'There were seances. People not only made contact with the dead...but they made things appear'.
Directed by Peter Cornwell Starring: Virginia Madson, Kyle Gallner, Martin Donovan, Amanda Crew Released: 27th March 2009 Budget: 10M Box Office: 77.5M
Hey guys I have a group now so all you sick fans of horror no matter what sub-genre can discuss underrated horror and horror in general. If you wish to join just go ahead and follow this link. We'll be waiting...
Starring: Kate Hodge, Viggo Mortenson, William Butler, Ken Foree
Released: January 3rd 1990
Box Office: 5.8M
Concept
Michelle and Ryan, a young couple going through relationship issues are driving in the isolated middle of nowhere, Texas. They are travelling from California to Florida and in Texas come across a body excavation ground where countless people have been killed and preserved in the earth. They are interrogated and advised by an officer to be careful.
The morning after they come across a gas station in a desolate area, after encountering a cowboy who points a route on a map to get to their destination quicker. Accompanying him a creepy pervert things go from bad to worse when the pervert goes on the defensive after creeping on Michelle, and starts shooting at them.
Ryan then takes the cowboys route and after driving for hours until dark a van with a dead coyote at the front hunts them, and thus begins a night the two will never forget. Aided by Benny, a reserve soldier and Sara, a survivor who's been lost in the wooded area for weeks can Michelle and Ryan make it out alive? Or will it be another massacre?
Review
The third instalment in the TCM franchise this film was still in the same bloodline as the previous two. Whereas the original was slow paced and stayed strong with the psychological element with a little craziness, the second was faster paced and had many random moments and wacky characters it was more of a black comedy. This film has shed its skin, kept some quirky characters, kept the pace going well and has its own scenes of action.
Starring a young Viggo Mortenson (you would known him as Aragon in the LOTR franchise). And Ken Foree who is a living legend of horror, he has been in countless horror flicks most notably in the 1978 film Dawn of the Dead, The Devil's Rejects as well as low-key films such as Splatter Disco and Apocalypse of the Dead (I'll get to that one later).
If you like the franchise you won't be disappointed with this film, banned in the UK by the BBFC (British Broadcast of Film Classification) several minutes had to be cut to be released. The film is one of my personal all time favourites and one I'll keep close to my heart, and I hope you can to.
'You see that there...?' *points to camera* 'We're making a film of this.'
Directed by Julian Richards Starring: Kevin Howarth, Mark Stevenson Released: 24th August 2003 (London Frightfest Festival)
Concept
This film has very little plot, but is an underrated gem nonetheless. Max Perry, a wedding cameraman with psychopathic tendencies and his unknown accomplice videotape themselves murdering innocent and naive people. The film is entirely in a first person point of view and is approached as a self made documentary on the murderers...well murders.
From slow, drawn out killings that torture the victims as well as the viewer to quick, emotionless murder Max Perry is clearly unhinged. Not only is he unhinged, you makes you the viewer believe you yourself are not in the right state of mind either, constantly questioning your morality and ethics. Why did you watch that scene? Did you wish to see that particular kill? These kind of breaks in the fourth well are unsettling and leave you feeling guilt.
The ending explains the title of the film, I was so intrigued I began peering out my windows behind my curtains, this flick brings you in and makes you feel at your most vulnerable. Don't let anyone explain the ending to you and if they did it would sound a little disappointing, you must see for yourself.
Review
This is a true definition of 'hidden gem'. It's a British, low budget film but like me hope it will stick in your mind long after you've watched this film. The acting is satisfactory, the plot is almost non-existent (like I said, it's in a documentary layout) and it has an ending that should remain with you.
Despite being released in 2003 the film itself didn't make it's way onto DVD until 2014, nine years later. The film itself won several awards in Festivals in 2003 and 2004, eleven in total. Julian Richards drew inspiration from Dense Macarbre by Stephen King.
If you like psychological, slasher and found footage films I urge you to watch this underrated gem. I hope it will leave a lasting impression on you as it did me.
Do you believe in ghosts? I think I've seen one...here.'
Directed by Guillmero Del Toro Starring: Marisa Parades, Eduardo Noriega, Federico Luppi, Fernando Tielve Budget: (US) 4.5M Box Office: (US) 6.5M
Concept
It is 1939, Spain is in a civil war with itself. An orphanage in an isolated area of Spain is seeing attacks from Franco's troops, as the owners of the orphanage are Republican followers. One day Carlos, a young child is taken to the orphanage, only to be purposefully left behind by his parents swiftly.
Carlos is now left alone, and quickly befriends the other boys. The owners, Cesares and Carmen, the groundskeeper Jacinto and the teacher Conchita are the only adults and carers at the establishment.
Stuck in this poor turn of fortune there then is a bomb dropped into the orphanage that fails to explode, and now becomes a landmark to everyone to stay away from it. As if things can't get any worse, Carlos now has an apparition of a young boy that follows him wherever he goes, and it's up to Carlos to solve the mystery.
Review
This Mexican- Spanish film has plenty of plots in its story, not all of them involving our innocent protagonist Carlos. It is classed as a horror nonetheless, there is a good pace to this film that will keep you until the end.
