Despite a cult-like devotion to an image of safe and family friendly fun, it turns out not everything is always magical in the mouse’s kingdom.

From failing floats to alligator attacks to knife fights, Disney’s theme parks have had their share of sad, strange and surreal deaths over the past decades that add a dark shadow to an otherwise picture perfect park going experience.

Read on for a list of 13 notable Deaths At Disney from both California’s Disneyland and Walt Disney World in Florida.

Deaths At Disney: Alligator Attack! (2016)

With some very strong Florida energy for Walt Disney World, one of the most gruesome Disney Deaths occurred on June 14, 2016 when a 2-year-old boy from Nebraska was bitten and dragged into the water by an alligator at 9:15pm on the shore of the Seven Seas Lagoon.

Horrifyingly, his parents tried to save him and the boy was pulled into the water in front of their eyes. His body then surfaced the following afternoon, in the vicinity of where he went missing.

Since the incident, Disney has added warning signs and rope-barriers to waterways around the entire resort and, for a short time, references to alligators were removed from a number of attractions, including The Jungle Cruise.

However, these actions did little to help Disney shake accusations of a  cover-up, with local press alleging Disney removed nearly 100 alligators from the park in the year leading up to the incident.

Deaths At Disney: Knife Attack!  (1981)

On March 7, 1981 18-year-old Mel Yorba was fatally stabbed with a knife during a fight with a 28-year-old man after the victim supposedly attempted to pinch the man’s girlfriend in Tomorrowland.

His family sued the park for $60 million and while the family did not receive the full amount (They got $600k in the end) the jury found the park negligent for not summoning outside medical help during the assault.

Disney, forever obsessed with their image even in the face OF AN ACTUAL MURDER, sent the victim to the Hospital not in an ambulance, but a Disneyland van with a park nurse.

Deaths At Disney: The Gang Murders Someone (1987)

The second homicide in the park’s history, on March 7 1987, a 15-year-old boy was fatally shot in the Disneyland parking lot after keeping it real went wrong as revellers left the park after closing.

The incident began as an early-morning shouting match between apparent rival gang members before escalating into a brawl that devolved into a shooting match in the parking lot around 1am.

About two hours after the brawl, Long Beach police and California Highway Patrol officers arrested no less than 13 Samoan youths as they drove north on the San Diego Freeway in Long Beach in a van and a Cadillac, Long Beach Police Lt. Rod Mickelson said at the time.

Keleti Naea, the shooter, contended that he thought the gun, which belonged to the victim, was a toy when he picked it off the ground and fired at Tai, but that wasn’t enough to escape being convicted of 2nd degree murder for his role in the shooting.

Deaths At Disney: America Sings (1974)

A classic among Deaths at Disney, this incident befell poor Deborah Gail Stone, a fresh faced, bubbly 18-year old employee who had just graduated from Santa Ana High School, and was, as the immortal Joe Bob Briggs would say “mashed to bits” after slipping between a revolving wall and a stationary platform inside the eternally creepy America Sings attraction.

On  July 8, 1974 she standing was in the wrong place during a ride intermission and, as the revolving platforms revolved, she was ground to a pulp between the wheels of the  attraction.. Investigators say it was unclear whether this was the result of inadequate training or an “operator error”, as the ride was brand new, having only opened about a week earlier.

In classic Disney fashion, America Sings was closed for a mere two days while crews installed simple warning lights and breakaway walls to prevent further incidents of mashing to bits.

Deaths At Disney:  The Matterhorn Decapitation (1984)

One of the grisliest Deaths at Disney was 1984’s Matterhorn incident, when 48-year-old Dolly Young from California was killed after she was thrown from a  bobsled car and was then struck by the next oncoming bobsled, crushing her and separating her head from it’s shoulders between the cars wheels and the steel track.

A later investigation had found that her seat belt was not buckled, and it remained unclear if she deliberately unfastened her belt, the seat belt had malfunctioned, or another passenger had unfastened it. Dun dun dunnn!

Deaths At Disney: Mono-doh! (1966)

Photo by Heather Maguire on Unsplash

The first of many, many Deaths at Disney’s California location was on June 8, 1966, when 19 year old Thomas Cleveland was killed while attempting to sneak into the park by climbing onto the monorail track.

Ignoring the shouted warnings of a security officer he was struck by the train and dragged nearly 50 feet down the track.

A Quote from author David Koenig’s 1994 book Mouse Tales: A Behind-the-Ears Look at Disneyland attributed to the the security guard there at the time stated that he had to “hose the kid off the underside”.

Deaths At Disney: Killer Coral Cafe Menu (1982)

In one of the more bizarre Deaths at Disney (and the 6th death in  the history of Orlando’s park in a mere 11 years), a 2-year-old local girl from Florida died on April 6, 1982 in Walt Disney World after being crushed, by of all things … a falling menu board.

Reports says she was standing in line with her family outside the kitschy tiki-themed Coral Isle Coffee Shop (now re-branded as the Kona Cafe) when she and her 12-year-old sister were playing with a rope tied to a large menu board.

In a Rube Goldberg worth series of unfortunate events (and a great advertisement for birth control), the unattended girls pulled on the rope, freeing the sign from it’s fasteners, and the board fell on top of the toddler, crushing her.

Deaths At Disney: Oh no, Not The Bees! (1992)

In a Death worthy of Nicolas Cage himself,  an off-duty cast member fell to his death from the ledge outside the Top of The World restaurant on On November 12, 1992.

And while falls and suicides are surprisingly common Deaths at Disney, this one is a little more weird.

The strange accident began as Brian Hribek, 24, a host at the Disney hotel’s Top Of The World, was showing his roommate the view from an observation deck on the 15th floor of the hotel.

As he sat on the 4 ft high security barrier in broad daylight, a swarm of “giant wasps” began attacking him without warning. As he tried desperately to swat them away, he fell over the edge and the wasps had claimed their victory.

The victim slammed into a 4th floor landing deck of the monorail, killing him instantly and with much splattering.

