Who doesn’t love a good demonic possession? From the iconic pea-soup spewing Linda Blair in ‘The Exorcist‘ to the more metaphysical nightmare of ‘Twin Peaks’ ancient evils controlling you in secret, the genre of Horror is chalk full with tales of demons, ghosts and even evil computers possessing our bodies and wreaking havoc outside our control. With so many examples to choose from, and so many classics in the history of movies, we’ve still managed to narrow it down to 8 great examples and have hand-picked our best possessions in Horror for you to enjoy. Dive into the list below and let us know what YOUR favourite is on our Instagram!

• DON’T DELIVER US FROM EVIL
• POSSESSION
• THE WAILING
• THE EVIL DEAD
• EXCORCIST III
• REC
• THE POSSESSION

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)

1.) Unfriended (2014)

Unfriended kicks off the “inside-the-computer” style of techno-horror when it unfolds over a teenager’s laptop screen (including Skype, YouTube, LiveLeak and other actual websites), where she and her friends are gruesomely dispatched in the group chat by an unknown entity who’s out for vengeance. Endlessly re-watchable exploitation film fun, Unfriended is hardly high-brow but delivers equal parts gore and guffaws as it’s Swiss-cheese plot careens from screen to screen.

2.) Evilspeak (1981)

in ‘Evilspeak‘ Iconic weirdo Clint Howard plays a tormented military-school nerd (apparently in his mid-thirties!) whose fascination with the occult leads him to feed an arcane tome into his personal computer, translating the writings into actual working spells he uses to exact sweet revenge against his cruel classmates and teachers. Before long, he is able to summon an army of snarling devil-pigs to do his evil bidding and everything goes to hell, literally. An incredibly early techno-horror flick, this one is essentially a gender-bent rip-off of Carrie, but the goofy 80s graphics, hair-metal motifs and a genuinely hilarious turn by Clint Horward make Evilspeak one of the better old-school killer computer movies.

3.) Brainscan (1994)

A pre-rehab Edward Furlong helms this amazingly 90s take on techno-horror where the evil half-goblin half-chicken (?) ‘Trickster’ emerges from the totally radical CD-ROM game ‘Brainscan‘ and forces players to commit mayhem and murder in the real world. Half ‘Lawnmower Man’ half ‘Nightmare on Elm Street” Brainscan holds a special place in our guilty pleasures, as the wildly dated graphics, music and ideas of what constitutes stalking make it a time capsule of grunge goodness.

4.) Demon Seed (1977)

In 70’s techno-horror classic ‘Demon Seed‘ a brilliant scientist’s marriage is strained by his devotion to his latest projection, the creation of an AI supercomputer (has this even been a good idea?). When this tension drives the scientist to move out, the computer, naturally, goes totally fucking nuts. It takes over the house, imprisoning and impregnating the scientist’s wife with a giant polygonal robot tentacle…penis, growing a monstrous mutant baby in the basement before it tries to take over the world. When it comes to ‘Demon Seed’, weird is an understatement.

5.) Pulse (Kairo) (2001)

A sinister spine-tingling techno-horror from Japan whose artistry lies in the power of suggestion rather than a barrage of blood and guts or digital special effects, 2001’s Pulse (Kairo) slipped under the radar in North America during it’s release before an unfortunate American remake buried the superior original in the wake of bigger hits like ‘The Ring’ and ‘The Grudge’. In the film, a website which at first appears to be merely a scary hoax with an irresistible marketing ploy, turns out to be run by a sinister and deadly force. As people repeatedly tap into the site’s frightening images of the dead, the supernatural force begins destroying their lives.

6.) Chopping Mall (1987)

One of our all time 80’s B-movie favourites, ‘Chopping Mall‘ sees group of teenagers (including the incomparable Barbara Crampton!) fighting for their lives overnight against renegade robots programmed to patrol a high-end shopping mall. Completely bonkers, ‘Chopping Mall’ puts everything great (and no so great) about the 80s in one high-energy, logic-free techno-horror blender for a side-splitting midnight movie.

7.) Ghost In The Machine (1993)

in 1993’s ‘Ghost In The Machine’, computer nerd / serial killer Karl is undergoing a CAT scan at the hospital when a surge of lightning courses through the building and Karl’s soul is transformed into electrical energy, freeing him to continue his killing spree by using the power of electricity itself. In this techno-horror rip-off of ‘Lawnmower Man’, Karl offs his victims in increasingly hilarious and unexplainable ways including a flame-throwing hair dryer and an unforgettable ‘final-destination’ style microwave murder all while deliciously dated “VR” graphics swirl across the screen.

