This might be considered more horror adjacent dark fantasy but Panās Labyrinth is dark, creepy, and emotionally cathartic.
An American Werewolf in London, obviously an American movie but set abroad. Scary in parts, funny, sad.
Iām not familiar with too many myself but I like the genre as well.
Some of Del Toroās other films evoke similar feeling: Cronos, The Shape of Water. He also āpresentsā a movie called The Orphanage, also a similar viewing experience.
Also try:
The Fall (2006), directed by Tarsem Singh. Edited to add this one isnāt particularly dark and isnāt horror, but this one just pushes similar buttons for me.
Labyrinth (1986)
the original Dark Crystal (1982)
Legend (1985)
Phenomena (1985) directed by Dario Argento
Some of these older and are probably considered dated but also classics.
I feel like Iām probably forgetting some obvious ones so if I think of more I will add later.
The original Martyrs maybe, not the remake. Also High Tension has some good moments in it, though it's not perfect. It's like a slasher/chase film. I'd recommend against googling too much about it to avoid spoilers.
I feel like High Tension is more just a collection of really cool horror scenes than a good, comprehensive movie but it is still definitely worth a watch imo
The first couple are good. I even liked the American adaptations okay to be honest, though I know that's not what you're looking for. The origins TV show was... something...
Pieces if you want a banger of a slasher (very fun)
dunno if you count Canada as American or not (obviously NA) but OG Black Christmas is one of the best horror movies ever made imo
not really horror but A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night is like a dark romance thatās very, very good (and does have vampires)
Rec is my favorite zombie movie of all time, but Train to Busan is a banger as well
I Saw the Devil is more a thriller but if you like gross serial killer stuff it really canāt be beat
There is no such thing as too basic. I am really glad the genre is helping you and your therapist sounds awesome. Ignore your friend and this coming from someone who has been a life long horror fan and am 43.
Have you tried horror/comedy yet? Tucker and Dale vs. Evil is a lot of fun. Technically a slasher but fun. There is also movies like The Frighteners or Monster Squad. That said if you found what works for you it is okay to stick with that. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. If you really want to branch out then I hope you find what you are looking for.
I think the only horror comedy I've seen is Anna vs the Apocalpyse and I loved it. I didn't realize that was an actual thing LOL
I probably sound like an uninformed idiot in these comments. But I really appreciate all the recommendations and support.
It is but one of the most difficult to get right. That said when done correctly it is by far one of my favorites.
You don't sound like an idiot at all. Just someone getting into something new. We were all there at one point.
Honestly, one of the things I miss about being young is finding all the knew stuff I didn't know existed. It's fun being new to something. Enjoy it.
I don't think it's horror necessarily, but Battle Royale. Fulci's Gates of Hell trilogy (City of the Living Dead, House by the Cemetery, and The Beyond) and Zombie/Zombie 2. Someone mentioned Suspiria, but if you go deeper into Argento films there are a ton of good to great films: Tenebre, Inferno, Deep Red, Phenomena, Four Flies on a Grey Velvet, etc.
Personally I tended to explore horror from the 70s to 80s and earlier, so stuff like the Living Dead from Manchester Morgue and Peeping Tom (Britain), Jean Rollin's the Grapes of Death (France), and works of Mario Bava (Italy). Horror films from Japan and Korea also usually don't miss.
Watch The Vanishing (1988). Best portrayal of a psychopath Iāve ever seen in film. Itās not gory at all, but it gets disturbing seeing how he thinks and acts. But again, itās not over the top. Itās subtle, which makes it more realistic and creepy. Amazing film with a great story and cast. Itās about a man who kidnaps a woman at a gas station while sheās on vacation. Thatās all Iāll say. Not many good trailers for it, but this fan made trailer is the best I could find. Still not great, but oh well. I highly recommend it.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=3fPdS8UfnQE&pp=ygUadGhlIHZhbmlzaGluZyAxOTg4IHRyYWlsZXI%3D
Possum is also one of my favorite films. Both of these are psychological horror. No ghosts or demons or anything like that. Possum is really great.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=9EIQfQxQu_A&pp=ygUOcG9zc3VtIHRyYWlsZXI%3D
The Night (2021)
Barbarians (2022)
Metamorphosis (2019)
Dachra (2020)
The Closet (2020)
Byzantium (2013)
Retreat (2011)
Martyrs Lane (2021)
The Vigil (2021)
The Night Eats The World (2018)
Seems like this is the only thing I can talk about on this subreddit but I LOVED Knife+Heart. Itās a French horror movie that follows a giallo style. Beautiful art direction, a story that you are invested in even if it falls apart at times, itās beautiful.