Reporters on the scene were told by employees ” We noticed the wasps…They were huge, all over the place…Then a little while later, someone came in screaming, ‘Call 911!’ ”

Disney officials said they do not know where the wasps came from. A reporter who walked on the deck two hours after the accident found dozens still swarming…looking for more victims…

Deaths At Disney: Mini Golf Car Fire (2018)

A recent and still unsolved entry in our Deaths at Disney, August 18, 2018 saw a person found dead inside of a burning car near Disney’s Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf Course at the park, shocking local residents.

Brian Christ, 49, was found dead in a burning vehicle at 4:11 a.m, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. but it was not the result of an automobile accident.

Deputies have not released details about how Christ died, but said that no foul play is suspected and detectives were not looking for any suspects. Disney remained tight lipped about the incident, and has not commented to this day about just what happened. Suspish.

Deaths At Disney: A Dream Come True Parade Crushing (2004)

Imagine dying in a mascot costume? How humiliating right? Well imagine no longer.

A tragic entry in our Deaths at Disney, Javier Cruz, 38, a father of two and an eight-year Disney veteran, was playing Pluto in the daily afternoon parade like he had countless times before.

Preparing backstage, he was shockingly killed after being run over by the Beauty and the Beast float in the “Share a Dream Come True Parade”. We’re guessing that was not his dream come true.

“We think very few guests saw it, if any,” said park spokesman Bill Warren at the time.

On the day of his death, he was dressed in character near the end of the parade line and was ready to pass through a gate into public view near Splash Mountain when the float struck him.

In a scene that’s tragic, but honestly pretty hilarious to imagine, Cruz tripped and before he had time to escape the oncoming float, was crushed to death by the giant golden princess float that loomed over him.

Floats and characters that left the backstage area before the accident continued down the parade route toward Main Street, U.S.A., Warren said, but floats and characters behind Cruz did not.

Deaths At Disney: Shotgun To The Head (1992)

While we’re not counting the spate of suicides among our “Top Deaths At Disney”, this one is just too salacious to leave out.

On September 12, 1992, 37-year-old Allan Farris entered Epcot at Orlando’s Walt Disney World after closing, yelling and demanding to see his ex-girlfriend who worked at the park.

Ferris then confronted a guard at the park who approached him, and after again demanding to see his former girlfriend, two other guards then confronted Ferris.

In a big Florida move, Farris produced a 12-gauge shotgun – with its stock cut off – from a nylon bag and went into full psycho-mode, firing three blasts at the first guard, who was miraculously unharmed.

The two other guards also ran, but after Ferris fired one shot, both stopped and were held hostage for 10 minutes in a restroom near Kodak’s Journey Into Imagination pavilion.

Given the serious nature of the event, Police deputies immediately surrounded the area, and Ferris released his hostages. He then emerged, walking around the pavilion with the gun clenched to his chest.

“Shoot me. Shoot me. You’re going to have to kill me,” Ferris yelled.

After exchanging words with deputies, he put the gun to his head and fired, evaporating his head into a cloud of red mist.

As expected, he was pronounced dead on arrival at the Orlando Regional Medical Center. Investigators attributed his actions to a recent breakup with his long-time girlfriend.

In a quote worthy of a true crime podcast, a friend said  “He was a big man . . . but he got pushed to the limit. Something just happened to set him off.”

Deaths At Disney: Killer Coaster (2003)

Howdy folks! We’re heading to the old-west for one of the most calamitous Deaths at Disney in Frontierland history , yee-haw!

On September 5, 2003, a 22-year-old man died after suffering severe blunt-force trauma and extensive internal bleeding in a derailment of the Big croller coaster that also injured ten other riders.

The derailment was the result of a mechanical failure that had occurred because of omissions during a maintenance procedure. Fasteners on the left side guide wheel on the floating axle of the locomotive were not tightened and secured in accordance with specifications.

As the train entered a tunnel, the axle came loose and jammed against a brake section, causing the locomotive to become airborne and hit the ceiling of the tunnel. The locomotive then slammed down on top of the first passenger car, crushing the victim.

Deaths At Disney: Gondola Death Drop  (1999)

One of the sadder Deaths at Disney saw 65-year-old part-time custodian Raymond Barlow killed as he was cleaning the Fantasyland Skyway station platform on February 14, 1999, when the ride was turned on by staff likely unaware he was there.

He was in the path of the ride vehicles and after beging struck by the oncoming and adorable Gondola, he grabbed a passing seat in an attempt to save himself.

Sadly, He lost his grip, fell 40 feet (12 m), and landed in a flower bed near the Dumbo ride, where he expired from his injuries.

The Skyway ride, which was already ancient and in poor repair, had been scheduled to be closed before the accident occurred, was permanently closed in November, 1999.

As a result of the accident, OSHA fined Walt Disney World a whopping US$4,500 for violating federal safety codes in that work area.

Heading Photo by Brian McGowan on Unsplash

Netflix isn’t new to salacious true crime content, and has revealed the new series Crime Scene, which dives into the lore and mythology of contemporary crime scenes. The first season, ‘The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel’, focuses on the notoriously evil Cecil Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

The trailer which dropped yesterday, contains footage of “Hotel Death”, explaining the numerous deaths, murders and suicides that have happened within the walls since the 1930s.

Opening in 1927, the Cecil flourished as a fashionable destination, however the location of the Cecil Hotel began to decline quite quickly after the great depression. Now known as Skid row, the surrounding area became increasingly populated with transients, and as many as 10,000 homeless people lived within a four-mile radius.

By the 1960s, the hotel had gained a reputation as a residence for transients and criminals. As such, deaths, suicides and other violent deaths on the premises became more frequent.

Throughout the 40s and 50s, so many suicides occurred at Cecil, longtime residents had begin to call The Cecil Hotel “The Suicide”. In addition to suicides, the Cecil’s history includes many other disturbing happenings and also became a notorious spot for cheating spouses, drugs and sex workers.

