Need more scares? Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the horror gems that we think deserve more attention.
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00:00It's good. She's with them now.
00:03Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the horror gems that we think deserve more attention.
00:10Can you show no mercy?
00:13Number 50, Cam.
00:15I don't know how to be any more clear. She's online pretending to be me.
00:20The horror genre is constantly evolving, and this evolution allows for new kinds of life experiences to be adapted to the silver screen.
00:27Sex worker representation in cinema has been around for ages,
00:31but 2018's Cam presents a new look at the industry and the modern forms it can take.
00:36The film focuses on a particular type of in-home adult entertainment,
00:39while also exploring thematic elements of obsession, voyeurism, perfectionism, and the male gaze.
00:45The end results are totally unique.
00:48We highly recommend Cam for the horror fan who's weary of the same old formulas and eager for something new.
00:53Oh, hi. Are you Tinker's girlfriend?
00:59Hi.
01:00Number 49, God Told Me To.
01:03Larry Cohen's movies, both horror and otherwise, are unlike anything else in genre cinema.
01:08This urban auteur has always possessed a knack for unique perspectives, ideas, and dialogue,
01:13often melding multiple genres within his work.
01:16God Told Me To from 1976 combines elements of both police procedurals and horror in its narrative
01:22about a rash of violent crimes.
01:24If there are others, they'll be like me.
01:27Your children would have been like me if you hadn't willed them to die.
01:34The new age movement that took hold during the 1970s is placed front and center,
01:38as all of the suspects are held in the thrall of a sinister religious cult.
01:42God Told Me To even features comic legend Andy Kaufman as one of the killers,
01:46but make no mistake, Cohen's film is frighteningly effective.
01:50God Told Me To.
01:53Number 48, The Brood.
01:55David Cronenberg's work in body horror is rightfully lauded today
01:58as a filmography chock full of disturbing classics.
02:01That said, The Brood from 1979 remains one of the director's less discussed films,
02:07which makes it ripe for a revisit in the modern day.
02:10Cronenberg defies social taboos by making his villains
02:14childlike representations of a mother's past trauma.
02:17But you didn't protect me, and you should have.
02:21You pretended it wasn't happening. You looked away.
02:25These creatures are physically willed into existence by psychoplasmic offspring,
02:30tethered to their mother, Nola Carvath.
02:32The practical effects lend these creations an insidious screen presence,
02:36and the resulting violent acts that are committed on Nola's behalf
02:40bury themselves within our memories.
02:42Isolation is part of my therapy, Frank.
02:44What's been happening to me has been just too strange.
02:50Number 47, Veronica.
02:52In less capable hands, the horror tropes in this 2017 Spanish film
02:56might have come across as cliché.
02:58Attempts at Ouija board communication? Check.
03:02Demonic symbols and possession? Double check.
03:05Yet Veronica succeeds despite using these well-worn plot devices
03:08because of its sincerity and dedication to fostering fear, uncertainty, and trepidation.
03:15The acting is uniformly good throughout the film,
03:25and the scary sequences are effective enough for audiences to buy in and buckle up for the ride.
03:30Veronica fits in nicely with the Spanish horror industry's enviable pedigree,
03:34while also standing on its own for modern representation within the genre.
03:38Clive Barker's work doesn't begin and end with the Hellraiser franchise.
03:54In fact, 1990's Nightbreed stands right up there with Pinhead and the other Cenobites,
03:59particularly the extended Cabal cut that's resurfaced in recent years.
04:03The imagination and practical effects are out of this world,
04:06as Barker's universe of outcast monsters is brought to life.
04:10The underworld of Midian, which is fleshed out in the longer cut of Nightbreed,
04:14feels lived in and contains a wealth of unique memorable characters.
04:19David Cronenberg cuts a truly reprehensible villain,
04:22with his Dr. Decker serving as one of Barker's most sinister antagonists.
04:2645. Martin
04:37Director George Romero is rightfully lauded as a master of undead cinema,
04:41but fans of the man's work should not sleep on his non-zombie films.
04:451977's Martin is perhaps the director's most underrated piece.
04:56The film appears, on the surface at least, to be about vampires.
05:02However, Martin is more of a character study than anything,
05:06a slow-burn gem about a curious young man with the troublesome habit
05:09of stealing people's blood without consent.
05:12Yes, the titular Martin believes he is a vampire,
05:14but this definitely isn't your average universal or hammer horror jam.
