#601-#700
The 1,000 Greatest Horror Films: #601-#700
601. (+13) Relic
Natalie Erika James
AKA:
2020 / Australia / 89m / Col / Psychological | IMDb
Robyn Nevin, Emily Mortimer, Bella Heathcote, Steve Rodgers, Chris Bunton, Robin Northover, Catherine Glavicic, John Browning, Jeremy Stanford, Ellie Dewhurst
“With relatively simple though often distressing visual effects, Relic (the title might refer to the house, to Edna or to a gene variant, among other things) delivers some of the most disturbing, close to the bone horror to grace the screen for years, in a film that is also tender and humane. The aching loss at its core reflects more than one person’s disintegration. James speaks to deep terrors of the sort we can avoid only by eschewing realism; horrors that do not recede when the screen goes black.” – Jennie Kermode, Eye For Film
Genres:
602. (-20) Drácula
George Melford
AKA:
1931 / USA / 104m / BW / Vampire | IMDb
Carlos Villarías, Lupita Tovar, Barry Norton, Pablo Álvarez Rubio, Eduardo Arozamena, José Soriano Viosca, Carmen Guerrero, Amelia Senisterra, Manuel Arbó
“Still, the Melford-Avalos Dracula is a big step up from the Browning version. Its substantially longer running time (more than 20 minutes in excess of the English version’s) allows for more and better character development, and provides the opportunity to plug up plot holes left gaping in its better-known counterpart. The directors’ firmer grasp of their medium shines through in every scene, resulting in a film that is livelier despite its greater length. The more competent cast rises to the occasion throughout, putting in performances with far greater depth of feeling than the English-speakers who played their roles on the same sets by day. With a more forceful actor in the all-important title role, this Dracula could really have been the classic Browning’s version is generally regarded to be.” – Scott Ashlin, 1000 Misspent Hours and Counting
Genres:
603. (+7) Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Victor Fleming
AKA:
1941 / USA / 113m / BW / Science Fiction | IMDb
Spencer Tracy, Ingrid Bergman, Lana Turner, Donald Crisp, Ian Hunter, Barton MacLane, C. Aubrey Smith, Peter Godfrey, Sara Allgood, Frederick Worlock
“This 1941 version of the film does not have a very good reputation, and while it certainly is flawed it just as certainly doesn’t deserve as bad a rap as it has been given over the years. Yes, it somewhat pales in comparison with the 1932 version, which could take advantage of the leniency of the pre-Code years to emphasize the sexual aspects of the story; something the 1941 version was not at liberty to do. And yes, MGM may not have been the studio to tackle this story, being more interested in gloss and glamour than in the dirty depths that the story needs to examine. But given these drawbacks, “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” actually ends up being a pretty engaging variation on the tale.” – Michael Mapél, MichaelMapél.com
Genres:
604. (-18) Kingdom of the Spiders
John ‘Bud’ Cardos
AKA:
1977 / USA / 97m / Col / Natural Horror | IMDb
William Shatner, Tiffany Bolling, Woody Strode, Lieux Dressler, David McLean, Natasha Ryan, Altovise Davis, Joe Ross, Marcy Lafferty, Adele Malis-Morey
“If you’ve come to Kingdom of the Spiders expecting Oscar-caliber material or high art, turn away now – this is a bona fide B-movie… Kingdom of the Spiders might not be the finest film ever made, but it’s a solid monster movie filled with jumps, bumps and spine-tingling jolts. The biggest highlight of this film is the spiders themselves. Spider trainer Jim Brockett did an amazing job creating a sense of invasion and threat, despite using such surprisingly timid creatures. The tarantulas are horrifying villains, creeping and crawling into our heroes’ safe house, just like zombies from a Romero picture, or a slasher like Michael Meyers from a horror film. They even cut the power in one scene.” – R.L. Shaffer, IGN UK
Genres:
605. (-22) The Crazies
George A. Romero
AKA: Code Name: Trixie
1973 / USA / 103m / Col / Zombie | IMDb
Lane Carroll, Will MacMillan, Harold Wayne Jones, Lloyd Hollar, Lynn Lowry, Richard Liberty, Richard France, Harry Spillman, Will Disney, Edith Bell
“The underlying cynicism and despair about individual initiative and governmental intervention reflect the social insecurity of the period when The Crazies was released. The senseless prolongation of the war in Viet Nam and the decay of urban centers gnawed at the public mood, leading not to renewed social activism, but to the self-defeating narcissism that typified the latter years of the ‘70s. Romero’s horror films—like those of John Carpenter, Wes Craven, and David Cronenberg—illustrated a mood of entropy. The monsters these directors conjured may have been figments of their imagination, but they drew attention to very real horrors. And, at a time when SARS and terrorism exercises are daily news, the fabricated panic of The Crazies feels more than a little close to home.” – David Sanjek, Popmatters
Genres:
606. (-10) X
Roger Corman
AKA: X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes
1963 / USA / 79m / BW / Science Fiction | IMDb
Ray Milland, Diana Van der Vlis, Harold J. Stone, John Hoyt, Don Rickles
“There’s always a raw integrity in a Roger Corman film where parody and melodrama slip into moments of realism, an aesthetic contradiction of crude production values, outlaw characters and surrealist solutions. The Man With The X-Ray Eyes is just such a film, at times as bad and ludicrous as anything in the thrill genre, at others as brilliant and expressionist as an Antonioni of the same period. It’s pop art, the Pathecolor tonality and Spectorama effects anticipating the psychedelic genre, just like the renegade doctor and his quest for a higher level of consciousness.” – Lawrence Russell, Culture Court
Genres:
607. (-40) Mais ne nous délivrez pas du mal
Joël Séria
AKA: Don’t Deliver Us from Evil
1971 / France / 102m / Col / Drama | IMDb
Jeanne Goupil, Catherine Wagener, Bernard Dhéran, Gérard Darrieu, Marc Dudicourt, Michel Robin, Véronique Silver, Jean-Pierre Helbert, Nicole Mérouze
“Never released in the USA and “banned” for blasphemy, this potent dose of pretty poison presents a wonderfully deceiving package. The story of two teenage convent girls who “dedicate ourselves to Satan” could have been some dippy horror movie — a T&A fest with demons and multiple slayings and loads of sex. It could have been one of those ’70s horror films that make you run for the shower directly upon watching because even your soul feels soiled. But that’s not what Don’t Deliver Us From Evil is attempting. Really about the obsessive nature of female friendship, of girls suffering a tedious, square world filled with hypocrisy and becoming hopped up by literature and the forbidden and hellfire and all the stuff that’s so intense when you’re 15, the movie is a fiendish paean to the freaky bad girl — girls who, when staring into that bland void would rather, quite literally, burn out than fade away.” – Kim Morgan, Sunset Gun
Genres:
608. (-31) The Baby
Ted Post
AKA:
1973 / USA / 84m / Col / Psychological | IMDb
Anjanette Comer, Ruth Roman, Marianna Hill, Susanne Zenor, Tod Andrews, Michael Pataki, Beatrice Manley, Erin O’Reilly, Don Mallon, Joseph Bernard
“The Baby‘s climax is a Freudian nightmare come to life, a stifling flourish of hysterical slashing and wild-eyed insanity that is nothing short of startling. Again, there’s no humour to be found, particularly when Mrs. Wadsworth is captured and dragged outside for a worse fate than her helpless offspring’s, Gerald Fried’s doom-laden score perfectly capturing the endless void that our emotions inhabit. The film goes from creepy psychosexual thriller to all-out slasher in the blink of an eye, and a movie that refuses to adhere to the constraints of genre once again manages to flip the script in ways that are impossible to foresee.” – Edison Smith, VHS Revival
Genres:
609. (-28) The Night Stalker
John Llewellyn Moxey
AKA:
1972 / USA / 74m / Col / Vampire | IMDb
Darren McGavin, Carol Lynley, Simon Oakland, Ralph Meeker, Claude Akins, Charles McGraw, Kent Smith, Elisha Cook Jr., Stanley Adams, Larry Linville
“An exceedingly enjoyable vampire film and top-notch investigative horror film, in which the resolution of a mystery results in horror, I can’t recommend this film highly enough. Carl Kolchak is without a doubt my favorite horror hero and the sort of which I’d like to see more of; forget the quip-spitting wise-ass with a shotgun, give me the cautious wise-ass smart enough to piece together the puzzle and run screaming from the results long enough to grab a stake and mallet.” – Bill Adcock, Radiation-Scarred Reviews
Genres:
610. (-23) Maniac Cop
William Lustig
AKA:
1988 / USA / 85m / Col / Slasher | IMDb
Tom Atkins, Bruce Campbell, Laurene Landon, Richard Roundtree, William Smith, Robert Z’Dar, Sheree North, Nina Arvesen, Nick Barbaro, Lou Bonacki
“Maniac Cop is quite action packed for a slasher and relies more on guns and explosions than than slow death, torment and suspense. Cordell’s victims meet brutal demises but the slash far outweighs the stalk with numerous victims getting nowhere near the expected 15 minutes of fame allocated by popular sayings. Viewers are even treated to a car chase which is also a valuable lesson in physics proving that cars go much faster when the back end is allowed to travel twice as far as the front in the eighties. There is so much to love about Maniac Cop despite it being in the genre of 80s trash horror. Lustig and Cohen’s styles meld together brilliantly, Campbell and Atkins never fail to entertain but most importantly there is not a hint of pretentiousness. The film knows exactly what it is and doesn’t try to be anything more.” – Pazuzu Iscariot, Horror Extreme
Genres:
611. (-17) Twins of Evil
John Hough
AKA: The Gemini Twins
1971 / UK / 87m / Col / Vampire | IMDb
Peter Cushing, Dennis Price, Mary Collinson, Madeleine Collinson, Isobel Black, Kathleen Byron, Damien Thomas, David Warbeck, Harvey Hall, Alex Scott
“The joy of Twins is in the zip. Not a moment is wasted on uncessary dialogue or character development; not a frame is lacking in blood or flesh… The movie represents a moment of change in British society. Hammer in the 1960s was puritan: evil was evil and good always triumphed over it. In the 1970s it began to absorb some of the cultural trend towards relativism. So when the movie opens the bad guy is someone who would once have been regarded as the good guy – the witch hunter… You might say that Twins is a mess. Its plot is daft, the actors seem to be playing out private melodramas and the message is convoluted. But the result is actually something that feels incredibly alive.” – Tim Stanley, The Telegraph
Genres:
612. (+23) Castle Freak
Stuart Gordon
AKA:
1995 / USA / 90m / Col / Splatter | IMDb
Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton, Jonathan Fuller, Jessica Dollarhide, Massimo Sarchielli, Elisabeth Kaza, Luca Zingaretti, Helen Stirling, Alessandro Sebastian Satta
“It’s a tight, taut little tale fraught with emotion and nail-biting terror. When things come to a head, it can only end in tragedy – though redemption is found as well. This, despite the corny name, is quite a powerful drama, with wonderful performances from Combs and Crampton. Jeff Combs, whose antihero drives the piece, really shines here and shows that he’s not just some over-the-top cult actor. The man is an accomplished and captivating performer.” – Dave Dunwoody, Oh, The Horror
Genres:
613. (-16) Død snø
Tommy Wirkola
AKA: Dead Snow
2009 / Norway / 90m / Col / Zombie | IMDb
Vegar Hoel, Stig Frode Henriksen, Charlotte Frogner, Lasse Valdal, Evy Kasseth Røsten, Jeppe Beck Laursen, Jenny Skavlan, Ane Dahl Torp, Bjørn Sundquist, ørjan Gamst
“I’m not going to bother here with the argument that tremendously over-the-top gore like this is or isn’t a wicked thing, or a guilty pleasure, or balls-out fun; when I’m watching a movie in which the filmmakers are plainly loving their gore as much as Tommy Wirkola plainly loves gore, that is what I am going to respond to. Dead Snow is a movie made with a childlike glee for the material, which translates into marvelously playful geysers of blood. It’s all so much fun, made with a minimal level of contempt for the characters that makes it far unlike so many American horror films, and for this reason the comedy in the film (which is a horror-comedy more than it is a horror film with comedy relief) actually works, better than the comedy works the vast majority of English-language horror. This is the sprightliest movie about mowing down revenants with a chainsaw that you are are ever likely to see.” – Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy
Genres: Zombie, Black Comedy, Splatter, Horror, Horror Comedy, Supernatural Horror, Nazisploitation
614. (-26) Two Thousand Maniacs!
