Horror films

[El Vaquero de Infierno]

I'm thinking of making my Sunday evenings "Horror Night," so I need suggestions for films to watch.

Obviously, I've seen the Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, Hellraiser, Scream, and Conjuring films; along with the Japanese original versions of "Ring" and its sequels/prequels.

I'm happy to watch either slasher or psychological horror films, and I don't mind non-English-speaking films as long as they are good. They need to be either on Netflix or rentable on Prime.


Hook me up! :wave:

[Destor]

Funny Games (2007)

[slik]

A Dark Song

[Fignuts]

Void
The Ritual
It Follows
Cargo
The Babadook
The Invitation

[slik]

For Netflix also maybe add

RAW
Eyes Of My Mother

[El Vaquero de Infierno]

I'll start on these this Sunday. :y:

[Sixx]

What kinda face is that?

[El Vaquero de Infierno]

Face?

[Fignuts]

think he means your avatar

[alvarado52]

That Mandy film with Nic Cage is kinda a mind fuck.

[El Vaquero de Infierno]

What kinda face is that?

think he means your avatar

It is a ship's figurehead; I took the photograph 6 years ago at Helsingor Castle.

[Emperor Smeat]

Midnight Meat Train

[Sixx]

Face?

You've edited.

There was a " :y " there.

[Helmsphere]

Kazaam

[ClockShot]

Audition.

[Blonde Moment]

Midnight Meat Train

[Blonde Moment]

Dead Birds

[Anybody Thrilla]

Terrifier on Netflix is pretty gory.

[Jordan]

I've been reviewing horror films in the review thread. Do you want new stuff or does it not matter? A DARK SONG (Netflix), is fantastic for something newer, I loved it. For something a little older if you haven't seen THE WICKER MAN (1973) on Prime, go see it asap.

[El Vaquero de Infierno]

Audition.

Ha. I saw that 10-15 years ago. The final 20-30 mins are psycho.

[Seanny One Ball]

What sort of horror are you looking for?

[Jordan]

Sean have you seen A DARK SONG yet? Set is beautiful Wales. I think you should see it. Modern classic.

[Seanny One Ball]

I'll look it up.

[El Vaquero de Infierno]

What sort of horror are you looking for?

I'm happy to watch either psychological horror films (Ringu) or slasher films, or anything that will freak me out.

I'm going to start next week with Funny Games; I'm too knackered from travelling all day to begin this evening, and just watched a couple of Hannibal episodes instead.

[Seanny One Ball]

Funny Games isn't a horror film. Some people think it is but it's sort of a meta-psychological thriller with fourth wall breaks and a focus on tension through extreme sadism. It's violent and nasty but it's also nowhere near as bad as critics make it out to be. It's just that it's extremely unforgiving and fairly realistic. It haunts the part of your brain that knows you are never entirely safe even in polite society.
Michael Haneke makes unbelievably tense films about uncomfortable topics. If you watch Funny Games watch the 1997 original, it has Arno Frisch and if you enjoy it you can move onto "Benny's Video" which is probably one of the most nausea inducing films I have ever seen despite the fact that you see no violence or gore. The 2007 remake is sort of pointless, it has a good cast but it's like Van Sant's Psycho or Let Me In.

I like Michael Haneke a lot, he's a man that can make inaction and build up so much more vital than violence. Funny Games is an indictment on violence and so it has to be ugly. It's an ugly film that disturbs people.

In contrast you have a film like Eden Lake which adapts the idea and takes none of the style turning it into emotional torture porn.

[Fignuts]

Terrifier on Netflix is pretty gory.

Gave it a watch. Pretty good if you like traditional slashers. Some fun kills.

Not realy my bag though. Prefer supernatural/sci-fi horror. Disturbing, unnerving imagery. That kind of stuff.

[slik]

I hate Funny Games. To be fair, I've only seen the remake, but I hated it. Completely unrootable characters who deserve to die because they are fucking stupid.



Someone threatens your life with a golf club and you are intimidated? Ludicrous.

[Jordan]

I've seen both Funny Games, I saw the remake first, and then the original. The Original is much better even though they are shot for shot the same if my memory serves correct. There is something horrifying about Michael Pitt in the remake, actually I prefer the "bad guys" in the remake but the family in the original.

SEAN I don't know why you don't consider this a horror film when in your own description use adjectives such as "haunting". I guess it depends on your opinion of horror. The setup for this film is certainly that of a horror film by my definition.