05:19It's something completely different.
05:2644. Wait Until Dark
05:33Horror movies are not historically based on stage plays,
05:36but then again, Wait Until Dark isn't your average scary movie.
05:40The film hinges upon a pair of excellent performances from Audrey Hepburn and Alan Arkin.
05:44The former plays a woman who is blind, while Arkin is all slime and menace.
05:50Filmed primarily on a single set,
05:52Wait Until Dark feels all the more claustrophobic and tense as a result.
06:08Hepburn's character ends in a much different place than she begins,
06:11as she's forced to fend off both mental and physical attacks from three home invaders.
06:15Elements of modern gaslighting also come into play,
06:18while the film's final act is a white-knuckle exercise in anxiety.
06:33This is another Spanish horror film that proves the industry is still alive and well in the modern day.
06:38There's a wealth of atmosphere here that feels indebted to the European
06:41gothic horrors of the 1960s and 70s.
06:44Yet the orphanage also feels fresh thanks to the honesty of the performances.
06:58There's almost a fairytale-like feeling to the film's plot,
07:01which revolves around a woman's desire to turn her childhood
07:04orphanage into a haven for youth with disabilities.
07:07We're not talking Disney fairytales, however, but more of a Brothers Grimm vibe,
07:11complete with all of the thematic darkness that comparison entails.
07:22West German director Jörg Butgereit captured one of humanity's greatest taboos
07:26with his transgressive 1987 film Necromantic.
07:29We're speaking specifically about necrophilia,
07:32but that's not all this intensely disturbing and controversial film has to offer its viewers.
07:36Sex, death and real-life animal violence combine with a memorably creepy musical score
07:42to create an unsettling viewing experience.
07:44In fact, the legacy of Necromantic was so complicated
07:47that the film was banned for many years in many countries.
07:51Today, however, the themes of social apathy, anxiety and death fetishism
07:55have been largely reassessed as artful and depending on the viewer,
07:59even perversely beautiful.
08:01Number 41
08:03Deep Red
08:04This list is full of brilliant horror filmmakers,
08:06but Dario Argento stands among the very best of Italy's macabre maestros.
08:11Efforts such as Tenebrae and his 1975 masterpiece Deep Red
08:15serve as textbook examples of that country's jello cycle.
08:22These were pulpy, homegrown thrillers that often combined elements of police procedurals
08:26and mysteries alongside gruesome murder set pieces.
08:30The visuals in Deep Red are particularly stylish
08:32and are amplified by Goblin's booming progressive rock score.
08:43The mystery is compelling too,
08:45as are the performances of David Hemmings
08:47and Argento's former wife and collaborator Daria Nicolotti.
08:51Number 40
08:52The Wailing
08:53This movie delves into a number of different genres
08:56from occult horror to police procedurals to classic zombie cinema.
09:00Yet this modern horror classic
09:01also manages to feel even more expensive than those solid influences.
09:06The Wailing takes audiences into a universe of mysticism,
09:09leading into an almost unpenetrable darkness.
09:12Director Na Hong-jin constructs a bleak narrative here,
09:15together with more cerebral dialogues on grief, superstition and real-world evil.
09:20The Wailing asks a lot of questions,
09:22and the answers it gives may not exactly leave you feeling good about how the world works,
09:27but you will never forget the experience.
09:39Number 39
09:41Lake Mungo
09:53There have been a number of horror films
09:55that utilize the grieving process as a backdrop for their stories.
09:58Don't Look Now is a classic example of this,
10:01while 2008's Lake Mungo feels somewhat like kin to that 70s shocker,
10:05with a solid update to that central dramatic theme.
10:08The found footage style utilized within Lake Mungo doesn't feel cheap or out of place,
10:12but instead serves to ramp up the drama and service the story.
10:16The unbelievable tragedy that befalls the family in this film
10:19makes it easy to connect with all of the docudrama elements at play,
10:23and the overall creepiness of Lake Mungo still gives us chills.
10:45This collaboration between horror icons Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi
10:49may not be as well-known as Dracula or Frankenstein,
10:52but it could be argued that The Black Cat is actually as significant.
10:56There's a wealth of stylistic influence here from German Expressionism,
10:59while Lugosi and Karloff's respective performances
11:02certify their greatness as masters of their craft.
11:05The Black Cat possesses a malevolent atmosphere and enduring haunting sense of grandeur.
