt, and repression are at the heart of the killer’s motives, which is primarily implanted through the heart of religion. This expression of sexuality within the village’s church is openly scrutinised by Fulci, in fact the town’s church is almost a central character, an antagonist. The notion of utilising religion as an ironic storytelling piece continues throughout 1970s giallo films, particularly in What Have You Done to Solange? 

5- What Have You Done to Solange? (Directed by Massimo Dallamano, 1972) 

Students at St. Mary’s Catholic School become the target of a sadistic serial killer. A teacher at the school becomes a suspect after his suspicious behaviour with the students arises, but the dots are not connecting, leaving the killer out on the loose. 

1960s and early 1970s cinema was rife with cult sub-genres melting with each other to form hybrid films such as What Have You Done to Solange?, gaining extra profit and merging various stylisations. The film masterfully creates surreal landscapes swarming with nightmarish thrills, jolting the viewer. Dallamano’s 1972 horror combines German Krimi cinema (City settings, cop thrillers, and revenge plots) with giallo to create one of the most underrated horrors to come from the 1970s. The catholic girls school setting delights itself in crude stereotypes, particularly that of exploitation amongst women. Whilst it’s not perfect, it is rivetingly entertaining by recruiting a shamelessly sexualised narrative, consisting of vicious kill scenes that Freud would have a field day analysing. Amongst all the hurrah of utilising taboo’s as a provoking tool, Dallamano does not forget the importance of the film’s visual flare. Each scene is painted with a quaint background of mundane terrains, but the dose of gruesome terror leaves a burning mark on the viewer, forcing an unforgettable reputation. 

6- Deep Red (Directed by Dario Argento, 1975) 

Musician Marcus Daly (David Hemmings) discovers the body of a murdered psychic medium. Leading Marcus and reporter Gianna Brezzi (Daria Nicolodi) to take it upon themselves to solve the case. 

Deep Red is known as one of Argento’s finest films, with the dizzying aesthetics, kaleidoscopic colour palettes, hazy perspectives, and impressive score securing a flourishing acclaim. Every scene creates an unfamiliar world where the tension grips onto the viewer and won’t let go, encouraging the audience to dismantle their expectations. Giallo continuously aims to startle, and Deep Red is one of the best examples for showing how and why horror is more than just quick scares and gore. Argento employs intricate camerawork that gives the result of a finely choreographed production. Rather than keep the camera still throughout the film, like a fly on the wall, Argento dances the lens around, emulating hectic and frenzied auras that make the panic of the kill scenes even more erratic and disturbing. Furthering this avoidance of stillness is the abrupt and shocking ending. Giallo may be known for its big reveals and double twists, but most of the time these revelations are so illogical and blasé that the viewer is left with more questions than answers, but Deep Red uses the infamous ‘red herring’ trope as a significant plot point in the investigation. Deep down the audience have known who the killer is all along and are told very much early on within the film. Sometimes the true horror doesn’t come from the unexpected, but what we already know. 

7-Tenebrae (Directed by Dario Argento, 1982) 

Successful author Peter Neal (Anthony Franciosa) receives a letter from a suspected serial killer claiming that Neal’s books have inspired them to go on a killing spree. Soon after Neal becomes involved in the investigation to catch the killer before it’s too late. 

As the 1980s began giallo cinema progressed and became fairly popular amongst mainstream audiences. The unholy trinity -Argento, Bava, and Fulci- had solidified a decent name for themselves as giallo masters, and with this popularity came a shift within the genre. There was a growing demand for slashers resulting in films such as Tenebrae becoming more operatic and less confined within small Italian landscapes as an attempt at branching out. Tenebrae is a key film in both eighties horror and giallo cinema thanks to the packed narrative that manifests into a convoluted extravaganza, encouraging the viewer to become lost within the mad world created. In fact the narrative is mostly of secondary importance, the story beats serves only a progression-based purpose for the kill scenes to shine, forgoing typical cause and effect. 

8- Amer (Directed by Hélène Cattet & Bruno Forzani, 2009) 

Amer follows Ana throughout her childhood, adolescence and womanhood. 