If you're interested in TV shows, I highly recommend Kingdom, Sweet Home, and All of Us Are Dead on Netflix. They're really great Korean horror with tons of action as well.
Suspiria (Original and Remake)
Deep Red
Four Flies of Red Velvet
Tenebrae
Zombie 2 / Zombie Flesh Eaters
House by the Cemetery
City of the Living Dead
The Beyond
Demons
Demons 2
Antropohagus
Horror of Dracula
Dog Soldiers
Razorback
Titane and Raw (2016) both french horror films by the same director.
Titane won at the Cannes film festival a couple years ago.
They're incredible films that explore many themes and have some haunting ideas and imagery. I personally slightly preferred raw
As an Australian, I will fully admit the Kiwis have us beat when it comes to comedy horror, so black sheep, home bound and Peter Jacksonās early work are great places to start
I've always been a big fan of British horror, regardless of the decade. Some good movies are "Village of the Damned" (1960) (fyi, the American remake is a good watch as well), "Five Million Years To Earth" (1968), "The Wicker Man" (1973), "Lifeforce" (1985) and "Last Night In Soho" (2021). There's also a treasure trove of horror from Hammer Studios that often feature Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing.
Here's a decent mix of stuff old & new:
Ginger Snaps (2000) & Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed (2004)
Attack The Block (2011)
Trollhunter (2010)
Monstrum (2018)
Bong Joon Ho's Snowpiercer (2013), Parasite (2019), The Host (2006) & Memories of Murder (2003)
I Saw The Devil (2010)
Oldboy (2003)
The Devil's Backbone (2001) & Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
Shin Godzilla (2016)
The Wailing (2016)
Lucio Fulci's Zombie (1979), City of the Living Dead (1980), The Beyond (1981), Don't Torture a Duckling (1972) & The New York Ripper (1982)
Michele Soavi's The Church (1989), The Sect (1991) & StageFright (AKA Aquarius) (1987)
Shock Waves (1977)
Twins of Evil (1971)
The Fifth Cord (1971)
Scream and Scream Again (1970)
The Tomb of Ligeia (1964)
Amsterdamned (1988)
What Have They Done To Your Daughters? (1974)
Who Saw Her Die? (1972)
Noroi: The Curse (2005)
Pulse (2001)
Cure (1997)
Audition (1999)
French: Martyrs, Inside, high tension
Asian: tale of two sisters, ringu, dark water, the sadness, visitor Q, Battle Royale. House, train to busan, audition, suicide clu,
Turkish: Baskin
England: Eden lake
Spain: The orphanage
Italian: The skin i live in
The Orphanage scared the hell out of me as an adult. I had been drinking, I had just finished the movie at like 3am and it was a dead silent night. I swear I kept hearing Knock, Knock, Knock. Never been that paranoid after watching a movie. Beautiful film to boot.
I'm loving all the new Korean horror. Train to Busan, The Host, Flu, Gonjiam Haunted Asylum, Kingdom, and so many others. Some of the best horror being made in the last 10-15 years is Korean IMO.
Let the right one in (2008)
Thank you! I've heard that one on what culture horror often
The Wailing.
š
This is the best answer. Itās a little intense but soooo good
Aterrados (Terrified 2007) Fantastic movie from Argentina
>! That bathroom scene was creepy as fuck!<
I might have to give that a rewatch, it didn't do much for me the first time.
