Topic: Good Horror Movies

[Junglist]

Anyway, the slow documentary format and seeping eerie atmosphere may be underwhelming compared to a lot of other Horror with its jump-scares and buckets of gore, but it's probably aiming for an entirely different audience and evocative for people such as me who saw something like Ghostwatch live as a child and were running around in fits.

A bit of a back handed way of saying if you didn't enjoy it its because you're a gore fiend. Whilst I class Martyrs and Angst as the two greatest horrors of all time (both of which have fantastic atmosphere and a sense of unease, Martyrs primarily in the first act), I also have Kill List, Raw, Mother, Audition, Session 9, The House of the Devil, The Shining, Babycall, Calvaire, Goodnight Mommy, Possession, Under The Skin, The Eyes of My Mother, Kyua, Evolution and multiple others up there as fantastic slower burn, atmospheric horror.

The reason I didn't buy into Mungo was primarily due to finding the acting second rate, the atmosphere pretty much non-existent, and the supposed scares to be nothing more than putting aneerie figure into some stills, plus a bit of video. They weren't jump scares, more generic 'here's a figure isn't it haunting' As with all horror I'm entirely fine with anyone enjoying whatever (bar Blumhouse, fuck a Blumhouse), but the suggestion quoted, or my reading of it, above is a bit bollocks.

Also I took Eddie's posts as more humour, hammering home a point for a laugh rather than a fuck you for liking it bias.

[Steven]

I literally only just watched the original Martyrs just now, pretty brutal.

I also then got into a conversation about another brutal French Horror, being Inside. also asked for the name of the German Horror with the psycho soberly narrating his hedonistic covorts while breaking into houses and murdering people, one word, I eventually remembered: angst which you also brought up, how coincidental.

I didn't think I was being backhanded, it's just a type of movie that takes some attention, which I admitted myself is hard for me to do these days.. I constantly ruin movies by not giving them my undivided attention. also I think most of the films you list are very graphic gory horrors, there may be atmosphere but also a lot more visceral things going on to grab your attention.

[Junglist]

Fair play man. I will admit I find a lot of very slow burn, little hints of horror style films to lose a lot of flow and energy due to them all, primarily, falling within similar boundaries (see: Noroi which is often praised). It all seems to centre around ghosts/snippets of film and video which personally does absolutely fuck all for me. I'm all for atmosphere, but not 90 minutes of chatter and a few minutes of scares. Ramp up that tension.

I'd say I watch 200-300 movies a year dependent on depression, and give all first watches the same amount of attention. However I have a 30 minute rule whereby if it isn't gripping me by then I'll divert my attention. If something pops up after that, that has me surprised or interested, I'll rewatch properly.,

Oh and just because, Get Out is fucking terrible. Nobody asked but I have to say it repeatedly.

[zomgmouse]

What did you think of Under the Shadow?

[Shameless Custard]

Is Babycall decent then, Junglist? I've had it sat on my shelf for loooong. Might watch it tonight!

[St_Eddie]

A bit of a back handed way of saying if you didn't enjoy it its because you're a gore fiend.

That's how I interpreted the comment too.  I prefer slow burning and atmospheric horror films, over gore fests (not that I can't enjoy the occasional gore fest, such as The Evil Dead).  For example, one of my absolute favourite horror films is The Blair Witch Project, in which, the biggest reveal in the film is a pile of rocks.

The reason I didn't buy into Mungo was primarily due to finding the acting second rate, the atmosphere pretty much non-existent, and the supposed scares to be nothing more than putting aneerie figure into some stills, plus a bit of video. They weren't jump scares, more generic 'here's a figure isn't it haunting'

That pretty much covers my feelings towards Lake Mungo too.

Also I took Eddie's posts as more humour, hammering home a point for a laugh rather than a fuck you for liking it bias.

Thank you, that's exactly how my comments were intended.