Amer is a haunting and mystifying neo-giallo told in three parts as we witness three key moments throughout various stages of Ana’s life. Amer acts as both a retelling and a homage to great giallo cinema. The visual format in which the film is told reads exactly like Suspiria and Tenebrae, with the film’s nods towards neon lighting and duality (both metaphorically and technically via the continuous use of split screen). But rather than copy directly, Cattet and Forzani use giallo films as a creative vessel for their own highly original work to pour through. The displaced narrative never meets a clear conclusion, in fact the film plays out in almost an entirely surrealistic tone, drowning any chance at linearity. 

9- Piercing (Directed by Nicolas Pesce, 2018)

Reed (Christopher Abbot), comes across as a normal family man with a loving wife and newborn baby waiting at home, but this is all a facade. Underneath the disguise he hides a dark desire to kill. 

Piercing is one of those films where the simple plot premise spirals out of control action by action. The enigmatic whirlwind of events do not allow the viewer to breathe at all, instead you are stuck on this disastrous rollercoaster alongside Reed as his night shifts from one mishap to the next. It is difficult to line this film up alongside notable giallo films as Piercing is entirely individualistic, but the spine of the film comes from the complex relationship between psychology, sex, and violence. Pesce aligns these three devices to interweave a tale ridden with interesting politics reminiscent of Argento and Bava’s work. 

10- Knife + Heart (Directed by Yann Gonzalez, 2018) 

Anne (Vanessa Paradis), is a filmmaker who specialises in gay pornography. Her life begins to crumble when her editor and partner Loïs breaks up with her. To win her back Anne hatches a plan to make one of the most riskiest film’s yet, but when a string of horrid murders occurs both the production and Anne’s life is threatened. 

Knife+Heart erupted onto the horror scene with a unique magnetism that dedicates itself to honouring giallo cinema. The overall tone is electrifying without being distractingly flamboyant, most of the film’s allure is actually drawn from the characters lack of satire. The viewer sympathises with Anne and her film crew, and although the giallo elements ensure that boredom does not become an issue, the film grounds itself through the cultural connotations.

Throughout giallo films the police are seen as rather incompetent, with the outsider being the one to solve the crime (à la The Girl Who Knew Too Much), Knife+Heart continues with this tradition but in a new light. The police appear to dismiss the murders and refuse to raise alarm in response to the victims being gay men, forcing Anne and her friend Archibald (Nicholas Maury) to hunt down the killer themselves. Pesce regenerates the giallo movement in a modern perspective through exploring an exploitative based storyline but through a rare melancholic disposition. 

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Original vs remake Reviews

ORIGINAL VS. REMAKE: A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET

a nightmare on elm street

The 1980s saw a rapid surplus of horror films seeping out from the woodwork. Not only was there a rise in interest for the more morbid side of cinema, but there was also a growing audience for slasher films. One of these great classics that has shaped the genre ever since it’s release is Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). The success of A Nightmare on Elm Street soared for many years as the franchise birthed a further eight films, a popular comic book series, multiple documentaries, and merchandise. As with any franchise there is always the odd entry that did not garner much praise, in this case the culprit is the 2010 remake directed by Samuel Bayer. This shot at giving the franchise a new lease is colloquially dismissed. However, is it possible that the remake actually holds a hidden charm? Or is it entirely doomed? Let’s find out in the most scathing ‘Original vs. Remakes’ yet…

In the seemingly sleepy suburb of Springwood, Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), a disfigured clawed killer murders a group of unsuspecting teens whose parents were at the hands of his untimely death. 

The film is utterly aware of its strengths and uses them to its advantage, correlating a polished, witty and nightmare fueled horror. 

Craven earned a budding name for himself with the exploitation films The Last House on the Left (1972) and The Hills Have Eyes (1977) lining his early career, the cult success of these films brewed for years, but it was A Nightmare on Elm Street that truly shot his director credits into the spotlight for decades to come. Thankfully Craven kept his talents primarily within the horror sector, earning a reputation for being rather masterful, supplementing dark humour to keep films entertaining, with A Nightmare on Elm Street beginning this ode to comic horror. Throughout the film there are numerous witty punchlines accompanied by an ever menacing grin from Freddy, cementing his place as an iconic horror villain that stands out from the crowd. He is personable, lively, and gruesome. Freddy’s personality certainly helps fasten the film’s reputation, ensuring his place as a horror sensation. 