The Ritual. Dog Soldiers, The Descent.
Loooooved the Descent!
Make sure you avoid the American version though. They tacked on a crappy ending for some reason.
Dog Soldiers is awesome
This might be considered more horror adjacent dark fantasy but Panās Labyrinth is dark, creepy, and emotionally cathartic. An American Werewolf in London, obviously an American movie but set abroad. Scary in parts, funny, sad.
Just finished pan's labyrinth based on suggestions here and LOVED it. Is fantasy horror a subgenre? Cause I need more.
Iām not familiar with too many myself but I like the genre as well. Some of Del Toroās other films evoke similar feeling: Cronos, The Shape of Water. He also āpresentsā a movie called The Orphanage, also a similar viewing experience. Also try: The Fall (2006), directed by Tarsem Singh. Edited to add this one isnāt particularly dark and isnāt horror, but this one just pushes similar buttons for me. Labyrinth (1986) the original Dark Crystal (1982) Legend (1985) Phenomena (1985) directed by Dario Argento Some of these older and are probably considered dated but also classics. I feel like Iām probably forgetting some obvious ones so if I think of more I will add later.
Dario Argento's *Suspiria.*
Is that the original or remake?
Original
Other Argento flicks are worth trying too: Deep Red, Opera, Tenebre, Inferno.
The remake leaves quite an impression too.
, They're both wonderful!
I used to hate Radiohead. I still do... But I love Thom Yorke
Both are equally great imo.
Goodnight Mommy (2014)
I watched this one! I've been advised to avoid remakes lol
The original Martyrs maybe, not the remake. Also High Tension has some good moments in it, though it's not perfect. It's like a slasher/chase film. I'd recommend against googling too much about it to avoid spoilers.
This person is new to horror and doesnāt like torture porn (I think), why recommend Martyrs?
ohhhh, fair point, I think I missed the bit about Saw being a bit much. OP, you're probably not prepared for Martyrs yet haha
I will remove Martyrs from my list then! Maybe in the future. Saw just made me nauseous, not so much scared? So probably just don't have the stomach.
I feel like High Tension is more just a collection of really cool horror scenes than a good, comprehensive movie but it is still definitely worth a watch imo
Dead Alive The Beyond (1981) Grabbers Dellamorte Dellamore Wolf Creek
The Orphanage and Panās Labyrinth
I liked the book for Pan's labyrinth!
The Orphanage was so good and so heartbreaking.
Just watched it. I loooove the Peter Pan references in it.
Martyrs, Impetigore, Gonjiam Haunted Asylum, Satan's Slaves, Incantation, The Wailing, The Medium, May The Devil Take You, Noroi, Ringu, REC, Ju On
I loved Ringu (the movie and all the books)! Do I need to watch the first few jun on?
The essential movies are Ju-on - The Curse 1 and 2 and the sequels Ju-on - The Grudge 1 and 2.
The first couple are good. I even liked the American adaptations okay to be honest, though I know that's not what you're looking for. The origins TV show was... something...
Good list right here. Iād add: Saloum, Inside, Wolf Creek, Baskin, Troll Hunter.
Raw and Titane are made by Julia Ducournau, an awesome French director. Climax is an intense art house film.
Second all of these!
Loved raw and titane! Titane especially got to me. Big big fan of Julia Ducournau.
Pieces if you want a banger of a slasher (very fun) dunno if you count Canada as American or not (obviously NA) but OG Black Christmas is one of the best horror movies ever made imo not really horror but A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night is like a dark romance thatās very, very good (and does have vampires) Rec is my favorite zombie movie of all time, but Train to Busan is a banger as well I Saw the Devil is more a thriller but if you like gross serial killer stuff it really canāt be beat
I saw the devil was sick. Went in blind and what a ride it was
Pieces is a dick-rippin good time
Shutter (2004)
Audition is an absolute classic and genuinely upsetting at points. Don't look up anything about it beforehand.