11:10This is golden age horror polished to gleaming perfection,
11:14with a surprising bite that made it subversive and boundary-pushing for its day.
11:22Fair the skin from your body, slowly, bit by bit.
11:28Number 37. The Hitcher
11:32You want to know what happens to an eyeball when it gets punctured?
11:36Certain classic films will never be eclipsed by remakes.
11:40This stunning 1986 original stars Rutger Hauer in one of his grisliest
11:44and most memorable roles as a demented hitchhiker
11:47who relentlessly stalks a young man played by C. Thomas Howell.
11:50Howell and his co-star Jennifer Jason Leigh are more than a match on screen for Hauer,
11:55and it's the nerve-wracking push and pull that serves as the crux of The Hitcher.
11:59This horror film is pure tension personified,
12:02and it's Hauer's obsessive performance that's burned into
12:05our collective subconscious forever as a good reason to never pick up a hitchhiker.
12:10Because I cut off his legs,
12:15and his arms,
12:18and his head.
12:20Number 36. Dead and Buried
12:23You will try to kill me, Dan, but you can't. You can only make me dead.
12:30Go on, pull the trigger.
12:32A film is only as good as its script,
12:34and 1981's Dead and Buried had a baffo screenwriting team
12:38in the form of Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett.
12:41Their creativity within the confines of genre cinema shines once again with this film,
12:45as it did with Alien.
12:46Dead and Buried at once feels both nostalgic and current.
12:50On the one hand, the body snatcher tropes going on within the small town of Potter's Bluff
12:54feel indebted to horror's old school.
12:56The gruesome special effects, however,
12:58are most definitely straight out of the Monster Kid playbook.
13:01As a result, Dead and Buried feels timeless,
13:04the sort of film that continues to offer rewards
13:06for those who discover its quirky charms.
13:09Call it black magic. Call it a medical breakthrough.
13:14I'll take my secret to the grave.
13:17Number 35. Saint Maude
13:20She'll be alright?
13:21Oh, don't be an idiot, Richard.
13:23You gotta hand it to director Rose Glass.
13:26Saint Maude was a successful and impressive feature-length debut
13:29for a filmmaker who seems destined for more greatness.
13:32Horror fans flocked to Saint Maude and its tale of a caregiver
13:35who may be losing her grip on reality.
13:37Some of the best horror films adapt real-world situations or struggles
13:41and lay them out against a tableau of the fantastic.
13:44Saint Maude delves deep into religious fanaticism
13:47and accompanies the theme with striking visuals.
13:50Glass's direction here feels purposeful and assured,
13:53and we can only hope she continues on this successfully creative path
13:57on future films.
14:02Number 34. Stage Fright
14:21A number of the films on this list are Italian,
14:23and that is for good reason.
14:25Stage Fright is only one of the films that sprang out
14:28of Italy's horror industry supernova during the 1970s and 80s.
14:32Director Michele Soave was a uniquely creative voice within Italian horror,
14:36and his amazing imagination permeated films like Stage Fright.
14:39Here, the well-worn slasher tropes are given new life
14:42by the completely bonkers idea of giving the killer a giant owl mask to wear.
14:47Additionally, the murder set pieces are unrepentantly graphic and sleazy,
14:53reveling in the red stuff in a manner Italian filmmakers became known for.
14:57Add to this a throbbing score by Simon Boswell,
14:59and you have a recipe for a Mediterranean horror feast.
15:11Number 33. The Golem
15:20Golems, creatures from Jewish folklore,
15:22have appeared now and again in film throughout the years.
15:25Michael Mann's The Keep comes to mind,
15:27as does the series of silent horror films that bore the creature's name back in the 1920s.
15:32This titular golem from 2018, however,
15:35successfully adapts the golem's origin story from a man-made monster
15:39into something with far more emotional resonance.
15:42Here, themes of parenthood and marital strife are counterbalanced
15:45against scenes of horror and violence.
15:47Yet the golem never feels heavy-handed.
15:50If anything, it's quite the opposite.
15:52And this is a horror film with a lot of worthwhile emotional layers.
15:58Number 32. A Bay of Blood
16:13We return to Italy for our next pick.
16:15A fine example of how that country's jalo-jara of graphic murder mysteries
16:19went on to influence the American slasher scene.
16:22Scenes from 1971's A Bay of Blood would be essentially lifted by movies
16:26like Friday the 13th Part II,
16:28like the sequence involving an amorous couple who are attacked while in bed.