As easy as it is to discuss Freddy all day this is definitely not the film’s sole edge, with the outstanding practical effects, unparalleled score, and tense symbolism all contributing to its notorious reputation. 

Speaking of those unmatched visuals, head of practical effects Jim Doyle, created incredibly innovative scenes on a shoestring budget (compared to nowadays), namely the infamous ‘bed of death’ scene. Glen’s (Johnny Depp) death displayed a tidal wave of blood spurting upwards from his bed, dragging him down into a deep hellish pit. To create the gushing blood effect an entire rotating room was created. The room was turned completely upside down via various crew having to manually turn the room like a dial crank, with Craven loosely strapped into a camera chair to the side. In true budgeted form the furniture was not correctly strapped or secured with safety wires, instead everything was simply nailed down. Adding to the risk was the fact that the red dyed water replicating the blood hit a tonne of wiring, causing the fluid to become electrified. Despite everything, the final product went above and beyond in creating one of horror’s most memorable scenes. 

This whole craftsmanship is what makes A Nightmare on Elm Street stand out. There wasn’t a chance for plenty of retakes and editing to glam-up the grungy effects, instead it was just a crew full of people risking their time and safety to create a future classic. The labour of love throughout A Nightmare on Elm Street is abundantly clear. There is a reason why the film has sat on a pedestal for all these years, it has an air of originality, a certain magnetism which allowed all of the sequels to follow. Craven’s 1984 visionary horror seems to only continue in its triumphant path, however the same cannot be said for the 2010 remake which only seems to amass negative attention. 

2010’s remake came into play thanks to Michael Bay, a filmmaker and producer who is known for his over-the-top effects (mainly explosions), quick pacing, and ability to make even the calmest of scenes seem erratic and completely overblown. During the early 2000’s it became clear that horror remakes were a quick one-way ticket to financial success, with the likes of The Amityville Horror (2005), The Hitcher (2007), and Friday the 13th (2008) making film financers such as Bay a quick buck. That’s not to say that A Nightmare on Elm Street was solely a money grab, but the roots of its purpose certainly seem that way. 

After plenty of rumours surrounding the remake, production began in 2008, with music video director Samuel Bayer being hired, alongside a hopeful cast including of Connie Britton, Rooney Mara, Jackie Earle Haley, and Kyle Gallner.

The central premise of Kreuger’s motive in both of these films is that his death was at the hands of these teenagers’ parents, as an act of revenge. The motivation for the entire film is an allegory about the sins of the ‘elders’ coming back to haunt the innocent, in a form of evil injustice. Both parties are wrong, yet the battle will always continue thanks to the mass ignorance of society. Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street may seem like just another slasher from the exterior, but it is a tale of repressed guilt that exposes the results of denial and shame. There are many gripes that the remake clutches onto, but the abandonment of Craven’s superb surrealism in favour of creating a watered down dreamscape is the worst of them all.

Through Bayer forgoing all of this buildup, we are left with another emotionally trimmed, lukewarm horror that shackles itself to all of the other mundane formulaic movies. 

One of the most common protests that audiences had with the film is that Freddy’s characterisation is entirely altered, so much so that there is not a single ounce of intrigue and allure to his persona. There is no scary voice, or trademark charm, unfortunately slapping on a red and green jumper and a claw hand is not enough. Worst of all there is zero sympathy towards his character. Freddy is not a model citizen, yet there was always this air of forgiveness over his actions. However, in 2010 he was made out to be a child predator. This was all part of the film’s attempt to make the remake a *very* dark and serious film that brews slowly thanks to an incredibly horrifying backbone. Instead of becoming this unsettling nightmare, similar to the Evil Dead (2013) remake, it simply tries too hard to be something that it’s not. Horrid themes do not always equate to fear.

We could be shown one of the most violent scenes known to cinema, but that doesn’t mean that it gives the audience the creeps. If Bayer would have focused more on fleshing out Freddy’s backstory and then infuse it within the characters emotional development then possibly the narrative would have worked. But it’s as if the writers have handed us a child abuse story on a plate and then just forgot to stir it into the rest of the film. 

Despite everything it’s not all doom and gloom. Arguments could be passed back and forth about this missed opportunity, but it does have to be said that the box office figures show that the intense marketing and buzz surrounding the film generated enough attention for it to be one of the most financially successful remakes of its time. It still remains the second highest grossing film out of the entire franchise. It may not be everyone’s favourite remake, but it gave horror a quick boost in mainstream cinema. 

