A lot of people dismiss horror movies as either being “all blood and guts” or just film fodder with those for more macabre sensibilities but there are some real gems that go so much further I believe they can convert those who think the genre offers little of any real cinematic quality. Most of them avoid the cliches (or use them in a completely new and refreshing way) and also wind in strands that take the core material away from the touchstones of horror while setting things up as very much genre-centric. And here they are.
10) Videodrome (1983)
Alternatively, any of Cronenberg’s “body horror” movies could be inserted here, including the absolutely brilliant Dead Ringers but it’s Videodrome that remains the perfect blend of viscera and intelligence and comments on the media in general without losing any entertainment value.
9) The Company Of Wolves (1984)
I love me a great werewolf movie, with An American Werewolf In London being my favourite, but Neil Jordan’s take on some fantastic source material is really all about the raging emotions of a dreaming teenage lass.
8 ) Cronos (1993)
Also known as . . . . the movie I recommend to everyone raving about Let The Right One In. Guillermo Del Toro provides us with one of the very best takes on the vampire mythos in recent years.
7) Dellamorte Dellamore aka Cemetary Man (1994)
Just another zombie movie, right? Wrong. A lush, visual treat that’s also an existential and emotional drama. With zombies.
6) Candyman (1992)
Clive Barker’s work is hard to get just right but when it IS (as was the case with this Bernard Rose movie) then it’s among the very best. Mixing in racial tension, class division and a chilling urban legend, this movie is only just pipped to the post by Hellraiser but remains the better example of a horror not JUST removed from a standard reality.
5) Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer (1986)
Genuinely disturbing, still as powerful today as it was way back when it first came out and impossible to traditionally “enjoy”. It feels gritty and grimy and, more importantly, real.
4) Dead Man’s Shoes (2004)
Settle down, settle down. Shane Meadows’ finest hour (in my view, anyway) certainly ticks a lot of the genre boxes. An iconically masked killer, a bodycount, a backstory that unfolds as things come to a head. Plus . . . it’s absolutely brilliant.
3) Session 9 (2001)
Yet another movie I always recommend when I can and one that should be seen by those who usually wouldn’t watch a horror movie. Creepy, full of common fears (fear of the dark, financial worries, etc) but also a twisted character study that rewards patient viewers.
2) Apt Pupil (1998)
One of the finest psychological horrors ever made, ignored largely due to the fact that it’s another in a line of movies based on the work of Stephen King so King detractors aren’t interested despite the fact that it’s far from his usual stuff and may, ironically, displease his actual fans more than other viewers.
1) Santa Sangre (1989)
Just seek it out immediately and tell me that it’s not one of the most amazing cinematic treats ever.
I hope those who seek their filmic delights in other areas will at least try to see one or two of these. If so then I will consider this little bit of time spent writing up this list to have been worthwhile. If not, well, hey ho. 🙂