Herschell Gordon Lewis
AKA: 2,000 Maniacs
1964 / USA / 83m / Col / Splatter | IMDb
Connie Mason, William Kerwin, Jeffrey Allen, Shelby Livingston, Ben Moore, Jerome Eden, Gary Bakeman, Mark Douglas, Linda Cochran, Yvonne Gilbert
“Maniacs is a gleefully absurd and vicious social satire (as well as something of a spoof of Brigadoon) in the guise of an intensely gory horror film. The rednecks of Pleasant Valley, Georgia are so hell-bent on killing the tourists they have lured to their town, yet they have so much fun doing it, that it is hard not to want them to succeed. The Yankees in the film are such drips anyway (and Connie Mason always makes a good girl-in-peril) that one begins to take delight in the inventive methods of demise the rednecks think up for them. After all, is this not the reason we watch films like this, to get a kick out people (literally) spilling their guts?” – Matt Bailey, Not Coming
Genres:
615. (-30) Dolls
Stuart Gordon
AKA:
1987 / USA / 77m / Col / Supernatural | IMDb
Ian Patrick Williams, Carolyn Purdy-Gordon, Carrie Lorraine, Guy Rolfe, Hilary Mason, Bunty Bailey, Cassie Stuart, Stephen Lee
“What I got was a gory fairy tale about the importance of remaining a child at heart and loving and respecting the people around you – or else. Dolls is made on film, which I’ve always thought lends well to horror movies. It gives them a heavy, slightly scratchy look that adds to the intensity of their purpose. You just can’t get scared when things are all bubblegum pink and bright. It takes place somewhere in the country wilds of England (I think) which lends a bit of gentility to the haunted house-style setting. And with a kindly old English couple serving as host and hostess of creepy doll Hell, it really is a live action Grimm’s story waiting to happen.” – Melissa Voelker, Horror News
Genres: Supernatural Horror, Low Fantasy, Stop-Motion, Black Comedy, Puppet Animation, Horror Comedy, Low Fantasy, Evil Doll
616. (+3) La ragazza che sapeva troppo
Mario Bava
AKA: Evil Eye
1963 / Italy / 86m / Col / Giallo | IMDb
Letícia Román, John Saxon, Valentina Cortese, Titti Tomaino, Luigi Bonos, Milo Quesada, Robert Buchanan, Marta Melocco, Gustavo De Nardo, Lucia Modugno
“At any rate, it’s notoriously hard to define a giallo. It’s not a formula quite as much as a mood and a point of view, and if The Girl Who Knew Too Much is a bit breezier than many of its children, it still shares their casual acceptance of metaphysics as a component of medical science, cops who’ll believe anything but the hero’s eye-witness account, people doing everything they can to find a killer, and are then shocked when they run across the killer. In the next few weeks, I hope to dig up some of these trends when I can find them: in the meanwhile, let me conclude by proposing that The Girl Who Knew Too Much is a gialli like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a slasher: it created the genre, and the rules followed, and thus it’s hardly the germinating film’s fault if it occasionally ignores those rules.” – Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy
Genres:
617. (-16) Oldeuboi
Chan-wook Park
AKA: Oldboy
2003 / South Korea / 120m / Col / Crime | IMDb
Min-sik Choi, Ji-tae Yu, Hye-jeong Kang, Dae-han Ji, Dal-su Oh, Byeong-ok Kim, Seung-Shin Lee, Jin-seo Yoon, Dae-yeon Lee, Kwang-rok Oh
“The violence remains appalling, but it’s an essential element in this brutally inspired mystery. The low-tech dentistry, the masticated octopod, they’re part of the modern hell in which a Korean businessman finds himself… [Oldboy] tantalizes and tortures you as it lures you into its mysterious vortex. You die from what you see and from what you don’t know. And it takes looking beyond the violence to realize the power of Choi’s performance… There is a conclusion to all this, an existential punch line that explains everything in a climactic pileup of melodramatic detail. But whatever you make of that, you will surely leave this movie shocked, shaken and surprisingly moved. And definitely stuck on that poor octopus.” – Desson Thomson, Washington Post
Genres:
618. (+7) The Leopard Man
Jacques Tourneur
AKA:
1943 / USA / 66m / BW / Crime | IMDb
Dennis O’Keefe, Margo, Jean Brooks, Isabel Jewell, James Bell, Margaret Landry, Abner Biberman, Tuulikki Paananen, Ben Bard
“The Leopard Man is at its best when it concentrates on small details like this, building its unsettling atmosphere through the accumulation of sounds, shadows, and slowly building tension. It’s a film without a center, economical in its storytelling and yet giving the impression that it has time for plenty of detours into the lives of its characters, even the least “important” ones. This meandering quality to the plotting is the film’s greatest strength, and it’s inevitable that as the structure begins to tighten up in its final act, the film loses some of its charm. Despite a vaguely unsatisfying resolution, this is a fine low-key horror production from Lewton and Tourneur.” – Ed Howard, Only the Cinema
Genres:
619. (+68) Bat sin fan dim: Yan yuk cha siu bau
Herman Yau
AKA: The Eight Immortals Restaurant: The Untold Story
1993 / Hong Kong / 96m / Col / Splatter | IMDb
Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Danny Lee, Emily Kwan, Chun Hung Cheung, Si Man Hui, James Ha Jim-Si, Eric Kei, Joh-Fai Kwong, Dave Lam Jing, King-Kong Lam
“While labeled as one of the most shocking Asian horror films, The Untold Story is surprisingly not as graphically gory as one would expect with such title; the shock and the horror originate not from what’s seen, but from what takes place in off-screen. Directors Danny Lee and Herman Yau build up a disturbing atmosphere, very much in tone with the unbalance mind of Wong. Employing a stylish narrative, directors Yau and Lee cleverly orchestrate the grotesque details of the crimes in such a harrowing, powerful way that, no matter that the actual act takes place off-screen, the horrific effect is still felt.” – J Luis Rivera, W-Cinema
Genres:
620. (+4) La piel que habito
Pedro Almodóvar
AKA: The Skin I Live In
2011 / Spain / 120m / Col / Psychological | IMDb
Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, Marisa Paredes, Jan Cornet, Roberto Álamo, Eduard Fernández, José Luis Gómez, Blanca Suárez, Susi Sánchez, Bárbara Lennie
“Everything made by Pedro Almodóvar seems to have been developed from the outside in: surfaces yield psychology, decor becomes depth, kitsch proves porous, a parade of pop props dimpled with wells of violently conflicted feelings and frustrated lusts. Seen through this lens, The Skin I Live In, based on Thierry Jonquet’s 1995 novel Tarantula, can be read as a work of perfect unity between its filmmaker’s MO and its fabulous premise… An uneasy forecast of looming advances in posthuman sciences, an extravagant extrapolation of Eyes Without a Face, and a fresh opportunity for Almodóvar to fix his unapologetically (queer) male gaze on more immaculate female flesh, The Skin I Live In embodies a rather studied sort of perversion that nonetheless resonates with Almodóvar’s evolving concerns in interesting ways.” – José Teodoro, Film Comment Magazine
Genres:
621. (-14) Madman
Joe Giannone
AKA:
1981 / USA / 88m / Col / Slasher | IMDb
Gaylen Ross, Tony Fish, Harriet Bass, Seth Jones, Jan Claire, Alexander Murphy Jr., Tom Candela, Carl Fredericks, Michael Sullivan, Paul Ehlers
“Writer/Director Joe Giannone fashions a palpable atmosphere from the very first frame, and the dark recesses of the forest have perhaps never been as imposing as here. It’s impossible to avoid feeling the chills once Madman Marz begins stalking his prey, and our first full glimpse of him – cloaked in silhouette while watching from the trees – is nothing short of startling. Madman makes the viewer feel its presence, creating a wonderfully uneasy movie going experience. And while atmosphere is an important part of any good slasher film’s success, it doesn’t work without the right villain to get the heart pumping. From his inhuman appearance to his unabashed brutality with an axe (or a truck hood), Madman Marz is easily among the most imposing slashers to ever grace the screen and actor Paul Ehlers plays him without a twinge of sympathy.” – Matt Serafini, Dread Central
Genres:
622. (-14) Hounds of Love
Ben Young
AKA:
2016 / Australia / 108m / Col / Thriller | IMDb
Emma Booth, Ashleigh Cummings, Stephen Curry, Susie Porter, Damian de Montemas, Harrison Gilbertson, Fletcher Humphrys, Steve Turner, Holly Jones, Michael Muntz
“Hounds of Love is a reminder that men can make feminist films. Like recent indie movie Berlin Syndrome, Young’s offering boasts a male psychopath and a resourceful victim (not to mention a protective mother). Yet the movies are poles apart. While Cate Shortland’s heroine is never more than the sum of her much-ogled parts, Young’s has a point of view that can’t be ignored. The result is psychologically impressive and fiendishly involving. Everything — from the flawless cast to the malnourished decors and oppressive, electronic soundtrack — hooks us into the teen’s fight for survival.” – Charlotte O’Sullivan London Evening Standard
Genres:
623. (+6) Koroshiya 1
Takashi Miike
AKA: Ichi the Killer
2001 / Japan / 129m / Col / Splatter | IMDb
Tadanobu Asano, Nao ômori, Shin’ya Tsukamoto, Paulyn Sun, Susumu Terajima, Shun Sugata, Toru Tezuka, Yoshiki Arizono, Kiyohiko Shibukawa, Satoshi Niizuma
“‘Ichi the Killer’ is a bizarre sado-masochistic love story, an unnerving excursion into criminal and sexual extremes, and a comicbook explosion of lurid colours and freakish characters – but most of all, it is a furious, frenetic and at times very funny piece of bravura filmmaking, with outstanding performances, spectacular setpieces, dizzying moodswings, a killer soundtrack, and a mindbending conclusion. Guaranteed to amaze, shock, disgust and intrigue in equal measure, ‘Ichi the Killer’ is one of the most striking films ever made.” – Movie Gazette
Genres:
624. (+42) House on Haunted Hill
William Malone
AKA:
1999 / USA / 93m / Col / Supernatural | IMDb
Geoffrey Rush, Famke Janssen, Taye Diggs, Peter Gallagher, Chris Kattan, Ali Larter, Bridgette Wilson-Sampras, Max Perlich, Jeffrey Combs, Dick Beebe
“House on Haunted Hill revels in the earthy limits it sets for itself, and its infectious tone makes for good cheesy fun for those in the right mindset. And though it dates itself a bit here and there, it holds up quite well in comparison to plenty of more recent horror films. The film was made when computer effects were still getting their feet under them, and the combination of practical make-up and sophisticated optical effects makes for some supremely creepy moments.” – Rob Vaux, Mania.com
Genres:
625. (-16) Et mourir de plaisir
Roger Vadim
AKA: Blood and Roses
1960 / France / 87m / Col / Vampire | IMDb
Mel Ferrer, Elsa Martinelli, Annette Stroyberg, Alberto Bonucci, René-Jean Chauffard, Gabriella Farinon, Serge Marquand, Edith Peters, Nathalie Lafaurie
“In some ways, Blood and Roses strikes me as a much-belated European response to Val Lewton’s horror movies for RKO. Like the majority of those films, Blood and Roses cloaks what is fundamentally a psychological thriller in a skin of supernatural horror, and circumvents the target audience’s natural antipathy for “rational” explanations by making the validity of the supernatural manifestations the story’s central mystery. Obviously, that demands from Vadim and his collaborators a much more acute understanding of people’s mental and emotional processes than was typically displayed by horror filmmakers in this era, together with a far greater investment in character development. At a time when most fright films were simplistic stories of good vs. evil, Blood and Roses presents a startlingly mature examination of sexual neurosis and the dark side of exactly the sort of romanticism in which escapist cinema normally trades.” – Scott Ashlin, 1000 Misspent Hours
Genres:
626. (-34) Dementia
John Parker
AKA:
1955 / USA / 56m / BW / Psychological | IMDb
Adrienne Barrett, Bruno VeSota, Ben Roseman, Richard Barron, Ed Hinkle, Lucille Rowland, Jebbie VeSota, Faith Parker, Gayne Sullivan, Shorty Rogers