Another redeeming factor is seen through the decent performances, particularly by Mara who played the titular Nancy. Her portrayal of a distressed teen is fairly grounded in reality and not overtly flamboyant and ridiculously written. Working alongside this is the attempt at recreating something fresh. The remake is not a play-by-play of Craven’s original, nor is it an entirely original story that uses the basic framework of a classic to take the tale in a new direction. Although the remake bears a reputation that generally airs on the negative side, it might have possibly worked as a standalone film if amendments were made, perfect for tween viewers who want an easy popcorn movie. 

Painting a grungy scene and blasting CGI over every possible image does not equal a “good movie”. Sometimes it’s not the budget you need or an over-thought subplot to make a film work, alternatively all a groundbreaking horror needs is a vivid imagination and an expressive story that is rooted from a passion for the genre. It can sound contradictory to comment that the film tries too hard, but at the same time doesn’t try hard enough, yet this is exactly the issue, the aching tangent becomes so tired thanks to all of the repetitiveness. Remakes can be excellent, even better than the original, but in this case A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) is the standout champion.

Love to read more about the iconic horror villain? Check out our article on Freddy here.

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Reviews

Ten 1980’s horror films you’re missing out on

1- Spookies (Directed by Brendan Faulkner, Thomas Doran & Eugenie Joseph, 1986) 

An evil warlock traps an unknowing group of teenagers in an abandoned manor in order to fulfil a sacrifice that will keep his wife alive. 

1980s horror can be so frenzied at times, creating an illogical story path that does not entirely glue together properly, but come hell or high water audiences absolutely adore this exact rambunctiousness that the decade does so well. Spookies is no exception, as this egregious flick has everything a viewer could want, from zombies and witches to ouija boards and snake demons. Across time the obscurity has been praised, with many admiring the sheer will of the film and how it manages to ram so many genre highlights into an 85-minute runtime. The offbeat energy is owed to the alternation of directors. Spookies started out as ‘Twisted Souls’, a haunted house film, but after creative disagreements, the financial backers brought in Eugiene Joseph who added in several subplots and a barrage of creatures. Despite all the mixups, it’s this amalgamation of visions and twisted monster designs that gave Spookies its cult following, earning itself a reputation for being uncanny. 

2- Parents (Directed by Bob Balaban, 1989) 

The Laemie’s move to a quiet Californian suburb to live out the perfect American Dream in the 1950s, but ten-year-old Michael (Bryan Madorsky) suspects that his parents are secretly cannibals. 

Parents walks the fine line of being satirical without being a slapstick comedy, all thanks to the film’s dark and macabre undertones. Throughout, there is an air of uncertainty that waivers in and out, is Michael just dreaming about his parents’ hidden skeletons? Or is he genuinely living this real-life nightmare? Most of the time Balaban toys with the audience’s natural vulnerability. We can only believe what we’ve been shown, but at the same time, Michael’s father Nick (Randy Quaid) and mother Lily (Mary Beth Hurt) play their roles so subtly that we can never be sure; leaving the viewer in this surreal limbo for nearly the entire film. What makes Parents such a buried treasure is this ambiguity that can both divide opinions and naturally unsettles the film’s sense of reality. 

3- Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (Directed by John McNaughton,1986) 

Henry (Michael Rooker), is recently released from prison after murdering his own mother. Following his release, he is joined by fellow inmate Otis (Tom Towles), who becomes an accessory in Henry’s continued killings. 

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer has a long complicated relationship with censorship. Not only was the film outright banned in the UK up until 1991, but the full uncut edit was not released until 2003. Similarly, the film struggled with the critical reception, with many claiming that McNaughton’s efforts added up to nothing more than torture galore. Yet, as with many great films, the controversy was only a reaction to the extremely powerful, visceral tones that the film brutally captures. At points the violence is extreme, but not to glorify, instead the callous scenes highlight the atrociousness of the true story that inspired the film. The character of Henry is based on Henry Lee Lucas, a real-life serial killer known for making false claims about cold cases. It’s quite notable that the crimes depicted on screen are mainly based on many of Lee Lucas’s fantasies. It’s for this reason that the film deserves a spotlight. McNaughton points a finger at how twisted Rooker’s character is, to truly underline his banality and to ensure that the film will always remain shocking. 

