10 really scary horror movies

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Incredibly, there is something more frightening than the 2020 news.

1. Faust

• Germany, 1926.
• Duration: 115 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 1.

Satan and Archangel Michael argue whether the forces of evil are capable of seducing any soul on Earth. And the subject of their bet is the scientist-alchemist Faust. Trying to win, Satan sends the doctor one test after another, simultaneously tempting him with either a magical gift or eternal youth. Almost until the very end, it seems that a person is weak, and evil is omnipotent, and the doctor's soul will not resist.

In this silent film, there are practically no scenes of violence (although there are enough dead bodies) and those spectacles that are simply called "blood-guts" among the people. After all, the cinema of a century ago and the resources for this practically did not have. And it was not customary to frighten the viewer with naturalism. "Faust" scares others: with a gloomy atmosphere, a sense of hopelessness, which the black-and-white picture only enhances, despite the naive, by modern standards, morality about the power of love in the finale. The film does not seem to be a naive horror film at all, because it was directed by Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau, who had already become famous for his adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula.

2. Shine

• USA, UK, 1980.
• Duration: 116 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 4.

Writer Jack Torrance, who descended from the pages of Stephen King's novel of the same name, gets a job as a caretaker in a hotel for the winter, where no one lives during this period, and moves there with his wife and son. The previous caretaker could not stand the five-month stay practically locked up and ended up with his family. Neither this story, nor the ominous atmosphere of the hotel, whose walls have seen too much, does not scare Jack. But in vain. Until a certain moment, only his son Danny is frightened, who possesses the same "radiance" - the ability to see more than everyone else. And his visions are not at all childish.

Despite the huge success of the film, Stephen King did not appreciate this adaptation and was dissatisfied with the work of Stanley Kubrick. The director, according to the writer, took up a horror film, not understanding what it was. It is unlikely that the maestro's claims can be considered fair. After all, Danny's bloody visions and scenes where Jack Torrance is chasing his family and other people with an ax have horrified viewers around the world for 40 years.

3. Strangers

• USA, UK, 1986.
• Duration: 131 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 4.

Officer Ellen Ripley, familiar to viewers from the movie "Alien", is again forced to set foot on the planet LV-426. It was there that her first and very unpleasant encounter with lizard-like and very aggressive creatures took place. Now there are hundreds of such Aliens on this planet, capable only of killing. So, ahead of Ripley - an unequal and very difficult battle for life. As you might guess, it won't do without sacrifice.

In the film, James Cameron is terrified not so much by huge evil monsters, but by what they personify: a force that is almost impossible to resist, and the threat of the unknown. And these alien creatures look not just scary, but also disgusting. Apparently, the Oscar for visual effects went to Aliens and for the elaboration of the images of these creatures.

4. Blade

• USA, 1998.
• Duration: 115 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 1.

Blade's mother was bitten by a pseudo-doctor - bloodsucker Deacon Frost during childbirth. And the boy who was born turned out to be a half-human - half-vampire. He has no desire to drink blood and kill people, but he is strong, tenacious, not afraid of sunlight and is not endowed with other vampire weaknesses. Growing up Blade does not want to finally become like these creatures, and in general he dreams of freeing the world from them, and first of all from the culprit of the death of his mother. He will have to fight almost alone against his enemies, who are gradually establishing their power in society.

Where vampires are, there is blood, and in this film, director Stephen Norrington uses it simply as tankers. One of the most impressive scenes of the film is a disco in a nightclub under the "bloody rain". Battles with bloodsuckers are also very spectacular, especially the final one, which unexpectedly takes place in Moscow.

5.28 days later

• Great Britain, Spain, 2002.
• Duration: 108 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 6.

Through the fault of the "green" activists, the monkey, which is tested by a dangerous virus in a secret laboratory in the UK, is free. The virus is transmitted with lightning speed through the blood and turns its host into an aggressive creature thirsty for blood. Just 28 days is enough for the whole country to be in the fire of an epidemic. The rare lucky ones who managed to avoid infection are trying to survive, but they will have to confront not only zombies.

An empty metropolis sounds like an oxymoron. And looking at an abandoned, abandoned London, where the only movement is the rustling of leaves on the sidewalk, is simply scary. Director Danny Boyle even had to negotiate the closure of several busy streets in the early hours for the sake of this. It's not in vain: thanks to the picture, it is easy to feel the fear of the hero walking through an empty city, where a meeting with a living person seems as unlikely as it is dangerous.