“This mostly ‘silent’, black and white film opens with a high-angle, night-time shot of a neon-lit street, when, after being invited by the narrator to come with him, “into the tormented, haunted, half-lit night of the insane”, we are drawn slowly through an open window into a young lady’s bedroom, á la Orson Welles. On the bed lies the sleeping beauty squirming and clutching her bed-sheet tightly. Is she having a nightmare… or an erotic dream? Of this the audience is kept guessing, and from here on in, the tone is set for a private view into the young lady’s twisted and perverse psyche. After wakening from her dream-state, she takes a flick-knife from the drawer and ventures out onto the streets, where she encounters all forms of low-lives, debauchery and sexual depravity, all tied together by hallucination sequences that even have the viewer questioning ‘what is reality/ what is fantasy?’.” – Tony D’Ambra, Filmsnoir
Genres:
627. (-29) Calvaire
Fabrice Du Welz
AKA: The Ordeal
2004 / Belgium / 88m / Col / Psychological | IMDb
Laurent Lucas, Brigitte Lahaie, Gigi Coursigny, Jean-Luc Couchard, Jackie Berroyer, Philippe Nahon, Philippe Grand’Henry, Jo Prestia, Marc Lefebvre, Alfred David
“It helps to find the very dark, dark humor in “Calvaire,” a grueling, disgusting and quite effective horror film from Belgium. Part “Psycho,” part “Deliverance” and all creepy, it is simultaneously off-putting and absorbing… What sells this movie is the realistic attention to detail and the bravura direction of Fabrice Du Welz, who draws a gut-wrenching performance from Lucas, who cries, squeals and screams with the best of them… this feels different and fresh. At the very least, it gets under your fingernails.” – G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle
Genres:
628. (+18) His House
Remi Weekes
AKA:
2020 / UK / 93m / Col / Supernatural | IMDb
Sope Dirisu, Wunmi Mosaku, Malaika Wakoli-Abigaba, Matt Smith, Javier Botet, Yvonne Campbell, Vivienne Soan, Lola May, Kevin Layne, Maureen Casey
“With his remarkable feature debut His House, British writer-director Remi Weekes achieves what seasoned horror filmmakers struggle to pull off: tackling social issues like immigration, xenophobia, genocide and gender roles, alongside weighty themes like psychological trauma and grief, all while delivering throat-clenching scares. It’s one of the rare movies that can be enjoyed simultaneously by horror fans as a straight-up fright flick and by non-genre fans as a wrenching, timely drama.” – Mark H. Harris, Black Horror Movies
Genres:
629. (-16) Silent Hill
Christophe Gans
AKA:
2006 / Canada / 125m / Col / Supernatural | IMDb
Radha Mitchell, Sean Bean, Laurie Holden, Deborah Kara Unger, Kim Coates, Tanya Allen, Alice Krige, Jodelle Ferland, Colleen Williams, Ron Gabriel
“The film is overlong, with too many unnecessary scenes (a lot of the movie seems like pointless running around), but it packs in a few scary moments and offers a nicely ambiguous conclusion. In Silent Hill, atmosphere trumps storyline… I have never played the game Silent Hill, but that didn’t stop me from appreciating some of what director Christophe Gans (who displayed a similar visual flair in Brotherhood of the Wolf) puts on the screen – although I suspect aficionados will have a better grasp of what is transpiring. Silent Hill looks great. The town is suitably eerie and the periods of darkness are ominous. The movie is all about visual appeal, feel, and tone, because the story underwhelms.” – James Berardinelli, ReelViews
Genres:
630. (-4) Frankenhooker
Frank Henenlotter
AKA:
1990 / USA / 85m / Col / Comedy | IMDb
James Lorinz, Joanne Ritchie, Patty Mullen, J.J. Clark, C.K. Steefel, Shirl Bernheim, Judy Grafe, Helmar Augustus Cooper, Louise Lasser, John Zacherle
“Aside from self-referential skills, Henenlotter has always displayed is a keen knack for pacing and strong script structure and Frankenhooker is a great example of a nicely timed horror/comedy. The film opens with an ultra-hokey death sequence that perfectly captures the spirit of things to come and the events that follow consistently serve to top what came before. Once Jeffrey’s condition is established and his reasoning for experimentation recognized the story sets off into wild, albeit slightly familiar territory but with hardly a dull moment to speak of. Comically, Frankenhooker is right on the mark; a robust creation full of hilarious sight gags and gleefully grotesque scenarios that exhibit a twisted immediacy and joyful exuberance that’s hard to ignore. Henenlotter’s films are generally known for their sleaze and have always possessed a certain low-budget ridiculousness, however it feels like the emphasis this time round was more about evoking laughter than disgust.” – Sam Bowren, A Nightmare on Samityville Street
Genres:
631. (+1) The Visit
M. Night Shyamalan
AKA:
2015 / USA / 94m / Col / Found Footage | IMDb
Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould, Deanna Dunagan, Peter McRobbie, Kathryn Hahn, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Samuel Stricklen, Patch Darragh, Jorge Cordova, Steve Annan
“While the “documentary” conceit demands a certain suspension of disbelief, Shyamalan is resourceful about finding ways to tell the story without cheating… As personal as anything Shyamalan has done, the film maintains an unusual mood that combines low-key comedy with intangible unease. As usual, there are oddball digressions that serve no apparent purpose, such as a crazed monologue about aliens who trap people in a pond; the ending is disconcerting in a different sense, supplying an upbeat moral that doesn’t quite gel with what has come before. What remains clear is that Shyamalan hasn’t lost his disgust with humanity: whatever twists lie in wait, the main source of dread is the mundane horror of old age.” – Jake Wilson, Sydney Morning Herald
Genres:
632. (new) Dangerous Animals
Sean Byrne
AKA:
2025 / Australia / 98m / Col / Thriller | IMDb
Sean Byrne, Nick Lepard, Hassie Harrison, Jai Courtney, Josh Heuston, Ella Newton, Liam Greinke, Rob Carlton, Ali Basoka, Michael Goldman
“If the skin-deep connotation of his titular creature wasn’t apparent enough, it might be because the real subject at hand isn’t the shark, or the man who feeds it, but the lust for blood that sustains he who feeds and watches it. And given how much the film hums with the warbles of Ozploitation, this is no mere conjecture. Set to a propulsive score by Michael Yezerski, its screenplay, courtesy of Nick Lepard, slickly dispenses with the cheap thrills we’ve come to expect without saturating the mix. In examining the death drive and its fetishistic obsessions, Dangerous Animals should, in theory, be a nauseating experience. That it should exploit these obsessions and make us gleefully willing subjects of them reveals not shoddy writing, but a deft and knowing hand.” – Morris Yang, In Review Online
Genres: Thriller, Sharksploitation, Natural Horror
633. (new) The Long Walk
Francis Lawrence
AKA:
2025 / USA / 108m / Col / Thriller | IMDb
Francis Lawrence, JT Mollner, Stephen King, Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Garrett Wareing, Tut Nyuot, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Jordan Gonzalez
“This isn’t a horror movie in the traditional sense; the terror comes from the growing, ratcheted-up exhaustion each of our characters feels, as each new stumble or logistical hurdle puts them on an instant clock for death. The deaths themselves are brutal to the point of splattercore—skulls burst open with the force of bullets, legs are pulverized by tank treads—which punctuates how psychologically damaging it must be for the kids. Lawrence delights in showing us what it must feel like to force yourself to keep walking after your ankle is broken, or to get a bullet in the brainpan because you can’t stop shitting yourself fast enough to take another step. Children cry out for their mothers, or beg for mercy, or worse, defiantly try to go out on their own terms.” – Clint Worthington, RogerEbert.com
Genres: Death Game, Dystopian, Thriller, Road Movie, Young Adult Dystopian, Buddy, Psychological Drama, Psychological Thriller, Melodrama, Survival, Satire
634. (-39) 28 Weeks Later
Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
AKA:
2007 / UK / 100m / Col / Zombie | IMDb
Robert Carlyle, Rose Byrne, Jeremy Renner, Harold Perrineau, Catherine McCormack, Idris Elba, Imogen Poots, Mackintosh Muggleton, Amanda Walker, Shahid Ahmed
“Coincidence or not, the visual aesthetic and energy of Fresnadillo’s film bears a striking resemblance to Cuarón’s — both use a pallette of dull and desaturated colors, as if the colors itself were weary of the worlds they’re inhabiting. Fresnadillo’s camerawork, like that in Children of Men, is jittery, so restless and panicky, in fact, that you think it might burst forth from the screen. It’s the director’s deft and sylish hand with this material that makes 28 Weeks such a refreshing jolt, plying a genre routinely deadened by sub-par slasher-fests. The exhilaration evident in the smartly-cut action sequences, the glances at pathos in the sequences of loss, betrayal, guilt, and abandonment underscore Fresnadillo’s considerable directorial powers; the man is taking his job seriously and at full-steam, never condescending to it.” – Jay Antani, Cinema Writer
Genres: Zombie, Horror, Dystopian, Epidemic, Thriller, Post-Apocalyptic, Action, Family Drama, Science Fiction, Survival
635. (-2) Buio Omega
Joe D’Amato
AKA: Beyond the Darkness
1979 / Italy / 94m / Col / Splatter | IMDb
Kieran Canter, Cinzia Monreale, Franca Stoppi, Sam Modesto, Anna Cardini, Lucia D’Elia, Mario Pezzin, Walter Tribus, Klaus Rainer, Edmondo Vallini
“A hypnotically gruesome cult hit that may not be for everyone in the genre, especially the squeamish (and the very impatient), Beyond the Darkness is as close to Italian-gore-trash perfection as you’re going to get. Accompanied with a groovy score by Goblin that perfectly juxtaposes Frank and Iris’ evil nature, Beyond the Darkness is a true thrill that will leave you genuinely creeped out and disturbed.” – Juliana Bennett, Horror in the Attic
Genres:
636. (-16) The Prowler
Joseph Zito
AKA:
1981 / USA / 89m / Col / Slasher | IMDb
Vicky Dawson, Christopher Goutman, Lawrence Tierney, Farley Granger, Cindy Weintraub, Lisa Dunsheath, David Sederholm, Bill Nunnery, Thom Bray, Diane Rode
“But without a doubt the movie’s strongest and most talked about asset is its groundbreaking special effects, courtesy of Friday the 13th‘s Tom Savini. By far his most impressive work, his gruesome makeup includes a pitchfork being stabbed through several stomachs and a rather nauseating throat slashing (with the help of a bayonet). The effects were convincing enough for the movie to run into censorship trouble in Britain, where it was eventually released as Rosemary’s Killer, although thankfully the films manages to stand on its own two feet even without the bloodletting. Over the years, The Prowler has become a favourite among many slasher fans due to its fresh spin on the genre but, more importantly, the brutal violence that is littered throughout, which results in an impressive head shot to rival Savini’s previous attempt on Maniac.” – Christian Sellers, Retro Slashers
Genres:
637. (-1) The Deadly Spawn
Douglas McKeown
AKA:
1983 / USA / 81m / Col / Science Fiction | IMDb
Charles George Hildebrandt, Tom DeFranco, Richard Lee Porter, Jean Tafler, Karen Tighe, James L. Brewster, Elissa Neil, Ethel Michelson, John Schmerling, Judith Mayes
“The Deadly Spawn is one underrated horror movie that most fans of B-horror films will love. It is like a mixture of a 1960s sci-fi flick and a splatterflick akin to The Evil Dead. The puppets and gore effects are great to behold and there is plenty of blood to spread around. Despite a few hiccups in sound and acting skills the story will hold most viewers until the end. And the movie is worth it alone for the attack of the mini-spawns on the grandma’s luncheon party. If your looking for something fairly mindless and fun then The Deadly Spawn may be just the ticket.” – Noah Patterson, A Slice of Horror
Genres:
638. (-45) The Children
Tom Shankland
AKA:
2008 / UK / 84m / Col / Thriller | IMDb
Eva Birthistle, Stephen Campbell Moore, Jeremy Sheffield, Rachel Shelley, Hannah Tointon, Rafiella Brooks, Jake Hathaway, William Howes, Eva Sayer