4- Razorback (Directed by Russell Mulcahy, 1984) 

Beth Winters (Judy Morris), an American animal rights reporter, takes a trip to Australia only to fall victim to a wild boar attack. Although her disappearance is ruled as an accident, her husband Carl (Gregory Harrison), suspects that something sinister is at play. 

Razorback belongs to a special area of Australian cinema, eco-horror, which can be defined as a subgenre that deals with the environment and its beings, as they strike back in an act of revenge. Whilst water-creature horror had seen a rise in the 1980s (thanks to Jaws), what hadn’t been tackled as much was the natural threats that come from an environment such as the Australian outback. Razorback captures a dusty, dangerous landscape where wild pigs roam, seeking their prey. This combination of earthiness and killer beasts encapsulates the madness and visual flair that 1980s horror is known for. Prior to filmmaking, Mulcahy has been known for directing music videos, with Razorback being his first feature, but rather than the film being overly flashy, emulating a typical music video, the film remains fairly serious, tackling both themes of man vs animal, and urban panic. 

5- The Vanishing (Directed by George Sluizer, 1988) 

Rex (Gene Bervoets) and Saskia (Johanna Ter Steege) make a quick stop at a petrol station in France whilst on a biking holiday, but unbeknownst to anyone Saskia suddenly vanishes. Rex frantically searches for hours, only to find that no one witnessed her disappearance. Three years later Rex has a new partner but still continues his search. No leads are made, that is until he begins to receive letters from the kidnapper himself. 

The Vanishing breaks unspeakable rules within cinema by abandoning any sense of mystery and revealing the tormentor early on. Although we are left in the dark about what exactly happened to Saskia at first, we do find out who took her almost immediately after the opening act. However, Sluizer chooses to use this plot diversion to present Raymond (Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu), Saskia’s abductor as a normal family man, who openly admits that he has no conscience, thus committing treacherous crimes to see how far he can go. Throughout the film, there is a purposeful lack of attachment. The settings are drab, the dialogue is plain and simple, and the mundanity of everyday life is not glamorized. With this, the film could very easily come across as almost bland, but it is through the mundane that the horror blooms. Cinema tends to paint a Hollywood picture of real-life terror, but in reality these things really do happen. The Vanishing mercilessly depresses in favour of depicting this true loss. 

6-  The Lair of the White Worm (Directed by Ken Russell, 1988)

On Eve (Catherine Oxenberg) and Mary Trent’s (Sammi Davis) farm, archeologist Angus Flint (Peter Capaldi) uncovers a large skull, which he supposes belongs to the D’Ampton Worm, a mythical reptile-like creature slain by the current Lord of the Manor’s (Hugh Grant) ancestors. When Lady Sylvia Marsh (Amanda Donohoe) takes an interest in Eve and Flint, it becomes evident that the D’Ampton Worm still lives on. 

The Lair of the White Worm originates from Bram Stoker’s novel of the same name, based upon northeast English folklore surrounding The Lambton Worm. The film draws inspiration from what British horror continuously succeeds in, folk horror. Cinema such as The Blood on Satan’s Claw, Witchfinder General, and The Wicker Man all take from the country’s cultural heritage to embody the fear of ‘the other’ and the vulnerability of isolation. However, Russell refuses to directly copy what has already been done in favour of remixing what folk horror is familiar with. The Lair of the White Worm has an incomparable visual flair, with crazed imagery and plenty of colour seeping throughout the entire film. 

7- The Funhouse (Directed by Tobe Hooper, 1981) 

Four friends visit a traveling carnival to let loose for the night and have fun. All is going well, but when they get stuck inside ‘The Funhouse’-the park’s ghost train- they soon discover that a masked killer is killing them off one-by-one. 

Over the years Tobe Hooper has become a horror household name with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre being just one of his many hits, but The Funhouse still remains fairly under the radar. As with many teen slashers from the early 1980s, The Funhouse was made to profit off the back of Friday the 13th’s success. Despite this, the film has an entirely unique quality that is a milieu of carnival creatures and chilling reveals that act as ghastly shock to the audience, particularly that of the killer’s facial reveal. It’s clear that the film works on multiple levels, whether its timely scares or gnarly kills- The Funhouse has it all. 