[itsfredtitmus]

damnit do =transparent to spoiler

[St_Eddie]

damnit do =transparent to spoiler

That's not exactly explaining the process.=transparent

See.

[Steven]

That's not exactly explaining the process.=transparent

See.

You type [c o l o r=t r a n s p a r e n t]your spoilers[/c o l o r]

Only without the spaces you great get, obviously.

[St_Eddie]

You type [c o l o r=t r a n s p a r e n t]your spoilers[/c o l o r]

Only without the spaces you great get, obviously.

Steven is a daft wally and he wears a very silly looking hat.

Oh, aye.  That works like a charm, thanks.

[Steven]

Oh, aye.  That works like a charm, thanks.

Or you could have just quoted any post with spoilers in it and seen the code to do it, like I did.

Incidentally, how do you know I wear a hat, are you stalking me? I happen to think it's quite fetching, though Jonathan King might disagree.

[St_Eddie]

Or you could have just quoted any post with spoilers in it and seen the code to do it, like I did.

You're giving my intelligence far too much credit.

Incidentally, how do you know I wear a hat, are you stalking me?

Not all of the time.  Most of the time but not all.  I occasionally take a shit, after all; something which I regularly watch you doing via my covert camera.

[Junglist]

Is Babycall decent then, Junglist? I've had it sat on my shelf for loooong. Might watch it tonight!

I'd put it on a par with Naboer

[Shameless Custard]

Well, I watched it, and I enjoyed it very much!

A nice slow burner, which kept me guessing throughout. The end felt a bit rushed, but I far prefer horrors that are short, to the point, and don't outstay their welcome. The 90 minutes flew by.

Noomi Rapace is great in it, and easily one of my current favourite actresses. Very likeable lady, too.

4 baaaaags

[Kryton]

Oh and just because, Get Out is fucking terrible. Nobody asked but I have to say it repeatedly.

Not terrible, but overrated to fuck. Although I really love the lead actor (and the ending was fairly topical). But overall it felt average.

[Jerzy Bondov]

I watched The Conjuring the other night with my wife. She said it was clichéd and full of cheap shocks - 1 and a half stars. I said it was clichéd and full of cheap shocks - 3 stars. I thought it was well made shlock. I can't believe they started a spin off series based on the worst, most hackneyed part of the film - a ridiculously creepy and horrible looking doll that moves.

Anyway afterwards I had a mosey over to Letterboxd where I read multiple reviews saying James Wan is a master of his craft, that it's a very subtle and atmospheric film, and that it's terrifying without having to rely on cheap shocks. Did I watch a different fucking film?!

Oh I just found the thread for the sequel and I'm pleased to see the CaB hivemind agrees with me https://www.cookdandbombd.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=54082.0

edit: The IMDB trivia for this is a crock of shit. "When the Hayes brothers and Lorraine Warren (a real-life demonologist) would chat on the phone about the script, they kept getting cut off by weird sounds and a lot of static. Then, out of nowhere, the line would suddenly go dead." COR MUST BE A GHOST THAT

[St_Eddie]

Anyway afterwards I had a mosey over to Letterboxd where I read multiple reviews saying James Wan is a master of his craft, that it's a very subtle and atmospheric film, and that it's terrifying without having to rely on cheap shocks. Did I watch a different fucking film?!

I think that standards within mainstream cinema have fallen so far, that when something comes along and isn't one of the worst atrocities ever committed to celluloid, there's a tendency for it to be hailed as one of the greatest works of film ever made and a modern masterpiece, simply by virtue of it not being completely void of any redeeming aspects whatsoever.  This tends to be especially true of the horror genre (Hereditary is a recent example of this phenomena; "the most terrifying film since Psycho and The Shining. 5 STARS", my arse).

The IMDB trivia for this is a crock of shit. "When the Hayes brothers and Lorraine Warren (a real-life demonologist) would chat on the phone about the script, they kept getting cut off by weird sounds and a lot of static. Then, out of nowhere, the line would suddenly go dead." COR MUST BE A GHOST THAT

Shitty modern horror movies always use this tired old PR technique.  Heck, even a few classics (such as The Exorcist, employed it).  It is of course, without exception, utter and complete bullshit.

