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Source: IMDb
The Halloween season is here at last, and that can mean any number of things for those celebrating this time of year. Parties, trick-or-treating, and carving jack-o-lanterns are all commonplace traditions for people getting into the Halloween spirit, but perhaps no activity fits the season quite as well as watching a horror movie, especially once the sun has gone down and the sky has darkened. Whether it’s a timeless classic like “Dracula” or a modern favorite like “A Quiet Place”, there is a seemingly endless number of horror films that would make for a perfect viewing experience for those looking to get some frights before the end of October. While many of the more well-known films were made here in the United States, the truth is that the world in general has produced several works of horror cinema that are diverse in style, theme, and place of origin, and the majority of them serve as a strong representation of what the countries that made them consider to be scary. Listing them all would take much more time that one is capable of spending, so a small sampling of what international cinema has to offer when it comes to the horror genre has been gathered for anyone interested in expanding their cinematic palettes. Without further ado, here are some fantastic horror films from across the globe:
The Ship of Monsters (1960) – with a story that blends the elements of horror with those of the science fiction and western genres, this Mexican film achieves something truly of its own making in its depiction of its titular space-sailing vessel and the creatures that can be found aboard it. With a cyclops, spider, and skeleton among the film’s small, but memorable cast, there’s plenty to be found here for those who thrive on creature features. Its budget and the time it came out may show in some aspects, but that’s part of what gives the film its own unique charm, and even if the film has reached a point where the majority of people don’t find it scary, it still makes for a serviceable time capsule and showcase of Mexico’s skill as a filmmaking nation.
Mark of the Devil (1970) – hailing from the nation of Germany (at the time, West Germany) comes a film that initially received a fair deal of criticism for its abundance of graphic violence and other disturbing content. Looking back on the film over fifty years later though, there’s a lot to appreciate once one starts to look past its more explicit visuals. Between its impressive special effects, a haunting soundtrack, and the solid use of its filming locations (specifically the mountainous countryside of Austria and its many great castles), the film proves that the nation that gave us “Nosferatu” had not yet lost its touch when it comes to delivering scares, a trend that still continues to this very day.
Road Games (1981) – most of the films listed here may not contain any names that the average moviegoer will be familiar with, but the same cannot be said for this Australian thriller, which folds the likes of Stacy Keach and Jamie Lee Curtis into its cast and places them at the center of this story of a truck driver and hitchhiker in search of a serial killer. Despite these big name American actors, the film is never lacking in an authentic Australian atmosphere, with director Richard Franklin taking full advantage of the Nullarbor Plain desert and creating an environment where a serial killer may not be the most dangerous threat. Said to be one of Quentin Tarantino’s favorites, it’s easy to see how this Hitchcockian thriller leaves such an impact.
Mahakaal (1994) – though American remakes of foreign films are quite common in today’s day and age, foreign remakes of American films don’t receive nearly as much attention, even though they can often produce surprisingly strong results. Take this re-imagining of “A Nightmare of Elm Street” from India for example, which takes the tale of a serial killer attacking his victims through their dreams and switches the setting from Ohio to India. Even with its similarities to the 1984 film, the film proves to be an intense thriller nonetheless, with directors Shyam and Tulsi Ramsay providing the proper direction that allows their actors to deliver the most believable (or in the case of Mahaveer Bhullar as the villain, believably terrifying) performances possible.
Night Watch (2004) – before coming to the United States to create such works as “Wanted” and “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”, Kazakh filmmaker Timur Bekmambetov began his career by writing and directing a small, but solid handful of features in the nation of Russia. This urban supernatural horror, alongside its 2006 sequel “Day Watch”, is said to be among his finest, depicting two opposing supernatural police forces and the modern-day man who gets caught in the middle of their conflict. As is to be expected from Bekmambetov, the film remains consistently suspenseful throughout its running time, keeping the stakes high and ensuring that the protagonist remains sympathetic even as he is forced to take some dark drastic measures.
Terrified (2018) – it’s not everyday when a film’s title perfectly describes the emotion it intends to invoke in its audience, and in the case of this Argentine horror, the title could not be more appropriate. Centered around a series of unusual supernatural events taking place in a Buenos Aires neighborhood, the film starts on a soft and subtle note, but wastes no time in getting to the truly terrifying events that plague the film’s main characters. Capable of showcasing creatures and deaths every bit as impactful as its higher-budget counterparts, the film serves as a splendid representation of director Demián Rugna’s skill as a filmmaker, and with a sequel in the works, one can’t help but wonder how he plans to top what he’s done so far
Lamb (2021) – the most recently made and released of the selection presented, this Icelandic film proves how the greatest of horrors can come from the most unusual of circumstances. Telling the tale of a human/sheep hybrid and the human family that tries to raise it as one of its own, the film certainly appears innocent enough at first glance, but soon takes a hard turn into horror from which it does not ever return from. Thanks in no small part to a fantastic leading performance from Noomi Rapace, the film strikes a perfect balance between sweetness and suspense, a combination that may seem contradictory but actually feels right at home in a story such as this. Though it may ruin one’s view of sheep forever, the film is highly recommendable nonetheless.