In 2007, the hotel was refurbished and new owners took over the property. In 2011, the Cecil Hotel was re-branded as “Stay on Main”, complete with a new website which expired at the end of 2013.

In 2014 New York hotelier Richard Born purchased the hotel for $30 million, after which another New York based firm. Simon Baron Development acquired a 99 year ground lease on the property.

In February 2017, Los Angeles City Council voted to deem the Cecil Hotel a historic cultural monument, because it is representative of an early 20th century American hotel and because of the historic significance of its architect’s body of work.

Even with it’s prestigious landmark status, no one can overlook the hotel’s infamous and very dark history. The first documented suicide at the Cecil was reported in 1931, after guest W.K Norton died in his room after taking poison capsules.

In 1947, Elizabeth Short, dubbed the Black Dahlia, was rumoured to have been spotted drinking at the Cecil’s bar in the days before her notorious, and unsolved murder.

In 1964, retired telephone operator “Pigeon Goldie” Osgood, who was a well-liked and longtime resident of the hotel was found dead in her room. She had been raped, stabbed and beaten and her room ransacked. A man named Jacques B. Ehlinger was charges with Osgood’s murder but later cleared, her death also remains unsolved.

Perhaps the most notorious guest of the hotel was rumoured resident Richard Ramirez, nicknamed the “Night Stalker.

Ramirez had been a regular on the skid row area of Los Angeles, and according to a hotel clerk, who claimed to have spoken to him, Ramirez is rumoured to have stayed at the Cecil Hotel for a few weeks. Ramirez may have engaged in part of his killing spree while staying there.

Another serial killer, Austrian Jack Unterweger, stayed at the Cecil in 1991, possible to copy Ramirez in some way. While there, he strangled and killed at lease three sex workers, for which he was convicted in Austria. He hanged himself shortly after his conviction.

After it’s re brand to “Stay on Main”, the Cecil became the focus of attention again after the surveillance footage of Canadian student Elisa Lam, behaving erratically in the hotel’s elevator went viral.

The video shows Lam repetitively pressing hotel buttons, walking in and out of the elevator and making super creepy hand gestures almost in a trance like state, looking as if she was hiding from someone or something.

Her body was subsequently found in the water supply cistern on the hotel roof, following complaints from the residents of odd-tasting water and low water pressure.

How she got into the water tank remains a mystery.

The LA County Coroner ruled her death accidental due to drowning, with bipolar disorder being a “significant” factor. Theories have swirled since then about possible paranormal activity as well as this death still remains largely a mystery compounded on top of the infamous site of the hotel.

This mystery and many other deaths will now be featured as part of the Netflix series ‘‘The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel’‘ coming out February 10th, 2021.

Watch the trailer below

Fellow horror expert and comedian Hunter Collins, has graciously shared his personal round up of Actually Scary Movies, with some hilarious commentary of course.

—

Everyone is always asking me for scary movie recommendations. Something about me just screams “this guy knows where to find things that will make me sick and afraid” (maybe it’s the vomit chunks on my unholstered gun). So I thought I’d make a list. Here are 10 actually scary horror movies you may have never seen.

The picks below aren’t for chicken-shit pants-shitting shit-birds. I will lay this out so you can gauge what my fear threshold is: Alien is not a horror movie; Get Out was a fine film but not scary whatsoever; and The Babadook sucks. If you want to watch a mother barely hold back from bashing her kid’s head in while some creepy prick with poor fashion sense looks on with glee, take me to Great Wolf Lodge. The films included here made me want to lock my doors, check under my bed and load the shotgun I keep under my machete rack.

Although they are marvellous and effective fright films, you won’t find titles like The Conjuring or Hereditary on this list. These are slightly deeper cuts, and they cut hard. In fact, they cut like a gun that shoots knives (which I also own – it’s called a “gknife”).

Last thing before I list these actually scary horror movies: if you love horror, do yourself a solid and sign up for Shudder. It’s 60 bucks for the year and they keep pumping out more content than you could shake a monkey’s paw at. Also when the pandemic ends, come see my live horror/comedy show at Comedy Bar in Toronto called Guts For Laughs. Follow us on Twitter and IG at @GutsForLaughs.

Do it, or else. Keep in mind I own firearms and this website tracks your home address.

Here we go:

The Witch In The Window (Shudder)

Tiny cast. Hack first few minutes. A screw-up dad is trying to regain the love of his family by fixing up a haunted-ish house you know there’s gonna be a witch of sorts inside of. But it takes a mind-bending turn, packs some wicked jumps and pulls the rug out from under you with several switcheroos before it’s all over. Plus, If you’re Shudder and chilling, this movie is 70 minutes in & out, so you can swiftly get to the part where you say, “Hey, did you know there’s also a witch in the window of my zipper? Check it out…” and get to gettin’ fresh. That line works for everyone regardless of your sexual orientation.

Special distinction: only movie I’ve ever seen that has an honest to cripes Magic Eye painting scare.

Terrified (Shudder)

Not to be confused with Netflix’s shameless gore-porn horror “Terrifier” starring a clown with teeth like the inside of a Crunchie bar. This Argentinian offering presents three subsequent stories that tie together. Three neighbours are experiencing some paranormal bull-shit: I can’t write about the first guy without spoiling it, but it’s one of the most memorable horror scenes I’ve ever watched because it goes on for so long and you are forced to sit in the horror of it and watch powerless as evil runs amok. Like the presidency.

Second one is about a guy who sets up a camera after his furniture keeps moving around in the night and the last one is about a dead kid. And yeah: they show you the dead kid. And it ain’t just some child actor with corn syrup on his forehead. This is South America. They might have used a real dead kid. But it’s important to note this isn’t a true anthology like Creepshow. The driving throughline about investigators trying figure out what in the horny Christ is happening in this ‘hood flows smoothly in and around the intertwined tales.