“For parents, the film will play on their personal fears and insecurities. Some parents (non-horror fans and insecure parents) will likely be appalled by the idea of children killing their parents, and vice versa (likely the reason why the film didn’t see a theatrical release). Others will simply enjoy the scary good ride – which is a brilliant byproduct of our own fears driven by pandemic paranoia. Director Tom Shankland skillfully crafts intensity through mostly non-scary images. With the help of his equally talented editor (Tim Murrell), Shankland intercuts several horrifying moments, juxtaposed with an energetic, pitch-perfect score from Stephen Hilton. And with such quick, focused intensity at play, seemingly innocent images like pinwheels and coffee mugs, or shots of children playing, drive fear into the hearts of his audience.” – R. L. Shaffer, IGN DVD
Genres: Horror, Thriller, Christmas, Slasher, Science Fiction, Epidemic, Evil Children
639. (+32) Hexen bis aufs Blut gequält
Michael Armstrong
AKA: Mark of the Devil
1970 / Germany / 90m / Col / Exploitation | IMDb
Herbert Lom, Udo Kier, Olivera Katarina, Reggie Nalder, Herbert Fux, Johannes Buzalski, Michael Maien, Gaby Fuchs, Ingeborg Schöner, Adrian Hoven
“Whilst it has been over shadowed a little by Michael Reeves’ equally outstanding Witchfinder General (1968) Mark of The Devil stands as something of a companion piece to that film. Both approach the subject matter with a historical eye and are arguably not horror films in the strictest sense of the word. But where Reeve’s film is now an acknowledged classic, Mark of The Devil has the reputation of being a sleazy, violent exploitation film. To some extent this is a fair criticism as director Michael Armstrong is wholly unafraid to linger on the slow, unpleasant torture of those accused of consorting with The Devil. There is also no escaping the garish and gloatingly manipulative marketing campaign used by Hallmark on its original release. However, for all its horror, the film retains an integrity and intelligence that lifts it far above the simple minded gore films that would begin to flood the market as the 1970’s progressed.” – Stuart Smith, UK Horror Scene
Genres:
640. (+23) Kyôfu kikei ningen: Edogawa Rampo zenshû
Teruo Ishii
AKA: Horrors of Malformed Men
1969 / Japan / 99m / Col / Exploitation | IMDb
Teruo Yoshida, Yukie Kagawa, Teruko Yumi, Mitsuko Aoi, Michiko Kobata, Yumiko Katayama, Kei Kiyama, Reiko Mikasa, Miki Obana, Michi Tanaka
“Visually the film is breathtaking. Ishii, a director known for revelling in the erotic, violent and bizarre, is on top form in this quirky tale. While the scripting weaves an incredibly intricate and unconventional narrative, the look and feel of the film follows suit. There are some spectacular scenes on offer. The cinematography is just mind-blowing; the colours gaudy and luscious, which makes the whole thing just pop. Ishii also adds in a psychedelic flavour with some innovative editing techniques- also applying light filters in a couple of scenes to build on this factor.” – Kat Ellinger, The Gore Splattered Corner
Genres:
641. (+51) Coraline
Henry Selick
AKA:
2009 / USA / 100m / Col / Fantasy | IMDb
Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Keith David, John Hodgman, Robert Bailey Jr., Ian McShane, Aankha Neal, George Selick
“You know from the very first sequence that Coraline is an extraordinary movie that is going to rattle the bejeezus out of young audience members and – the truth be told – their fathers as well… the most imaginative film in memory, a carnival of wonders – magical gardens, a charmingly choreographed circus of mice, a couple of old actresses who get together to put on a fairly lewd but very funny variety show – that at the same time seems to come directly from your nightmares. Seeing Other Mother change from button-eyed ideal to long-necked witch with steel-needle fingers and a hunger to keep you prisoner, is a deeply shaking transformation that isn’t easy to throw off once the show is over. Coraline will haunt you.” – Jay Stone, Canada.com
Genres: Puppet Animation, Portal Fantasy, Fantasy, Horror, Gothic, Dark Fantasy, Gothic Horror, Fairy Tale, Family, Coming-of-Age, Haunted House, Surrealism, Body Horror, Mystery, Family Drama, Supernatural Horror
642. (-25) Mientras duermes
Jaume Balagueró
AKA: Sleep Tight
2011 / Spain / 102m / Col / Thriller | IMDb
Luis Tosar, Marta Etura, Alberto San Juan, Petra Martínez, Iris Almeida, Carlos Lasarte, Amparo Fernández, Roger Morilla, Pep Tosar, Margarita Rosed
“As the film’s character based plot wraps its well scripted hands around the viewer’s neck, the same noose closes in on César, as he dodges and uses his false smiles and quick thinking to avoid detection. Both eerily realistic and uncomfortable, the viewer can never be sure whether what they are watching borders on the absurd. But the movie loses all pretension that is found in more Americanised horrors, and avoids the temptation of over-scoring itself in an attempt to add drama, and instead lets the looks and silence in-between them to create the tension. This ensures a well rounded but by no means flat film, that will leave you squirming in, and on of the edge of, your seat.” – Ross Shapland, Shapstik on Screen
Genres:
643. (-41) Esta Noite Encarnarei no Teu Cadáver
José Mojica Marins
AKA: This Night I Will Possess Your Corpse
1967 / Brazil / 108m / Col / Supernatural | IMDb
José Mojica Marins, Tina Wohlers, Nadia Freitas, Antonio Fracari, Jose Lobo, Esmeralda Ruchel, Paula Ramos, Tania Mendonça, Arlete Brazolin, Geraldo Bueno
“The film is forcing a wonderful polarization, titillation tinged with terror. The film is unabashedly enticing you with these shots of womanly body parts, and then does its best to disgust be perverting those images with grotesque creatures and the like. Other sequences, such as sex paired with snake attack, provide more of this same dichotomy. But there is more to the visuals than boobs and bile. These shots are well constructed, the lighting is always stark, giving good contrast and keeps the details of the film clear. We are not seeing some shoddily produced horror film, this is a lovingly crafted work.” – Timothy J. Rush, Classic-Horror
Genres:
644. (+38) Barbarian
Zach Cregger
AKA:
2022 / USA / 102m / Col / Thriller | IMDb
Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård, Justin Long, Matthew Patrick Davis, Richard Brake, Kurt Braunohler, Jaymes Butler, Sophie Sörensen, Rachel Fowler, J.R. Esposito
“A tricky film to advertise without revealing its conceit — even its distributors have largely avoided disclosing the nature of Justin Long’s role — Barbarian plays like a midnight festival darling, bucking expectations while maintaining artistic finesse… The film’s rapid swinging between styles can be distancing at times, with shifts in narrative focus that often arrive just when the tension begins to crescendo. But these mildly jarring resets are part and parcel of the film’s devious game of tonal hopscotch, and Cregger knows exactly how and when to twist each screw, reminding the viewer how funny, intense and disturbing a movie can be, all at the same time.” – Siddhant Adlakha, Empire Magazine
Genres: Horror, Thriller, Satire, Black Comedy, Hyperlink Cinema
645. (+9) Street Trash
J. Michael Muro
AKA:
1987 / USA / 91m / Col / Splatter | IMDb
Mike Lackey, Bill Chepil, Vic Noto, Mark Sferrazza, Jane Arakawa, Nicole Potter, Pat Ryan, Clarenze Jarmon, Bernard Perlman, Miriam Zucker
“Awful business aside, “Street Trash” is a fantastically directed picture, enjoying fluid camera movement and textured locations, with crisp, smartly framed cinematography that makes the minimal budget look like the production spent millions of dollars. Muro has a terrific eye for the dark delights of the movie, and his visual sense is masterfully boosted by extraordinary achievements in set design and make-up effects, with the melt scenes unforgettable. It’s unnerving how polished “Street Trash” is, once again disturbing expectations with a virile cinematic appearance.” – Brian Orndorf, Blu-Ray.com
Genres:
646. (-5) Le notti del terrore
Andrea Bianchi
AKA: Burial Ground: The Nights of Terror
1981 / Italy / 85m / Col / Zombie | IMDb
Karin Well, Gianluigi Chirizzi, Simone Mattioli, Antonella Antinori, Roberto Caporali, Peter Bark, Claudio Zucchet, Anna Valente, Raimondo Barbieri, Mariangela Giordano
“Sure, the plot is paper (or should I say slasher) thin, but the direction is competently done. It’s not as artistic or well done as a Fulci film, but there’s a very guerilla, hand-held style that captures the mayhem effectively. Veterans of Italian cinema will notice a lot of other staples here, like the use of long, drawn-out takes, dramatic zooms, and weird voice dubbing. If you’re not use to Italian horror, the dubbing will throw you off at first, but believe me, this film doesn’t come close to offering the weirdest in that respect (anyone that remembers Bob from House by the Cemetery can attest to that). Once you get used to it, however, it really becomes part of the charm. You also get some signature, upbeat music that’s almost a staple of these Italian films; the horror music cues, however, sound like 60s stock music that further contributes to the bizarre Night of the Living Dead vibe.” – Brett Gallman, Oh, The Horror
Genres:
647. (-17) Unfriended
Levan Gabriadze
AKA:
2014 / USA / 83m / Col / Found Footage | IMDb
Cal Barnes, Matthew Bohrer, Courtney Halverson, Shelley Hennig, Renee Olstead, Will Peltz, Mickey River, Heather Sossaman, Moses Jacob Storm, Jacob Wysocki
“Rather than attempting to take us on a Hackers-style trip behind the screens, Unfriended plays on the addictive pull of the screen itself. Like James Woods being physically seduced by his TV in David Cronenberg’s Videodrome, the real horror here is our irritating antiheroes’ inability to pull themselves away from their laptops. Despite repeatedly telling each other to “just log off”, all are compelled to stay online; to open links that can only work their destructive magic if empowered to do so by the “user” – a word with entirely appropriate drug-addiction overtones. While the cast expend much energy trying to figure out the identity of their tormentor (the narrative follows the familiar “anniversary of death” riffs of Halloween, My Bloody Valentine, I Know What You Did… etc), the film forces its audience to spend 80-odd minutes effectively staring the bogeyman straight in the face.” – Mark Kermode, Observer
Genres:
648. (-10) Splinter
Toby Wilkins
AKA:
2008 / USA / 82m / Col / Body Horror | IMDb
Charles Baker, Jill Wagner, Paulo Costanzo, Shea Whigham, Rachel Kerbs, Laurel Whitsett
“A really smart little horror flick. How horrific is it? I’m far from brave, but good at temporary detachment – at the eager restoration of disbelief – and I still had to turn away at several points… This modest little genre piece is smarter than most of the overproduced and heavily marketed studio fare that’s been filling the multiplexes this fall. It’s short, taut, nicely shot, well-acted, astutely directed, specific where it might have been generic, original enough to be engrossing and derivative enough to be amusing. In other words, it knows exactly where it belongs and how to be its best self. What a revolutionary concept.” – Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal
Genres:
649. (+13) Manhunter
Michael Mann
AKA:
1986 / USA / 120m / Col / Crime | IMDb
William Petersen, Kim Greist, Joan Allen, Brian Cox, Dennis Farina, Tom Noonan, Stephen Lang, David Seaman, Benjamin Hendrickson, Michael Talbott
“Michael Mann’s vision of Thomas Harris’ novel is as close to the heart of the book as you could get. The complex plot is told from opposing views, based around Graham’s pivotal role. Although the killer does not appear until almost halfway into the movie, we experience his viewpoint through Graham’s intense investigation, leaving us with a disturbing feeling of voyeurism but also one of frustration as we sympathise with the police. Being caught in the middle in this way helps build tension and suspense throughout the film. William Peterson’s performance as the troubled Will Graham is central to a film in which all the actors are excellent, not least Brian Cox delivering a first and chilling screen incarnation of Hannibal Lecter.” – Ali Barclay, BBC
Genres:
650. (-29) Wrong Turn
Rob Schmidt
AKA:
2003 / USA / 84m / Col / Slasher | IMDb
Desmond Harrington, Eliza Dushku, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Jeremy Sisto, Kevin Zegers, Lindy Booth, Julian Richings, Garry Robbins, Ted Clark, Yvonne Gaudry
