Made some art for the special occasion of Halloween, check it out, give it a rating! Thanks!!
As you might have discovered by reading the title..all these movies are R-Rated (in Newgrounds rating terms… M-A rated) & definitely not for the squeamish, so if you’re not a horror fan, you may stop reading here!
Happy Halloween!
... Now onto the wonderful list.
So you've heard of films such as, "Child's Play", "Halloween", "It", & "Nightmare on Elm Street"- everyone often knows these thanks to well-known mascots!
Now these are horror films that I would absolutely recommend people who are in for a scare to watch at least once, despite their initial box office failures. These are films that are not exactly popular in the horror space, but if you want something refreshing, put these on your watch list.
All these brief reviews of mine will be spoiler free!
1.
Dead & Buried (1981)
"Dead & Buried" is 1981 horror film directed by Gary Sherman.
The film is about a sheriff who tries to understand the unexplainable deaths that haunt his small town, especially when discovering that the people who have died are now walking the earth again.
This is technically considered a "Zombie" movie, but not the traditional zombie movie that you think of- where you see undead eating the living.
The horror that comes from this movie deals anyone and everyone threatening to steal your body autonomy from you and being reanimated without their consent. You also think about how odd it is that we have to dress our dead before they bury them back into the earth, rather than just immediately leave them to rest.
Fun Fact: Due to the extreme nature of this film, this movie was actually considered a "video nasty" because of the gruesome deaths and themes.
2.
The Blob (1988)
"The Blob" is a 1988 film directed by Chuck Russell.
The film is about a pair of teenagers who discover that a strange gelatinous substance threatens to consume any living being that gets in its way.
When you hear of "The Blob", you kind of think it's a silly movie concept where it's like "ooooo scary blob eats everyone"... This movie will change your perception that ideas that are generally thought of as a joke, can actually work if done right.
If you love "The Thing" (1982") by John Carpenter, then you are more inclined to love this film as well, also being a remake done right. The horror that "The Blob" encapsulates is reminding us as human beings that... despite our accomplishments- we are all just meat, especially to a starving animal.
My recommended way of watching this film is seeing "The Blob" (1958) and then "The Blob" (1988) back to back (especially with friends, you'll have a few laughs). The first film will establish the story beats for you, and this remake will turn the story roles on its head in the bestest way. Promise.
3.
Possession (1981)
"Possession" is a 1983 film directed by Andrzej Żulawski, based on the pains of him and his ex-wife's divorce.
This film is about a couple going through terrible relationship issues... And that's putting it extremely lightly. This couple that cannot work through their issues absolutely refuse to leave each other and it becomes this horrifying waltz of toxicity, heartbreak, and violence. Infidelity is also added into the mix that just makes things even worse for these main characters.
This film makes me feel an emotion I cannot explain through just one essay. After me and my friends saw this film together, we spent 40 minutes or more trying to explain what we just experienced together. It's not a film that explains itself & is not always plot coherent. Its intention is to put distress into all it's viewers, and it's done wonderfully.
If you've ever been through any form of heartbreak (especially of the relationship, toxicity, and sexual type) "Possession" will put it onscreen for you and you don't have to explain it. Each person will have a different experience seeing this film depending on what they-themselves have experienced- but if there's anything I have to say, please see this.
This film made it onto one of my favorite horror films i've ever seen just from my first watch.
Fun Fact: Due to the extreme sexual nature of this film, this movie was actually considered a "video nasty". It was banned in the UK and extremely cut upon release in the US. SEE THE VERSION THAT'S UNCUT PLEASE!
In conclusion, perhaps these films were misunderstood initially. But I found something beautiful in all these films, because it made me think about them a lot even after my initial viewing of them.
Individuals would rather not think too much about what they're just seeing & need all the explanations, but if you ask me, if you're always trying to process the unexplainable, that's all the more terrifying isn't it?
Kolumbo
I love Żulawski. Possession and Diabel are some of my favorite horrors. Nice lil list here, very diverse styles of horror.