6. Oculus

• USA, 2013.
• Duration: 113 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 5.

After the tragic death of his parents, Tim spends several years in a psychiatric clinic trying to cope with this trauma. The sister, with whom he meets at large, is sure: the insidious antique mirror is to blame for everything. It is still in the father's house and must be destroyed. Tim doesn't really believe it, but he has yet to be convinced that the mirror is not harmless. Although it is not more dangerous than living people.

This film requires special attention and mental stress. Director Michael Flanagan generously sprinkled mystics and mixed illusion with reality to such an extent that it is very difficult to distinguish visions of an inflamed mind from cruel truth. The effect of immersion in the atmosphere of madness of this film is guaranteed, also due to the visual effects. Rustles, creaks, music - everything works to maintain the effect of mystery and unknown danger.

7. Train to Busan

• South Korea, 2016.
• Duration: 113 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 6.

An ordinary hard worker and single father, Sok Wu, raising his daughter Su An, travels with the girl to his ex-wife in the city of Busan. On the day of departure, Seoul is attacked by zombies. And one of them even bites the passenger of the same train to Busan, where Sok Wu and the child are already traveling. There are more and more zombies in the carriages, the surviving passengers will have to hide from them, and some will have to fight the undead. Someone will have to sacrifice themselves to save the rest.

There are so many films about zombies, including low-quality ones, that they are more likely to cause laughter than true horror. Director Yeon Sang-ho fights against this successfully: "Train to Busan" turned out to be a good, serious horror movie. And the audience is kept in suspense not only by the unknown and the danger hanging over the passengers of the train, from which there is nowhere to get off. All heroes have their own destiny, often dramatic, and everyone has to make decisions and show their true colors in the struggle for life.

8. Rabies

• Spain, 2019.
• Duration: 83 minutes.
• IMDb: 5, 5.9

Elena, almost completely paralyzed after the accident, is forced to move in with her father to look after her. And he even gives his daughter a dog to help: the dog must open the doors for her in the house and accompany her when moving in a stroller. But the same thing happens to the dog that happened to one Chinese man last year: a deadly encounter with a bat. Under the influence of a bite, an obedient animal becomes aggressive and begins to hunt for an immobilized girl.

The director José Luis Montesinos, who before this picture was noted only for a couple of short films, turned out to be a master of creating a real atmosphere of horror. The main character can not only cope with the distraught beast, but also make a phone call or at least call for help so that she can be heard. Together with Elena, the viewer experiences this sticky and gloomy feeling of powerlessness.

9. Experiment "Behind the Glass"

• Sweden, Canada, 2019.
• Duration: 101 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 2.

Eight celebrities of various sizes from around the world participate in the online reality show Behind the Glass. They do not immediately realize that the prize will be life: participants with a low rating are doomed to die. To survive, the participants will have to try their best to withstand spectacular and very terrible tests, which from time to time become more difficult and more dangerous. The inhabitants of the "glazing" do not even know what each of them is ready for in the struggle for survival.

Director Jason William Lee turned out to be tireless on inventions: his creation will surprise even the most sophisticated horror viewers. And at the same time, it will once again convince you of how inexhaustible human fantasy is when it comes to cruelty. It evokes fear mixed with disgust. However, the film is not devoid of irony and even topical morality: you have to pay for everything, including popularity, and sometimes the price is too high.

10. Gretel and Hansel

• Canada, Ireland, USA, South Africa, 2020.
• Duration: 83 minutes.
• IMDb: 5, 4.

With the main characters, brother and sister, the same thing happens as with their prototypes from the fairy tale of the Brothers Grimm. They are kicked out of the house, and they are forced to wander through the forest in search of food. In more often they find a fabulous house with a friendly hostess and a generously set table. Only this fairy tale will be unkind. After all, the owner of the house is not going to replace the mother for the teenagers at all, she has her own plans, and they are very insidious. Both the heroes and the viewer will have to make sure once again: no matter how we try to become the masters of our lives, not everything depends on us.

The film by Oz Perkins turned out to be very atmospheric - also thanks to the locations. The shooting took place in Ireland, a truly fabulous and mystical place. The picture turned out to be not dynamic and bloody, but atmospheric and very bewitching. Before you have time to get scared, you will be mesmerized by the perfect picture. A chilling delight is just about such films.

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