[Closed] Horror Films.

Also, an anti-recommendation.
Do not watch A Serbian Film.
I'm not saying this as a dare or to be clever, I cannot make the images go away, and they really aren't the sort of images you want seared onto your brain.

****ing unnecessarily unpleasant piece of shit film (and this is coming from someone who likes Gaspar Noé films).

Thinking again about 'The VVitch' - it singlehandedly inspired me to begin watching 'horror' again, mainly to seek out quality ones that I've somehow missed. Enjoying this thread, would like to see people share some more all-time favourites.

Stephen King's thoughts on [url= https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Witch_(2015_film) ]The VVItch[/url]

Horror authors Stephen King and Brian Keene both reacted positively towards the film; King tweeted significant praise for the film, stating, "The Witch scared the hell out of me. And it's a real movie, tense and thought-provoking as well as visceral",[37] while Keene, on social media, stated "The Witch is a gorgeous, thoughtful, scary horror film that 90% of the people in the theater with you will be too stupid to understand."[38] Jason Coffman expressed his "frustration" toward viewers who felt The Witch was "boring", saying

[T]hese detractors have targeted [these] films that work within the genre but are also examples of how genre cinema can explore concepts and themes in ways that less fantastic stories cannot. In short, the rejection of these films appears to people outside of horror fandom as a rejection of cinema as an art form.[39]

Somewhat agree, OTOH I can understand people finding it 'boring' these days as most modern movies of the horror genre have been distilled to one of the two following:

1. 'Stalk, chase, nudity, scare, torture, nudity, rape, kill, mutilate'
and/or -
2. 'Creepy music JUMP-SCARE. Lull. Creepy music JUMP-SCARE! Lull. Crescendo..

Formulaic they may be, but only 'boring' in the sense that you know what's going to happen and you've seen it all before. At least the pace is not boring.

Also, an anti-recommendation.
Do not watch A Serbian Film.
I'm not saying this as a dare or to be clever, I cannot make the images go away, and they really aren't the sort of images you want seared onto your brain.

The thing is for the persistent horror fan that is bait no matter how you put it.

The film-makers of that particular enterprise just wanted to see if they could get the most extreme stuff onto the screen whilst using the excuse it was a political allegory.

Oddly it did get a certificate (with cuts). The BBFC notes are very interesting.

I remember going to a film seminar a few years ago and the guy was saying how the BBFC have mellowed and perhaps the only the thing they wouldn't let through would be extreme sexualised violence/rape involving children. Then, A Serbian Film was released (with cuts).

Many films have tackled child abuse though, but not in this sort of graphic and exploitative framework.

Given real-life violence is too easy find on the internet these days I would say nothing in the fictitious world is ever going to be as numbing.

'Irreversible' gets very close. A drama that has a couple of scenes that are outright horrific.

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer had a profound affect on me too. There was something about the low budget nature of it that made it feel very clumsy but real.

How many movies can you say have created an entirely new genre of film?

None. None movies?

As much as my own pedantry annoys even me - I have to challenge the claim that 'found-footage' horror sub-genre was 'created' by the Blair Witch Project. It was the arguably the most high profile (hyped) one to date. I'll go that far.

The thing is for the persistent horror fan that is bait no matter how you put it.

Maybe, deep down, I want people to share my pain. Don't do it though.

Don't.

The Babadok was really good, are we allowing spoilers on here?

Anyway I think a lot of it played into one of the biggest fears in parenting - kids can drive you completely nuts sometimes, no adult could ever make you so tense and now and again, for a split second you get the feeling “I’m going to ****ing belt you one in a minute” and it repulses you and it plays on that.

Another on that shit me up was The Strangers.

The Babadok was really good

It's a good movie - great performances, nicely shot, smart concept, but I think I must have been just a bit too jaded to find it scary.

I watched a shit-tonne of horror films when I was younger, but very few these days for this same reason. However, it makes it all the more special when you come across something that actually gets to you.

As an aside, I always thought that the Babadook would make a great double feature alongside We Need to Talk About Kevin. Very similar territory on the taboo subject of mothers not bonding with and/or being driven mad by, their children. Both by female directors too.

Currently looking forward to catching It Comes at Night, having read good reviews. Anyone seen it?

Malvern Rider - Member

Thinking again about 'The VVitch' - it singlehandedly inspired me to begin watching 'horror' again, mainly to seek out quality ones that I've somehow missed. Enjoying this thread, would like to see people share some more all-time favourites.

I can't think of anything that I could recommend which would come close to The VVitch in terms of how I felt about it and the buttons it pushed but I guess there are some films with structural similarities or riff along the same lines - Babadook, Rosemary's Baby, The Wicker Man etc. Don't Look Now maybe. A Field In England and Kill List are probably worth a look too, just for curiosity if you haven't seen them.

In terms of favourites that's tough, I think the VVitch is right up there and you've obviously seen it. Audition certainly, Onibaba is worth a look. Kurosawa's Throne of Blood (not really a straight horror but still creepy). If you're after something completely different check out Gozu, some of Shinya Tsukamoto's films too maybe. Switchblade Romance / Haute Tension has already been mentioned.