8- Visiting Hours (Directed by Jean-Claude Lord, 1982)

Deborah Ballin (Lee Grant), a women’s rights activist triggers the wrath of Colt Hawker (Michael Ironside), a misogynistic serial killer after her appearance on a talk show. He partially succeeds on his killing mission, but after finding out that she survived he visits the hospital to finish the job once and for all. 

Visiting Hours is not without its issues, the release wasn’t necessarily met with applause, partially due to its positioning on the Video Nasty list, as well as major critics writing it off thanks to its ‘slasher’ nature. However, slashers have never fared well in the mainstream critical domain. Despite everything at play, Visiting Hours has a good knock at creating a rooted background story rather than just presenting a masked killer with a knife. Lord’s attempts at broadening the slasher vibe are extremely successful as Visiting Hours is a slow burn through and through. Alongside presenting a deeper motivation is the film’s performances, particularly from Michael Ironside, who plays the maniacal Colt. His portrayal of such a menacingly gruesome man is second to none, leaving the viewer on the edge of their seat the entire film. 

9- Pin (Directed by Sandor Stern,1988) 

Brother and sister Leon (David Hewlett), and Ursula (Cyndy Preston), form a twisted bond with their doctor father’s anatomically correct medical dummy, Pin.

Pin is not entirely obscure. It’s not that many people do not know about its existence, it’s that the film itself deserves a lot more appraisal for its gratuitous display of disturbing horror. The entire notion of Pin is alluring, particularly for the decade. Cinema emerging from the 1980s typically fell into the slasher category, that’s not to say that slashers aren’t entirely deserving of praise, but Pin is certainly refreshing. What pushes the film out from amongst the rest is Stern’s way of subtly evoking a strong sense of eeriness through the character of the Pin. From the outset, his strange skinned-back appearance is utterly unnerving, with its blank stare accelerating any unease that we may have already had. 

10- Prom Night II: Hello Mary Lou (Directed by Bruce Pittman, 1987) 

Mary Lou Maloney (Lisa Schrage) is known for her unapologetic flirtatious attitude and her popular status, but her freedom is cut short when she dies during a prom night prank gone wrong. Decades later Mary Lou possesses high school student Vicki Carpenter (Wendy Lyon) in order to seek revenge. 


Prom Night II surprisingly remains one of the most underrated sequels, its reputation has never managed to soar. Pittman’s take on teen horror is not only adventurous but also original in the fact that we get to see the best of both worlds- slasher mixed with supernatural elements. Coupling up with the originality is the film’s laugh-a-minute humour, and wickedly grim kills, including crucifix stabbings, burning, electrocution, and most sickeningly a kill that involves someone being crushed in between a set of lockers. Rounding the film up is the epic third act that makes Carrie’s prom seem like an absolute dream.

This weeks article comes via Grace from Film Overload, you can check out more of her work here.

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Reviews

10 brutal body horror films you need to see

body horror

1- Tusk (Directed by Kevin Smith, 2014)

Wallace Bryton (Justin Long), a conceited podcast host travels to Canada to interview a viral celebrity, but when plans change he ends up interviewing a peculiar man with an odd obsession for walruses. 

Tusk (2014)

Although body horror relishes in the display of the absurd, at times what is actually more effective is a slow build up that takes its sweet time in revealing ludicrous shocking imagery that the genre is known for. Tusk is one of the most misleading films in the sense that director Kevin Smith constantly pulls in humour instead of resorting straight to horror, delaying the films ‘grand reveal’ and ensuring that our jaws are dropped when Wallace meets his fate. Tusk is no stranger to its fair share of criticism, with many early screenings delivering lackluster feedback. However, like all good things, Tusk has aged well. Now, it has a major fan following and is the first part of the True North trilogy, which also boasts Yoga Hosers and the upcoming Moose Jaws. 

2- Slither (Directed by James Gunn, 2006) 

Slither follows the humdrum locals of Wheelsy, South Carolina, as they battle an alien parasite that threatens to destroy every living being on Earth. 

