“The Descent”
This English horror film from Neil Marshall is a claustrophobic’s nightmare. “The Descent” follows six female backpackers as they find themselves spelunking in the Appalachian Mountains. Sounds pretty tame, until vicious nocturnal creatures are sprung upon them, and all the lights they have go out. From there, terror ensues, and confusion and claustrophobia takes over. This film is absolutely brilliant in combining effective scares and a constant feeling of dread. Marshall (also the screenwriter) develops his characters successfully, and allows his audience to connect with them on a moderate level, enough that you want these women to survive. He makes great use of space to create tension, creating a subversive movie watching experience, and the selective revealing of the creatures stalking the heroines is remarkably foreboding, instilling a fear of the unknown. The ending is also one of the most depressingly terrifying in recent memory. It’s a film not to be missed.
“Hausu”
“Hausu (House)” (1977): Do ghost cats, cheesy special effects, and a haunted house that eats people sound intriguing? Then “Hausu (House)” is the horror film for you. Directed by notable Japanese filmmaker Nobuhiko Obayashi, the narrative involves a girl and her six friends travelling to visit her aunt’s country home. From there, supernatural things start to happen, and the house begins to eat everyone. It sounds silly, and that’s kind of the point, but it shouldn’t stop you from viewing this classic in Japanese horror. It’s hard to describe, but it’s bizarrely entertaining, and a visual treat (the ghost cats are especially a sight to see). It’s a must for people who want to start watching horror films, but are still easily frightened. There are definitely scares, but none that’ll stop your heart. For appreciators of strange, brilliant works of cinema, you won’t be disappointed.
“Dog Soldiers”
“Dog Soldiers” (2002): An unconventional werewolf tale to say the least, “Dog Soldiers” is also from writer/director Neil Marshall. It’s a great blend of horror, black comedy, and badass violence making for an entertaining movie watching experience. The film follows a group of Special Air Service soldiers in England, going through some harmless war games until they discover the opposing squad has been brutally slaughtered. Soon the squad finds themselves at odds with werewolves that are faster, and sometimes smarter than the protagonists. Marshall made this film before “The Descent,” but that doesn’t mean it lacks in quality of storytelling or amount of entertainment value. This is a very different horror movie however, diluting the amount of jump scares with action and some bleak, comedic moments between characters. That’s not to say it isn’t scary, because it is. Marshall again toys with the feeling of isolationism, being alone where no help is coming, and the overwhelming sense of dread. It’s both nail biting and campy, and a brilliant twist on the werewolf genre.
“Suspiria”
“Suspiria” (1977): Italian horror is definitely an overlooked sub-genre in the horror film universe, but definitely not one that should be completely ignored. Such is the case with the films of prolific filmmaker Dario Argento, and his 1977 horror flick “Suspiria” is one you should check out. Blending thriller with horror, the film follows a ballet student transferring to a German dance academy, only to find it’s run by a bunch of witches. No, this isn’t another American Horror Story; this is much, much better. Argento is known for his effect in the giallo (thriller) genre of filmmaking, and “Suspiria” takes that to another level, making for a bloody mess of a good time. He incorporates shock cuts, weird camera angles, and off kilter lighting to create an unsettling and insanely creepy atmosphere. This film is gory, scary, and above all a visually visceral work of art.
“The Orphanage”
“The Orphanage” (2007): Ghost stories tend to rely on cheap scares and thrills to make their audience cringe in their seats. J.A. Bayona’s “The Orphanage” is not one of those ghost stories, and his film is one of the most inventive horror films in modern cinema. Centering on a woman searching for her missing son in a recently acquired orphanage, she soon finds it might be haunted by the very children who once lived in it. Bayona creates a brilliant atmosphere with this film, placing his scares at all the right moments, while still focusing on developing characters. It’s a great horror film, because the scares are sparse, but when they hit you, it’s more impactful. There aren’t jump scares every second and it doesn’t fall into cheap horror; it’s a great balance of buildup and satisfying shock. Everything is practical, and nothing is overdone. It’s simple horror done right. Check this out if you’re in the mood for a classic film about a haunted house.