A Scream is the Same in Every Language: World Horror Watchlist
There are fewer experiences more immersive than movies and in the spirit of the spooky season I’ve pulled some horror movies from around the globe.
Full Disclosure
This is not my genre. If the photos above give you any indication, horror movies are not my forte. I do not need anymore help in the “seeds for my imagination”. However, in anticipation of Halloween, I took one for the team this month.
Here is the thing about international horror movies - you simply do not know. Whatever you thought you knew about what actually goes bump in the night (and how to stay safe) all vanishes when you leave your cultural shores behind. Beyond, there be dragons.
“What was that? Did you see that? Is that good? Bad? Will it eat me? Can it fly? Should I be afraid?” (Answers: I don’t know, yup!, dunno, dunno, dunno, dunno, YES!)
The Rules
My rules for a watching a scary movie are simple:
All lights in the house must stay on even if it is daytime. They will probably stay on through the night. Multiple nights.
The path to run out of the room must be clear. If it gets serious and I can’t bolt, things don’t go well (If I can’t be a flee-er I become a fighter). This is why I can’t watch scary movies in public. It is for the safety of all.
My head must be covered. There is security under an blanket.
Don’t pause for me. If I’m in the hallway, don’t worry. I can still hear it. I will watch from a distance.
Reinforcements
To bring you an actual movie review, I have enlisted the help of my best friend and film guru, Albee, to watch some of the movies with me. He definitely has a better stomach for these types of films (he’s a big fan of the Saw franchise if that gives you any indication) and was a film studies major. I’m very sure his input will actually be useful.
General Movie Notes
We watched every movie in its original language with English subtitles. I highly recommend watching international films this way. So much gets lost when audio is dubbed. I guarantee you will understand more and more fully enjoy the actors’ performances if you watch in the original language.
We watched these movies remotely, so if you need helpful ways to watch movies with friends & family during COVID check out How to watch videos with friends online over at The Verge.
Proceed….IF YOU DARE!
Shutter (2007)•Thailand
• Netflix • Watch Trailer on Amazon •
A young photographer and his girlfriend discover mysterious shadows in their photographs after a tragic accident. They soon learn that you can not escape your past. - IMDb
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)•Iran
In the Iranian ghost-town Bad City, a place that reeks of death and loneliness, the townspeople are unaware they are being stalked by a lonesome vampire. - IMDb
The Tokoloshe (2018)•South Africa
Busi, a young destitute woman with dangerously repressed emotions, lands a job as a cleaner at a rundown hospital in the heart of Johannesburg. Desperate for the money so she can bring her younger sister to Johannesburg, she must cope despite the predatory and corrupt hospital manager. When Busi discovers an abandoned young girl in the hospital, who believes she is tormented by a supernatural force, Busi must face her own demons from her past in order to save the child from the abusive monster that pursues them both relentlessly. - IMDb
Albee’s Official Movie Review: B+
I went into this film not knowing anything about the folklore of the South African tokoloshe. The filmmakers do a good job of informing the viewer of this mysterious creature while at the same time providing legitimately creepy scares and very solid performances. The scares are offered more through imagery and atmosphere as opposed to overly relying on "jump scares". The sound, lighting and cinematography are all gorgeous to behold. What brings down the score slightly, are a few dropped plot threads and a somewhat lackluster conclusion. But overall, I recommend checking out this eerie monster flick.
Sarah’s Entirely Unhelpful Metrics
Overall, great local flavor. The dialogue is a mix of English and Zulu and I found the shots of Johannesburg really beautiful. Also, the ending was wild.
Creature culture: Variously described as short and hairy, dwarf- or gremlin-like, or even tall with long bony fingers or bear-like, the tokoloshe from Zulu (South Africa) culture is a creature that wanders and causes mischief and distress wherever it goes, especially to schoolchildren. It also can cause bad sleep or even possess a person. It is believed that stacking bricks under the feet of the bed will keep you safe (fingers crossed).