“This horror flick about young campers stalked and slaughtered by gruesome backwoods barbarians is a fairly decent crossbreeding of Friday the 13th and Deliverance. Despite the typical hunky-guys/babes-in-tank-tops Hollywood cast, Wrong Turn is gritty and uncompromising, and it includes several suspenseful and shocking moments. Unlike Deliverance, though, it’s not consistently believable enough to make you think seriously about cancelling that next trip into the forest… If screenwriter Alan B. McElroy had found more plausible ways to put his characters in danger, Wrong Turn could have been a real doozy of a fright flick. But it’s still chilling enough to please fans of nature-set nasties like The Hills Have Eyes.” – Steve Newton, Georgia Straight
Genres:
651. (+27) Cape Fear
J. Lee Thompson
AKA:
1962 / USA / 106m / BW / Thriller | IMDb
Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, Polly Bergen, Lori Martin, Martin Balsam, Jack Kruschen, Telly Savalas, Barrie Chase, Paul Comi, John McKee
“While this may not be the most original story ever – ex-con looking for payback – it is intelligently written, superbly acted and brilliantly edited. There’s not a scene out of place, not a moment that’s not designed to pull the noose even tighter around our heroes. Mitchum is stunning in his brutal contempt for humanity. Cady is sly and charming, using violence to take what he believes he deserves. It’s a performance you won’t soon forget and one that will make you think twice about the nature of men.” – Crazy 4 Cinema
Genres:
652. (+31) The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane
Nicolas Gessner
AKA:
1976 / Canada / 100m / Col / Mystery | IMDb
Jodie Foster, Martin Sheen, Alexis Smith, Mort Shuman, Scott Jacoby, Dorothy Davis, Clesson Goodhue, Hubert Noël, Jacques Famery, Mary Morter
“One of the things that make Nicolas Gessner’s film crazier than most ‘70s killing sprees, is that it’s a 13-year-old girl murdering everybody. This, alone, should disturb us – but it doesn’t. Because all the people that die by Jodie Foster’s hands – or rather, in Jodie Foster’s house – had it coming. We don’t know these people that well, but what we do know about them would certainly make us want to kill them too (perhaps not us now, but us in the ‘70s). They are intrusive, harassing, irritating and arrogant, self-involved and out-of-touch. We should be disturbed every time someone dies in the little girl’s house down the lane, but all we can really find in us to do is cheer for her. We don’t disapprove of what she does, we’re just taken aback with how mature and matter-of-fact about it all she is.” – Angeliki Coconi, Unsung Films
Genres:
653. (-38) Orphan
Jaume Collet-Serra
AKA:
2009 / USA / 123m / Col / Psychological | IMDb
Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard, Isabelle Fuhrman, CCH Pounder, Jimmy Bennett, Margo Martindale, Karel Roden, Aryana Engineer, Rosemary Dunsmore, Jamie Young
“Spaniard Jaume Collet-Serra’s wickedly entertaining, if slightly over-stretched, variation on the familiar ‘evil child’ scenario displays an unusually complex grasp of twisted psychology… Producer Joel Silver regularly specialises in routine horror remakes, such as Collet-Serra’s previous ‘House of Wax’. But here, courtesy of an insidious screenplay by David Leslie Johnson, we are in more disturbing territory. More of a psychological thriller than a horror movie, ‘Orphan’ does contain explosions of shocking, though not especially graphic, violence.” – Nigel Floyd, Time Out
Genres: Psychological Thriller, Mystery, Horror, Family Drama, Psychological Horror, Evil Children
654. (-36) The Devil’s Candy
Sean Byrne
AKA:
2015 / USA / 79m / Col / Supernatural | IMDb
Ethan Embry, Shiri Appleby, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Kiara Glasco, Tony Amendola, Leland Orser, Craig Nigh, Oryan Landa, Richard Rollin, Shiela Bailey Lucas
“What makes “The Devil’s Candy” a standout is how well-developed these characters are. This is ultimately a movie about parenting, and how even “hip” moms and dads fear the choices they make are hurting their young. More importantly, Byrne is as skilled as ever at constructing sequences at once bizarre, suspenseful and oddly beautiful. In his cinematic universe, even something as simple as a pane of red glass or a heavy metal guitar riff can turn in an instant from innocuous to ominous.” – Noel Murray, Los Angeles Times
Genres:
655. (-24) The House That Dripped Blood
Peter Duffell
AKA:
1971 / UK / 102m / Col / Anthology | IMDb
Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Nyree Dawn Porter, Denholm Elliott, Jon Pertwee, Joanna Dunham, Joss Ackland, John Bennett, Chloe Franks, Tom Adams
“Although the film was made for the general public, the more serious horror fan will have a blast with the film’s story lines as they supply several subtle (and not so subtle) winks to the genre. Within these four tales are several visual references to dark literature (such as The Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe, and Montague Summers’ The Vampire: His Kith and Kin), mention of the Universal films Frankenstein, The Phantom of the Opera, and Dracula, as well as narratives revolving around genre artists such as actors and writers. The fourth installment (“The Cloak”) is of particular interest to fans as it shows the behind the scenes details of making a low budget feature. These delicate nods to the film’s perceived audience are done with tongue planted firmly in cheek which adds a touch of wit and humor to a picture that was otherwise designed to frighten.” – Bruce Jordan, Classic-Horror
Genres:
656. (new) Companion
Drew Hancock
AKA:
2025 / USA / 97m / Col / Science Fiction | IMDb
Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid, Lukas Gage, Megan Suri, Harvey Guillén, Rupert Friend, Jaboukie Young-White, Matt McCarthy, Marc Menchaca, Woody Fu
“Companion is an absolute delight of a film, shocking without being overly gory or nasty, and constantly escalating the stakes with striking images and a perfect, iconic ending that begs for some kind of world expansion. The world of unread user agreements, controlling men shirking judgement and technology used to cover up for rampant male inadequecy springs vibrantly to life, and Thatcher stakes her claim to being the scream queen du jour after last year’s Heretic. Companion is a fresh, easily recommendable thriller precisely because the ideas are fresh and modern, and explored in an original way” – Film-Authority.com
Genres: Artificial Intelligence, Thriller, Black Comedy, Satire, Techno-Horror, Romance, LGBTQ, Crime
657. (-35) The Guest
Adam Wingard
AKA:
2014 / USA / 100m / Col / Thriller | IMDb
Dan Stevens, Maika Monroe, Brendan Meyer, Sheila Kelley, Leland Orser, Lance Reddick, Tabatha Shaun, Chase Williamson, Joel David Moore, Steve Brown
“Director Wingard and his regular screenwriter collaborator Simon Barrett are interested in genre mash-ups and the dramatic possibilities of comedy-horror, as evidenced by their previous full-length feature “You’re Next.” “The Guest” goes even further in that direction. The music (by Steve Moore) suddenly blasts throughout, with moments of pulsing techno unease, as Anna, crouched in her bedroom decorated with Goth-Girl skull-and-crossbones, desperately tries to figure out more about the hot interloper… Wingard and Barrett have a perfect eye and ear for this type of material. They have fun with their influences, paying homage to John Carpenter and others. They’re not afraid to be silly and bold.” – Sheila O’Malley, RogerEbert.com
Genres:
658. (-30) Halloween
David Gordon Green
AKA:
2018 / USA / 106m / Col / Slasher | IMDb
Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, James Jude Courtney, Nick Castle, Haluk Bilginer, Will Patton, Rhian Rees, Jefferson Hall, Toby Huss
“[Director Green] clearly has an eye for the cozy, autumnal feel of Carpenter’s original film. From moment one through to the explosive denouement, Green’s Haddonfield feels like a real place filled with real people. And while he does indeed borrow from Carpenter’s cinematic toolbox, this is still very distinctly a Green film. He has brought the imagery into a modern lens, without leaning into the gaudy, aggressive modernity that Zombie tried to invoke with his tale on the material. In the same way that Pineapple Express borrows from a lifetime of crime films to create an atypical stoner comedy, Halloween is reverent to even the worst entries in the preceding franchise, while creating a film wholly its own in both style and structure.” – Dan Scully, Cinema76
Genres:
659. (-9) Just Before Dawn
Jeff Lieberman
AKA:
1981 / USA / 90m / Col / Slasher | IMDb
George Kennedy, Mike Kellin, Chris Lemmon, Gregg Henry, Deborah Benson, Ralph Seymour, Katie Powell, John Hunsaker, Charles Bartlett, Jamie Rose
“Just Before Dawn is a well above average backwoods slasher with several ingredients that set it apart. The film has a deliberate pacing, which is usually a death knell for this sort of movie, but rather than becoming dull the movie builds up well to the inevitable slaughters. The better than expected acting helps maintain interest, and there are some very well done eerie moments. The forest setting creates a claustrophobic feel and the killer’s wheezy laugh is also an effective tool to generate unease. The characters do some stupid things, which is commonplace in this genre, but they’re not so terribly stupid as to be implausible, which is virtually unheard of in this genre.” – Devon B., Digital Retribution
Genres:
660. (-23) Ju-on
Takashi Shimizu
AKA: Ju-on: The Curse
2000 / Japan / 70m / Col / Supernatural | IMDb
Yûrei Yanagi, Yue, Ryôta Koyama, Hitomi Miwa, Asumi Miwa, Yumi Yoshiyuki, Kazushi Andô, Chiaki Kuriyama, Yoriko Dôguchi, Jun’ichi Kiuchi
“So this is where it all began. Sort of. In 1998, recommended by Kiyoshi Kurosawa to write and direct one or more of the segments for the Kansai TV horror film anthology “Gakko no Kaidan G”, Takashi Shimizu introduced Japanese audiences to Toshio and Kayako Saeki… If a film can cause a reaction without needing to rely on exposition or narrative, then you know that visually it’s doing something right. And Shimizu has the power to do that. There aren’t many directors that are able to create such a feeling through the use of lighting, composition and montage, I’d say Kiyoshi Kurosawa and Hideo Nakata are the only others who can do this effectively, but Shimizu is in the league of these greats. “Ju-on” is not the perfect horror film. It’s a little rough around the edges, but it’s the start of a style that Shimizu would perfect, and that’s something beautiful.” – Matthew Hardstaff, J-Film Pow-Wow
Genres:
661. (-10) Xtro
Harry Bromley Davenport
AKA:
1982 / UK / 81m / Col / Science Fiction | IMDb
Philip Sayer, Bernice Stegers, Danny Brainin, Maryam d’Abo, Simon Nash, Peter Mandell, David Cardy, Anna Wing, Robert Fyfe, Katherine Best
“The narrative is somewhat incoherent and this is not a film that could ever be praised for its strong storytelling. Many questions are left unanswered, frustratingly so at times yet in an absurd way this all seems to click due to the sequence of utterly ridiculous events that are depicted in ‘Xtro’. A man is mauled by a panther, an Action Man figure comes to life after growing to lifesize proportions and a woman ends up trapped in a bizarre cocoon – and this is just the edited highlights. There are a copious number of wacky and bewildering events to occur in this low-budget piece of insanity.” – Chris Austin, Cult Reviews
Genres:
662. (+29) Jennifer’s Body
Karyn Kusama
AKA:
2009 / USA / 102m / Col / Comedy | IMDb
Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Simmons, Adam Brody, Sal Cortez, Ryan Levine, Juan Riedinger, Colin Askey, Chris Pratt, Juno Ruddell
“The movie could have explored its intriguing ideas in even more depth, and it certainly doesn’t reinvent the wheel. Jennifer’s Body is still a better-than-average horror movie, and considerably more pointed too. Several moments are genuinely creepy. Other moments are darkly funny. Cody’s script – under the director of Girlfight’s Karyn Kusama, who brings a top-notch visual style – manages to combine those things into something that is a lot of wicked fun. The message: inside every adolescent girl is a figurative man-eater waiting to be unleashed. And inside every teen boy is a desire to be feasted on by the hottest girl in school. You can agree with that sentiment or not, but it may just define adolescent sexuality. If nothing else, it makes for a hell-raising good time at the movies.” – Mike McGranaghan, The Aisle Seat
Genres: Teen Movie, Supernatural Horror, Black Comedy, Horror Comedy, Satire, LGBTQ, Slasher, Psychological Horror
663. (-40) Critters
Stephen Herek
AKA:
1986 / USA / 86m / Col / Monster | IMDb