16:32Director Mario Bava was already a film legend prior to helming A Bay of Blood,
16:36yet it would be this film's intense levels of violence
16:39that would earn him true international infamy.
16:42There are no heroes here, only victims for the body count.
16:46A Bay of Blood is a frenzied whodunit that pushed some serious boundaries in 71,
16:51and remains relevant viewing today.
16:56But I'm going to kill you like I did Donati.
16:58I have nothing to do with it.
17:00Number 31. A Tale of Two Sisters
17:11Horror fans in North America have long sought out imported shockers from Europe,
17:15Asia and beyond, all to receive a properly balanced cinematic diet.
17:20A Tale of Two Sisters was one of the earlier examples of South Korean horror
17:23that made crossover headway overseas, however.
17:26And was a critical and commercial cult classic.
17:29The film is a ghost story, sure,
17:30but A Tale of Two Sisters also knows how to dance around genre conventions
17:34to hit its own creative beats.
17:36There's a lot of darkness here,
17:37a tragic tale that isn't for those seeking out easy answers
17:41or happy endings tied up in a bow.
17:43Instead, A Tale of Two Sisters presents a psychologically messy family drama,
17:47with an extra side helping of supernatural scares.
17:56Number 30. Tales from the Crypt
18:05The horror anthology has always been a great medium
18:08with which to tell a variety of stories.
18:10The original Tales from the Crypt from 72 is arguably one of the best of these,
18:14and packs some serious star power.
18:17Joan Collins, the author of Tales from the Crypt,
18:19has been a big fan of the series,
18:21and has been a fan of the series since 1972.
18:24Joan Collins, Peter Cushing, Patrick McGee and more
18:28all lend their talents to this wonderfully creepy anthology
18:31full of thematic schadenfreude for those who face the Crypt Keeper,
18:34played by Ralph Richardson.
18:36These are mini morality plays with the sort of classy execution
18:39that was a hallmark of British horror in the 1970s.
18:42There is no doubt that Tales from the Crypt
18:44is some of the best horror ever produced by the UK.
18:54Number 29. Kwaidan
19:11Tales from the Crypt isn't the only awesome horror anthology film on this list.
19:15Kwaidan hails from Japan and was released back in 1964,
19:19yet it still possesses some seriously scary staying power decades later.
19:24Scary that is, if you can get past just how gorgeous this film looks.
19:28The cinematography, set design and visual style of Kwaidan
19:32are sumptuous and impossible to forget.
19:34At the same time, its tales of terror bring to the screen
19:37stories that are ghostly morality tales with plenty of spooky visuals.
19:42Kwaidan is a film that is astonishingly atmospheric,
19:45and guaranteed to put you in the Halloween spirit.
19:47Just be sure to start this one late at night when the moon is full.
19:53Number 28. The Burning
20:12The 1980s were a halcyon decade for the slasher movie,
20:16particularly during its earliest years.
20:18The Burning may not be spoken of as often as its peers,
20:21but there are more than enough elements here to make it worth your time.
20:25For starters, there is the presence of future stars Jason Alexander and Holly Hunter,
20:29appearing here in the infancy of their careers.
20:32Additionally, the special effects from Tom Savini are off the charts in terms of execution,
20:37particularly on the infamous raft scene.
20:40Meanwhile, Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman delivers a wonderful score
20:44that's quirky and creepy in equal measure,
20:46and the ending bucks final girl slasher convention.
20:52Number 27. In the Mouth of Madness
21:10Director John Carpenter is lauded for films like Halloween and The Thing, and rightfully so.
21:15However, fans would be wise not to sleep on some of his later work,
21:19including this banger from 1994.
21:22In the Mouth of Madness is Carpenter indulging in some seriously occult Lovecraftian vibes,
21:27but doing so with his own inimitable flair.
21:30The question of fantasy versus reality is very present,
21:33as In the Mouth of Madness revolves around the works of fictional horror novelist Sutter Cain.
21:38Answers here aren't exactly clear-cut,
21:40and Carpenter's film has a great time going off the deep end in terms of atmosphere,
21:45excitement, and impressive visuals.
21:47In the Mouth of Madness is a must-watch.
21:57Number 26. Demons
22:08There are few Italian horror films from the 1980s
22:11that possess as much sinful glee as 1985's Demons.
22:16Director Lamberto Bava had this stuff in his blood,
22:19since his dad was the aforementioned maestro Mario Bava.