8.) Virus (1999)

John Bruno, special effects supervisor on Terminator 2 tried to reinvent the haunted house sub-genre with a techno-horror twist in his directorial debut with 1999’s ‘VIRUS‘, much as Ridley Scott did in Alien, but sadly missed the mark. However ‘VIRUS’ still holds it’s own for sheer gross-out, practical effect insanity, as Jaime Lee Curtis, Donald Sutherland and a Baldwin battle mutant robot-human hybrids infected with an alien computer virus on-board a sinking ship. It’s a lot to digest but well worth a weekend watch when you want to see gears, guts and gore galore.

1.) Street Trash (1987)

An absolute legend of goopy, gory and grin-inducing ‘Melt Movie’ madness, 1987’s Street Trash was James. M Muro’s only directorial credit (under J. Michael Muro) before he went on to work as a director photography and cinematographer for some of Hollywood’s biggest films (Crash, The Abyss, and countless others). In the film, NYC hobos begin melting into psychedelic goo after drinking 60 year old liquor, while the psychotic Vietnam vet who rules their junkyard begins killing at random. Packed full of technicolour splatter, ridiculous performances, gross out humour and some inventive, high-energy camera work, Street Trash remains an underground classic from a one time director that you’ve got to see to believe.

2.) Phase IV (1974)

Saul Bass might be the single most accomplished graphic designer in history, but many forget he was a one time director as well. Working in the mid 20th century, when the importance of graphic design was just on the upswing, Bass branded a staggering array of major corporations with his iconic, minimal designs as well as creating some of Hollywood’s most memorable title sequences for films like Psycho, Vertigo and even Goodfellas. But with all this accomplished, the strange, surreal monster movie Phase IV, remains Bass’ only directorial credit.

In Phase IV, Arizona ants overrule the food chain on their way to a desert lab, hoping to kill two scientists and a woman who discovered them in this ultra-rare, ultra-weird bug-out creature feature packed full of stunning microphotography. Upon its initial theatrical release, the film had mixed reviews which likely led Bass to hand up his hat and become a one time director, however in time it’s gained a cult following for it’s ecological-disaster messaged and surreal look and feel. Writer/director Panos Cosmatos has said Phase IV was a very significant influence on the look and feel of his science fiction film Beyond the Black Rainbow,

3.) Man Bites Dog (1992)

Rémy Belvaux, the Belgian actor-writer-producer and one time director, never made a follow-up to his 1992 début film. But since that first feature was Man Bites Dog, a black comedy that became an underground cult classic, his notoriety was guaranteed. For all the film’s brutality, it was clearly the work of someone with a mischievous attitude, and It was in the same spirit of mischief that Belvaux hurled a custard pie at Microsoft’s Bill Gates in Brussels, the 1998 incident leading to his arrest and making news worldwide.

In Man Bites Dog, the mockumentary follows activities of rampaging, indiscriminate serial killer Ben which are recorded by a willingly complicit documentary team, who, eventually become his accomplices. The film generated controversy wherever it was shown: The director of the Tokyo Film Festival was fired for booking the film, which was then banned in Japan, It was screened in heavily edited versions in the US and Australia (though it did win awards at TIFF) and in France, the advertising standards authorities demanded the be altered from its blood splattered original. With all the furor you’d imagine Belvaux would ride the hype train to Hollywood, but it was not meant to be. Shortly after Belvaux effectively retreated from cinema, with the exception of the occasional low-key acting job, until moving into a role at French advertising agency Quad Productions where his commercials for the agency won him a number of awards before his death in 2006 from an advanced case of suicide.

4.) Angst

Werner Kniesek from Salzburg, Austria killed three people out of pure, psychotic lust in 1980, a case that rocked the country and became the basis one time director Gerald Kargl‘s only full-length feature “ANGST“. Having made experimental shorts in the 1970’s, Kargl became fascinated with the psychology of serial killers and the Kniesek case in particular, putting himself into nearly half a million euros in debt to make his feature film, which says ruined him for years to come. “ANGST was my first fulltime feature. After this – which I produced completely on my own – I was happy to direct a lot of commercials. Finally I was able to pay back all the money I lost.”, he said in a rare interview.

In ANGST, A killer is released from prison and breaks into a remote home to kill a woman, her handicapped son and her daughter. ANGST was exceptional at the time in Austrian cinema for two reasons: it is both a “true crime” semi-documentary (one of the only true-crime films made at the time), and a highly stylized ‘slasher film’ in the tone of the classic Italian ‘Giallo‘ tradition. With wild, inventive camerawork from cinematographer Zbigniew Rybczynsk, and eerie score from Tangerine Dream’s own Klaus Schulze, Angst remains one of the most brutal, and brutally effective, slashers of all time.

