Entertainment
10 Greatest International Horror Gems You’ve Never Heard Of
There are so many movies made each year, it gets harder and harder to keep track of the truly fantastic ones. This is especially true of horror films, as the annual catalog exponentially multiplies, like a mutated virus strain that causes your head to explode. When you factor in all the horrors that have been made internationally, it becomes near impossible to register all the terrifying additions to the world’s best movie genre.
Have no fear (well, some fear after watching these). Here is a monstrous master-list of the best international horror films that you’ve never even heard of. Some come from Africa, like the genre-bending thrill ride Saloum, and others from South America, like the romance-tinged Good Manners — but the one thing they all have in common is that they are frightening as all hell and need to be watched.
10
‘Saloum’ (2021) — Senegal
This exhilarating multi-genre-mash-up, directed by Jean Luc Herbulot, flies across the screen at a break-neck pace. Blending the exciting elements of a crime thriller with the spine-tingling facets of supernatural horror (with a touch of politically-charged action), this coolly devised, sleek film is high on entertainment and low on boring exposition.
The story is centered around a group of slick mercenaries, the “Bangui Hyenas,” including Chaka (Yann Gael), Rafa (Roger Sallah), and Minuit (Mentor Ba). After a successful mission, and an unexpected coup, their escape flight goes sideways, and they need to crash-land in the Sine-Saloum delta of Senegal. Here they sequester themselves to escape detection. The grass is always greener, it seems, since this remote island is full of ancient spirits and deceitful demons. While the mood and tone shift dramatically throughout the film, the fun quotient never does.
9
‘Pizza’ (2013) — India
The low-budget Tamil language hit Pizza is the perfect example of a film that does a whole lot with very little; we’re talking extra toppings on this one. Director Karthik Subbaraj blends horror with satire, and, of course, romance. It’s such a smartly executed film, as it’s eerily atmospheric vibe instills tension in the audience, rather than just good ole (sometimes cheap) jump scares.
Vijay Sethupathi plays Michael, a pizza delivery guy just trying to make a buck (or so it seems). On a routine job one night, he gets stuck inside a bungalow and a cavalcade of supernatural occurrences besiege him. What makes Pizza really fun is the cheeky way that some of the specters are handled, and Sethupathi’s convincingly real (and humorous) performance, and the sly one given by Michael’s wife, Nikita (Parvathy Omanakuttan). In true ironic horror fashion, there is a big twist, and then an even bigger ending twist. Grab a slice and sink your teeth into this little-known, tasty flick.
8
‘Baskin’ (2015) — Turkey
The word “baskin” in Turkish translates to “police raid” or “ambush,” which is a very clever title because the film is centered on a group of cops who raid an abandoned building — and then are ambushed by a satanic cult. It’s a dream-like hellscape of surrealism, chocked full of uniquely Turkish perspectives and engaging, idiosyncratic characters.
Can Evrenol’s Baskin is also stacked with gore and stunning visuals, but it’s really the trippy atmosphere and disturbing ambience that elevate it. Oh, and frogs — tons and a tons of frogs. The police, anchored by a great performance by Görkem Kasal as Arda (a cop fresh out of the academy), are led into a dark abyss of guilt and shame. Mehmet Cerrahoglu as the leader of the cult, Baba, is another standout; utilizing his interesting look as his greatest asset in character building, and backing it up with disturbing glee.
7
‘Angst’ (1983) — Austria
How does an institutional system, such as the one that governs prisons, know when an individual/inmate has served their time and is properly rehabilitated and ready to re-enter society? That’s one of the major questions posed by director Gerald Kargl in the harrowing, ultra-disturbing Angst.
The story is loosely based on an actual murder case, involving real-life serial killer Werner Kniesek (portrayed here as K, by Erwin Leder). He killed someone, only had to serve ten years, and then was sprung onto an unsuspecting public. He subsequently took a family hostage and murdered several of them. Obviously, the real horror of this story makes it terrifying. The way Kargl depicted it in Angst, utilizing POV shots from the killer’s perspective, made this tale even creepier and more unsettling. Another, rarely used device: the audience is treated to the killer’s internal thoughts, as voice-over plays during a lot of the vicious action. The film’s commentary is interesting too, as it is clear that the murderer is mentally ill. Angst raises a salient question: “Are we giving sick people the help they actually need?” — all while scaring the heck out of the audience.
6
‘The Long Walk’ (2019) — Laos
The Long Walk has the unique distinction of being directed by Laos’s first female horror director, Mattie Do. What may not be as publicized is the nuanced way in which she tackles issues of loss, guilt, separation, and the difficulty of moving on. It’s an aesthetically beautiful, often morose tale. Using supernatural aids to convey messages related to the stages of life all people experience (youth, old age, death), this is a special film indeed.
The movie is segmented into two time periods: the present, and five decades prior. In the modern era, the protagonist, played by Yannawoutthi Chanthalungsy, is a bitter old man (and that literally is his character’s name). He’s laconic and somber, and one gets the sense that he is obsessed with the past. Lucky for him, he is able to see and communicate with a ghost (Noutnapha Soydala) that allows him to travel back in time (kind of like a very depressing Back to the Future). His goal is to prevent the death of my mother, which is the one tragic event that he believes led to his glum existence. The huge existential question raised then is this: if he can save her, and his life is improved, what difference does that make in the end? Does that take away the pain he’s already felt? These queries and various other mind-trips leave the audience pleasantly head-spun after viewing this wonderful, haunting work.