I don't "like" this movie, it's not enjoyable at all but for a fan of cinema I consider it required viewing for the horror genre. The lead actress's performance is genius, horrifying, so real. I don't expect to ever watch either of the films again because they disturb me a lot.

[Destor]

If it horrifies me its horror. Its a straight forward metric. Horror snobs would prob disagree. Fuck em.

[slik]

I don't disagree w/ you Destor.

I define a horror flick as any film w/ horror elements, whether human or inhuman.

[slik]

Maybe I'll give Funny Games another shot someday, the first time I just couldn't 'get' what was supposed to be so disturbing.

Maybe I'm too focused on things like A Serbian Film being what I define as disturbing, I donut know. I just couldn't get past someone being intimated by a golf club and doing nothing the entire film to fight for their life. If it was made in the 70s, before slashers became rampant, I'd probably be more lenient...someday I might give it another watch.

I did hate Eyes Wide Shut the first time I watched it and now I think it's more brilliant upon every viewing.

[Destor]

not everything is for everyone

[Seanny One Ball]

I don't see it as a horror film. It's too obviously about media violence and it's an indictment rather than a thrill chasing exercise.
I can see it being horrific but that doesn't necessarily mean it is a horror film.
That's my opinion, I understand the reasons why others may feel differently but I agree with Michael Haneke when he says it isn't.

Personally I think it's a purpose made thriller acting as a proclamation against aesthetic violence and is far more disturbing than it is enjoyable.

Austrian cinema is crazy.Anyone ever seen "Michael?"

[Seanny One Ball]

Maybe I'll give Funny Games another shot someday, the first time I just couldn't 'get' what was supposed to be so disturbing.

Maybe I'm too focused on things like A Serbian Film being what I define as disturbing, I donut know. I just couldn't get past someone being intimated by a golf club and doing nothing the entire film to fight for their life. If it was made in the 70s, before slashers became rampant, I'd probably be more lenient...someday I might give it another watch.

I did hate Eyes Wide Shut the first time I watched it and now I think it's more brilliant upon every viewing.



This is why it's more of an anti sensationalist film than a horror. It blatantly provokes anger with no reward.
Ask yourself why? To make a formulaic plot? Unlikely. It's to make you wonder why violence in some films seems so enjoyable and easy.

Also there are people in the world who just freeze up and do nothing to protect themselves in these situations so the golf club situation is pretty believable to me.

[slik]

I'd say it's sexist since it shows women can't defeat a skinny teenager or two

Ronda Rousey would break dat arm

[Seanny One Ball]

SEAN I don't know why you don't consider this a horror film when in your own description use adjectives such as "haunting". I guess it depends on your opinion of horror.



I would describe many non horror films as "haunting" because I'm not a three year old. Solaris is haunting, The Shawshank Redemption is haunting, Million Dollar Baby is haunting... All for completely different reasons.
You can't reserve a single use for words like that or you'll run out of words when you need them. All I meant was that it stays with me, not that I had ghostly feelings about it.

[slik]

It's also unrealistic and unrelatable from the start.

No one 'borrows eggs' or 'asks to borrow eggs'.
The film would have worked in that context if it was sat in 1950. I don't even answer the door when I hear someone knock and if someone I didn't know asked me for something I'd assume they were up to something so I'd say I didn't have any and shut the door.


Especially a rich affluent neighborhood, like the one in the film. No one asks to 'borrow' they just go purchase.


Anyways, to each their own, re: Funny Games!

[Seanny One Ball]

I wish I lived in your ivory tower

[Seanny One Ball]

I bet you run out of eggs now too. Fate temptress.

[slik]

I'd just go to the store and buy some, they're like 2-3 bucks.

Who answers the door unless they are expecting a delivery or some technician/plumber/etc?

[Seanny One Ball]

You are the minority here. Most people open their doors. Most people would offer the eggs. It's the reality of the insidious and unrepentant killer. Do you apply these standards to other horror films too? Surely not. I have yet to see a horror film completely populated by intelligent, rational survivors.

Give me credit for saying horror here just to avoid the speed bumps.

[slik]

I bet most people do not open their doors. It's not 1950's gee-golly polyanna.
It's 2018 (er, 2007 when the film takes place).

