Over the years, I have grown an unhealthy obsession with horror movies and his has sent me on an epic journey to satisfy my insatiable desire for more. As one usually does, I started out watching the most famous horror films as these were the ones which were readily available to me, however, once these were seen I started to branch further out to greater levels of obscurity. What I found though, was that films with less fame and lower budgets can sometimes far outshire the popular horror movies which we’re all familiar with. Ultimately, if there’s a good storyline, good script, good actors and director, then that’s all you need to make a good film. This article looks to explore just a few of my top choices of horror films which I don’t tihnk have received the attention they deserved, and should be held in a much higher esteem than people currently seem to have.
Firstly, having read and thoroughly enjoyed the book The Ruins, I was thrilled when I came across a film adaptation. The story basically involves a group of tourists getting trapped on some ancient Mayan ruins, where events quickly start taking a downward spiral into despair. What I love about this is the fact that it focuses more on the relationship between the characters, rather than the ‘threat’ itself. Being fascinated with psychology, I think that exploring their complex relationships is entertaining to watch, as well as having the added element of horror, to stir things up a little. One thing which I’ve always admired is horror movies which have the ability to scare despite being shot in complete sunshine, and this is exactly what this film is all about. The fear is not so in-your-face as Hollywood loves to do nowadays, but is more subtle and gradual, unsettling in a way that manages to haunt you for a good while afterwards. My only criticism of the film would be the ending (plus the alternate ending was not at all desirable either!) because it strayed dramatically from the book which is never a good thing. Although there were numerous differences throughout the film, this particular change I thought was unnecessary and detrimental to the overall effect the film achieved.
Secondly, a little gem called Devil by the renowned M.Night Shyamalan seems to have disappeared in the back catalogue of horror films, despite the fact that is actually is a really good watch, I thought. The film tells the story of the devil taking human form, focusing on a group of people stuck in an elevator. Despite the fact that I am in no way religiously inclined (more like the opposite!), I thought that the film handled itself very well in not appearing to be cheesy. Using some ugly monster to represent the devil would have been an easy move to make, but would have been a disastrous move and so I am eternally thankful that this issue was addressed satisfactorily. I tihnk what’s great about this movie is that feeling of dread that creeps up on you whilst watching and how it increases steadily til the dramatic climax of the film, which literally sends your heart racing. There was an element of mystery thrown into the mix which kept me captivated, and once again, special effects like blood and gore were not used to excess which seems to be a common trap which many horror movies fall into.
Last, but by no means least, I am amazed by the film Triangle every time I watch it and find it crazy that so few people have actually heard of it, and even less have seen it. I would actually struggle to be able to explain this film as it is wonderfully complex and appears to have so many levels to it, but basically, it’s about a group of friends who get stranded at sea when they encounter a huge abandoned ship – but there really is more to it than meets the eye. Again, this film is very bright visually, which is a great contrast to the unsettling sequence of events which unfold, which involve a very unique narrative – certainly one which I’ve never seen before. This film goes against the traditional horror film, and although this was potentially a very risky move, I think that it paid off enormously and continues to be an inspiration for me to this day. It is films such as these that are keeping the horror genre alive and fresh today, despite overwhelming claims about how cliched the genre has become in Hollywood. All it takes is for you to look just beneath the surface of all of the lesser known films to see how diverse and creative these films are able to be.