It has a great feeling of isolation and being left behind, we connect with Carlos as when we were children ourselves, feelings of being lost or not being able to ocate your parents drives that youthful fear back into you in the eyes of this character. Add that with a war around him and a ghost that follows him, and you have a shiver running up your backbone.
Directed by Bob Clark Starring Olivia Hussey, Kier Dullea, Margot Kidder, John Saxon Budget: $620,000 Box Office: 4.50M
Concept
This Canadian cult classic takes homage to the 'babysitter and the murderer upstairs' urban legend and takes inspiration from real life murders in Montreal. This film has an unknown man clamber into the attic of a sorority house, and then begins calling the landline telephone downstairs. Our protagonist Jess, a young woman at the sorority house is increasingly disturbed by the calls, and has been naming the unknown man 'the moaner'.
The moaner calls, and all the girls gather around the phone when Jess notifies them, as the moaner begins moaning, screaming, laughing and telling perverted things to the young women. When provoked by one of the girls he stops his act and calmly says 'I'm going to kill you'.
Soon several girls go missing, and now Jess is stuck at the frontline with an unknown enemy she doesn't know. The police try helping her and each call can become a life or death situation, seeing as the killer is so frightfully near.
Review
This became a cult classic over the years and is accredited to being an early slasher, possibly the earliest slasher film created. It is also known this film did become one of the first to have an antagonist who we the audience do not know. It is hidden by another first... as in you do not see the killer, you do not know the killer, you do not know of his motivations except for the fact he is just the bad guy murdering young women.
Instead from POV you see everything the murderer sees, putting you into the shoes of the psycho killer, again this is before John Carpenter's classic Halloween arrived and had the infamous POV murdering opening.
This film is nothing horror fanatics or even overly casual fans haven't seen or at least heard of, it is a cult classic after all, but nonetheless in the general public eye and horror's beginners this truly is a horror gem that needs earthing up.
'I'm not going to be bullied away by a bunch of twelve-year olds'.
Directed by James Watkins
Starring: Kelly Reilly, Michael Fassbender, Jack O'Connell, Finn Atkins
Released: 28th September 2008
Box Office: 4M
Concept
A young couple Jenny and Steve go for a short break to a lake, where Steve used to go to as a child. They are enjoying themselves immensely until they find themselves being disturbed by a gang of youths nearby. They begin playing loud music and staring at Jenny.
Feeling disgruntled, Steve politely asks the youths to behave. Which falls flat on its face. Clearly they are unsupervised and are out to do what they want. The morning after Steve finds a mark on his car, presumably by the teens. In frustration he comes across a house by the town, it has a bike outside one of the youths had...
Steve and Jenny end up finding themselves eventually being hunted, and now must find a way out of the lake and woods to escape the young psychopaths. The gangs leader, Brett is a sadistic psychopath fuelled only by his home life and his friends are too afraid to disagree or just don't care.
Review
This is a British horror film, and has an underlying social belly to the film regarding the youth of Britain, which is still angry and unfortunately still relevant today. Whilst it would be unfair to say all teenagers in Britain are like this in the working class or lower there is a problem.
There is a moral dilemma when watching this film, because you are watching children deliberately and enjoyfully try and cause active harm to a couple. But in society being hostile towards anyone under age is considered immoral and practically illegal.
It makes you wonder what you yourself would do in that situation, all the more burdening if you are with your loved one. It personally made me feel angry and constantly waiting for the revenge on the youths. Watch this film at least once it is a great ride for any horror fan.
'The purpose of today's experiment, is to prove that the object behind me is responsible for at least forty-five deaths, in the four centuries of its reported existence'.
This is a recent film but it is criminal that it is so underrated and unseen by the masses. Oculus follows the story that occurs several years after a horrific homicide. Where the father went on a murderous rampage, murdering the mother in cold blood and in self defence, his son killed him in front of his daughter.
Fast forward a few years and those children have now grown up. The daughter, Kaylie has met up with her brother Tim after he is discharged from the psychiatric hospital. In this time she has managed to track down an old antique mirror, a mirror which she claims is the reason their parents are dead.
Determined, Kaylie arms herself in their childhood home with several cameras, lights, etc. Oh and a killswitch to shatter the mirror in case anything goes wrong.
The mirror is black, is four-hundred years old and has a deliciously gruesome past with it. Specifically death. You follow them on an horrifically dark journey as they fight against the mirror.
Review
This film will leave you scratching your head, it has a shocking ending and all the while you will need to see this film more than once simply because it makes you think. There are so many factors in this movie it is unbelievable and everything contradicts the facts.
Tim has grown up being told blaming the mirror is in his mind, and he used it as a scapegoat to deal with the trauma, so he's level headed at first. Kaylie however has had no psychiatric help and has been driven to destroy the mirror, and behaves erratically.
As the film goes on we see different patterns emerging, the film is told using flashbacks both hopping back and forth and even blending together. It is a great tale that must be seen by anyone who says they have a love for horror. Check out this film, do not skip this film for your own sake.
Also this film is based of a short film from 2005 of the same name. But director Mike Flanagan put it off because of fears it may become a dreaded found footage film.