Special distinction: the way director Demian Rugna’s frames his scares often mimics the viewpoint of a natural human eyeline, producing a stripped-down air of realism that leaves you feeling like this is what it would actually look like if your life got absolutely FARKED by malevolent forces.

Belzebuth (Shudder)

Don’t get turned off by the poster! Although it depicts a creepy baby carriage, this isn’t one of those movies that shovels out the ol’ convention where a woman is pregnant with a baby but the baby is also pregnant with a demon or some shit. It’s actually an ambitious, $3.6M Mexican production that in its essence is a possession whodunnit, where a skeptical cop is trying to track down the demon who killed his child.

It alternates between Spanish and English and boasts a tasteful CGI evil Jesus scene. The film kicks off with a scene so despicable, it feels like a joke a racist cabbie told you at an off-track betting bar in Cincinnati. This isn’t much of a jumpy one, but it is profoundly disturbing. Think Sinister on crank and tequila.

Special distinction: Probably the highest and most unforgiving infanticide rate of any movie I’ve seen.

The Autopsy of Jane Doe (Shudder)

This film is contained to a small rural coroner’s office but it tells such a huge story. A father and son coroner duo cut into this lady and hoo-boy! Her insides are more fucked-up than the shelves at K-Mart on Boxing Day! The journey through the autopsy generates so many questions about how this woman died and even though she’s dead, you start getting the impression she doesn’t want to get autopsied ‘cause some next shit starts going down with the other corpses in this spooky-ass old coroner building. Quality jumps throughout this one too.

Special distinction: expertly frightening despite having a main antagonist who is completely inanimate.

Dead Birds (Prime, Shudder)

Another poster that makes the movie look like it cost 38 bucks and whole lotta favors to make. I swear, there’s a scene at the beginning where a guy sees a dead bird and goes, “Huh, there’s a dead bird,” and then they don’t mention birds, dead or otherwise, for the rest of the movie. Dead bird content dearth aside, this is an unconventional film that places a group of Civil War era bank robbers on a farm overnight while on their way to Mexico with a big sack of stolen gold.

But this farm makes Robert Pickton’s look like Baskin-Robbins! There’s gross critters and other evils abound that start picking these stinky cowpokes off one-by-one. And what a cast of stinky cowpokes they are! Every minute a different big name pops up, including Michael Shannon, the fat beardy guy from 30 Days of Night, Elliott from E.T. and Isaiah Washington. This is probably the least scary movie on the list, but there’s so much originality and genre-bending to this creature feature paranormal haunted house western, that I thought it belonged.

Special distinction: a young Michael Shannon throwing around racial slurs. Yup – that one. Washington was able to keep the slurs to himself this time, however: https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/isaiah-washington-anti-gay-slur-fell-article-1.1456063

Veronica (Netflix)

Spanish director Paco Plaza, who also made the REC series, peddled this out in 2017. It’s rife with heavy-handed allegory about the coming of age of womyn (the fyuture is fymale), but in the horror world, I’m like, what isn’t, dude? Technically Godzilla is a girl’s coming of age tale when you consider that Godzilla’s mouth-lasers are a metaphor for menstruation. Zappy, blasty menstruation.

In this film, a teenager in a working class neighborhood has to take care of her younger siblings, but this foolish, stupid, naive, female, lady girl puts her dumb double-X chromosome’d hands on a Ouija board DURING an eclipse! You put your whole family in danger by opening a demonic eclipse portal, you idiotic womb-haver!

But el patriarcado aside, this movie is loaded with jumps and taut tension and even though it’s about a teen, it doesn’t strictly cater to a younger audience the way Slender Man or Ma did. There’s a nun with milky eyes, shadowperson apparitions galore, and it features the “creepy naked man scare” a full year before Hereditary did it, and a full two years before my dad did it at a local figure skating meet and we never saw him again.

Special distinction: based on a true story where a Spanish girl mysteriously died in the 90s after using a Ouija board. Second leading cause of death in Spain after pronouncing your Zs like a t-h to death.

Channel Zero (Shudder)

This is a TV show where each season of six episodes is based on a different creepypasta. Episodes are 45 minutes long, which is so little to commit to. But the reason I recommend this show is that it’s light enough that you can watch it during the day and the stories are so loose and ethereal that you can have it on in the background while you I dunno – make soup or harass former lovers over the phone.

The seasons are hit and miss (season one revolves around a little boy made of human teeth who eats teeth and there we go, I got fed up just typing that), but the fourth and latest season is about a woman (Miss Denmark 2008 Maria Sten) who descends into madness after rediscovering her homicidal imaginary friend, the latter of which is portrayed by a stupendously talented contortionist.

There are loads of practical gore effects that’ll make you turn away and at one point they barely explicably shimmy in an army of little people dressed as crayons.

Special distinction: It’s all shot in Canada but it looks like it isn’t.

The Possession of Hannah Grace (Crave)

I was super skeptical of a “The Possession Of” movie and maybe my low expectations are what led me to enjoy this so much. In this story about a disgraced police officer (ACAB) who becomes a security guard (ASGAB) at a morgue, a stiff is dropped off that somehow, instead of just sitting there, appears to get healthier.

You can imagine where this leads (they fuck – JK), but the lighting and the sound design seamlessly team up to drive a multi-sensory screwdriver into your nervous system. The creeps take their sweet-ass time and this polished production is all-in-all jumpier than bullfrogs on a griddle.

Special distinction: maybe the only film whose title starts with “The Possession/Haunting of” that is legitimately frightening.

POD (Prime, Shudder)

The key to this 2015 gem is that instead of having the terror stem from a guy in a monster suit, it comes from the unravelling mind of a schizophrenic man trying to convince his brother that he has a captured alien in his basement. The performance of this mentally unstable dude is so convincing, you can picture him asking a cashier at Taco Bell for the nuke codes.

The film does an admirable job of keeping you guessing whether there’s a basement alien or not. Pod is a testament to how solid a film you can make with a wee budget, as long as you have a sturdy premise and some decent actors. Plus it’s only 76 minutes! So if you’re Shudder and chilling, it won’t be long before you can be like, “Hey did you know I also have a ‘pod’ behind this zipper?”