5
‘Good Manners’ (2017) — Brazil
Good werewolf movies can be a real howwwlll. Same-sex love story werewolf movies can be even better. Good Manners is about a woman, Clara (Isabél Zuaa), who is hired by another, wealthy woman, Ana (Marjorie Estiano), to help raise her imminent child. On full moons, though, Ana wolfs out, and things get rather hairy.
When Ana attempts to deliver her baby, it happens to fall on the lunar cycle of, yup, a fully waxed moon. Ana doesn’t survive the birth, but luckily her offspring Joel does. Flash forward seven years, and Clara is still caring for the fanged rug rat. Writer-Directors Marco Dutra and Juliana Rojas’s furry fantasy is captivating for a slew of reasons. They tease out the initial mystery of just what Ana is in a wry, engaging way. Interestingly, when the narrative shifts to Clara being the half-feral kid’s caregiver, the story becomes more of a coming-of-age one; a reckoning of how to deal with life’s changes and the challenges of an adoptive family. For a sub-genre that can often just be about bloodlust and excessive shedding, this film deals with topics of race, class, and intimacy in a rather sophisticated, poignant way.
4
‘Vampir’ (2021) — Serbia
Can you ever really go home? That’s what exceedingly ambitious auteur director, writer, and star Branko Tomović speculates about in Vampir. Laden with some of the coolest, folkiest imagery in films from the Balkans, this stunning work makes this list because of the heady themes raised by Tomović. These include the immigrant experience, and, conversely, what it’s like to return to your native country and feel like a stranger in a strange land.
The plot focuses on Arnaut (Tomović), a prodigal chap who comes back to visit his village. He doesn’t even speak the language, so he feels a thick sense of alienation right at the onset. When tales of ancestral vampires (real humans who drank blood during the 18th century) begin to seep into the present, Arnaut begins to regret his choice in Expedia destinations. Overall, the film is a dark, brooding, very vibe-y piece that strikingly scares and deviously delights in equal measures.
3
‘Pensive’ (2022) — Lithuania
Proudly proclaiming itself the “first Lithuania slasher movie,” Pensive does not seem that necessarily groundbreaking out the gate. It does deliver all the juicy tropes of a slasher with aplomb, but only later in the film, with the reveal of some truly unexpected twists, does this movie really become noteworthy. Director Jonas Trukanas takes the audience on a devilishly fun, ultimately unexpected ride. It begins in the traditional “dumb kids partying awaken evil wrath” manner, but things shift, and the protagonist that emerges is an anti-hero whose morals rival Tony Soprano’s.
What kicks off the action in Pensive (also titled We Might Hurt Each Other in English — and Rupintojelis in Lithuanian, obviously), is when the partiers desecrate some wooden, religious figures in the forest. This, naturally, causes Algis (Marius Repšys), the manifestation of vengeance born of cultural disrespect, to start picking off the kids like pesky gnats. The aforementioned protagonist is Marius (Šarūnas Rapolas Meliešius), an envious dweeb who starts off kind, then undergoes some “changes,” and eventually uses Algis’ killing spree to leverage things in his own festering favor. Things end in a very clever subversion of the slasher sub-genre, as the audience is left with some interesting head-scratchers (hence the title)…and a warped sense of “justice.”
2
‘Kuroneko’ (1968) — Japan
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There’s something very satisfying about revenge stories, especially when the perpetrators of the initial sins are real jerks. This is the case with Kaneto Shindō’s little-seen but amazingly conceived, shot, and edited Japanese horror gem Kuroneko (aka Black Cat). The story is about two women (Kichiemon Nakamura as Gintoki and Nobuko Otowa as Yone) who are abused and murdered by mercenary samurais (“swords for hire”). The women’s spirits come back to exact revenge…but in the form of fantastically devious, ebony-coated felines. Me-ow.
Relying heavily on Japanese folkloric myths and allegorical figures (featuring the “God of Death, for one), this hidden jewel in the Japanese horror catalog is atmospheric, thrilling, and ultimately relays pressing themes of equality and justice. Every frame of this movie has a ghastly, but somehow beautifully ghostly, quality to it. Plus, it’s always fun to watch slinky little cats killing people.
1
‘A Dark Song’ (2016) — Ireland/Great Britain
A big theme for horror films in general is guilt, with a capital G. This harsh, cloying emotion can cause even the most staunch protagonist to take excessively extreme measures. That’s precisely how Liam Gavin’s A Dark Song unfolds, as the lead character, Sophia Howard (Catherine Walker), grieves so much for her son that she will do seemingly anything just to communicate with him again. Enter a reluctant occultist, Joseph Solomon (Steve Oram), who eventually takes Sophia on as a “client.” The two of them venture to a secluded house and then the (dark) magic begins — and doesn’t end for a long, long time.
Packed with torturous scenes and head-spinning set pieces, this mostly contained, budget-conscious film explores the very depths of the human soul, and what we are willing to do to get what we want (Sophia, ultimately, craves revenge against the dastardly bloke who took her son from her). Walker gives a dynamic, melancholic, deeply-layered, and at times, touching performance — and Oram delivers one that is laced with surprises. Gavin creates a scary, freaky, and often all-too-real ambiance (even when dealing with rapacious demons). When it comes to the characters’ feelings of regret, loss, and vengeance, there’s nothing particularly “lucky” about this Irish film.
A Dark Song
- Release Date
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April 28, 2017
- Runtime
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100 Minutes
- Director
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Liam Gavin
- Writers
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Liam Gavin
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Catherine Walker
Sophia Howard
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Mark Huberman
Neil Hughes
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Susan Loughnane
Victoria Howard
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