5.) Maximum Overdrive

With over 30 Films and TV Shows based on his books, it was inevitable that Horror legend Stephen King would take up the Director’s chair, and in 1986 he did just that, Directing and Writing his only feature film, the bizarre, hilarious “Moron Movie” (his words) entitled MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE. Based on his own short story “Trucks”, this comedic tale of cosmic horror sees a rogue comet bringing the world’s machines to malevolent life as it passes a bit too close to earth, leading the one and only Emelio Estevez to fight back for survival. The film was nominated for two Golden Raspberry Awards including Worst Director for King and Worst Actor for Estevez in 1987,…but both lost against Prince for Under the Cherry Moon. Yikes! While the film was intentionally campy, it was a commercial disaster and King had no desire to go back behind the camera. In a 2002 interview with Tony Magistrale for the book Hollywood’s Stephen King, King stated that he was “coked out of my mind all through its production, and I really didn’t know what the fuck I was doing”.

6.) Death Bed

Death Bed: The Bed That Eats is a surreal 1977 Horror Film written, produced, and directed by one time director George Barry. A passion project of Barry, who grew up in the same neighbourhood as Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi, Death Bed sat unreleased for decades and was almost completely lost to history, while Raimi and company crafted The Evil Dead and became cult icons.

Following the film’s completion in 1977, Barry sought a theatrical release to recoup his $30,000 budget, but failed to find a willing distributor. Barry received an offer from an LA distributor to release the film on VHS in the UK and offered to pay Barry $1000 for a VHS release if he could supply them with a print of the film, complete with credits. Barry, unable to afford the $3,000 that credits would have cost to create, declined, and the print was sent back to him. Despite his knowledge, Portland, an obscure British label, released a pirated VHS of the film from this early print in the UK, without Barry’s knowledge, with the film eventually receiving further VHS releases in Australia, New Zealand and Spain. 

Despite its pirated VHS releases outside of the US and notoriety as one of “the worst movies ever made”, Barry (quietly operating a bookstore in his hometown for 40-odd years) remained unaware that the film had received any sort of release until 2001, when he discovered a forum post about the film by French film journalist Jean-Claude Michel on the website “Scarlet Street”, leading to interviews by journalist Daniel Craddock, who had written a review of the film, and, in turn, author Stephen Thrower, for his book Nightmare USA. As a result of this new found exposure, the film received its first two official releases, with a theatrical showing at the San Francisco Indiefest on February 15, 2003, and DVD release Cult Epics the same year, where Barry, after 26 years was finally able to complete the credits for his only film. 

1.) MISERY – (1990)

In ‘Misery‘, The iconic Kathy Bates steals Stephen King’s story of a famous author rescued from a car crash by a fan of his novels. He comes to realize that the care he is receiving is only the beginning of a nightmare of captivity and abuse.

2.) THE LAST HORROR FILM – (1981)

A New York taxi driver stalks a beautiful actress attending the Cannes Film Festival as a series of violent killings claim the lady’s friends, in “The Last Horror Film” this rare 1980’s b-movie from director david winters

3.) DER FAN (THE FAN) – (1982)

In 1982’s ‘Der Fan’ (The Fan) a young girl worships a german pop singer named ‘R’…who, after spurning her advances, becomes the target of her obsession in this rare, and totally mental, explotation gem.

4.) PLAY MISTY FOR ME – (1971)

In this classic 1971 proto-stalker thriller, The life of a disc jockey (Clint Eastwood) is turned upside down after a romantic encounter with an over-the-top fan, played by, you guessed it, Arrested Development’s Jessica Walter putting on an unhinged masterclass of obsession.

5.) SWIMFAN – (2002)

Another Y2K teen stalker classic, ‘Swimfan’ (2002) follows A high school senior with a promising swimming career when his one-night stand causes deadly consequences. We’ll file this one under “guilty pleasures” next to FEAR and Final Destination.

1.) The Hunger (1983)

Tony Scott’s story of a love triangle between a doctor who specializes in aging research and a vampire couple played by David Bowie and Catherine Deneuve, 1983’s ‘The Hunger‘ is simultaneously terrible and wildly entertaining, with an ice-cold 80s aesthetic and scenery chewing galore. Perfect for a Valentine’s Horror pick.

2.) Dead Ringers (1988)

David Cronenberg’s ‘Dead Ringers‘ (1988) is an eerie and disturbing psychological thriller about twin gynaecologists who gradually descend into madness, played by Jeremey Irons. A different type of Valentine’s Horror (this one is particularly icky), ‘Dead Ringers’ avoids slasher chases and jump scares for a sterile, insidious dread that builds to a fever pitch by the film’s insane conclusion.

