13 Great Modern “Retro” Horror Flicks
9) We Are Still Here (2015)
This is a great film to follow up The House of the Devil with. Cinematographically speaking, We Are Still Here is not as retro as The House of the Devil. In terms of design, atmosphere, dialogue, characters, and costuming, this could almost be considered a period piece. In tone, this film captures the “anything can happen” essence that made the 80s awesome. It makes sense in the end, but don’t expect to figure out where this movie is going. As a professional plot-sleuth, I was constantly drawn in by the unexpected twists and turns. Plus, there’s a good deal of gore.
8) Grindhouse (2007)
I don’t see how I could make this list and not have Grindhouse on it. It’s an anthology film made by rockstar directors dedicated to the oldschool double features of its namesake. Complete with cigarette burns, lost frames, and fake trailers, it’s like being in a theater in your living room. Of the five “fake” trailers between Planet Terror and Death Proof, both Machete and Hobo with a Shotgun have been made into feature films. The two feature films are as different as can be, but unified by a grainy, cheesey core that’s just dripping with sleaze. If Cannon films had 50 million dollar budgets, they would look exactly like Grindhouse
7) Berberian Sound Studio (2012)
I’m not even going to try to explain to you what Berberian Sound Studio is about. Set in a 1970s Italian horror film studio, stuff… happens. I know, not the most compelling description. Trust me, this film is worth watching. It’s not a perfect film. At the same time, it’s not one that can really be judged by a 1-5 scale. It’s a unique experience. Even if you hate it, you’ll take something away from it.
6) The Call of Cthulhu (2005)
If there were an olympics for “keeping true to the original,” The Call of Cthulhu would take home the gold. Filmed to look like it was recovered from a 1920s archive, the story stays true to the original save for a few alterations. At 47 minutes, it’s technically only a featurette. Still, it’s a fascinating watch. In those 47 minutes, I got more Lovecraftian goodness than in most two hour features. It’s a fascinating experiment that went right, and a testament to the fact that longer isn’t always better.
5) A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)
Calling A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night a vampire film is a poor description. The urban decay, minimalistic dialogue, and stark visuals make it feel more like a western. Except Persian. And surrealist. And without any gunfights. And with a vampire. Okay, so I guess it more defies genre than anything. When I saw this in theaters, I really didn’t know what to expect. It’s a good way to go into this one. With a noir dramatic sense and a smattering of surreal imagery, the scenes are as gripping as they are open to interpretation. It’s not quite avant-garde, so don’t shy away because it’s too “artsy.” There’s some good blood and murder here.
Categorized:Editorials