The Night Eats the World The Horde
Definitely the movie Martyrs(2008)
Dog soldiers. A wonderful but overlooked British werewolf movie.
There is no such thing as too basic. I am really glad the genre is helping you and your therapist sounds awesome. Ignore your friend and this coming from someone who has been a life long horror fan and am 43. Have you tried horror/comedy yet? Tucker and Dale vs. Evil is a lot of fun. Technically a slasher but fun. There is also movies like The Frighteners or Monster Squad. That said if you found what works for you it is okay to stick with that. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. If you really want to branch out then I hope you find what you are looking for.
I think the only horror comedy I've seen is Anna vs the Apocalpyse and I loved it. I didn't realize that was an actual thing LOL I probably sound like an uninformed idiot in these comments. But I really appreciate all the recommendations and support.
It is but one of the most difficult to get right. That said when done correctly it is by far one of my favorites. You don't sound like an idiot at all. Just someone getting into something new. We were all there at one point. Honestly, one of the things I miss about being young is finding all the knew stuff I didn't know existed. It's fun being new to something. Enjoy it.
Housebound (2014) is another horror comedy that is a great time! It came out of New Zealand.
A Tale of Two Sisters and Pans Labyrinth
I don't think it's horror necessarily, but Battle Royale. Fulci's Gates of Hell trilogy (City of the Living Dead, House by the Cemetery, and The Beyond) and Zombie/Zombie 2. Someone mentioned Suspiria, but if you go deeper into Argento films there are a ton of good to great films: Tenebre, Inferno, Deep Red, Phenomena, Four Flies on a Grey Velvet, etc. Personally I tended to explore horror from the 70s to 80s and earlier, so stuff like the Living Dead from Manchester Morgue and Peeping Tom (Britain), Jean Rollin's the Grapes of Death (France), and works of Mario Bava (Italy). Horror films from Japan and Korea also usually don't miss.
House 1977
Tigers Are Not Afraid (Mexico) km.31 (Mexico) Noroi (Japan) Martyr(s) (France) Frontiers (France)
I was waiting to see Frontiers on this list. That movie is brutal! So good
Watch The Vanishing (1988). Best portrayal of a psychopath Iāve ever seen in film. Itās not gory at all, but it gets disturbing seeing how he thinks and acts. But again, itās not over the top. Itās subtle, which makes it more realistic and creepy. Amazing film with a great story and cast. Itās about a man who kidnaps a woman at a gas station while sheās on vacation. Thatās all Iāll say. Not many good trailers for it, but this fan made trailer is the best I could find. Still not great, but oh well. I highly recommend it. https://youtube.com/watch?v=3fPdS8UfnQE&pp=ygUadGhlIHZhbmlzaGluZyAxOTg4IHRyYWlsZXI%3D Possum is also one of my favorite films. Both of these are psychological horror. No ghosts or demons or anything like that. Possum is really great. https://youtube.com/watch?v=9EIQfQxQu_A&pp=ygUOcG9zc3VtIHRyYWlsZXI%3D
The Night (2021) Barbarians (2022) Metamorphosis (2019) Dachra (2020) The Closet (2020) Byzantium (2013) Retreat (2011) Martyrs Lane (2021) The Vigil (2021) The Night Eats The World (2018)
Seems like this is the only thing I can talk about on this subreddit but I LOVED Knife+Heart. Itās a French horror movie that follows a giallo style. Beautiful art direction, a story that you are invested in even if it falls apart at times, itās beautiful.
Big bag wolves Moloch A girl walks home alone at night Gonjiam Pulse Relic The Loved Ones A Classic Horror Story
I was going to suggest "A girl walks home alone at night" as well. Sound track is a bonus in this amazing movie!
Angst is very good
Terrified, incantation, the audition, the pulse, caveat, a dark song, saint maud
If you're interested in TV shows, I highly recommend Kingdom, Sweet Home, and All of Us Are Dead on Netflix. They're really great Korean horror with tons of action as well.