3.) Let The Right One In (2008)

Tomas Alfredson’s ‘Let The Right One In’ is an iconic tale of A 12-year-old boy who befriends a mysterious young girl during a horrifying series of murders deep in the darkness of Sweden’s winter is best watched in its original version. Dark, but ultimately a very human story, this one’s a great winter time watch and a solid Valentine’s Horror selection.

4.) Candyman (1992)

The pairing of an equally sympathetic & terrifying villain, captivating cinematography, electric performances and Philip Glass’ unforgettable score combine make ‘Candyman‘ one of horror’s best love stories. Clive Barker’s now legendary creation leaps of the screen through Tony Todd while Bernard Rose assembles a nearly perfect picture, never missing a beat in the story and making every frame a painting in what might be the perfect Valentine’s Horror film.

5.) Fear (1996)

One of the 1990’s teen horror “so bad it’s good” classics, 1996’s ‘Fear‘ has Marky Mark Wahlberg terrorizing the family of a young Reece Witherspoon in this guilty pleasure / garbage fire of a teen romance gone off the rails. Between the Alt-Grunge soundtrack, Wahlberg’s hilarious performance, casual fingerbanging and the bizarre appearance of CSI’s William Petersen as the Dad there’s way to much glorious B-movie goodness to ignore for your Valentine’s Horror watchlist.

6.) Possession (1983)

Andrzej Żuławski’s unflinching, surreal story of a woman who’s love affair with something sinister destroys everyone around her in the oppressive regime of 1980’s East Germany. Read our full review of Possession here!

7.) Midsommar (2019)

Ari Aster’s “break up movie” ‘Midsommar‘ was one of 2019’s best. A young couple tries to escape tragedy by visiting a remote Swedish commune where things aren’t what they seem. Easily one of 2019’s best, if you’ve not yet seen Midsommar, now’s the time.

8.) The Fly (1986)

Jeff Goldblum drips his way into our hearts as Seth Brundel, a scientist who’s experiments with teleportation transform him into a horrific fly monster in David Cronenberg’s legendary 1950’s b-movie reboot of ‘The Human Fly’. Glorious practical effects, tons of goopy gore, nude Goldblum…what else do you need for a perfect Valentines horror movie?

That’s the threadbare plot for “Undercover Bike Cop”, a short film we discovered at this year’s Horror-O-Rama. Channelling equal parts Quentin Depeaux and Walter Hill, this charmingly surreal 30 minute short comes from Toronto based director Brandon Espana who we discovered after getting his energetic elevator pitch in a convention hall basement.

After following to his table of ‘Retro Video’ projects and getting sucked into the orbit of his manic energy, we had to know more about how “Undercover Bike Cop” came into existence.  Awash in synthwave style neon and aglow with 80s film grain goodness, the short shows some serious technical chops from Espana, a one man production shop; shooting, writing, editing and directing his projects with a close crew from film school on non existent budgets. We were lucky enough to grab some time out of his hectic schedule to pick his brain on how the project came to be, why he went behind the camera and how filmmakers need to step up their game in the new decade. 

“Like, everybody just fucking does John Carpenter” says a chuckling Espana over the phone “That was one filmmaker I just didn’t want this short to be influenced by”, when asked about what drove the making of “Undercover Bike Cop“.

“I wanted to do something like Walter Hill” he says “the Warriors was a big influence on it, Streets of Fire as well”. We share a Michael Paré appreciation moment and he continues: “Another influence was “China Girl” by Abel Ferrara…later on during the filming…the colour palette, Susperia was a big one, was a big influence for the indoor scene. And then Blade Runner was a big influence for the outdoor scenes…how to use lighting…that was all natural light”.

“I wanted to experiment with stuff and what better way to start with than something that you actually enjoy?”.

Blade Runner and Walter Hill are apt comparisons for the visuals Espana delivers. While an undoubtedly fresh filmmaker, the technical skill of “Undercover Bike Cop” , and it’s ultra-hip, 80s aesthetic immediately stand out.  When asked what came first, the story or the style, he’s candid, explaining that he and his friends had the idea for “Bike Cop” back in high school for a class project, and revised it for the short. “I thought of bringing in the specific style might…make it a bit more appealing. Because I just like that style (Synthwave)  in general…I wanted to experiment with stuff and what better way to start with than something that you actually enjoy?”. He continues “I think music music was a big part of it. Just listening to it and then getting a certain style from it” he laughs again, “…it kind of sounds weird…but a tempo from it that I could imagine a scene playing out at… just listening to it on repeat”. 