Special distinction: It’s got to be challenging to pull off an alien horror movie, because aliens are inherently jovial visitors who just want to meet your leader and give you a hearty bumming.

Garden State (in the garbage somewhere hopefully)

It is absolutely beyond horrifying that someone gave money to Zach Braff for a script that’s just a bunch of people going “aren’t I weird?” for an hour and a half.

Special distinction: none. This movie is is pure bowel cancer for your heart, mind and eyes.

Dying for something to watch this weekend? We’ve scared up the best Horror Movies on Netflix. From slashers and vampire slayers to killer clowns and cam-girl clones, these dozen picks are sure to satisfy any Horror fan.

Hereditary (2018)

Director: Ari Aster 

This debut feature from Ari Aster was cemented by many critics as an “instant horror classic” by breaking traditional horror tropes and creating its own unique spin on familial fate and inheritance. Without revealing too much, buckle up for a ride unlike any other horror movie to date with this one – and expect it to stick with you for a while. 

The Platform (2019)

Director: Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia

A fantastic mashup of social commentary and midnight movie, The Platform is a fierce and stylish statement on race, class and the collective good and evil of humanity. Although a bit on the nose with it’s message, the impressive twists and limited setting make for a daring and fantastic debut feature from Gaztelu- Urrutia, clearly taking inspiration from sci-fi movies like Snowpiercer and Cube.

Terrifier (2016)

Director: Damien Leone

Based on a character from the anthology “All Hallows Eve”, this 80s slasher throwback follows Art the Clown on Halloween night as he sets his sights on terrorizing anyone who gets in his way. Come for the clown, stay for the incredibly detailed and gory kills. Slasher and 80s horror movie fans, don’t sleep on this one! 

The Babysitter (2017)

Director: McG

Essentially a satanic chase movie, The Babysitter is equal parts sexy, hilarious and gory which make for a fast paced and fantastic no brainer watch. This hilariously schlocky occult comedy also gave birth to new horror “it girl” Samara Weaving with her incredible performance throughout.

Girl On the Third Floor (2019)

Director: Travis Stevens 

Haunted Houses might not exactly be a fresh concept in horror, however this directorial debut from Travis Stevens proves a good old fashioned haunting can still be entertaining, while putting a new spin on the very established sub genre. The Girl on The Third Floor satisfies from beginning to gory end. PS: Have to give it up to wrestling icon CM Punk for his portrayal of an absolutely unlikeable husband that helps drive this experimental film’s conclusion. 

Read our full review of ‘Girl On The Third Floor’ here.

The Perfection (2018)

Director: Richard Shepard

Troubled musical prodigy Charlotte (Allison Williams) seeks out the new star pupil Elizabeth (Logan Browning), this encounter leads them down a sinister and shocking journey full of twists, turns and body horror galore. For those who like their films much darker than mainstream studio projects (this one is a Netflix Original), The Perfection is right up your alley. Absolutely avoid this one if you have hemophobia or don’t enjoy oozing gore. 

CAM (2018)

Director: Daniel Goldhaber

Techno-horror indie hit CAM is smart, suspenseful and visually jarring. Set in the world of webcam porn, we follow Alice, the ambitious camgirl who one day discovers she’s been replaced by an exact replica of herself. As the copy begins to push boundaries, the control that Alice has over herself quickly vanishes. This tightly wound thriller keps us guessing the entire runtime while still having a lot to say about voyeurism, loss of identity and loneliness.

From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)

Director: Quentin Tarantino & Robert Rodriguez

Pulpy crime drama and vampire film hybrid from filmmaking icons Tarantino and Rodriguez is kind of a mess, but also an incredibly enjoyable B movie romp. Cameos from genre legends throughout (Tom Savini) (Fred Williamson) (Cheech Marin) add to this ridiculously bloody fun Mexican Vampire Western. It’s hard to find anything bad about this movie and if you haven’t already seen it, you are missing out on one of THE best Horror movies on Netflix.

Vampires (1998)

Director: John Carpenter

What do Twin Peaks, New Mexico and James Woods have in common? If you guess John Carpenter’s Vampires congrats! This Vampire hunting movie starring Sheryl Lee (Laura Palmer) and James Woods is set in rural New Mexico, following hunters ambushed by and combating the evil 600 year old Vampire Valek. Sounds ridiculous? Well it is, and similar to From Dusk Till Dawn, this overall goofy Vampire movie deserves at least a one time watch. 

Overlord (2018)

Director: Julius Avery

Part reivionsist war drama, part zombie thrill ride, and part balls to the wall genre gorefest. Overlord offers something for everyone who’s a fan of B movies. Follow American paratroopers as they destroy Nazi zombies in occupied France in this thrilling, mysterious and bold action packed ride. DISCLAIMER: If the idea of reanimated Anne Frank offends you, avoid at all costs. 

Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)

Director: Francis Ford Coppola

Bram Stoker’s Dracula is remembered more for its often hammy acting and Keanu’s highly questionable English accent than the stunning sets, amazing costumes and buckets of blood spilled by director Francis Ford Coppala in a dreamlike Vampire opera that delivers far more in entertainment than narrative logic. Definitely one of the best Horror movies on Netflix! 

To most, cinema is a form of escapism from an increasingly complicated society. Teleporting an audience to another realm to make them laugh, cry or think about the complexities of humanity is a hard feat in 2020. While most people enjoy Hollywood blockbusters like “The Avengers”, cinema’s darker side is generally forgotten or given a shallow reputation. Film is a multi-faceted creature, full of strange and deep crevices filled with things you probably never imagined could even be possible, and it’s in this spirit we explore the most disturbing movies of all time.

Horror films are easily the foremost escapist genre in art history. Tackling themes and characters that most humans would try and constantly avoid or don’t even imagine to be real. The most impactful and shocking films combine hyperbolic facets of real life with the impossible.