Dee Wallace, M. Emmet Walsh, Billy Green Bush, Scott Grimes, Nadine Van der Velde, Don Keith Opper, Billy Zane, Ethan Phillips, Terrence Mann, Jeremy Lawrence
“While Critters rarely does any one thing good, its committment to the premise and its willingness to throw every idea at the camera makes it pretty entertaining. Sometimes it’s funny on purpose; sometimes it’s funny because it fails so bad at being scary. I guess it’s a long shot to make furballs and small hand puppets truly terrifying, but I think the creators were intentionally going for a 50s B-movie vibe. It’s the type of horror film that’s in no danger of freaking its audience out, so it splurges on goofy Critter antics (the alien subtitles are pretty hilarious) and the occasional exercise in gore FX.” – Mutant Reviewers
Genres:
664. (-20) Damien: Omen II
Don Taylor
AKA:
1978 / USA / 107m / Col / Supernatural | IMDb
William Holden, Lee Grant, Jonathan Scott-Taylor, Robert Foxworth, Nicholas Pryor, Lew Ayres, Sylvia Sidney, Lance Henriksen, Elizabeth Shepherd, Lucas Donat
“While demonic undertones continually propel this film series forward, Damien, The Omen II never ceases to give away actual intentions and methods until the right moment, and in doing so, delivers thought provoking chills in the process. While consistently hoping good prevails over evil, it becomes increasingly clear that this will not be the case, and the overall premise can be biblically frightening.” – Thomas Scopel, Horror News
Genres:
665. (-26) Twilight Zone: The Movie
Joe Dante & John Landis & George Miller & Steven Spielberg
AKA:
1983 / USA / 101m / Col / Anthology | IMDb
Dan Aykroyd, Albert Brooks, Vic Morrow, Doug McGrath, Charles Hallahan, Rainer Peets, Kai Wulff, Sue Dugan, Debby Porter, Steven Williams
“TWILIGHT ZONE THE MOVIE was a slick, randomly creepy and easy watch. When hit the mark, it did it from fair to great. When it missed, it did by a yard. With a stronger wrap around story, more variety to Landis’ tale and Spielberg’s sissy, stops the flick dead in its tracks entry taken out, the movie would’ve been tighter and stronger if you ask me. But when all was stabbed and bled dry, there was enough groovy-groove-groove stuff in here to warrant a sit down.” – Arrow in the Head
Genres:
666. (-13) Bubba Ho-Tep
Don Coscarelli
AKA:
2002 / USA / 92m / Col / Comedy | IMDb
Bruce Campbell, Ossie Davis, Ella Joyce, Heidi Marnhout, Bob Ivy, Edith Jefferson, Larry Pennell, Reggie Bannister, Daniel Roebuck, Daniel Schweiger
“Campbell could have been born to play Elvis – he completely nails both the voice and the mannerisms, even under a hefty amount of old age make-up. It’s a superb performance – if there were any justice, Campbell would get an Oscar nomination. Davis is equally good and the pair make a great screen couple – their friendship is genuinely touching… Bubba Ho-Tep isn’t quite the full-on schlock-fest you might be expecting – in fact, it’s relatively short on action, and the actual showdown, though funny, is rather anti-climactic. Instead, the film emerges as a surprisingly moving story about death, dignity and doing what needs to be done. (Noting, in the process, that anything’s better than meeting your maker while on the toilet).” – Matthew Turner, ViewLondon
Genres:
667. (new) Final Destination Bloodlines
Zach Lipovsky & Adam B. Stein
AKA:
2025 / USA / 110m / Col / Supernatural | IMDb
Zach Lipovsky, Adam B. Stein, Guy Busick, Lori Evans Taylor, Jon Watts, Jeffrey Reddick, Kaitlyn Santa Juana, Teo Briones, Rya Kihlstedt, Richard Harmon
“Final Destination Bloodlines has no pretension of being anything other than a great Final Destination movie. It clears that bar and then some, bringing back the same meticulously absurd kills the franchise is known for while also adding new twists to the formula and depth. This isn’t a film that wants to investigate what makes Final Destination good; it’s a film that knows exactly what draws people in and plays almost exclusively to that appeal. The results are one of the most purely satisfying horror franchise entries to come out in a good while.” – James Preston Poole, But Why Tho?
Genres: Supernatural Horror, Thriller, Black Comedy, Splatter, Family Drama, Horror Comedy, Disaster
668. (+51) Bad Moon
Eric Red
AKA:
1996 / USA / 80m / Col / Werewolf | IMDb
Mariel Hemingway, Michael Paré, Mason Gamble, Ken Pogue, Hrothgar Mathews, Johanna Marlowe, Gavin Buhr, Julia Montgomery Brown, Primo
“Would you believe that the hero and central character of BAD MOON is the family dog? Yup, BAD MOON was actually adapted from a novel entitled Thor, which tells its story from the point of view of its German Shepard protagonist, who does everything in his power to protect the humans he considers to be part of his pack. While I have not read the novel, it is obvious a film could not be made entirely from a dog’s point of view. So, BAD MOON has altered the structure of the original story to suit cinematic conventions. Despite whatever changes were required to translate the story from the printed page to the screen; a German Shepard named Thor remains the heroic center… a fun little werewolf movie that is worth checking out for Halloween or any other night you are in the mood for some horror flicks.” – Derek M. Germano, The Cinema Laser
Genres:
669. (+30) Tarantula
Jack Arnold
AKA:
1955 / USA / 80m / BW / Natural Horror | IMDb
John Agar, Mara Corday, Leo G. Carroll, Nestor Paiva, Ross Elliott, Edwin Rand, Raymond Bailey, Hank Patterson, Bert Holland, Steve Darrell
“Riddled with clichés and populated by cardboard cutout characters spewing the most obvious lines (“I’ve never seen anything like this!”) and daffy dialogue (“Did you ever see your best friend die in your arms?”), Tarantula lumbers along to its inevitable end (U.S. armed forces to the rescue!) set to urgent, super-dramatic music and gasp-inducing special effects. Actually, the f/x — for the period, and the B-factor — are pretty impressive. The ambling arachnid set against the desert dunes looks almost plausible, even as its furry feet occasionally seem to glide above-ground. Also sublime is the sole female lead, a bullet-brassiered Stephanie “Steve” Clayton (Mara Corday, who was also in The Giant Claw), a grad student who steps into the fray with high heeled pumps and 50s femme fearlessness (punctuated by the occasional girly scream).” – Staci Layne Wilson, Horror.com
Genres:
670. (-23) The Driller Killer
Abel Ferrara
AKA:
1979 / USA / 96m / Col / Exploitation | IMDb
Abel Ferrara, Carolyn Marz, Baybi Day, Harry Schultz, Alan Wynroth, Maria Helhoski, James O’Hara, Richard Howorth, Louis Mascolo, Tommy Santora
“Do not approach Driller Killer expecting a shocking parade of exploitation and horror because you will only be disappointed and miss the sublime squalor of Ferrara’s early artistic sensibilities. It isn’t an exploitation film that attempts to shock and horrify through contrived indecencies, but rather acts as an examination of urban squalor as both a subject matter and an aesthetic sensibility. The film is ugly because the realities of inner city life are ugly, and Driller Killer examines these unexposed realities with macabre fascination.” – Matthew Blevins, Next Projection
Genres:
671. (+1) The Night House
David Bruckner
AKA:
2020 / USA / 107m / Col / Psychological | IMDb
Rebecca Hall, Sarah Goldberg, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Evan Jonigkeit, Stacy Martin, David Abeles, Christina Jackson, Patrick Klein, Crystal Swann, Catherine Weidner
“The Night House provides a truly unique horror experience. Similar to movies like Midsommar and Vertigo, the horror depicted goes beyond simple scares. It’s a journey into the very heart and soul of a person. It speaks to the universal process of grieving and the secrets we keep to protect the ones we love. When loss comes, the desperation to fill the void left can trump every other need. The Night House captures these truths in this unforgettable psychological horror.” – Lindsey Dunn, 1 of My Stories
Genres: Psychological Horror, Mystery, Haunted House, Psychological Thriller, Psychological Drama
672. (-38) Maximum Overdrive
Stephen King
AKA:
1986 / USA / 98m / Col / Science Fiction | IMDb
Emilio Estevez, Pat Hingle, Laura Harrington, Yeardley Smith, John Short, Ellen McElduff, J.C. Quinn, Christopher Murney, Holter Graham, Frankie Faison
“Stephen King had big problems with filmmakers, who’d often “ruin” his great books/stories with all the terrible adaptations of his short stories and books coming out, so what does he do? Writes and directs his own, which got hailed as King’s worst film ever, though I think “Graveyard Shift” and “Mangler” were the worst ones. I really enjoyed this one however. It’s a real stinker if you are expecting good horror and a decent film, but otherwise, if you’re looking for a fun, ridiculous, campy b-movie to watch with the friends to crack up at, you’re sure to enjoy this one… the pace doesn’t move fast and the film runs out of steam in the last half hour, but otherwise, this is a great b-movie that provides a 98 minute laughfest.” – Andrew Borntreger, BadMovies.org
Genres:
673. (+8) Lord of Illusions
Clive Barker
AKA:
1995 / USA / 109m / Col / Supernatural | IMDb
Scott Bakula, Kevin J. O’Connor, Joseph Latimore, Sheila Tousey, Susan Traylor, Ashley Tesoro, Michael Angelo Stuno, Barbara Patrick, J. Trevor Edmond, Wayne Grace
“With Lord of Illusions, Barker was beyond establishing himself as one of the genre’s most exciting directors; however, it does offer proof that he had no intention on resting on any sort of laurels. It’s just as sharp of a departure from Nightbreed as that film was from Hellraiser. Seeking to infuse his supernaturally-tinged narratives with a neo-noir style (much like Alan Parker did in Angel Heart), Barker presides over a twisty, snaking narrative that becomes increasingly convoluted as secrets are divulged and intertwined with sexual trysts. Lord of Illusions has enough twists, turns, and sultriness expected of any film noir, not to mention the aesthetic: this is a grimy, low-key pot-boiler draped in shadows and sweat—it just so happens to also feature enough eviscerated corpses to fill up a slasher film.” – Brett Gallman, Oh, The Horror
Genres:
674. (-26) The Pit
Lew Lehman
AKA: Teddy
1981 / Canada / 96m / Col / Comedy | IMDb
Sammy Snyders, Jeannie Elias, Sonja Smits, Laura Hollingsworth, John Auten, Laura Press, Paul Grisham, Wendy Schmidt, Andrea Swartz, Edith Bedker
“Things get gooey and there’s a bit of blood and gore for you fiends out there, along with multiple tit shots. Music that is damn near identical to that of certain pieces used in Halloween is featured along with music that sounds like it’s from a 50s gothic horror flick. This interacts well with the dialogue of the film, which is cheesy and amateurish at times, as though it’s been written for the generation that preceded the target audience of the film. It almost makes The Pit feel like some G-rated family movie that’s hit the crack pipe.” – Brett H., Oh, The Horror
Genres:
675. (+15) Vampyros Lesbos
Jesús Franco
AKA: El signo del vampiro
1971 / Germany / 89m / Col / Vampire | IMDb
Soledad Miranda, Ewa Strömberg, Dennis Price, Heidrun Kussin, José Martínez Blanco, Andrés Monales, Paul Muller, Michael Berling, Jesús Franco
“A lot of Franco buffs consider Vampyros Lesbos to be a classic, and while it is certainly one of his most noteworthy and beautiful films, it falls far from being a traditional horror film. Franco’s appearance as saw-wielding nutjob with a penchant for tying up women and killing them is probably the most straightforward element that could drag Vampyros Lesbos kicking and screaming into the horror genre, while it really seems to want to be an arty lesbian fantasy with elements of gothic horror. Soledad Miranda gives Franco the kind of charismatic lead that is easy and subdued, so that the sexual vibes she gives off don’t have the tacky cheesiness of a typical domestic grindhouse title of the time. The moments between Miranda and Ewa Strömberg are beautifully staged, erotic and sensual without being smutty, amid most certainly not horrific. The convenient vampiric angle that Franco unfurls seems like a thin disguise for touting the free love rebellion against uptight sexual repression.” – Rich Rosell, Digitally Obsessed
Genres:
676. (+102) Wishmaster
Robert Kurtzman
AKA:
1997 / USA / 90m / Col / Comedy | IMDb
Tammy Lauren, Andrew Divoff, Robert Englund, Chris Lemmon, Wendy Benson-Landes, Tony Crane, Jenny O’Hara, Kane Hodder, Tony Todd, Ricco Ross