Time we spent post-movie discussing and researching: 1.5 hours
Post-movie research terms: Zulu culture, African masks, Tokoloshe, why bricks?
Post movie state: The spectacular amount of tension they were able to build gave me heartburn.
Blanket choice: Old comforter. I have to say, not built for speed. Too bulky for when I had to flee, which just freaked me out more.
Number of times I ran out of the room: 3
General terror factor: 7/10
Draug (2018)•Sweden
In the 11th century a missionary goes missing somewhere in the huge forests bordering the northern parts of Sweden. Among the rescue party chosen to find him is Nanna, a young woman on her first real mission and her first return to the part of the country where she was born. But what they will find deep inside those woods is something else entirely. Something dark. Something ancient. Something evil.- IMDb
Train to Busan (2016)•South Korea
While a zombie virus breaks out in South Korea, passengers struggle to survive on the train from Seoul to Busan. - IMDb
This one comes highly recommended by Albee, so we gave it a whirl.
Albee’s Official Movie Review: A+
So many horror films use their protagonist and companions as fodder for the killer or creature that is chasing them. This usually means the writers are not interested in developing three-dimensional characters as they are essentially just there to be walking/talking blood bags. This is not the case with South Korea's Train to Busan. While this film has plenty of gore and violence to satiate the horror hounds tuning in for a bloodbath, what they will also find are developed characters with full arcs. This adds an extra level of tension as you truly grow to care for these train passengers and their evolving predicament. This is not only achieved by the strong writing, but the incredible, and believable, performances. There are small moments scattered throughout, where the characters have normal human interactions that don't really pertain to the plot, but only help to bolster their likability and keep the audience relating and rooting for them. Train to Busan has horror, action, drama, and even some moments of comedy. I truly believe this is the best zombie film made and should be a touchstone for any filmmaker trying to create likable leads in their monster movie.
Sarah’s Entirely Unhelpful Metrics
Horror aspect aside, this was a phenomenal movie. I’m still thinking about it. The speed of the movie is amazing and kept me on my toes.
Time we spent post-movie discussing and researching: 45 minutes
Post-movie research terms: Children’s Day, Train to Busan sequel, zombie piles
Post movie state: Utterly exhausted. What a ride. Listen, you have to be ready for this one. I laughed, I screamed, I ran, I cried.
Blanket choice: A more lightweight fleece, but still too hot for the room. However, I was more agile so that’s helpful.
Number of times I ran out of the room: 4
General terror factor: 8/10
Rigor Mortis (2013)•Hong Kong
• Watch NOW with Amazon •
A public housing tenement is plunged into a dark storm of supernatural chaos. - IMDb
Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970)•Czech Republic
Inspired by fairytales such as Alice in Wonderland and Little Red Riding Hood, is a surreal tale in which love, fear, sex and religion merge into one fantastic world. - IMDb
Aterrados (2017)•Argentina
When strange events occur in a neighborhood in Buenos Aires, a doctor specializing in the paranormal, her colleague, and an ex police officer decide to investigate further. - IMDb
Baskin (2016)•Turkey
A squad of unsuspecting cops go through a trapdoor to Hell when they stumble upon a Black Mass in an abandoned building. - IMDb
Kuntilanak (2018)•Indonesia
• Netflix •
Five youngsters discover that an antique mirror found in their orphanage is home to an evil ghost who kidnaps children and imprisons them inside it. - IMDb
Albee’s Official Movie Review: C
Kuntilanak is an interesting conundrum of a horror movie. On one hand, it has some very legitimately scary and creepy moments/scenes. On the other hand, everything not involving the titular kuntilanak is pretty dull and, at times, head scratching. Because of this, the tone is scattered. Any scene in the daytime seemingly is from a different movie and story, akin to something like Home Alone, while the night scenes are more related to It. For me the horror half was strong, albeit it could have been stronger if the motivation of the creature was clearer. While the sunny sitcom-esque daytime parts seemingly were there to fill time, and provide some levity to the protagonist children. Ultimately the design of the creature, and the ambiance that is created here kept my interest. However, anything not revolving around that kept me questioning character, plot, and editing decisions. The kids are likeable but not all of them are given enough to do and a few could have been cut and the film could have been told over the course of 1 or 2 nights instead of 5 to really streamline the story and engage the viewer more. Lastly, I will also say that the filmmakers took many liberties with the kuntilanak as it has very little to do with the actual folklore, which begs the question, why base a movie around a kuntilanak if it has nothing to do with the source material.