If a movie stays with you long after the initial viewing then it’s done its job. Despite critics quickly dismissing the darker side of film, there are lots of people who love a wholly different type of escape. Which generally includes: realistic scenes of violence, absurdism, torture and a general disregard for human life.

The Most Disturbing Movies on this list all come with a forewarning with potential to scar your mind for years to come and prove that a movie can still be considered artistic or poignant, even if it’s on the extreme side. If you’re curious to find out what lies beneath the surface of the conventional and one-dimensional movies we see advertised everywhere, you’re on the right list.

• MARTYRS
• KILL LIST
• BEGOTTEN
• SEUL CONTRE TOUS
• UN CHIEN ANDALOU
• TIDELAND
• MEN BEHIND THE SUN
• THREADS

THE MOST DISTURBING MOVIES: #5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=054OIVlmjUM

Note: This Article Has Been Updated From Its Original Format (April 2020)

The setup is simple: four horny teens hit a travelling carnival that has come through town. They hang out, view the weird attractions, and eventually decide to stay in a ride called “The Funhouse”(natch) overnight, where mayhem ensues. What elevates “The Funhouse“, though, is Tobe Hooper’s execution. The director doesn’t rely on cliches of the early slashers of the decade, instead establishing a downright creepy atmosphere through the use of inventive lighting, odd camera angles and even odder characters that populate the carnival. With a colourful palette and some great widescreen shots, we’re well outside the drab grey and black look of Friday The 13th, or the even more bleak feel of his seminal debut “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”.

“The Funhouse” opens with a Halloween-inspired POV shot, misdirecting us to be a prank played by a younger brother on his older sister, Amy (Elizabeth Berridge). This opening shower scene immediately marks a change from the cliches of early slashers, as getting naked is the surest way to a death sentence, and most “Final Girls” avoided this at all costs. Amy heads out to the carnival with her boyfriend and another couple, and, as these things ALWAYS seem to happen, her kid brother Joey sneaks out after her. After getting sauced and looking to get it on, the quartet decide to hideout in the titular Funhouse for the night. Needless to say, this is the wrong move…They’re not alone, and here there film revs up the murder machine we’ve all been waiting for. Tobe Hooper fully embraces the setting of “The Funhouse” in horrific fashion as our teens are stalked through the ride by the masked killer, and his dad (Kevin Conway), the barker of the ride, doing whatever they can to keep the carnivals secrets hidden.

Hooper skillfully drops hints earlier in the film that something is off about the people of the carnival, revealing its odd past through conversation, and subtly establishing the bizarre deformity of the film’s villain without allowing the viewer to anticipate the terrifying true identity of the awkward carny dressed as Frankenstein’s monster. One of “The Funhouse“‘s biggest successes, and the second way it sets itself apart, is the way it crafts a legitimately creepy atmosphere and a feeling of impending dread during this downtime before cutting the monster loose. Mutated animals at the carnival’s freak show, a ride through the garish funhouse, and perhaps most unsettling, the same man acting as three different barkers in front of the freakshow, the funhouse, and the girlie show, all set the films tone and keep the tension high. It was actor Kevin Conway’s suggestion for him to play all three roles, and while attention is never really drawn to it, the effect is quite disturbing and lends an air of surrealism, or an icky suggestion of inbreeding, to the scene.

Hooper and co-writer Larry Block’s script also departs from the typical backstory with a killer who’s both goofily, gloriously deformed (he looks like Sloth from the goonies fucked Doc Brown from Back To The Future in a wind tunnel) and somehow sympathetic. He doesn’t look it, but he’s more human than most of his victims, as his rage is only released as he’s pushed too far by the cruel and cackling carnies. The kills in “The Funhouse“are supremely satisfying, with a HVAC powered mutilation that’s a high point, and the score is serviceable in keeping things moving and setting the tone. The teens are the usual mix of far too old and dumb to be teens, but they do a fine job in being dispatched by Gunther, our masked maniac. The real standout is Kevin Conway as the evil owner, absolutely chewing through every scene he’s given with growling, glorious sleaze.

While there are the “Three Bs” in ample amount (Blood, Breasts, Beasts), “The Funhouse” the film was actually unsuccessfully prosecuted as a video nasty in the UK a few years after its release. While recent re-issues, and Hooper’s unfortunate passing in 2017, have elevated his body of work, it’s a shame the initial explosion of home video wasn’t enough to keep Funhouse form obscurity. You can catch this classic on Amazon Prime in glorious HD, or grab one of THREE re-issues from the always great Arrow Video…if you can find them! For completists and film fanatics, The 2-disc Blu-Ray has audio commentary with The Funhouse S/FX wizard Craig Reardon and Jeffrey Reddick (creator of the Final Destination series) plus featurettes like Carnage at the Carnival: Tobe Hooper Remembers “The Funhouse” , Miles of Mayhem: Acting in Tobe’s Funhouse with star Miles Chapin, A Trilogy of Terror: The Make-up Madness of Craig Reardon, in which the S/FX wizard recollects his collaborations with Tobe Hooper; Eaten Alive, Poltergeist and The Funhouse, Master Class of Horror: Mick Garris, in which the director of Sleepwalkers and the miniseries adaptation of The Shining reflects on the crimson-covered career of his longtime colleague Tobe Hooper, a live Q&A with Tobe Hooper from San Francisco, never-before-seen behind the scenes photographs from the collection of Craig Reardon, the film’s trailer, a brand new transfer of the film in high definition (1080p), a four-panel reversible sleeve option with original and newly commissioned artwork, a double-sided fold-out artwork poster, and a collector’s booklet featuring brand-new writing on the film by critic and author Kim Newman! Well worth the $60 price tag and more proof that physical media still has its place in film.

Screamish was more than excited to get to speak with Milly Shapiro, who played the deceptively timid demon Paimon / Charlie and more recently was a guest judge on the sickening horror focused competitive drag reality series Dragula. For those who haven’t seen “Hereditary”, spoilers follow – (Also: why the hell have you waited this long to see one of the best horror movies ever?)