Director Brandon Espana

When asked how he got going in filmmaking however, it wasn’t immediately behind the camera: “Originally, I wanted to be in front of a camera. I wanted to be an actor and I did acting auditions and stuff for a couple of years and then. I don’t know, I just wasn’t feeling it anymore…and then I thought: Hey, maybe if I can’t be in front of the camera, I’d want to be behind the camera”.

From fooling around with a DV camera (which he still has) to working on videos in high school to eventually attending Humber Film School in Toronto, he’s now firmly planted on the other side of the lens, doing it all himself. “I didn’t really have anybody. I didn’t have any like art people or whatever, we didn’t have any like production assistants,” he laughs again “maybe one on one day… because for the most part it was just me and the actors.”. I ask if he’s more of a lone wolf or a collaborator. “I like to have control over most of what I do…. as you can see by how my name is plastered all over ‘Undercover Bike Cop” he laughs again. 

“There was a lot of moments where, like, I would want to get things done…done, done, done, done…And then I would like it try to rush things. And it would never work out”.

We speak a bit more on being a creator and if it’s better to go in alone or take the plunge into film school, a decision that many first time filmmakers struggle with. “Try not to care what anybody else thinks about the dream. Like your dreams are what you want to do. Like, ‘oh, I want to be a filmmaker’ And they’re just like….. what? No.’ People would say that! And I’d say: Just you watch”. And film school? “College actually was useful for one thing….it got me a lot of connections for people I work with. So I got actors and and sound people and I got people that were willing to help me with my project. So that’s kind of one thing that some school did help me with.” He then goes on about another lesson learned from school, one that strikes at the heart of the indie creators dilemma… “There was a lot of moments where, like, I would want to get things done…done, done, done, done…And then I would like it try to rush things. And it would never work out”. Espana sighs and continues …”It’s not gonna get done the way you wanted it to. So be you have to be patient. Got to have the passion for it and stay committed”. 

On his future projects, Espana says to expect something totally different from the slow burning, film noir style of ‘Undercover Bike Cop‘. “I’m still fully feeling things out for sure….Im experimenting…I want do do something completely different.” We talk about his new project, a Sci-Fi ‘Trash’ film shot on VHS entitled “Forgotten Trash”.  

“Coming back from Horror-o-Rama, a lot of people would just message me after this …’Like, I can’t wait to watch what you do next’. He laughs again, and goes on “ I’m ..uh..kind of happy because ..well, the next one I uh…. I purposely made it. Not good. Like it’s not good on purpose.” I ask what he means by “not good on purpose’ and his deep knowledge of VHS cinema comes out. We talk about monuments of awfulness like ‘Things’ and ‘Feeders’, straight to video movies form the 80s that are addictive, stroke inducing artifacts of another era without any care for quality. 

“There’s pressure that’s been lifted off of me being like, okay, …if people don’t like it, I get it. I actually worked hard on this one (‘Undercover Bike Cop‘). But that’s not the case for Forgotten Trash.. That is not the case in the least!”

“The style is very it’s completely different from ‘Undercover Bike Cop’ It’s very amateurish. It’s it’s in the name. It’s supposed to be a trash film. I’m making a movie that is a the spin on poor quality… in terms of technical aspects of film making, the camera sound and all the stuff …So I feel like it does for at least me. It’s completely opposite. There’s pressure that’s been lifted off of me being like, okay, …if people don’t like it, I get it. I actually worked hard on this one (‘Undercover Bike Cop‘). But that’s not the case for Forgotten Trash.. That is not the case in the least!”

And as for where he sees genre films going in the new decade? Espana’s obviously a film buff and this gets him going: “I’m sick and tired of it.  It’s now just franchising everything. We don’t need a sequel to a bunch of movies. Just keep it at one. And then move on and do another idea.” I ask if this means there won’t be an “Undercover Bike Cop 3”, an idea he jokingly, but immediately shoots down.

“I’m not the biggest fan of these sort of like slow paced like I guess could call it …art house films either. Because it’s becoming mainstream…. it’s not an indie thing anymore. It is becoming mainstream to do this style like anything else, and they don’t get it”.

“I’m not the biggest fan of these sort of like slow paced like I guess could call it …art house films either. Because it’s becoming mainstream…. it’s not an indie thing anymore. It is becoming mainstream to do this style like anything else, and they don’t get it”. He goes on to lament how this style, like 80’s Slashers or 90’s Teen Horror will burn out after a few years. “People are liking it a lot…I think when I when I first watched Hereditary I fuckin hated it” he chuckles heartily before quickly correcting himself “No no…It’s really OK, I liked it…but now there’s so much. I like something a little more lively in what I watch, you don’t have to make everything two-and-a-half hours long! That’s kind of tiring. I just want to see, and I feel like a lot of other directors do too, we just want to see more original stuff.”