Sarah’s Entirely Unhelpful Metrics
This one falls into the wild subgenre of “children’s horror film.” I will say it felt weirdly disjointed in places. The daytime scenes felt more like a kids TV movie while the night scenes were terrifying. Out of everything we watched this had the most traditional “jumpy” parts. I both saw it coming and did not see it coming at all.
Creature culture: The kuntilanak. In traditional Malay world folklore the kuntilanak (or the pontianak) is typically a woman who has died (often a violent death) during pregnancy or childbirth. She often is depicted as a beautiful ghost with long black hair, a hole on the nape of her neck, and a blood-stained white dress. She kills and disembowels her victims with her long fingernails. She can be detected by the smell of plumeria or the sound of crying babies at night.
Time we spent post-movie discussing and researching: 1 hour
Post-movie research terms: kuntilanak, pontianak, Malay world folklore, mirrors + children + kuntilanak
Post movie state: Tired from all the running
Blanket choice: I stayed with the lightweight fleece for this one, which was best as I jumped A LOT.
Number of times I ran out of the room: 8
General terror factor: 4.5/10
Good Manners (2017)•Brazil
Clara, a lonely nurse from the outskirts of São Paulo, is hired by mysterious and wealthy Ana as the nanny for her unborn child. The two women develop a strong bond, but a fateful night changes their plans. - IMDb
What We Do in the Shadows (2014)•New Zealand
Viago, Deacon and Vladislav are vampires who are finding that modern life has them struggling with the mundane - like paying rent, keeping up with the chore wheel, trying to get into nightclubs and overcoming flatmate conflicts. - IMDb
Albee’s Official Movie Review: A+
Back when theater going was a regular occurance, and you happened to find yourself in a scary movie, not only would you often hear screams while watching, but usually those screams would be followed up with laughter. Sometimes witnessing a bloody on-screen killing is so outrageous that we can't help but laugh. This is where the New Zealand mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows lives. It takes everything you know about vampires and werewolves and presents them in such an outrageous way, you can't help but laugh at the ridiculousness in the most brilliant way. Movies like The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity use their documentary storytelling style to show horror at a personal ground-level. Similarly, What We do in the Shadows provides the viewer with a personal, up close look at the monster's point of view instead of the victim's. These monsters show what a typical day (or in this case night) in the life of an undead creature in New Zealand is like. While this movie still has all of the blood and gore of a traditional vampire movie, it is couched in hilarious situations that completely alleviate any sense of dread or terror as the blood gushes. If you are looking for a fun, entertaining, creative, and hilarious take on the tired vampire legend, look no further.
Sarah’s Entirely Unhelpful Metrics
You might recognize the duo that wrote and directed it: Jemaine Clement (of Flight of the Conchords, the crab from Moana fame) and the director behind Thor: Ragnarok, Taika Waititi. This 'mockumentary definitely falls into the “Horror/Comedy” genre. If Hocus Pocus (watch this classic with Amazon or Disney+) was your jam, then this will be right up your alley. There is also a TV Show (FX/Hulu) with the same title and premise. I highly recommend it.
Post-movie research terms: Taika Waititi, opening credits song
Post movie state: Relaxed. It was a good time!
Blanket choice: No blanket required!
Number of times I ran out of the room: 0
General terror factor: 2/10
What are your favorite international horror movies? What you were your reactions to the movies? Leave a comment below!