SCREAMISH: Happy belated Halloween! Did you get up to anything demonic or interesting last night?

Milly Shapiro: I mostly hung out with friends and just, you know – it’s spooky season! Decorated my place thoroughly and celebrated at home.

Milly Shapiro with The Boulet Brothers (credit: Instagram)

SCREAMISH: We are huge fans of drag and Boulet Brothers’ Dragula! You were an incredible judge and I wanted to know how you were approached to be a guest judge – and if there’s anything you can tell us about being behind the scenes?

Milly: Well, I was asked to be a judge after going to their Halloween show last year and absolutely loved it and freaked out and tweeted and posted about it. They saw my tweet and reached out and asked and I freaked out so much – cause’ it’s the Boulet Brothers – and they’re asking ME to do something. I was so excited, and when I went to judge, I was super nervous because I’d never done anything like that before. And so it was totally out of what I’m used to doing. But when I saw everyone’s floor show and their looks, I was like oh god – this is gunna be so hard. Everyone this season was SO good. It was hard to find critiques. After shooting I got to meet everyone participating and all the crew and honestly – everyone involved are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Some of the contestants even gave me gifts, and I was like you didn’t have to do this! They’re just the best people. They’re all so talented too.

SCREAMISH: It’s an art form that’s very popular now. But until these reality shows like Drag Race and Dragula no one really got to appreciate it on a bigger level. One of my friends from Toronto – Yovska was one of the contestants, and although she didn’t get far in the competition – did an incredible job, it was amazing to get to see her and her creations on TV.

Milly: I actually got to meet her because she wasn’t there when I recorded the episode. But I did go to LA for the premiere and met her there! She was so nice and it was so great because then I got to meet all the people that didn’t make it that far. And that’s why it’s just so amazing. They are all so talented. And it was just a refreshing and wonderful environment to be in.

I used to hate horror as a kid and I used to be scared of everything. But then, I decided that I would just become spookier than everything else. Then the scary things would be scared of me – Milly Shapiro

SCREAMISH: Back to the horror side of things – Are you a fan of the genre?

Milly: I am! I used to hate horror as a kid and I used to be scared of everything. But then, I decided that I would just become spookier than everything else. Then the scary things would be scared of me, and then it would be fine. Then I got really into horror and dove headfirst into it. I watched a ton of horror movies and realized I could make all these dark jokes and now I love horror. It’s such an underrated genre. If you really look at it closer – it shows you how humans react in certain situations, to the fullest extent. So it’s very interesting to watch.

SCREAMISH: Before Hereditary, I don’t think a lot of people know that you were a stage actress. Can you tell your fans / followers more about your career before Charlie?

Milly: I started in Theater, I was in Matilda on Broadway as one of the Matildas. When it first opened, which was a crazy experience. It was actually my first audition – so that never happens. So, it was all very exciting! I got to go to the Tonys and the Grammys and actually got a Tony honoree for excellence in theatre, which is amazing. It was such a great experience, especially for a first job.

…it (“Hereditary”) was so well written – that’s the one thing that I remember, is reading it and I could see every shot happening like I was watching the movie. It’s like I could see it and knew I wanted to be in it. – Milly Shapiro

SCREAMISH: Miss Trunchbull scared the shit out of me when I was younger – Huge fan of Matilda. For Hereditary – Did you audition or did Ari approach you?

Milly: I auditioned. I got the audition when I was walking home from school one day and I freaked out because it was my first horror movie audition. I have this thing that my mom and family do where we write down goals in this book called a five-year book. So if you want to do something in five years you write it down and then focus on trying to make it happen. One of the things that I had just written down was ‘be in a horror movie’, and I’d never wanted to be in a horror movie as the person that was getting scared or as the victim. I always either wanted to be be a neutral side party of the one doing the scaring. And with Charlie, I kind of got to do a bit of everything, so it was really exciting. I stayed home from school for a day or so – to get into character. And I think I read the script three times before I even went into audition because I was just so excited. And it was so well written – that’s the one thing that I remember, is reading it and I could see every shot happening like I was watching the movie. It’s like I could see it and knew I wanted to be in it.

SCREAMISH: Do you ever get bothered or sick of talking about Hereditary and portraying Charlie / Paimon?

Milly: I don’t think I’ll ever get sick about talking about Hereditary because it’s just such a great film. And even if I wasn’t in it, I would always want to talk about it, because it went in a different direction that horror does a lot and the characters felt like real people. They had their flaws, they had their goals they had whet they wanted and didn’t. Charlies as a character is a lot more complex than you think. And there’s so much going on because she’s really Paimon – this demon.

SCREAMISH: ‘She’ is multiple beings.

Milly: Yeah – So you have to figure out how much is there of ‘her’. Because it’s been there her whole life. So then what is her and what isn’t her? How does she think? Is their thought process different? You really have to dive into what her thought process is like, which you don’t really have to do oas much with other characters because usually you’ll audition for characters that have similarities to you. But I didn’t have too many similarities to Charlie, so it was hard, But Ari was really great to work with and we really had a lot of meetings to try and figure out who the character really was. And it was a really fun process because you were getting to talk directly with the person that creative the character about what your idea was, who they were, and are. And it was just an incredible experience overall.

SCREAMISH: Did you or Ari develop the famous cluck noise?

Milly: It was in the script. So it was there the whole time. But we did have, like, a 30 minute meeting, just figuring out what exactly that sound would sound like, because there’s so many different ways you can make, a clucking sound. So it took us probably a bit too long to figure out the perfect one, but it was fine I think we found a nice sound. It sounds natural and nice.

SCREAMISH: I read in another interview that you wanted to keep the decapitated Charlie prop head. Did that ever end up happening?