James Gunn's Gory Horror-Comedy 'SLiTHER' Still Great 12 Years Later - Bloody Disgusting

James Gunn may now be renowned for his work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but back in 2006 he made Slither, a grossly preposterous tale reminiscent of B-movies and pure schlock. It is not uncommon for many horror films to either have a well crafted narrative with a weak exposition (and vice versa), but Slither has a unique trait of having equal amounts of visual galore and excellent storytelling. With Night of the Creeps and The Brood being major inspirations for Gunn you can be rest assured that Slither is not for the weak stomached. Slither dares to test its audience. Blood, guts, and gore is not anything out of the ordinary for an average horror viewer, but Gunn turns it up a notch by creating these ‘larger than life’ human-based beings that embody the gnarly beasts of great Troma classic’s, including The Toxic Avenger. 

3- Society (Directed by Brian Yuzna, 1989) 

Bill (Billy Warlock), an everyday teen uncovers his family’s involvement in a ghastly orgy cult exclusive to the socially elite. 

Society | Screen Slate

It is genuinely impossible to create a body horror list without acknowledging Brian Yuzna’s fascinatingly gruesome Society. Yuzna was a producer for the infamous Re-Animator, and with this in mind he bargained for a two-picture deal, with the first being Society. With such a brazen display of monstrous chaos it’s no surprise that the film still holds the trophy for being utterly surreal. As with all great films prior to the influx of CGI, Society delivers a spectacular venture made using practical effects. The final scene which has been dubbed “The Shunting” showcases a slimy limb-tastic orgy where nothing is left to the imagination. These effects came from the visionary Screaming Mad George, a renowned special effect artist known for his long-time collaboration with Yuzna. The giant puppet replicating dozens of slimy writhing bodies melting together stole the show, with the film even being shelved for a couple of years thanks to distributors being unsure whether audiences would really want to view something so disturbing. 

4- Uzumaki (Directed by Higuchinsky, 2000) 

The locals of Kurouzu-cho, a small Japanese town, begin to act strange as they become obsessed by spiral patterns. 

Fright Fest 2019: UZUMAKI (2000) | Machine Mean

Uzumaki may not be as openly obscure as other films featured on this list, but do not be fooled as this Japanese sleeper hit has a distinguishably freakish third act that loiters in the depths of your subconscious for days after watching. Based on the manga of the same name, Uzumaki is unlike any other film, in the same sense of how Eraserhead and Hausu are inimitable. And within those same lines the film is entirely disconcerting and devoid of any reality, with the most grounded scenes such as a character walking along a street, or even a family dinner becoming completely illogical. Each scene is caked in a grungy, seasick light, accompanied by uncomfortably close shots and ill-natured characters.

5- Altered States (Directed by Ken Russell, 1980) 

Dr. Eddie Jessup (William Hurt), a research scientist, investigates the altered states of human consciousness through the use of hallucinogenic drugs to determine whether the various states of consciousness are as embedded in reality as our waking state. 

In Search of the Original Self: Ken Russell's 'Altered States' Turns 40 - Bloody Disgusting

Ken Russell may appear all across media reference books thanks to his work on Women in Love and The Devils, but for an unbeknownst reason Altered States remains fairly untackled by mainstream cinema. The film aims to be both as alien and as personable as possible, as we go back in time to the creation of man followed by the progression of earth and the body. Altered States is not without its plummy oscentasciousness, but rather than become a journey into the ego, the film savours its own psychological influences. Through disavowing a sense of normality, Russell captures our attention and uses it to both daze and dazzle. 

6- The Thing (Directed by John Carpenter, 1982) 

In Antarctica, an American research team discovers an extraterrestrial life form that can take the shape of whoever or whatever it chooses. 

ULTRAKiLLBLAST — THE THING (1982)

John Carpenter’s The Thing has held a renowned reputation for decades now, as this riveting exploration into paranoia and mistrust through the body still remains just as disturbing and delirious as it was back in 1982. When body horror is mentioned many will automatically visualise the assimilating dogs, or the gangling human-spider creature from The Thing, with Rob Bottin’s effects being nominated for Best Special Effects by The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films. Carpenter is no stranger to the world of horror, but The Thing has a special zing that makes it entirely stand out. Within the weird and wild landscape of the film we are isolated and confined to a secluded zone where terror hides amongst the crowd, forcing not only a massive sense of vulnerability, but also an exploration into the ‘great unknown’. 

