Horror Around the World

In my last post I briefly mentioned horror films on an international scale and how we tend to associate certain characteristics of horror cinema with different countries. A lot of popular horror films like The Exorcist and the more recent Sinister have been American productions so people tend to think of America as the horror film powerhouse, this is not true. Many countries around the world have produced just as many successful horror films as America have, from early German expressionist films to Italian giallo flicks, world cinema is full of some real gems in the horror genre. If you still think otherwise, here's ten terrifying horror films from outside America.

10. Dream Home (2010, Pang Ho-Cheung) - Hong Kong

This film may have some of the greatest death scenes ever with some elaborate murder weapons including a bong and a hoover. Dream Home is pretty extreme yet retains a comical element too for good measure. It follows a young woman (Josie Ho) killing off residents of an apartment block after she is unable to purchase a home there. It may sound like a silly premise but trust me, this is one of the most relentless horror films you'll ever watch.

9. Inside (2007, Julien Maury & Alexandre Bustillo) - France

This French home invasion film makes Hostel look pretty tame and pushes the gore to the limit. An example of French Extremity cinema along with the equally brutal Martyrs, Inside follows an expectant mother Sarah (Alysson Paradis) as she is terrorised in her own home by a mysterious woman (Béatrice Dalle) who appears to want her unborn child. The film is dark and unrelenting along with being extremely suspenseful, it's like if Eli Roth did a Hitchcock film.

8. A Tale of Two Sisters (2003, Kim Jee-Woon) - South Korea

This South-Korean psychological horror freaked me out the first time I watched it. It follows two sisters (played by Im Soo-Jung and Moon Geun-Young) who become suspicious of their stepmother (Yum Jung-Ah) and believe that she is evil. However what follows is far from conventional and there are multiple twists and turns in this unnerving K-Horror. It's inspired an American remake that I have not seen but A Tale of Two Sisters is one of the creepiest horror films out there

7. Let The Right One In (2008, Tomas Alfredson) - Sweden

Before Twilight completely shit all over the vampire romance subgenre, this Swedish film managed to give us a last bit of hope in that vampires can still be cool. It focuses on the friendship between Oskar (Kare Hedebrant), a lonely boy and Eli (Lina Leandersson), a vampire in a small town in Sweden. He accepts her for what she is and she later helps him against his bullies, the two young actors both give great performances in their roles. Now it may not sound it but Let the Right One In is tense and pretty bloody which contrasts the mundane Twilight which was released the same year. 

6. Nosferatu (1921, F.W. Murnau) - Germany

I have to admit, it took me three times to actually watch this in full because I got pretty bored the first two times but I guess then I was just too young to appreciate it. Murnau's unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula has become one of the most iconic horror films of all time. Max Shrecks chilling performance as Count Orlock has since become legendary and it inspired future horror films such as Dracula. Although at times it can get a bit tedious, it is definitely worth the watch and is one of the highlights of German Expressionist cinema.

5. Dead Snow (2009, Tommy Wirkola) - Norway

For whatever reason in the past few years Nazi zombies have become increasingly popular. If you're a fan of the undead SS then you'll love this comedic zombie romp from Norway. It follows a group of friends who go to a remote cabin in the mountains only to discover that they are right above a Nazi burial ground. Dead Snow has as much laughs as it does gore and is one of the most entertaining zombie films in recent years, drawing inspiration from films such as Braindead and Evil Dead II. 

4. Wolf Creek (2005, Greg McLean) - Australia

One of the most controversial horror films of recent years, Wolf Creek follows a group of tourists sightseeing in the outback who become the victims of the homicidal Mick Taylor (John Jarratt). Since its release the film has become infamous for its raw and brutal depiction of violence towards women and the fact that it was inspired by true events. Despite it's graphic nature, Wolf Creek has both a beautiful setting and a grindhouse feel to it which has made it one of the most iconic horrors of the noughties.

3. Audition (1999, Takashi Miike) - Japan

Japanese cinema is infamous for having no limit when it comes to graphic violence, and no director takes as much advantage of this than Takashi Miike. Miike has made films such as Ichi The Killer and his banned Masters of Horror episode, Imprint. Audition is not his most violent film, in fact it is quite a slow burner but once it reaches its insidious climax you will understand why it's on the list. It follows a widower (Ryo Ishibashi) as he searches for a new wife, he thinks he has hit the jackpot when he meets the young Asami (Eihi Shiina) but in reality he has got himself into something much more sinister. The films climax is one that plays on all the senses and highlights Miike's skills as a director. It also highlights his love for needles. 

2. Suspiria (1977, Dario Argento) - Italy

Alright so it is dubbed in English and the lead actress, Jessica Harper, is American but Suspiria is an Italian production directed by one of the masters of Italian horror, Dario Argento. It follows a young ballet dancer (Harper) who starts attending a prestigious academy in Germany only to discover something much more sinister happening at the school. The film does not rely on jumpscares or excessive gore to frighten the audience, instead it uses its score and cinematography to build up an uneasy atmosphere throughout. It is a beautiful film to watch once you get past the questionable acting and it is definitely the highlight of Argento's career. There are plenty more great horror films from Italy that you can read about here.

1. [Rec] (2007, Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza) - Spain

I'm not usually a fan of found footage films which is why it took me so long to get around to watching this Spanish zombie flick, but as it was pre-Paranormal Activity the subgenre had not been worn out at this stage. [Rec] follows a news crew who film a fire brigade on one of their jobs, however things take a sinister turn when the apartment building they go to is host to a zombie virus and the people get trapped inside. I have to say, this film is pretty scary. Not just jumpy but also suspenseful and it's sense of realism makes it all the more frightening. It had been a while since a film had scared me as much as [Rec] did so if you're looking for some good horror, this is the way to go.

Those are just a select few of hundreds of horror films from around the world. Although America has released some of the most iconic horror films of all time it is important to remember that they do exist outside of the USA. Many other countries are willing to push the boundaries more when it comes to horror which is evident in a lot of films mentioned above, but if you're not into subtitles I'm sure there'll be an American remake someday if not already.