“A well directed, extremely gory, funny romp. It grabs you in the beginning with an over the top slaughter fest set in old Persia and never lets go. This flick has enough imagination for three movies and is not ashamed to also borrow elements from previous genre films . A little bit of “Hellraiser” here, a pinch of “Elm Street” there…hey…it never hurts. This film is a throwback to 80’s vibe horror with jaw dropping special effects, weird dream sequences, funny one liners and a wonderful nasty villain.” – The Arrow, Arrow in the Head
Genres:
677. (-9) Prom Night
Paul Lynch
AKA:
1980 / Italy / 92m / Col / Slasher | IMDb
Leslie Nielsen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Casey Stevens, Anne-Marie Martin, Antoinette Bower, Michael Tough, Robert A. Silverman, Pita Oliver, David Mucci, Jeff Wincott
“Lynch’s Prom Night is quite chilling, entertaining, and absolutely not a boring film, which surely will be appreciated by horror film lovers and others as well. This film does aim to terrify the audience and makes them want to stop watching it somewhere in the middle due to way too many blood and violent scenes… But, you will still watch since it is smartly executed, with interesting lines, and solid performances by the entire cast, This refreshes our memory and reminds us, once again, why we love so much the films of the sweet 80s.” – Ulkar Alakbarova, Movie Moves Me
Genres:
678. (-38) It Comes at Night
Trey Edward Shults
AKA:
2017 / USA / 91m / Col / Thriller | IMDb
Joel Edgerton, Christopher Abbott, Carmen Ejogo, Riley Keough, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Griffin Robert Faulkner, David Pendleton, Mikey, Chase Joliet, Mick O’Rourke
“Like many of the current crop of art horror films, director Trey Edward Shults’s film has a strong social subtext. Like most zombie movies, it’s about what happens when society fails and it’s every man and woman for themselves. But by removing the zombies from the equation, its solutions to the question become much more stark. What happens in a hypercapitalist society where everyone is heavily armed, resources are scarce, and cooperation is taboo? It looks something like Travis’ nightmares, which provide the spooky counterpoint to the brutal, bloody realism of the rest of the film. What is the frightening “it” that comes at night? It’s us.” – Chris McCoy, Memphis Flyer
Genres:
679. (-3) 30 Days of Night
David Slade
AKA:
2007 / USA / 113m / Col / Vampire | IMDb
Josh Hartnett, Melissa George, Danny Huston, Ben Foster, Mark Boone Junior, Mark Rendall, Amber Sainsbury, Manu Bennett, Megan Franich, Joel Tobeck
“Like “28 Days Later,” this is a film in awe of its creations, eager to unleash them into a world that lacks the glitz and polish of a supernatural thriller and focused in the intent to expand their visage into one of remarkable believability. There are moments here when we are not just staring back at movie villains or even watching on with misplaced hope at the antics of a cluster of desperate survivors. If a good horror picture means to transport us into the fabric of its bleak narrative and imprison us there, then here is one of those rare movies that penetrates the membrane separating all those disposable “gotcha” scarefests from genuinely engrossing supernatural thrillers, and finds a resonating chord.” – David Keyes, Cinemaphile
Genres: Vampire, Horror, Splatter, Survival, Siege Film
680. (-38) The Human Centipede (First Sequence)
Tom Six
AKA:
2009 / Netherlands / 92m / BW / Body Horror | IMDb
Dieter Laser, Ashley C. Williams, Ashlynn Yennie, Akihiro Kitamura, Andreas Leupold, Peter Blankenstein, Bernd Kostrau, Rene de Wit, Sylvia Zidek, Rosemary Annabella
“So what is the use of a genre film that doesn’t conform to the conventions of genre? Plenty. You know this movie is called The Human Centipede. You will watch the film knowing you will see a human centipede. And when it is over, you will be able to claim you have now seen a human centipede. The evocative title, the lack of motive and the absence of genre tropes are completely intentional – Six is giving us what we want, reminding us all the while that getting exactly what we want is usually the last thing we should ever really have. Basically, The Human Centipede is a better, more effective satire (experiment?) than Michael Haneke’s Funny Games.” – Simon Miraudo, Quikflix
Genres:
681. (+5) Nope
Jordan Peele
AKA:
2022 / USA / 130m / Col / Science Fiction | IMDb
Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Brandon Perea, Michael Wincott, Steven Yeun, Wrenn Schmidt, Keith David, Devon Graye, Terry Notary, Barbie Ferreira
“Opening with an incredibly morbid and disturbing sequence that will later be expanded upon, Jordan Peele’s Nope is an intriguing mystery box of a film that once again proves Peele knows how to really get under the skin of an audience while delivering plenty of subtle humour throughout. Peele likes placing his main characters in such extraordinary circumstances and his writing really does a great job in emphasising the fear and uncertainty they possess in the midst of it all, Nope being the perfect title for this film with how OJ and Emerald approach their many encounters with the unidentified flying object and the strange happenings that occur when it appears.” – Josh Barton, Barton Reviews
Genres: Giant Monster, Alien Invasion, Horror, Mystery, Cosmic Horror, Thriller, Neo-Western, Satire, Comedy
682. (-2) Terrore nello spazio
Mario Bava
AKA: Planet of the Vampires
1965 / Italy / 88m / Col / Science Fiction | IMDb
Barry Sullivan, Norma Bengell, Ángel Aranda, Evi Marandi, Stelio Candelli, Franco Andrei, Fernando Villena, Mario Morales, Ivan Rassimov, Federico Boido
“Planet of the Vampires certainly is schlock and pulp that’s been gorgeously rendered by Bava’s art house sensibilities. It’s perhaps as beautiful as a film can be when it’s dealing with reanimated bodies and soul-sucking beings from outer space, but it doesn’t come without that signature, underlying Bava weirdness that makes it genuinely effective beyond its goriness. At this point in his career, Bava still couldn’t be fussed to move his films along at the breakneck, nightmarish pace of his later work, so Planet of the Vampires is another one of those half-remembered dreams that unfolds in puzzle-like increments that are slowly pieced together.” – Brett Gallman, Oh, The Horror
Genres:
683. (-28) Happy Birthday to Me
J. Lee Thompson
AKA:
1981 / Canada / 111m / Col / Slasher | IMDb
Melissa Sue Anderson, Glenn Ford, Lawrence Dane, Sharon Acker, Frances Hyland, Tracey E. Bregman, Jack Blum, Matt Craven, Lenore Zann, David Eisner
“One of the strongest entries in the 80s splatter canon, Happy Birthday to Me is both quite simplistic and unusually sophisticated for a slasher. On the one hand, it’s clearly driven by the petulant, juvenile pangs of youth and will resonate with anyone who was ever jilted on their birthday by a group of friends (hopefully it doesn’t resonate too much because things will get awkward and bloody in a hurry). But on the other hand, this one sets itself apart from its contemporaries by spinning one hell of a yarn around this concept, as it’s lined with enough twists and turns that would even make giallo masters blush. In many ways, Happy Birthday to Me is a perfect stopgap between that genre and the standard issue American body count flick; it really can’t be claimed as either, which makes it all the more intriguing.” – Brett Gallman, Oh, The Horror
Genres:
684. (-23) La frusta e il corpo
Mario Bava
AKA: The Whip and the Body
1963 / Italy / 91m / Col / Gothic | IMDb
Daliah Lavi, Christopher Lee, Tony Kendall, Ida Galli, Harriet Medin, Gustavo De Nardo, Luciano Pigozzi, Jacques Herlin
“Widely considered the father of the Italian giallo genre, Mario Bava has influenced the likes of modern-day giallo directors Dario Argento and Lucio Fulci, as well as Martin Scorsese, David Lynch, Guillermo del Toro and, most especially, Quentin Tarantino. The Whip and the Body is a gothic horror fantasy that finds Bava at the peak of his visual prowess. Though the giallo genre is often known for its reliance on graphic violence, Bava’s film is noticeably tame. What with its captivating lighting schemes, ghostly death sequences and lurid compositions (passageways are downright vaginal), it’s no wonder that Bava’s fetishistic film has attained cult status.” – Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine
Genres:
685. (-18) Lo strano vizio della signora Wardh
Sergio Martino
AKA: Blade of the Ripper
1971 / Italy / 98m / Col / Giallo | IMDb
George Hilton, Edwige Fenech, Conchita Airoldi, Manuel Gil, Carlo Alighiero, Ivan Rassimov, Alberto de Mendoza, Bruno Corazzari, Marella Corbi, Miguel del Castillo
“‘The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh’ is not a beautiful film in the usual sense. There are no lavish shots of the breathtaking cities of Europe nor does one see any overt attempt to dazzle the viewer with aesthetic style. Instead, we are presented with a sleazy, bleak and repellent film brimming with atmosphere and brutality and from which one can take a vulgar sense of enjoyment. This is an example of repugnant beauty, the way in which a dark subject can be treated in such a manner that it becomes strangely absorbing. A few pacing problems aside, ‘The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh’ is a strong all-around offering for those interested in a slow-burn, mature mystery-horror movie.” – Chris Austin, Cult Reviews
Genres:
686. (+11) Titane
Julia Ducournau
AKA:
2021 / France / 108m / Col / Body Horror | IMDb
Vincent Lindon, Agathe Rousselle, Garance Marillier, Laïs Salameh, Mara Cisse, Marin Judas, Diong-Kéba Tacu, Myriem Akheddiou, Bertrand Bonello, Céline Carrère
“As with Ducournau’s feature debut “Raw,” “Titane” is fascinated by the body’s vulnerabilities and urges, its ravenous processes, and how the collective “we” attempt to deal with all of this, either by gorging ourselves or, conversely, by sublimating the need into other things. Neither process is pleasant and/or socially acceptable. You can’t control the inherently uncontrollable. “Titane,” this year’s Palme d’Or winner at the Cannes Film Festival, is an extreme movie, violent and pitiless and funny, but the space it provides for not just tenderness but contemplation makes it an “extremely” thought-provoking film as well.” – Sheila O’Malley, RogerEbert.com
Genres: Body Horror, New French Extremity, Psychological Drama, Family Drama, Magical Realism, LGBTQ, Crime, Black Comedy, Psychological Drama, Queer Cinema
687. (-42) Cheap Thrills
E.L. Katz
AKA:
2013 / USA / 88m / Col / Thriller | IMDb
Pat Healy, Sara Paxton, Ethan Embry, David Koechner, Amanda Fuller, Laura Covelli, Todd Farmer, Elissa Dowling, Eric Neil Gutierrez, Ruben Pla
“Katz walks a fine line between humor and malevolence in his directing debut and handles it deftly, making sure that a laugh is never far away even if you’re cringing at the next method that Colin dreams up for Vince and Craig to debase themselves. And while it would be easy for a movie like this to descend into simple torture porn or gross-out comedy, it never does because we are invested in Healy’s poor schlub right from the start. His desperation and looming financial and housing crises ring all too true, and even as Craig begins to lose touch with his basic decency, you root for him because he’s trapped in an unwinnable situation.” – Don Kaye, Den of Geek
Genres:
688. (-39) Hatchet
Adam Green
AKA:
2006 / USA / 85m / Col / Slasher | IMDb
Joel David Moore, Tamara Feldman, Deon Richmond, Kane Hodder, Mercedes McNab, Parry Shen, Joel Murray, Joleigh Fioravanti, Richard Riehle, Patrika Darbo
“For people who miss the early-’80s heyday of the slasher film, Hatchet will seem like a gift from the horror-movie gods; for everyone else, it’ll at least be a fun way to kill 80 minutes… There’s nothing revolutionary about Hatchet; with its simplistic plot and cameos from horror legends Robert Englund and Tony Todd, it’s a deliberate throwback to the uncomplicated slasher movies of yore. But Green re-creates the style with affection and a knack for building suspense. The acting is above average, the bits of comic relief are actually funny, and multiple limbs are severed in highly graphic fashion. What more could you ask for?” – Josh Bell, Las Vegas Weekly
Genres:
689. (+85) The Lair of the White Worm
Ken Russell
AKA:
1988 / UK / 93m / Col / Comedy | IMDb