22:22Demons is substantially more popcorn fare than much of the elder Bava's work,
22:26but this is in no way a slight.
22:29In fact, this is one of the reasons why Demons is so successful.
22:32It keeps plot points and extraneous locations to a minimum,
22:36setting up the story where people are locked inside of a movie theater
22:39full of bloodthirsty creatures.
22:41Demons is heavy metal horror turned up to the max,
22:44with insane special effects and a pace that never lets up.
22:48It is pure escapist pleasure.
22:57Number 25. Don't Torture a Duckling
23:01Don't Torture a Duckling is very different than Demons stylistically,
23:15despite being produced in the same country.
23:17Director Lucio Fulci was often referred to as Italy's godfather of gore,
23:22but this film proves that the man certainly was not defined by this moniker.
23:26Instead, Don't Torture a Duckling tackles small-town persecution,
23:30religious fanaticism, murder and abuse in perhaps the bleakest manner possible.
23:35Fulci's direction is strong and stylish, but never at the expense of the story.
23:40Meanwhile, Florinda Bolcan's performance is at once both tragic and mesmerizing,
23:44helping elevate Don't Torture a Duckling towards the apex of Italy's horror pantheon.
23:56Number 24. The Changeling
24:00No one's been able to live in it.
24:04It doesn't want people.
24:06Are you looking for a slow-burn, creepily atmospheric horror film
24:10to keep you warm on those cold winter nights?
24:12Then might we suggest The Changeling from 1980?
24:15This Canadian horror film is often cited as one of the country's
24:19best international horror offerings, and with good reason.
24:22Newer generations have been discovering this spook show,
24:25and becoming captivated by its story and performances.
24:28George C. Scott in particular shines in the lead role,
24:32as a grieving man who moves into a house that may or may not be haunted.
24:36John Russell lost everything after the untimely deaths of his wife and child,
24:40and The Changeling channels this loss to charge nearly every frame with melancholy,
24:45beauty and, yes, fear.
24:56Number 23. Cemetery Man
24:59Why the barbed wire? Do they climb in at night?
25:02No. They climb out sometimes. Would you mind coming down?
25:06Cemetery Man is yet another film from Michele Soave to make our list,
25:10a testament to the director's timeless power.
25:13This flick may be Soave's crowning achievement as a filmmaker,
25:16and proof that Italian horror still had something to say during the 90s.
25:20The film stars a young Rupert Everett as a cemetery caretaker
25:24who keeps having to take care of the annoying living dead
25:26who rise from their tombs every night.
25:28Soave injects Cemetery Man with sexuality, violence and an anarchic sense of humor
25:33that goes a long way in keeping this film unlike anything you've likely ever seen.
25:38Additionally, can we just say that it also includes
25:40what just has to be the greatest Grim Reaper ever committed to film?
25:55Number 22. Opera
25:59Dario Argento was already well-established as a horror icon prior to directing opera in 1987.
26:15The director's groundbreaking work with films like Deep Red and Suspiria
26:19helped cement Italy as an international voice for genre cinema.
26:22Yet opera proves that Argento still had plenty of gas left in the creative tank.
26:27Graphic murders are taking place within an opera house
26:30that's gearing up for a high-profile production of Macbeth.
26:33What does this have to do with Mara Chakova and why is she being forced to watch?
26:37The answers aren't so simple,
26:39and honesty takes a backseat to all of the wild and crazy set pieces
26:42that make opera such idiosyncratic viewing.
26:45This one may be one of Argento's most unhinged works.
26:54Number 21. The Innocents
26:57This incredible film from 1961 is an all-time classic ghost story,
27:12a masterpiece adapted from Henry James' novella The Turn of the Screw.
27:16The film is all about atmosphere, with a growing sense of unease,
27:20paranoia, and self-doubt building to a feverish pitch.
27:23This is filmmaking that takes its time ramping up tension,
27:26and the end results make this ride utterly worth the wait.
27:30The idea of childhood innocence is juxtaposed against ghostly possessions
27:34and hallucinations that may or again may not be stress-induced.
27:38The special effects and particularly the haunting music remain powerful today,
27:43making The Innocents a film experience well ahead of its time.
27:52Number 20. Piercing
27:54If you've seen Nicholas Pesce's The Eyes of My Mother,
27:56you know his movies don't exactly make for easy viewing. Piercing is no different.