If you haven't already seen Calvaire/The Ordeal definitely do so.

Edit: Let the Right one in / Let me in. The original and the remake are both excellent.

Double Edit: I've already mentioned Green Room, not strictly a horror, but not a bad film. There are probably tons more but I just can't think of them at present.

Dead Birds, a horror/western. Last horror film that made me jump out of my seat, very creepy.

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

Great shout, I loved Prince of Darkness. Shame Carpenter didn't have any money when making In the Mouth of Madness.

Thirst and Byzantium also worth a look.

I have to challenge the claim that 'found-footage' horror sub-genre was 'created' by the Blair Witch Project. It was the arguably the most high profile (hyped) one to date. I'll go that far

Interesting. I'm not, like [i]defending[/i] Blair Witch Project as the greatest, most original film I've ever seen or anything (I mean, I didn't even go to the cinema to see it, first time I watched it with a girl on a dodgy VHS tape with one candle in the room), but which "found footage" horror films came before it? And why was it "hyped"? It was more a clever marketing campaign and benefited from the early days of the Internet and word getting around fast. And, because it was good! Otherwise it would've vanished into obscurity, like all the other crap films that are made.
Anyway, like music, that which polarises opinion is always the most interesting innit.

DezB - Member

And why was it "hyped"?

It was hyped because it was marketed as a documentary. The actors were complete unknowns and all of the marketing material (online) alluded to the fact that these people went missing making the doc. The very earliest people who saw it thought they were seeing real footage and were understandably freaked out.

It was a stroke of marketing genius, but that doesn't make it cinematic genius. It was really interesting timing - I remember reading about it before its release and struggling to get through the smokescreen, but by the time it was released over here it was obvious what it was and how the trick had been executed. The names of the actors were getting leaked and people were spotting them alive and well. I guess there were some people who just went on the basis of what they heard without digging into it but I think because it was almost entirely marketed online, it was outed as a hoax online too.

Even the timing with high res vhs recorders that could just about be blown up to cinema size made it possible for a low budget film to be made in that way.

I have to wonder, could someone possibly pull a similar trick today - not necessarily the same structure, but release a film that people can't differentiate from "real".

We Need to Talk About Kevin

was very good, not sure if "Horror" though?

It was a stroke of marketing genius, but that doesn't make it cinematic genius

Yeah, but as a whole concept it was pretty extraordinary, and I think should be judged as such... I mean, even your description makes it sound brilliant!

There's a story about people fleeing the cinema during it's very early days when they were shown a clip of a train moving toward the screen. They were terrified because they had never seen anything like it before. It was a technological trick. Looking back now it's quaint. The same trick would never work today.

I'm sure there are other examples but that's how I feel about Blair Witch. A snapshot in time, a perfect confluence of technologies and marketing genius, but just not a good film when judged purely as a film.

I guess you could take a 15 yo today who's never seen it and tell them it's real, sit them down and make them watch it. Perhaps enough time has past.

Maybe with VR and augmented reality we might see another Blair Witch / Train coming at the screen moment. Who knows. It's an interesting subject.

[i]I guess you could take a 15 yo today who's never seen it and tell them it's real[/i]

I've got one of those. They ain't that gullible these days. Sadly.

I'm not, like defending Blair Witch Project as the greatest, most original film I've ever seen or anything

Neither am I attacking it. Just disagreeing with your claim that it 'created' the found-footage horror (sub)-genre

but which "found footage" horror films came before it?

Cannibal Holocaust
Guinea Pig 2
Man Bites Dog
Alien Abduction
The Last Broadcast

etc

Anyway, like music, that which polarises opinion is always the most interesting innit.

Agreed. And I actually enjoyed the BWP, but history, opinion, hype and facts often diverge. Credit where due and all that...same as I'd speak up if someone claimed that Chris Boardman invented the mountain bike! 😉

I'd also be interested to discover earlier examples than Cannibal Holocaust

DezB - Member

I guess you could take a 15 yo today who's never seen it and tell them it's real

I've got one of those. They ain't that gullible these days. Sadly.

Damn Dez, you always strike me as so young and hip 😆 How can you have a 15yo?

I mean it's possible that some of them somewhere won't have heard about it. Perhaps you'd need to pull an old unmarked vhs out of a dusty ammo can you keep buried under the garage floor - that might work.

Malvern Rider - Member

I'd also be interested to discover earlier examples than Cannibal Holocaust

I'm pretty sure it's a literary mechanism that's hundreds of years old if you really want to dig in.

We Need to Talk About Kevin

was very good, not sure if "Horror" though?

Oh, definitely not a horror. Just a different approach to similar themes.

Me? Young? Jeez, you're having a laugh 😆

[i]Guinea Pig 2[/i]

Oh yes. Must see this. I wonder if it's from a Guinea Pig's POV
[i]Just disagreeing with your claim that it 'created' the found-footage horror[/i]
Wan't me what claimed that 😉

I'm pretty sure it's a literary mechanism that's hundreds of years old if you really want to dig in.