[Steven]

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/calibre

It's on Netflix, but by jove is it making me claw at my chair in fits of anxiety as it plays with the fear and guilt of a recurring nightmare I have about knowing for some reason you've murdered someone and buried the body, and the body years later being discovered or people starting to suss you're a murderer, I've woken up in panic sometimes thinking I'm a murderer for about a minute until I realise it's that fucking awful dream again. anyway it strongly toys with that kind of anxiety so it's making me wince like fuck.

[Old Gold Tooth]

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/calibre

It's on Netflix, but by jove is it making me claw at my chair in fits of anxiety as it plays with the fear and guilt of a recurring nightmare I have about knowing for some reason you've murdered someone and buried the body, and the body years later being discovered or people starting to suss you're a murderer, I've woken up in panic sometimes thinking I'm a murderer for about a minute until I realise it's that fucking awful dream again. anyway it strongly toys with that kind of anxiety so it's making me wince like fuck.

That sounds really good. I tried to get into this the other night but the generic top lads bantz near the start of the film rubbed me the wrong way. Will give it another go.

[Shameless Custard]

Them (2006) - Pretty effective French home-invasion horror. Visceral, nasty, disturbing fare for the next time you're sat home, alone

4 baaaags

[St_Eddie]

...Visceral, nasty, disturbing fare for the next time you're sat home, alone

So any day of the week, basically?

[BlodwynPig]

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/calibre

It's on Netflix, but by jove is it making me claw at my chair in fits of anxiety as it plays with the fear and guilt of a recurring nightmare I have about knowing for some reason you've murdered someone and buried the body, and the body years later being discovered or people starting to suss you're a murderer, I've woken up in panic sometimes thinking I'm a murderer for about a minute until I realise it's that fucking awful dream again. anyway it strongly toys with that kind of anxiety so it's making me wince like fuck.

I loved this from top to bottom. Made me miss home. Any similar films for style and substance?

[Shameless Custard]

Under The Shadow (2016) - Set during the Iran-Iraq war of the 80's, this slow-burning psychological/supernatural family-based horror hit a lot of my sweet spots. It looks great, too.

Looking forward to seeing what the director, Babak Anvari, does next.

Another 4 bagger

[SteveDave]

Under The Shadow (2016) - Set during the Iran-Iraq war of the 80's, this slow-burning psychological/supernatural family-based horror hit a lot of my sweet spots. It looks great, too.

Looking forward to seeing what the director, Babak Anvari, does next.

Another 4 bagger

The bit where you see the ghost thing on the stairs shit me up proper.

[Shameless Custard]

Heh, yup me too!

[Junglist]

I loved this from top to bottom. Made me miss home. Any similar films for style and substance?

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2165859/

And this, which is nothing like either but its a fucking great film

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1124394/

[zomgmouse]

Under The Shadow (2016) - Set during the Iran-Iraq war of the 80's, this slow-burning psychological/supernatural family-based horror hit a lot of my sweet spots. It looks great, too.

Looking forward to seeing what the director, Babak Anvari, does next.

Another 4 bagger

Did you watch this based on my mention earlier on this page or was that completely coincidental?
I enjoyed the hell out of this when I saw it a couple of years ago. Proper slow burn stuff.

[Shameless Custard]

I probably did, aye, but to be honest I'd already bought it and had it ready to watch due to Red Letter Media mentioning it in their A Quiet Place review. Your mention probably made me finally watch it though! Cheers xxx

[zomgmouse]

Fudge, now I feel like an attention hog. Glad you dug it in any case!

[Howj Begg]

Under the Shadow was very good. Purely because of the Iranian connection, I just want to reiterate that A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night is equally as good, and everyone needs to see that if they haven't.