You can watch Undercover Bike Cop below (or order on VHS!), and follow Retro Video online for more info on Brandon Espana’s upcoming films. 

Directed by M83’s Yann Gonzalez, the world of “Knife + Heart” bridges the saturated , hyper-sexual 1970’s exploitation era with the detached tones of 80’s new wave. An absolutely gorgeous film, cinematographer Simon Beaufils captures the world of the burgeoning 80’s queer Paris underground as well as the quiet nature of pastoral France, each shot part of an ever growing mystery that draws us into “Knife + Heart’s” tale of tragic love undone by a knife’s edge. A memorable, and necessarily tragic villain, our killer (played with an unhinged lunacy by Jonathan Genet) stalks the city leaving new clues for Anne to decipher with each of his inventive, and phallic, kills, which thankfully shield the film from an unbearable pretentiousness that seems poised to overtake the proceedings at any moment, but never does. But in its bones, this IS a slasher movie, and for fans of the genre it offers a “fine dining” experience unlike any other, with plenty of stylized violence and smirking humour to enjoy.  Itself on a razors edge between parody, homage, exploitation and vanity, “Knife + Heart” manages that delicate dance between lurid and ludicrous, being “believably unbelievable” at all times and above all else, entertaining for its entire run time. There’s gore, but it’s hardly grotesque, and there’s sex but little nudity, keeping things focused more on the mystery then the mayhem.  Complementing the visuals and performances, M83’s score one ups the baroque-synth legacy of Goblin, providing a fresh, but familiar soundtrack that only further enriches the carefully built world of Gonzalez’ mystery.

To dive into “Knife + Heart” you’ll need to suspend some disbelief: this is hardly a literal film. And while It’s not perfect (a little too much time is spent on the goofy “film within a film” moments and their adolescent humour, occasionally introducing tonal speed bumps that jar us from our trance) it succeeds more often than not, with rich visual impact and memorable characters, and most importantly leaves us wanting to see more of Yann Gonzalez directorial visions to come. Currently available on Shudder, check the trailer below for a taste of “Knife + Heart”

On a rainy night, Luz (Velis) has abandoned her cab somewhere in a nameless German city, and her fare has gone missing. Rattled and bloody, she lands and a moribund police station, being questioned by hardened detective and a translator as they wait for their chief interrogator, Dr. Rosinni (Bluthardt) a master of unconventional hypnosis, to help unravel her story of being attacked by a possessed woman. Across town in a sterile bar, Rosinni is accosted by a femme fatale (Julia Riedler) with her own strange story to tell, a tale of her time back in Chile and her catholic-school crush, who we come to learn is Luz herself and how It went terribly wrong. To tell more would’t only rob the film of the impact it’s head-spinning story shifts hit the audience with, but any plot synopsis has a way of misrepresenting a genuinely original movie such as this. With “Luz” the “what” of the story takes a well deserved back seat to the “how”, with the endlessly inventive interrogation centrepiece cementing the film as a truly refreshing take on a classic horror cliche.

Realism is secondary to the story Singer tells in “Luz“; with scenes awash in a near permanent haze and lovingly shot on old-school 16mm film (but with new-school anamorphic lenses that were created for the new digital RED cameras) by young cinematographer Paul Faltz, everything becomes a dreamlike vision, both hyper realistic and ephemeral as the fuzziness of the story and the film stock itself intertwine. Evocative and striking even in a palette of grainy grey and bureaucratic beige, “Luz” also deploys a wildly inventive soundscape that’s as much a part of the film as any performance, and the score from Simon Waskow shines through with all the right notes of synth-heavy, retro tinged 80’s Giallo grandeur and percussive free-jazz without becoming shameless reproductions. Rigorously framed images shock with intensity, paired with equally evocative physical performances from the leads, who inhabit their characters bodies entirely as the film dances between hypnosis, memories, reality and hallucination with a deft hand.

Largely confined to the eerie police station , “Luz” creates a surreal, theatrical battleground (“a chamber play”, Singer said in a recent interview) for past transgressions to play out against the ever growing evil that pursues our lead, and keeps the audience enraptured in a way heavy handed, “indie horror” can never replicate. When a character simply pulling a pen a purse can cause your skin to crawl, you know you’re in the hands of an assured director, and Singer’s confidence shines through every moment of the film. Unlike recent reboots and indie features that try too hard to talk about “the movie” beyond the screen, with “Luz” the film itself the focus, and by combining the profoundly simple ingredients of sound, light and editing together with an original story and commanding performances, Singer’s proven himself to be a young director to watch with excitement of what’s to come next.

“Luz” is currently available for rent on VOD via all major outlets, check the trailer below for a small sample of what to expect.