Yes it is/was. But I mean specifically found-footage/horror in motion-picture.

DezB -

Wan't me what claimed that

yikes! Apologies due 😳

You can even look at something like Aliens where Gorman is watching his marines live streaming footage on a bank of video screens - it's not found footage but the mechanism is similar. Man Bites Dog, also very similar.

The thing that BWP did though was to make the found footage the entire film, not just part of it.

Annnyway. I think I only own 1 horror film on DVD - [b]Near Dark[/b] 🙂

Most of em, one watch is enough really.

[edit]Unless The Shining counts as a horror.

I'm pretty sure it's a literary mechanism that's hundreds of years old if you really want to dig in.

Yes it is/was. But I mean specifically found-footage/horror in motion-picture.

DezB -

Wan't me what claimed that

yikes! Apologies due

No that was me!. And since adjusted my statement to "It was the first mainstream/mass aware film of that genre or sub genre if you like.

I watched it for the first time at home. I knew all about the marketing and the fact it wasn't real, but it still scared me and that's not something I can say about many films.

DezB - Member

[edit]Unless The Shining counts as a horror.

Ghosts, rivers of blood, possessed psychic children, axe maniacs....yeah I think we could give it a pass.

Near Dark is brilliant.

You're not called Lisa are you trailwagger? 😉 8)

You're not called Lisa are you trailwagger?

Ummmmmm, no.... am I missing a joke??

You mean to say, you're not reading my posts?? How very..

[i] (I mean, I didn't even go to the cinema to see it, first time I watched it with a girl on a dodgy VHS tape with one candle in the room)[/i]

So yeah, I little private joke with myself really 🙂

Can’t watch horror films anymore, I get my daily fix at work. Meetings, Gant charts and deadlines...

Anyway, I have been trying to recall name of Italian horror film where the villain was transforming every victim to a wax doll. Colour film so maybe from 70s. Can’ t recall more details and had no luck with IMDB search, someone might know the name?

You mean to say, you're not reading my posts?? How very..
(I mean, I didn't even go to the cinema to see it, first time I watched it with a girl on a dodgy VHS tape with one candle in the room)
So yeah, I little private joke with myself really

Been a long day/week, sorry I missed that 😉

Watched [url= http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3748172/ ]Gerald's Game
[/url] the other night, it's very Steven King, which isn't always a good thing, half worth a watch though.

jimjam - Member
Near Dark is brilliant.

Not sure I've ever thought of it as a horror film though - it's just a great film that happens to have vampires as its central characters...

(way before Twilight tried the same trick to much lesser effect)

Let's agree to never mention Near Dark and Twighlight in the same sentence ever again shall we 😆

The Thing 80's version is awesome horror.

Alien scared me to death as an 11 yr old

Love and still get scared of werewolf films, guess harks back to American Werewolf.

Weirdest horror I can just remember clips of is Xtro, I can't even remember the plot, but seem to recall some gross vulgar stuff oh and an action man. Or did I dream all that!!??!!

There were some incredibly weird moments in Xtro alright. I think Redletter Media covered in in best of the worst a while back. I remember Xtro 2 was some kind of generic Aliens rip off, and then Xtro 3 was kind of like a rubber sock puppet spitting acid at people in cheap army costumes in the desert.

After Aliens there was just a slew of Xenomorph sci fi horror films out there. Most of which I ended up watching for some reason 🙂

There was one in particular I wish I could remember - a hardboiled detective hunting a serial killer, which turned out to be a Xenomorph iirc.

I have been trying to recall name of Italian horror film where the villain was transforming every victim to a wax doll. Colour film so maybe from 70s

Not from the 70's but it could be Wax Mask, a Lucio Fulci screenplay rewritten by Dario Argento and directed by Sergio Stivaletti in 1997?

Dawn till Dusk.
I win.

Also, not "found footage" as such, but a good ancestor of the Blair Witch is the Legend of Boggy Creek from 1972. Proper cheesy at times and more of a mockumentary but you can see the DNA of the Blair Witch in it.

jimjam - Member
Let's agree to never mention Near Dark and Twighlight in the same sentence ever again shall we

If it weren't for you pesky kids!

Again, Dusk 'til Dawn is an awesome film but whatever else it is, it ain't a horror one.

There was one in particular I wish I could remember - a hardboiled detective hunting a serial killer, which turned out to be a Xenomorph iirc.

Dark Angel?

Predator 2?

Oh no it was waaaaay more crap and obscure. And I mean the alien monster in it looked exactly like the creature in "Alien" albeit cheaper. Much cheaper. I've looked through list after list of obscure micro budget b movie Alien rip-offs and I still can't find it. Never mind.

There was one in particular I wish I could remember - a hardboiled detective hunting a serial killer, which turned out to be a Xenomorph iirc.

Was Rutger Hauer in it?

I really like 30 days of night. It’s like the anti-twilight and has done wonderfully shot scenes. The one where the camera pans around the town from above and you just see parts of the snow turn red is brilliant.