For your displeasure I have placed a link below where you can watch the short film if you wish.
Starring: Rider Strong, Noah Segan, Alexi Wasser, Rusty Kelly
Released: October 24th 2009 (Screamfest Horror Film Festival)
Concept
In this sequel to the bizarre gorefest the original was, this time the infection has spread rapidly. Taking place after the first Cabin Fever the disease has spread from the desolate woods into a small town via the water supply, a company has bottled the water and it is now distributed at the local high school.
It follows a roughly new set of characters aside from the creepy strange policeman from the first film (paarrty man). It contains the usual quirky guy trying to get the girl who's with the unflattering jock boyfriend and that obese friend who somehow manages to score with the popular girl.
It is a lot more claustrophobic specifically because it is in a school soon locked down by authorities, there's no running through trees from wild dogs and hermits this time, but it does have that style with it.
A strange headmistress, a janitor that does something unforgivable to the punch, jock boyfriend who is a complete... well. And a scene in which uses a prosthetic penis that made me threw up in my mouth. Amputation is involved and diseased breasts. Oh boy, you best not eat before watching this.
Review
I watched this film before I watched the original Cabin Fever. And let me tell you, in terms of making your stomach churn, this is worse. This film is so grotesque I wouldn't be surprised if you felt uncomfortable watching it throughout. The trailer itself might put you off.
However if you are a gore fanatic you will enjoy this crude, ridiculous film. It is in no way a bad film in my opinion but it is not the best. It has the same elements as before, aside from a different crew working on it and just two members of the original cast this film is a good ride for gore seekers.
I recommend this to anyone who likes the original, or the Human Centipede franchise, oh and zombies.
If you have any suggestions please feel free to comment below, i would also appreciate if you followed me and shared me. Take care fiends.
Starring: Alex Pettyfur, Calvin Dean, Tom Hopper, April Pearson
Released: 22 May 2009
Budget: £700,000 Box Office: £280,000
Concept
This BBC film that obviously bombed is a classic take on the revenge slasher. This time the premise is a social look at bullying, suicide and teenage social pressures. It is about an unpopular, overweight pupil named Darren Mullet, who by the time this film begins as already taken his own life.
He took his own life due to the extreme bullying he recieved from a certain group of people as well as the attitude and social neglect of the other students. And now he's come back back from the dead to take them out. One by one.
This is an incredibly sad tale and as a slasher you really are on his side despite him barely speaking let alone not much screen time throughout. Each murder seems like a victory and it drives you as you hope he completes his conquest and receives the results of his bloodcurdling campaign.
Review
This film coincidentally came out on my 14th birthday, and at that time in my life I really identified with Mullet. This film is not a perfect film granted, but it's a fun film to watch if you want a cheap laugh, gory kills and a heart rendering side to it as well. It might take yourself back to a time where exploring sexuality, parties and other activities where your thing, or keeping your head down in the corridors.
If you love slasher movies or quirky Brit films or anything to do with what this film is giving you I urge you to check it out. Watch it just the once and you will be amazed at this sad black comedy horror film. (Phew that was a mouthful).
In this South Korean monster film a clumsy young father who sells food to tourists finds himself in a parents unimaginable nightmare when a creature climbs out of the local river and kidnaps his young daughter after a menacing killing spree. Having had 200 bottles of Formaldehyde dumped into the river years prior. There were strange sightings and rumours and even a suicide linked to the myth. Now along with his grandfather, graduate alcoholic brother and professional archer sis they must track down this creature and rescue their young family member. With quite a mix of comedy and tragedy this amazing film brings into it some psychological elements as well.
ReviewThis is likely to be my most favourite Asian horror film. It can give you a good laugh and make you feel sad the next. The camera angles in this partiular film are just amazing especially when the monster is first shown on screen. The CGI doesn't look fantastic but it can be forgiven for a great plot you can't help but finish. An absolute must-see 8/10. Once again there is a lonk for this DVD down below.
In this fantastically thrilling black comedy a group of passengers on a train are trying to get to Truro. Unknown to each other they all find themselves in a similar situation where they miss the last train and are then forced to stay at the station during a heavy storm. They are told the legend of the ghost train by the reluctant stationmaster. He tells of the old tale where Forty-Three years prior a man named Ted Holmes died of a heart attack before he could close the bridge, plunging it into the river. They then spend the night together trying to get to morning without little incidence.
Review
This black comedy is pure hilarity with a good few spooks thrown in. Certainly a film for horror novices, there are so many elements that make this a brilliant film. The characters are unique and perfect, everyone has a role to play. There is a lot of suspense of the ghost train itself that cuts into your mind and frightens you as the film climaxes. There are plenty of twists in this flick to keep you guessing and great spooky add ons. From the thunder and lightening, to a suspicious death, a young delusional woman, the apparent mad man thrown clear of the train itself and even Nazism. You should watch this film the comedy is cut finely and will make you chuckle at least once, the suspense is curdling and the plot never bores. Even when it seems the set is moving it keeps you locked in its gripI give it a great 10/10.
Here is a description for where you can pick up this clumsy masterpiece.
