This may sound silly to some of you but I was born before there was such a thing as public internet. I clearly remember when getting online required listening to the horrible screeching of a dial-up modem and cycling through AOL chat rooms. Yeah, I’m a member of that generation.
One of the most amazing things, in my opinion, that the internet did was that it, in a way, removed country boundaries. People in one part of the world could suddenly start talking to someone in a completely different country without waiting for letters to be mailed or having to pay absurdly long distance calling fees.
As a result, the cultures, thoughts, and joys of these people became far more readily accessible in ways never before seen. And you damn well better believe that this included movies, especially the horror kind.
So, let’s talk about some great foreign horror films and how to get into them!
Perhaps the greatest joy I get from watching foreign horror films is that I get to see what scares other cultures, other people. It’s fascinating from an anthropological perspective because I simply observe, I don’t interact. This window into another way of life is something I relish.
While I know that many of you want me to recommend films like Martyrs, REC, High Tension, A Serbian Film, and similar titles, I’m sure that by now you know why I can’t do that. Those movies, while amazing, are way too intense and insane for someone who wants to dip their toes into the foreign horror ocean.
Rather, let’s start with Let The Right One In. One, it’s a beautifully crafted film, shot almost like a visual poem. That alone makes it a fascinating journey for any fan of cinema. But it’s how the movie actually plays out, slowly unwinding and earning your love and care for the two main protagonists: Oskar and Eli. The pain and suffering that Oskar goes through is something that many people can relate to while having someone like Eli is something many of us wish we’d had. Seeing Oskar’s bullies meet Eli was one of the most satisfying moments I’ve ever felt watching a film. However, that satisfaction quickly turned into self disgust as I realized what I’d just championed. It’s that incredibly range of emotions that makes me recommend this film.
Moving from Sweden to Spain, I recommend Pan’s Labyrinth. Once again, it’s another movie tat will utterly destroy your emotions. But that doesn’t make it any less horrific. The horrible situation that Ofelia has been thrust into makes her imaginary world beautiful but ever bitter. We know, even though we desperately don’t want to admit it, that her world isn’t real. It simply can’t be, regardless of how fantastical and appealing it is. So when that drop of Ofelia’s blood falls and her small smile slips away, we’re as crushed and broken as Mercedes. All the horrors and pain that she endured and we’re the ones left to pick up the pieces of our broken heart.
After watching these films, you’re gonna need something to prove that foreign horror isn’t all about breaking your heart and wrecking your emotions, right? What better than going to Japan and checking out Ringu? It’s creepy, it’s spooky, and it’s one of the films that really helped bring a wave of foreign horror to the American shores. Plus, it’s a great way to being the dark descent into J-horror, which features some of the most unique and absurd horror films I’ve ever seen.
Venturing down the rabbit hole of foreign horror can be incredibly daunting, so my ultimate recommendation is to go country by country and not try to leap boundaries. Take your time and really go into each culture to see what it has to offer because that’s the only real way to begin seeing patterns and themes, all of which will only enhance your viewing experience.
Check out the rest of our How To Start Getting Into Horror series.