7- Cabin Fever (Directed by Eli Roth, 2002) 

Five friends take a trip to a cabin in the woods to unwind and have a good time. Unbeknownst to them their shindig is about to meet a fatal end as a flesh eating disease begins to spread amongst the group. 

What Are Your Biggest Fears? - Bloody Disgusting

Cabin Fever still remains a rocky entry amongst many audiences, as this rather coarse journey showcasing incredibly gnarly effects is often labelled as being gory just for the sake of it. Yet, Cabin Fever has this undeniable quirk that manages to get under your skin. Eli Roth has always been open about his inspirations, and for anyone who takes a closer look at the film the copious nods to genre classics such as Evil Dead, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and The Blair Witch Project is beyond obvious. But instead of creating a carbon copy of the overused cliché of a bunch of  ‘twenty-somethings in a forest cabin’, Roth creates a rambunctious world where irreverence is dialed up to the max, and crude sensibilities radiate. 

8- The Fly (Directed by David Cronenberg,1986) 

Seth (Jeff Goldblum), a renowned scientist, has successfully created a working teleporting invention, but after a terrible accident he slowly begins to mutate into a grotesque fly-like creature. 

Film Information | Picturehouse Cinemas

David Cronenberg and body horror is a literal match made in heaven, it could even be said that his work within cinema has helped shape the sub-genre, especially with films such as The Brood, Scanners, and Videodrome lying in the midst of his extensive filmography. The Fly harbours a rich history that is now ingrained in cinema culture, with the film’s tagline “Be afraid. Be very afraid” having become repeatedly used in television and advertising. What allows The Fly to excel is the delicate balance of humanising a naturally abject matter. Seth’s declining wellness throughout the film is slow, but stark. Instead of him going to bed as normal and then suddenly waking up as a monster, special effects artist Chris Walas introduces the creature gradually, as we witness at least eight stages of mutation. Accompanying this slow transition is the film’s subplot of Seth’s aggressive mutations excising his own psychological wellbeing, unmasking the dark grittiness of humanity.

9- Tetsuo: The Iron Man (Directed by Shinya Tsukamoto, 1989) 

A businessman (Tomorowo Taguchi) and his partner (Kei Fujiwara) accidentally kill ‘The Metal Fetishist’ (Shin’ya Tsukamoto), who as a strange act of vengeance transforms the couple into malformed metal-flesh hybrids. 

1001: A FILM ODYSSEY: TETSUO: THE IRON MAN (1989)

Tetsuo: The Iron Man dares to be brave. Even in its most simplistic form, the film remains berserk. As with many other body horror ventures, there is no point in trying to search for reasoning over the film’s events. Alternatively, you have to just sit back and revel in the allegorical chaos that is Tetsuo. With all this being said, the transhumanistic qualities and the metal-urbanised aesthetics are entirely captivating and beyond cathartic. Shinya Tsukamoto exhumes a twisted cyberpunk-esque structure that forces the film’s hypersexualised aura right into the limelight, making sure that the visceral execution is inescapable. Although the film’s acclaimed reputation is primarily owed to its cult fandom, Tetsuo was also one of the first Japanese films that gained attention from large film festivals, resulting in Japanese cinema experiencing a boom within the independent film market. 

10- Spring (Directed by Aaron Moorhead & Justin Benson, 2014) 

Spring takes us on the fantastical journey of Evan (Lou Taylor Pucci), as he travels to Italy in hopes of clearing his mind. However, on his journey he meets Louise (Nadia Hilker), a mysterious woman who harbours a treacherous secret. 

Drafthouse Films to Release Monster Romance 'Spring' as BitTorrent Bundle | IndieWire


Spring is an enigmatically charged horror which equalises the body and the monstrous, all wrapped up in a romance film. Spring is entirely unique in its own right. Although the core motifs of the story are not unfamiliar, the flourishing execution is as visually stunning as it is emotionally warming. In spite of the fundamentals of body horror, Spring metamorphosis’s the sub-genre through creating something that isn’t repulsive to look at, or caked in slime. Opposingly, we are enthralled by the visually abject. One of those most transfixing elements of the film is the contrast between the picturesque Southern Italian landscape and the beastly creature that lurks within society. Spring is one of those films that is not plastered on every top ten list, nor did it receive plenty of media attention, truly matching the definition of a hidden gem. 

This weeks article comes via Grace from Film Overload, you can check out more of her work here.