28:04Based on a book by Japanese novelist Ryu Murakami, it stars Christopher Abbott as Reed,
28:10a businessman who plans on checking into a motel and murdering a sex worker.
28:14The movie opens with Reed standing over his infant child with an ice pick,
28:18and only gets worse from there.
28:20It will certainly divide opinion as it's definitely not for everyone,
28:24but it's impressively stylish, reminiscent of the slick Italian giallo horror films of the 70s.
28:29So if you want a retro style horror thriller, you could do a lot worse than Piercing.
28:41Number 19. Resolution
28:43Justin Benson and Aaron Scott Moorhead are two of the most talented indie horror filmmakers
28:48working today, and their work remains criminally underappreciated.
28:53Their 2012 film Resolution is particularly great. It follows a graphic designer named
28:58Michael who receives a disturbing video from his best friend Chris. Worried about Chris'
29:02mental state, Michael travels to a remote cabin to rescue his delusional friend.
29:13It serves as a brilliant meta-commentary on the horror genre, and many critics have
29:17compared it favorably to The Cabin in the Woods, with some arguing it's even better.
29:21Both this film and its sort of sequel The Endless, which stars Benson and Moorhead,
29:26are required viewing for horror fans.
29:37Those looking for Blair Witch Project type scares could do a lot worse than The Ritual.
29:41This movie was released on Netflix back in 2018, although it failed to generate interest outside
29:46the die-hard horror community. It follows a group of friends led by the always incredible
29:51and underrated Rafe Spall, who are hunted through the woods by an unseen entity.
30:00Like The Blair Witch Project, The Ritual strikes a delicate balance between psychological horror
30:05and physical scares, and the terror comes just as much from the men's diminishing trust in
30:10conflicts as it does from the visceral spooks. Add in the unrelentingly bleak atmosphere,
30:15and you have yourself another reason to never enter the woods.
30:21Tell us if you've heard this premise before.
30:24A young couple in a dangerously secluded area is stalked by a group of menacing psychos.
30:34It's the basis to many a slasher movie. But Eden Lake takes the tired concept and
30:38manages to make it fresh again thanks to its sheer and unrelenting brutality.
30:43This is not an easy film to watch. It is violent, it is bloody, and worst of all,
30:49it is realistic. Unlike most slashers that vie for shocks and gore, this one remains
30:54rooted in realism, and the results are just as emotional as they are disorienting.
30:59It requires a strong stomach, but those who can get through it will find a lot to like here.
31:11Don't be put off by the found footage style. Creep is legitimately, well, creepy.
31:19Creep follows Aaron, a videographer who's hired by the dying Joseph to film
31:35A Day in the Life for his unborn son. While Joseph is eccentric and a little
31:39off, he is relatively harmless, until he isn't.
31:43Creep is definitely a slow burn, but the ebb and flow of tension keeps viewers on
31:52their toes and questioning Joseph's motives and personality. Mark Duplass somehow manages
31:57to imbue Joseph with humanity while also creeping us the heck out, and it's amazing to see him
32:03effortlessly switch between moments of poignant tenderness and sinister depravity.
32:13Eyes Without a Face is rarely discussed, which is a shame, seeing as how it's one of the most
32:22beautiful horror movies of all time. Yeah, we said beautiful. The film was initially met with
32:27hostile reviews, as critics thought that a genre film was beneath esteemed documentary filmmaker
32:32Georges Franjou. However, it underwent a critical reevaluation upon re-release,
32:37and is now considered a poetic, surreal, and fairytale-esque masterpiece. It influenced
32:42a generation of filmmakers, from John Woo to John Carpenter, who used this movie as
32:47inspiration to create the iconic Michael Myers mask. It's not your standard horror film by any
32:52means, but it is haunting and emotionally stirring.
32:58Also known as Dead of Night, Death Dream was directed by Bob Clark, the same man behind the
33:03wildly influential slasher movie Black Christmas, also the comedy A Christmas Story. He seems to
33:08have very mixed feelings about Christmas. Death Dream was inspired by the famous short story The
33:19Monkey's Paw, which also involves a mother's wish that her dead son return to her. Although the
33:33wish is granted, it's not exactly what the family had in mind. The movie is a slow-burning chiller
33:38that wonderfully utilizes the zombie genre as an allegory for war and the problems that shell-shocked
33:44veterans have with reintegration. It's an unusually smart horror movie that deserves more recognition
33:49within the canon.
