Novice's Horror Guide: Terror Lives
Well I won't take up much more of your time with an elaborately-worded hypothetical scenario of why you're giving these horror movies a watch, so let's get to it!
Alien
Ridley Scott, 1979
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Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, Ian Holm, John Hurt
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Widely regarded as one of the most celebrated science-fiction horror films of all time, Alien is still one of the most effective and chilling entries into the genre. Following a crew of a commercial space vessel as they encounter the titular creature as it wreaks havoc on their ship, it helped launch the careers of Sigourney Weaver and Ridley Scott. Weaver leads the film with a powerful performance as the iconic heroine Ellen Ripley and claustrophobic direction from Scott, and while its more action-oriented sequel is often regarded by many as the superior entry in the long-running franchise, the darker tone and effective scares make this one of the timeless sci-fi horror movies for all viewers.
Mama
Andy Muschietti, 2013
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Cast: Jessica Chastain, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Megan Charpentier, Javier Botet
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Guillermo del Toro is one of the most versatile directors in Hollywood, but the Oscar winner also has a keen sense for supporting up and coming directors in the horror genre, starting with the 2013 box office hit Mama. The film follows two girls abandoned in a forest cabin by their father and cared after by an entity they call Mama, who follows them to their new home when they are saved by their uncle. Co-written by Neil Cross and Andy and Barbara Muschietti and directed by Andy based on his 2008 short film, the fairy tale nature of the film combined with Muschietti’s chilling direction and Javier Botet’s disturbing performance adds up to an equal parts terrifying and emotional film.
Poltergeist
Gil Kenan, 2015
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Cast: Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt, Jared Harris, Saxon Sharbino
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Remakes are a near impossible task to take on for most filmmakers, especially those in the horror genre as recreating the same feeling of terror the original delivered is a rare feat. However, one that sought to update its source material while still putting its own twits on it was 2015’s Poltergeist. Set around a family moving into a house situated on an ancient cemetery as they are haunted by a group of spirits, it’s a nice classic ghost story updated for contemporary times. Utilizing some chilling modern special effects and homages to the 1982 classic, it’s a thrilling ride through a haunted house that might not do much new with the material but still remains exhilarating.
Annabelle
John R. Leonetti, 2014
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Cast: Annabelle Wallis, Ward Horton, Alfre Woodard, Tony Amendola
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Very few franchises can see a spin-off extend into a whole franchise of its own, but The Conjuring’s extension Annabelle has proven to be one of the key examples when one can. Loosely based around the true story of the titular haunted doll and a chapter in its fictional origins, the film does feature a few too many tropes in the genre, feeling reminiscent of Rosemary’s Baby. But thanks to some effective direction from Leonetti and terrifying visual effects, the film rises above mediocrity and features some chilling jump scares, resulting in a good introduction to the Annabelle franchise for newcomers.
The Nun
Corin Hardy, 2018
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Cast: Taissa Farmiga, Demián Bichir, Jonas Bloquet, Bonnie Aarons
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Keeping the Conjuring spin-off train rolling, last year saw another extension of the hit franchise with the smash success The Nun. Spun off from the second mainline entry in the horror series, the film follows a Catholic priest and a nun in training as they head to a Romanian monastery to investigate a series of disturbing events. Though the film’s over-reliance on jump scares does take away from its potential, given its horrifying villain, Hardy still effectively sets a chilling and haunting atmosphere, the performances from Bichir and Farmiga are strong and the twist ending is a smart connection back to the main franchise, adding up to a relatively entertaining installment that will sit with some for a while after.
As Above, So Below
John Erick Dowdle, 2014
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Cast: Perdita Weeks, Ben Feldman, Edwin Hodge, François Civil
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The found footage genre is generally well-known for featuring little to no special effects and keeping its story in easily accessible areas to keep things realistic, but a rare exception that proves to be both entertaining and thrilling is 2014’s As Above, So Below. Set around a group of documentarians as they follow an alchemy scholar into an unexplored area of the Paris Catacombs in search of the philosopher’s stone (no, not the Harry Potter one). While some of its dialogue is laughable, the atmosphere is very dark and haunting, the visuals and jump scares are mostly effective and terrifying, adding up to a chilling and exhilarating entry into the found footage genre that is more unique than most of the crowded library.
Deliver Us From Evil
Scott Derrickson, 2014
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Cast: Eric Bana, Edgar Ramirez, Olivia Munn, Sean Harris
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Venture back with me to the lovely year of 2014 once again to discuss the criminally underrated horror film Deliver Us from Evil from the horror mastermind Scott Derrickson (Sinister), who was one of the reasons I truly got into the genre. Inspired by actual events from real police officer Ralph Sarchie, the film follows the NYPD officer as he investigates a disturbed former Marine who is instigating seemingly paranormal events around the city. Though its connection to “true events” may be a little tougher to believe, Derrickson creates terrifying atmospheres and effective jump scares that are carried by great performances from leads Bana and Ramirez.
The Fog
John Carpenter, 1980
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Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Atkins, Adrienne Barbeau, Hal Holbrook
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John Carpenter has delivered numerous classics, but one of his oft-forgotten treats is the 1980 cult classic The Fog. Set in the sleepy town of Antonio Bay, California as it nears its 100th anniversary, the film sees its residents attacked by the spirits of a clipper ship killed by the founders of the town and robbed of their gold. Its story isn’t the most unique or captivating of the horror genre, but Carpenter and co-writer/producer Debra Hill set it apart with interesting characters and the iconic director delivers some stylish direction, chilling visual effects and dark set pieces, adding up to a cult classic worth more revisits than it currently gets.
Ghost Stories
Jeremy Dyson & Andy Nyman, 2017
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Cast: Andy Nyman, Martin Freeman, Paul Whitehouse, Alex Lawther
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The anthology genre has seen a lot of exposure in the horror genre, but very few in the horror and anthology genres have been based on plays and not only is Ghost Stories an exception, it’s a fantastic example. Following a man devoted to debunking the paranormal as he is tasked with solving three seemingly unexplained phenomenon, the film toys with the tropes of each of its installment’s subgenres and results in a horrifying, emotional and compelling treasure trove of stories connected by shocking threads that end with one of the most surprising twists the genres have seen.
The Orphanage
J.A. Bayona, 2007
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Cast: Andy Nyman, Martin Freeman, Paul Whitehouse, Alex Lawther
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Very much like fellow genre alum Scott Derrickson, director J.A. Bayona (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) ventured into the horror world before exploring more blockbuster fare and his debut The Orphanage is one of the most incredible to come from a directorial debut. Set around a woman returning to her childhood orphanage in the hopes to turn it into a home for disabled children but has her son go missing while there, the film chooses to focus on the development of its central mystery and characters versus an abundance of jump scares, resulting in a moody, creepy and well-acted supernatural drama.