Amanda Donohoe, Hugh Grant, Catherine Oxenberg, Peter Capaldi, Sammi Davis, Stratford Johns, Paul Brooke, Imogen Claire, Chris Pitt, Gina McKee
“Christianity and paganism clash in Ken Russell’s The Lair of the White Worm, a campy account of the horrors that beset a small England town when the mysterious Lady Sylvia Marsh (Catherine Oxenberg) decides to conjure up the ghosts of worms from long ago… Russell’s compositions are gorgeous to look at though it’s the deliciousness with which the story unravels that made Lair of the White Worm Russell’s most enjoyable film since his masterpiece Crimes of Passion. One amusing scenario here says everything that needs to be said about Russell as a director: James discusses worm-lore while his friend Angus (Peter Capaldi) voraciously chews on spaghetti. Cheap effects and gratuitous displays of nudity only heighten the film’s delirious demeanor.” – Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine
Genres:
690. (+200) Nosferatu
Robert Eggers
AKA:
2024 / USA / 132m / Col / Vampire | IMDb
Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Bill Skarsgård, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Willem Dafoe, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, Simon McBurney, Adéla Hesová, Milena Konstantinova
“There’s not a single facet of Nosferatu that doesn’t impress for the sheer artistry on display. Night scenes aren’t simply well-lit; they’re re-envisioned as monochromatic nightmares, evocative of black and white gothic horror classics. Craig Lathrop’s exquisite production design whisks audiences on a tactile journey filled with dread-inducing decrepit castles, a city torn asunder by plague, gypsy camps, and beyond. Robin Carolan’s triumphant score, combined with Damian Volpe’s unsettling sound design, only furthers the immersive gothic spell. As beautiful as the costuming, set pieces, and dreamy cinematography can be, complete with quiet long takes and ethereal camera work, it’s equally matched by the horror on display. Violent deaths, an excess of blood, and necrophilia ensue in great abundance.” – Meagan Navarro, Bloody Disgusting
Genres:
691. (-39) X the Unknown
Leslie Norman
AKA:
1956 / UK / 81m / BW / Science Fiction | IMDb
Dean Jagger, Edward Chapman, Leo McKern, Anthony Newley, Jameson Clark, William Lucas, Peter Hammond, Marianne Brauns, Ian MacNaughton, Michael Ripper
“Even before their Quatermass Xperiment hit the theaters, Hammer decided they wanted to make a sequel and hired Jimmy Sangster to write the first of his many scripts. Unfortunately, Quatermass’ creator, Nigel Kneale wasn’t about to give them the rights to his character… Rather than waste a good script, they changed a few names and hired Dean Jagger as the inevitable American actor. He brings a very welcome soberness and rationality to the part… one of the details that emphasizes the film’s quiet realism. They wisely keep their monster out of sight for most of the film, although a scene in which it melts the face off the scientist who gets too close to it is as gory a shock as Hammer would put in one of their films for years.” – Mark Cole, Rivets on the Poster
Genres:
692. (-23) Vampire’s Kiss
Robert Bierman
AKA:
1988 / USA / 103m / Col / Vampire | IMDb
Nicolas Cage, Maria Conchita Alonso, Jennifer Beals, Elizabeth Ashley, Kasi Lemmons, Bob Lujan, Jessica Lundy, Johnny Walker, Boris Leskin, Michael Knowles
“Practically nothing happens other than gradual deterioration of any distinction between reality and fantasy, and the theme is closer in some ways to Jekyll and Hyde (with the emphasis almost entirely on Hyde) than to Dracula or Nosferatu. What really makes this worth seeing is Cage’s outrageously unbridled performance… Even for viewers like myself who have never been especially impressed with Cage, his over-the-top effusions of rampant, demented asociality are really something to see, and they give this quirky, somewhat out-of-control black comedy whatever form and energy it has.” – Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Genres:
693. (-50) Jack Frost
Michael Cooney
AKA:
1997 / USA / 89m / Col / Slasher | IMDb
Scott MacDonald, Christopher Allport, Stephen Mendel, F. William Parker, Eileen Seeley, Rob LaBelle, Zack Eginton, Jack Lindine, Kelly Jean Peters, Marsha Clark
“Cooney knows that he cannot pull off everything in the script to perfection so he acknowledges it to the audience by forgoing realism. Rather he winks at the camera giving us something to laugh at that would otherwise be just plain bad. But in making it really, really, horribly bad, Jack Frost is at the very least entertaining. And is there anything else you could ask for from a B-movie about a serial-killing snowman?” – Ryan Cracknell, Movie Views
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694. (-35) Mark of the Vampire
Tod Browning
AKA: Vampires of Prague
1935 / USA / 60m / BW / Vampire | IMDb
Lionel Barrymore, Elizabeth Allan, Bela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill, Jean Hersholt, Henry Wadsworth, Donald Meek, Jessie Ralph, Ivan F. Simpson, Franklyn Ardell
“A remake of Browning’s own silent London After Midnight (transported to Czechoslovakia), this semi-parodic vampire thriller creaks here and there, but still has enough style to warrant an honoured place among early horror films. Lashings of lore and atmosphere (strange noises, dancing peasants, bats, spiders and cobwebs) embellish a far-fetched but amusing tale of strange deaths at a sinister castle. It’s hard to decide who overacts the most, with Barrymore, Atwill and Lugosi all candidates, though the ‘surprise’ denouement provides Lugosi with an excuse of a sort. But a real touch of class is present in James Wong Howe’s magnificent photography, not to mention Carol Borland’s stunning apparition as a vampire.” – Geoff Andrew, Time Out
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695. (+42) Donnie Darko
Richard Kelly
AKA:
2001 / USA / 113m / Col / Mystery | IMDb
Jake Gyllenhaal, Holmes Osborne, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Daveigh Chase, Mary McDonnell, James Duval, Arthur Taxier, Patrick Swayze, Mark Hoffman
“Maybe Richard Kelly’s fate is to be the cult circuit’s Michael Cimino — forever admired for one great film amid subsequent missteps, including a director’s cut of the same movie. Kelly has yet to match the mysterious mood or magnitude of his filmmaking debut, 2001’s “Donnie Darko” — a collision of time-travel sci-fi, commentary on ’80s Reaganomics malaise and teen angst that’s simultaneously witty and poignant… And what works as nervy comedy also foreshadows Donnie’s burden and reinforces Kelly’s thematic idea that teens can be capable of amazing, world-changing things. Concluding with compassionate nobility and an unforgettable epilogue, “Donnie Darko” represented the one moment when Kelly’s eccentricities weren’t extraneous and ambition matched his grasp.” – Nick Rogers, The Film Yap
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696. (-3) Happy Death Day
Christopher Landon
AKA:
2017 / USA / 96m / Col / Comedy | IMDb
Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, Ruby Modine, Charles Aitken, Laura Clifton, Jason Bayle, Rob Mello, Rachel Matthews, Ramsey Anderson, Brady Lewis
“Landon is careful not to let his focus stray too much, though, nor does he allow that schmaltzy sentiment to overwhelm the horror sensibilities here. In fact, he and co-writer Scott Lobdell deviously play against audience expectations, gleefully stringing them along with an increasingly unhinged murder mystery with outrageous twists and turns that would feel quite at home in a giallo. Despite taking an obvious cue from Ivan Reitman’s seminal film, the script isn’t expressly concerned with capturing existential angst of Groundhog Day, preferring instead to send audiences on an unrelenting thrill ride full of deviations, red herrings, and a wildly trashy finale.” – Brett Gallman, Oh, the Horror!
Genres:
697. (-3) Wolfen
Michael Wadleigh
AKA:
1981 / USA / 115m / Col / Werewolf | IMDb
Albert Finney, Diane Venora, Edward James Olmos, Gregory Hines, Tom Noonan, Dick O’Neill, Dehl Berti, Peter Michael Goetz, Sam Gray, Ralph Bell
“It plays primarily as horror, but as the mystery as to what is behind the killings unravels, thriller and fantasy elements begin to take over. It’s an uneven experience, but does have its rewards, and the quirky nature of it can probably be attributed to the previous directorial experience of counter-culture director Michael Wadley, whose previous work includes putting together the highly influential documentary, Woodstock. Although the goriness of the film isn’t excessive, mostly generated by graphic descriptions of the events, this does have the effect of making the movie a little more unnerving. There are a few shots of dismembered bodies and the like, but the more these are shown, the less convincing they become. In fact, that can be said of the film as a whole, which retains more interest as a mystery than after all the cards are shown, but by the time it all clicks together, enough thrills and chills have been had to make it a worthwhile viewing experience for those looking for that kind of entertainment.” – Vince Leo, Qwipster’s Movie Reviews
Genres:
698. (+15) I Drink Your Blood
David E. Durston
AKA:
1970 / USA / 83m / Col / Exploitation | IMDb
Bhaskar Roy Chowdhury, Jadin Wong, Rhonda Fultz, George Patterson, Riley Mills, John Damon, Elizabeth Marner-Brooks, Richard Bowler, Tyde Kierney, Iris Brooks
“Energetic, sloppy and entirely watchable (especially if you’re sitting down with bong and/or beer), David Durston’s I Drink Your Blood is true-blue camp all the way. Plus it’s vicious, violent, and frequently fall-down funny. Clearly created with a grindhouse-style audience in mind, IDYB doesn’t worry too much about the quality of what’s onscreen, but the quantity of outrageous shit it can pull off before the end credits hit the scene. Frankly you haven’t lived until you’ve seen a gang of Satanist hippies massacre a house full of rats before chowing down on rabid dogmeat and flying into a mega-murderous rage. Before it’s all over, I Drink Your Blood has turned into a decidedly stupider version of Romero’s original Night of the Living Dead, but the thing whizzes along like a really bad hit of acid. And while it’s highly unlikely to ever be considered a “good film” (by any definition of the phrase), there’s little denying that I Drink Your Blood delivers on its promise of wild, weird and frequently wacky material.” – Scott Weinberg, DVD Talk
Genres:
699. (-39) Dagon
Stuart Gordon
AKA:
2001 / Spain / 95m / Col / Supernatural | IMDb
Ezra Godden, Francisco Rabal, Raquel Meroño, Macarena Gómez, Brendan Price, Birgit Bofarull, Uxía Blanco, Ferran Lahoz, Joan Minguell, Alfredo Villa
“Re-Animator director Stuart Gordon returns to literary horror with Dagon, another H.P. Lovecraft adaptation that takes his trademark grisliness to Spain for a real fish-out-of-water yarn having to do with love, sex and demon worship… Despite the Lovecraftian pedigree, what we really have here is a cheap horror potboiler: Stuart Gordon’s Attack of the Fish People. I swear that’s not a bad thing… Given the downright conservative tone of most horror films lately, the ripping and raping that caps Dagon’s leisurely build is itself startling. Replete with gore and nudity, the final reels make it to giddy exploitation territory.” – Bryant Frazer, Deep Focus
Genres:
700. (+7) Climax
Gaspar Noé
AKA:
2018 / France / 95m / Col / Psychological | IMDb
Sofia Boutella, Romain Guillermic, Souheila Yacoub, Kiddy Smile, Claude-Emmanuelle Gajan-Maull, Giselle Palmer, Taylor Kastle, Thea Carla Schott, Sharleen Temple, Lea Vlamos
“Noe’s superb direction makes all the difference. While this kind of story could easily wind up as a suffocating, sensory overload, Noe’s camera follows each subject in Climax with a steady and curious, if emotionally distanced, eye. He’s not afraid to ditch one agonised torture subject to follow another more interesting (read: dirtier and more gruesome) one. The sheer artistry and skill of that is something to behold. It’s comparable to a poet composing a sonnet with broken glass and rusty nails. But the intent behind this artistry is so god damn devious and borderline juvenile. Because the mere act of watching this fictional movie nearly emotionally aligns you with the real-life perverts and voyeurs.” – Rhys Tarling, Isolated Nation
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