Creepy Co. Spooky Throw Blankets

On Sale At – Creepy Company

A great Horror gift idea and a perfect excuse to curl up with the horror lover in your life under these hellishly comfortable fleece blankets from the fine folks at Creepy Co. An ultra high-quality print of the cover art for R.L. Stein’s Goosebumps classic “The Haunted Mask”, Sam Raimi’s EVIL DEAD (pictured), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre or the original Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark would already be a great horror gift idea, but having that print on a warm and fuzzy blanket just in time for winter? Count us in! PS: Whatever print you pick, we can confirm thorough extensive scientific / cat related testing these are a perfect addition to any bedroom or home theatre.

NECA Action Figures

On Sale At – Amazon

NECA continues to bring the best in b-movie and horror icons to life with their range fully posable 8″ figures. Who wouldn’t want to hang out with Herbert West from Re-Animator, become your own Dr. Loomis with a Killer Michael Meyers set or build your own “David Cronenberg Cinematic Universe” with a ghoulish Dr. Decker recreation from Clive Barker’s creature-feature classic “Nightbreed“? For the casual fan or dedicated collector this is always a great horror gift idea. These figures aren’t cheap bootlegs or movie cash-ins: NECA brings great build quality across the board and they’re easily available from Amazon or your local Comic retailer… but hurry, sine NECA figures are a sure fire hit for any horror nerd in your life, they tend to sell out FAST around the holidays!

Retro-A-Go-Go Vac-Tastic Wall Art

On Sale At – Retro-A-Go-Go

From our personal Favourite MARS ATTACKS (Pictured) to classics like The Munsters, The Creature From The Blue Lagoon and everyone’s favourite cable-tv vixen Elivra, Retro-A-Go-Go delivers kitschy, kooky fun for your spooky decor needs with their Vac-Tastic plastic wall art. Full colour and in eye popping 3D, these are ridiculously goofy fun and a great, lighthearted horror gift idea for any room in your house .. and surprisingly affordable given their impressive size.

Darcy The Mail Girl T-Shirt

On Sale At – Fright Rags

Our #1 Ho-rorr crush Diana Prince has been immortalized on her own officially licensed t-shirt from the fine folks at Fright Rags! Any true “The Last Drive In” Mutant would be happy to wear the iconic Darcy the mail girl, drawn in a super cute classic pin-up style, and show their undying support for Joe Bob and the drive-in traditions of blood, breasts and beasts! For other great horror gift ideas, dive into their site: since each style is limited you’ll be able to get something uniquely special for your special someone.

Horror Decor Candles

On Sale At – Horror Decor

From the seasonally scented Krampus candle to the more summery aromas of “Camp Crystal Lake” and our Screamish staff favourite, the beeswax based “Buffalo Bill’s Skin Lotion” wax candle, Horror Decor has a ton of cheeky choices perfect for the lair any horror fan. Going strong since 2007, be sure to take a look at the rest of the great horror gift ideas in Horror Decor’s online store, from Blockbuster pot-holders to Chop-Top plushies for the Tobe Hooper fan in your life.

Salem’s Lott Hot Sauces

On Sale At – Hot Sauce Unlimited

Hand crafted in Canada by former musician and hot-sauce afficiando Jeff Salem, we’re 100% addicted to his hot sauces after discovering them at Rue Morgue’s Spooky Flea Market last year on the hunt for more horror gift ideas. Baring the grisly visages from some classic horror icons, these super flavourful and wickedly spiced hot sauces add a punch to anything without resulting in death or dismemberment, and can be shipped anywhere in the world. We highly recommend “Be Careful” and the new “Shroom Of Doom” to have your own Hot One’s style showdown.

Dumbgood Goosebumps Collection

On Sale At – Dumbgood

Rep some inner 90s nostalgia with this super slick lime green goosebumps puffer jacket and help the Horror lover in your life find their own Killer style. Dumbgood has been coming with seriously inspired throwback looks this year and their entire line of Goosebumps and Blockbuster themed clothing are perfect horror gift ideas with an extra splash of style.

Bootleg VHS Enamel Pins

On Sale At – Bootleg VHS Goods

Enjoy a little wayback playback with these dope enamel pins that harken to the days of badly dubbed cassettes being traded between friends. From our personal favourites like Hellraiser and Videodrome (pictured) to Sci-Fi and 80s Teen Comedy Classics, Bootleg VHS has something for every movie fan to find a home for on their own super sweet jacket.

Beastwreck CTHUL-AID Hoodie

On Sale At – Beastwreck

One of our favourite illustrators working out there, Beastwreck has another perfect Horror gift idea for the H.P. Lovecraft fan in your life with their ultra-comfortable and low-key hilarious CTHUL-AID hoodie. Enjoy a refreshing beverage as you flee in terror from the hideous elder gods and stay warm all winter to boot in a classic zippered hoodie!