33:58For a movie so jam-packed with incredible actors, Bone Tomahawk is painfully ignored.
34:09Starring Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Richard Jenkins, and Matthew Fox, the movie is a deft blend of
34:15western and horror. The cast delivers fantastic performances, and the film balances slow-paced
34:24character-driven work with raw, visceral thrills. And how visceral they are. The gore and makeup
34:33work in this movie are unbelievable, and there's one scene in particular that will remain burned
34:38into your memory for years to come. Whether you want to watch a unique western with great dialogue
34:43or witness an unsettling gore-filled horror, Bone Tomahawk is your movie.
34:51Carnival of Souls is certainly an acquired taste, but those feeling daring and experimental will
34:56be rewarded with one of the most gloriously atmospheric horror movies of all time.
35:03It was shot on a meager budget of $33,000, but what director Herc Harvey does with that money
35:09is frankly amazing. The movie is perhaps most well-known for its striking cinematography and
35:21ghastly visuals, as it makes even the most ordinary of areas and situations seem ripped
35:25from a nightmare. There are no cheap jump scares, no horrifying acts of violence,
35:39and no scary monsters. It's just a creepy arthouse movie interested in bewildering its viewers,
35:44and it succeeds in spectacular fashion.
35:4711. Pontypool
35:49Pontypool is a very different sort of zombie flick. It follows the crew of a radio station
36:00in real-life Pontypool, Ontario, Canada, who learn of an apocalyptic virus from their helicopter
36:05reporter and eerie audio transmissions. The entire movie takes place within the radio
36:17station, so we never actually see the chaos outside. But in some ways, that's even scarier.
36:30Many great horror movies get by on terrifying viewers with their own imaginations,
36:34and Pontypool is no different. It's also highly unique within the genre,
36:38as the virus is transmitted through specific words rather than bites. It's a little out there,
36:43but it all plays into the movie's theme about the meaning and power of words.
36:5910. The Autopsy of Jane Doe
37:03The premise is relatively simple. A father-son coroner team is tasked with performing an autopsy
37:08on a mysterious Jane Doe found at the scene of a multiple homicide. But as they begin to unravel
37:14the mysteries surrounding the body, the duo is plagued with horrific instances of supernatural
37:19phenomena. The movie is wonderfully written and directed, offering tantalizing mysteries,
37:35surprising answers, and some wickedly unpredictable scares.
37:41It is also proficiently acted by Emile Hirsch and esteemed character actor Brian Cox.
37:47Don't let that somewhat banal title fool you. The Autopsy of Jane Doe is anything but boring.
37:589. Kill List
38:00Kill List is an extravagant blending of genres,
38:02pulled off expertly by director Ben Wheatley. It begins as a crime thriller,
38:12as an ex-British soldier turned professional hitman is given a kill list by a mysterious
38:17shadow client. But as the story progresses, it veers deeper and deeper into disturbing and
38:25visceral horror akin to a fever dream. Critics have compared the movie to The Blair Witch Project
38:30and The Wicker Man. Despite its obvious influences, Kill List is unlike any horror
38:35movie you've ever seen, and it will leave you genuinely disturbed and emotional. That much we
38:41can guarantee. 8. Alice, Sweet Alice
38:52Alice, Sweet Alice is another movie that is not easy to watch. It tells the story of young Alice,
38:57a troubled child who's suspected of murdering her younger sister on the day of her first communion.
39:09So right off the bat you have murder during an important religious ceremony.
39:13Needless to say, the movie was met with some controversy.
39:17With its gut-wrenching premise, Alice, Sweet Alice is a solid horror-mystery-thriller concoction
39:26that helped usher in the slasher genre. Unlike many slashers, this movie showed surprising
39:31filmmaking craft, with an eerie score, flashy cinematography, and a solid lead performance from
39:37Paula Shepard. 7. Inside
39:40This French horror-thriller is not for the faint of heart. It's violent, disturbing, and gory,
39:46but also darkly gripping. Alison Paradis stars as Sarah, an expectant mother who's grieving the
39:55recent death of her husband. She becomes the victim of a brutal home invasion by an attacker
39:59who wants to abduct her unborn fetus. Yeah, you can imagine now why this movie's so upsetting.
40:04Inside is filled with horrific violence, all shown in unimaginably graphic detail.
40:10While traumatic and unrelenting, it's also far above the usual grindhouse fare.