Most people probably don't even talk to their neighbors. I don't. I can't even tell you one of their names and I couldn't tell you what any of them do for a living. Maybe it's a city thing. It might be different if someone lived in the country or a rural area. I donut know.

Anyways, congrats on saying horror.

#CarryOnAll

[Seanny One Ball]

Opening the door when it's rung or knocked is pretty standard in towns and villages right enough. I probably shouldn't speak for cities having never lived in one.

Still, the film is set in a lovely big summer house as far as I remember. If anyone shares eggs it's those fuckers.

[Jordan]

The original film is from 97, in Europe which has different social norms than the US. Not everyone who knocks on your door is trying kill you or sell you something. I'd say it's normal to ask a favor like eggs, especially considering the remote location of the setting. You should watch the original Slik.

[Jordan]

And Sean I can totally see the argument for the film not being in the horror genre but for me, the feelings it raised, it is a horror film. It's scary, haunting, has jump moments and stays with you for years and years. I haven't seen this movie for at least 7 or 8 years.

[Jordan]

Sometimes a film may make a subliminal statement about the film industry and it's fans or society in general, as this movie does. But more often than not those statements are not the impact that stays with me, this movie is a good example of that. I don't watch films for "statements" but rather to see creative storytelling, basically a good entertainment experience. I'm generally not a statement minded person when it comes to film and theatre, I'm more about an emotional connection/development over the course of the story. I do notice these themes (not always) but I don't hinge my enjoyment of a picture on the subliminal. For instance the statement of casting a black lead in NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD was lost on me when I first saw the film because I was a kid who didn't grow up during the civil rights movement. I can look back and that and be like "oh, cool". But it doesn't affect my enjoyment of the film aside from the fact that the performance he gave was awesome and totally memorable.

[slik]

I just want to say I donut think Jordan X gets enough credit on here.

A++ poster in my opinion.

[Seanny One Ball]

It's not a subliminal statement. It's shoved right under your nose from the get go. Real violence is horrid, abrupt and sometimes you see it coming but can't get out of the way for one reason or another.
Copycat films since Funny Games now gleefully take this message and remove all nuance so they can shovel in more grim "reality".
Eden Lake and Cherry Tree Lane are two particularly nasty and worthless imitators but again, I can see why some people enjoy them as straight horror films.

Funny Games is hopelessly bleak in both incarnations, it's just that Arno Frisch plays the part so much more naturally than anyone else could, and Michael Pitt is a beautiful performer. Arno is your realistic smiling sociopath, Michael Pitt is the Hollywood impression of it.

The remake cops out in those ways in which the original excelled despite being a shot for shot. Part of that has to do with the very notion of remaking a film that is so brilliant at what it does...but what it does is terrible to look at. It's an experience so horrible that there's no attraction to watching it ever again.

But it is essentially spot on with what it does.

[Fignuts]

It blatantly provokes anger with no reward.


Hate when a movie does this. Have some dickheads go around murdering people with no payoff.

I want to see my villains get theirs.

On that note, I am reading the manga wolfsmund, and it has the best comeuppance for villain I've just about ever seen.

Gets tied down naked, and then has a giant stake hammered into his anus all the way through his mouth. Stake is then hammered into the ground for all to see.

[slik]

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[Seanny One Ball]

Hate when a movie does this. Have some dickheads go around murdering people with no payoff.

I want to see my villains get theirs.




That's precisely why it baffles me that people keep reworking the theme into other films. I do not understand why anyone would take a film which serves only as a piece of artful social commentary and trash it by missing the point.

It's a hell of a lot less powerful now that it has a genre around it. The fact that Haneke remade it bothers me too. The lucre was obviously more attractive than the point he was making.

[mitch_h]

If you want to mix it up with something older.

The Innocents (1961) - I don't know if everyone from the UK is required to see this, but it is one of my favourite older horror films. There is a "window scene" that I still think is one of the creepiest moments in MOVIE HISTORY.

Onibaba (1964) - Just a darn good flick.

Phantom Carriage (1921) - Not really scary, but atmospheric and dreamlike. FUN FACT, it inspired the axe scene in The Shining.

[Anybody Thrilla]

I just watched Clown on Netflix. Very nicely done. Check it out.

[Fignuts]

Always disappointed when a spirit turns out to be benevolent and some dumb boring human is revealed as the true villain.

I wanty ghosts to be ancient hoorors or sadistic murderers. That's where its at.