H. H. HOLMES MURDER CASTLE PRINT

On Sale At – Holly Carden

A classy way to let people know you’re a sick and twisted individual, this incredible cut-away print of notorious World’s Fair serial murder H.H. Holmes from artist Holly Harden offers a “the way things work” style guide to his murder castle that’s a perfect horror gift idea equally suited for any true crime fanatic or history buff. See each of his ghastly traps in an adorable illustration printed on archival paper in a super cutes 12x12in size you can handily frame.

Profondo Rosso – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

On Sale At – Mondo Tees

A great horror gift idea equally suited to vinyl junkies or cinephile alike, this absolutely gorgeous double LP from Death Waltz is a stunning remaster of Goblin’s seminal score to Giallo master Dario Argento’s untouchable classic Profundo Rosso (Deep Red). Printed on heavyweight 180 gram vinyl and packaged in a beautiful gatefold sleeve, this is some serious collector business sure to please even the harshest critics and provide a much better holiday soundtrack than whatever Michael Buble might be singing.

Subscription To SHUDDER

On Sale At – Shudder

If you’re a last minute shopper and need a guaranteed great horror gift idea for someone in your life, don’t forget that you can pre-pay for a year of AMC’s amazing SHUDDER steaming service and turn over the login to your friend or loved one. With hundreds of movies and shows to choose from, Shudder is a no-brainer for any horror fan to have, and who doesn’t love being able to have a year of guaranteed blood and guts to come home to?

Literally ANYTHING from Vinegar Syndrome

On Sale At – Vinegar Syndrome

Restoration experts and exploitation archivists Vinegar Syndrome are amongst the very best when it comes to unearthing forgotten films and returning then to all their horrible glory. With a deep library of Horror gift ideas to choose from, like the classic Mutant-Cat-On-A-Cruise-Ship mayhem of “Uninvited” and the late, great Rowdy Roddy Piper’s “Hell Comes To Frogtown” to actually good classics like Mausoleum and the original Amityville Horror, Vinegar Syndrome offers up rarities that any movie fan will fiend for.  With in-house 4k restorations, endless extra features and always incredible box art, these are great additions to any collection. Beyond horror, their drive-in era and exploitation movie selections run deep, with truly bizarre, amazing and otherwise obscure oddities galore, so there is literally nothing you couldn’t choose that won’t make somebody happy.

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.

XTRO may be morbid, upsetting and downright wrong on so many levels, but it’s a bona-fide original, and something I can safely say I’ve never experienced in film. Regardless of your particular tastes in genre film – this one will leave a mark on your psyche… potentially forever. Landing on the list of Video Nasties, XTRO was one of only two films made in England to be banned as part of the early 80s moral panic for it’s outrageous effects … and full frontal nudity.

Readers beware – If you have fears of clowns or little people, absolutely under no circumstances should you watch this film. There’s something about seeing a midget clown incubating the body of a young woman with alien fetuses that just… sticks with you.

Three years after young Tony Phillips (Simon Nash) is the sole witness of his father Sam’s (Philip Sayer) alien abduction, he has still not been able to fre himself of traumatic nightmares about that day. No one believed Tony’s theories and, in the meantime his mother Rachel (Bernice Stegers) has moved on and moved in with some douchebag photographer Joe (Danny Brainin). When Sam suddenly returns, claiming he has no memory of the days since he went missing, Rachel finds herself in a love triangle – with a potential alien. Sinister things are however going on in the background of this scarring and surprisingly dark b-movie (Which funnily enough, was released only 8 months after “E.T: The Extra-Terrestrial”)

On Siskel & Ebert, Roger Ebert criticized the film, calling it “ugly” and “mean spirited”. In his one-star review, Ebert chastised the filmmakers for creating “an exercise in sadness”. He is not wrong. XTRO Is an emotionally abysmal movie to watch. However, you can’t simply drop it into a pile of other castoff horror and sci fi trash from the 80s.

XTRO is crude, gross and surreal at times, as well showcases some pretty fucked up and incredible effects that outshines its low budget. Instead of going full bore into schlock territory – XTRO somehow treads the line of being a very linear and disturbing and a phantasmagoric mood piece. Expect: A snake in a salad, goopy face-melting, shoulder impregnating and of course, a woman giving birth to a full-grown man.

With the original recently released on Limited Collector’s Edition Blu-ray in response to a resurgence in popularity. XTRO is now available on Blu-Ray and streaming on Amazon prime. Take in the trailer below and add this one to your watch list.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3GeH4FDd4s