40:15Stylish, impeccably acted, and superbly paced and edited,
40:19Inside is a grindhouse movie made with artistry.
40:296. The Haunting
40:30Please do not judge The Haunting on that horrendous 1999 remake with Liam Neeson
40:35and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Forget that exists, and watch the 1963 original instead.
40:45This movie was adapted from Shirley Jackson's novel The Haunting of Hill House,
40:49which is often regarded as the greatest haunted house novel ever written.
40:53And while the Netflix series was certainly great, it wasn't a faithful adaptation of the story.
40:58The movie is, and it is brilliant.
41:13Like the novel, it serves as both a chilling haunted house yarn and a frightening character
41:17study, which is aided by Julie Harris' tremendous performance as the unhinged Eleanor.
41:22The Haunting may be the scariest, most psychological, and most stylish ghost movie ever made.
41:285. The Invitation
41:35The Invitation is a dinner party thriller first and foremost. You know how it goes.
41:40Someone is invited to dinner, the hosts are a little wacky,
41:43and tension slowly builds before boiling over into violence and mayhem.
41:52And while The Invitation follows this formula to a T, it is a very well-crafted piece of work.
41:58With a stellar performance by Logan Marshall Green.
42:08However, it's also a movie about the contrast between inner turmoil and outer appearances,
42:13and deals with some heavy themes such as loss, depression, and acceptance.
42:18By mixing in complex character work with the more conventional thrills of the dinner party thriller,
42:22The Invitation becomes greater than the sum of its parts.
42:254. Audition
42:28The second Ryu Murakami adaptation on our list, Audition is just as depraved, if not more so.
42:33This Japanese horror film is now considered a cult classic, but its success came slowly.
42:38It first premiered at the Vancouver International Film Festival,
42:42and gradually earned attention as it toured the festival circuit and was released on DVD.
42:46The film generated a strong response, with many critics lauding the movie's acting,
42:50wild shifts in tone, and climactic torture sequence.
42:54The latter is what most people seem to remember about the film,
42:57and for good reason.
42:58The film is a classic, but it's not the only one.
43:023. Session 9
43:05If you love the inherent creepiness of abandoned mental asylums,
43:08then Session 9 is your movie.
43:31It follows an asbestos-cleaning crew that's tasked with cleansing an abandoned mental hospital.
43:42The movie was shot at the real Denver State Hospital, lending it a creepy sense of authenticity.
43:47You can practically feel the hospital's history through the screen.
43:56The movie's been praised for its foreboding atmosphere,
43:58and its style and tone have been favorably compared to Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece The Shining.
44:03By relying on psychological tension over jump scares or gore,
44:06Session 9 truly gets under your skin and into your head.
44:142. Possession
44:16On the surface, Possession is about a young couple going through a divorce.
44:20The Berlin Wall is used as a metaphor for a crumbling marriage,
44:23and that's where the movie leaves conventional plots, characters, and symbolism behind.
44:29Call it.
44:32Directed by Polish filmmaker Andrzej Żuławski,
44:35Possession is like Dario Argento's Suspiria on acid.
44:38The acting is gleefully over-the-top,
44:40and the camera swoops and zags and zooms, refusing to remain static.
44:46What can I do about it?
44:49Nothing.
44:52Please.
44:53And yes, there are monsters.
44:56It is an unapologetic filmmaking extravaganza, and it is glorious to behold.
45:01It's more of an emotional and sensory experience than a straightforward thriller,
45:05so your mileage may vary, but what an experience it is.
45:10Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get
45:13notified about our latest videos. You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or
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45:251. Terrifier
45:27You may see the poster of Terrifier and laugh,
45:30but you know what they say about judging a book, or in this case, a movie by its cover.
45:34Terrifier follows a clown named Art who stalks and butchers people,
45:38and yes, that plot is ridiculously simple.
45:41But like all great slasher movies, the craft elevates the elementary story.
45:46Terrifier is surprisingly well-shot considering its minuscule budget.
45:50Art the clown is a fantastic villain, and the kills are as bloody as a horror fan could want.
45:56It's a delirious throwback to campy 80s slashers, and it doesn't pretend to be anything more.
46:01At a time when slashers have given way to ghosts and ghouls and demons,
46:05Terrifier is a breath of old-school fresh air.
46:12Which of these movies is going on your watchlist? Let us know in the comments.
46:22Did you enjoy this video? Check out these other clips from WatchMojo,
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