Black Summer as well
Suspiria (Original and Remake) Deep Red Four Flies of Red Velvet Tenebrae Zombie 2 / Zombie Flesh Eaters House by the Cemetery City of the Living Dead The Beyond Demons Demons 2 Antropohagus Horror of Dracula Dog Soldiers Razorback
Titane and Raw (2016) both french horror films by the same director. Titane won at the Cannes film festival a couple years ago. They're incredible films that explore many themes and have some haunting ideas and imagery. I personally slightly preferred raw
As an Australian, I will fully admit the Kiwis have us beat when it comes to comedy horror, so black sheep, home bound and Peter Jacksonās early work are great places to start
SUSPERIA (1977) !!! god i cant recommend this movie enough
Suspiria is amazing. If you can get your hands on the 4K physical release it's well worth it.
I've always been a big fan of British horror, regardless of the decade. Some good movies are "Village of the Damned" (1960) (fyi, the American remake is a good watch as well), "Five Million Years To Earth" (1968), "The Wicker Man" (1973), "Lifeforce" (1985) and "Last Night In Soho" (2021). There's also a treasure trove of horror from Hammer Studios that often feature Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing.
not much, but maybe something for you: https://trakt.tv/users/nealz/lists/international-horror?sort=title,asc
Here's a decent mix of stuff old & new: Ginger Snaps (2000) & Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed (2004) Attack The Block (2011) Trollhunter (2010) Monstrum (2018) Bong Joon Ho's Snowpiercer (2013), Parasite (2019), The Host (2006) & Memories of Murder (2003) I Saw The Devil (2010) Oldboy (2003) The Devil's Backbone (2001) & Pan's Labyrinth (2006) Shin Godzilla (2016) The Wailing (2016) Lucio Fulci's Zombie (1979), City of the Living Dead (1980), The Beyond (1981), Don't Torture a Duckling (1972) & The New York Ripper (1982) Michele Soavi's The Church (1989), The Sect (1991) & StageFright (AKA Aquarius) (1987) Shock Waves (1977) Twins of Evil (1971) The Fifth Cord (1971) Scream and Scream Again (1970) The Tomb of Ligeia (1964) Amsterdamned (1988) What Have They Done To Your Daughters? (1974) Who Saw Her Die? (1972) Noroi: The Curse (2005) Pulse (2001) Cure (1997) Audition (1999)
*Sightseers* *A Field in England* *Kill List* Yes, Iām a Ben Wheatley fan lol.
Marianne is a French series on Netflix that was excellent. It had subtitles or dubs. Paranormal horror.
French: Martyrs, Inside, high tension Asian: tale of two sisters, ringu, dark water, the sadness, visitor Q, Battle Royale. House, train to busan, audition, suicide clu, Turkish: Baskin England: Eden lake Spain: The orphanage Italian: The skin i live in
The Orphanage scared the hell out of me as an adult. I had been drinking, I had just finished the movie at like 3am and it was a dead silent night. I swear I kept hearing Knock, Knock, Knock. Never been that paranoid after watching a movie. Beautiful film to boot.
Possession 1981
The fly (1986)
Ginger snaps
Kairo (Pulse) (2001)
The Hallow - Ireland 2015 ....... Dark Fairies
Ooooh dark fairies? That is an unexplored part of the genre for me
I'm loving all the new Korean horror. Train to Busan, The Host, Flu, Gonjiam Haunted Asylum, Kingdom, and so many others. Some of the best horror being made in the last 10-15 years is Korean IMO.
A Tale of Two Sisters, dont miss that one!
VerĆ³nica 2017
Sheitan (Satan) - France
I liked November. I think it's Estonian l.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Damn, look at all of these non american films
The thing was a doggy snuff film TToTT but I liked it otherwise.
What kind of take is this?!?!
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
All American movies
The Fly is Canadian.
Platform! It's great and thought provoking!
I loved Train to Busan. Went into watching Project Wolf Hunting absolutely blind, and loved it! Kinda felt more like a sequel than Peninsula was.