Milly: It sadly didn’t but I really wanted it to. I really just wanted to, like, keep it, on my center table, and or just leave it in random places. And if anyone pointed it out, just, refuse to acknowledge it: like on a bookshelf. Someone’s asks “What’s that on your bookshelf?” I’ll be like, “Oh, you mean that book? it’s just a really great book I just read recently and da-da-da-da”, and they’re like “no no the head!”, and you’re like “What? What head? I don’t know what you’re talking about”. I feel like that would be just, the pinnacle of comedy. It was going to be a great thing to do and make all my friends weirded out. But I guess I’ll just have to find another decapitated head of mine.

SCREAMISH: Are you interested in taking on other horror or darker projects or looking to broaden your spectrum of performances?

Milly: I want to get the whole spectrum. I definitely want to revisit horror, for sure, but I might want to do something different first. Just because you don’t want to get, stuck in one thing and doing different kinds of roles is a great way to expand your repertoire. And I always like doing things that I’ve never done before because it’s, this whole new pressure of doing something you’ve never done before. But then when you can actually do it and have a whole team of people helping you to get to the best point. It’s just like so fulfilling to have played Charlie. I’d never done anything like that before. And so then getting to do it and having people like it and me be happy with my performance. It’s just, so fulfilling because half the time you don’t think you’ll be able to do it. So just getting to have an end result that you stand behind and have a bunch of things that you can try out is always amazing.

As a kid, I would always find any excuse to really fancy frilly dresses – even if it was just going to the grocery store. So when I saw Lolita Fashion I was like oh my god – I WANT TO DO THAT! – Milly Shapiro

SCREAMISH: Pivoting away from horror for a moment – Wanted to ask you how you got into Gothic Lolita Fashion? And what are the best places online to buy some of your amazing looks?

Milly Shapiro In A Lolita Fashion Look (Credit: Instagram)

Milly: It’s definitely hard to find. I get all of mine online. I started watching a lot of horror anime and got interested in Japanese culture and Manga because their storylines are so different than ours. It’s a whole different experience in storytelling and in the art itself too. I somehow, I don’t remember exactly how, but I ran into Lolita fashion and I was instantly grabbed. As a kid, I would always find any excuse to real fancy frilly dresses – even if it was just going to the grocery store. So when I saw Lolita Fashion I was like oh my god – I WANT TO DO THAT! I started off wearing mostly Sweet Lolita and now I’m doing more Gothic with a mix of Sweet because it’s still very cute. I buy mine mostly from Angelic Pretty & Baby, The Stars Shine Bright. The only downside being most Lolita outfits are quite expensive. So it’s definitely not the easiest fashion to get into.

SCREAMISH: Last but not least! What would you consider your favourite horror, sci-fi, action slash genre film?

Milly: I feel like it changes every time I get asked! I love the classics – The Exorcist, The Shining and movies like that. And I feel like The Shining is the one I always go back to as my favourite. But my favourite movie watching experience was probably with the Insidious movies – because I watched them with my sister when I was first getting back into horror and they always freaked me out. But watching them with my her and having that experience of being scared together was actually really fun and got me back into the genre, so for that reason I feel like they’re always going to be some of my favourites too.

SCREAMISH: Before I let you go – Can we get a famous Charlie cluck?

Milly: Of course – Here it is – *CLUCK*

SCREAMISH: Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to us! And even though it’s over – Happy spooky season!

Milly: Spooky season will live on

It’s 1983: hair is feathered, jeans are tight and Satanic Panic is at full swing. Our final girl Sam, pitch perfectly played by perky Jocelin Donahue, is a college student saving money for a deposit on her first apartment. Naturally, she puts up signs around the campus advertising for her baby-sitting services, and quickly receives call. It’s the spooky Mr. Ulman (played with glorious gloom by veteran character actor Tom Noonan) who’s taken all of her posters and booked her for the night of the lunar eclipse.

As is the custom of classic B-Movies (and The House Of The Devil is nothing if not a full-bore B-Movie), Sam’s gal-pal Megan (an excellent Greta Gerwig) gives her a ride to the Ulman estate, which they find way, way down at the end of a long, long road in the middle of a deep, dark forest…obviously. The Mother Ulman is upstairs in her room, Mr. Ulman explains, and that’s why he had to pull an unfortunate switcheroo on old Sam.  He offers her $400 to watch the infirm Ulman Sr., whom he promises will be as quiet as a tomb…….Then, naturally, the Ulmans depart because they want to observe the full eclipse of the moon, and you can’t even see the moon so deep in the dark, dark, secluded forrest…. and you can see where this is going.

And, of course…..Sam pokes around, and Mother isn’t quite as quiet as advertised, and things in this house are, of course…a bit odd. From there Ti West ratchets up The House Of The Devil’s tension as the Ulmans return and it seems a ride home is not going to happen, before we dive into the obvious conclusion (hint, the Devil is involved), but the plot is almost secondary to the film: this is a love letter to Horror that doesn’t try to mess with a formula now almost forty years old.

Shot in 16mm, on location in a Connecticut house, in roughly two weeks with his regular production crew, the director said in an interview The House Of The Devil was inspired by “prolific and auteur directors….Kubrick, Polanski, Hitchcock, Scorsese, Friedkin, Soderbergh, Van Sant, Carpenter, Argento” and those influences are front and centre as West takes us along for the ride. A child of the 80s himself, West got his start at New York’s School of the Visual Arts studying film production and was introduced by one of his professors to low budget horror legend (and founder of Glass Eye Pix) Larry Fessenden, who became a champion of West’s short films and an influence on his “quick and dirty” style of production. Highly recommended, we’ll leave Ti West himself to explain why we love The House Of The Devil as much as we do…

I have very find memories of that time and I have a very old-fashioned sensibility. This story is ultimately a very old-fashioned horror movie story with all the classic tropes, but there’s something about them that’s presented a little bit differently, and that’s what I was interested in. I wanted to take the classic horror movie structure and work within that and just put spins on things and do my own thing stuff in that framework. That’s what was interesting to me.

Watch the trailer below. The House Of The Devil is streaming on Amazon Prime and available on Blu-Ray for you collectors.