Kermode Uncut: Mindblowing Moments
More Underrated Horror
Exorcist 3
This does what any sequel should, expands the original concept while further developing the central characters, and only fails when it tries to match the climax of the original, which as we all know is an impossible act to follow. Still there are some truly chilling moments along the way and great performances from George C Scott, Brad Dourif and Jason Miller.
Trivia: This is the favorite film of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.
Nightbreed
Clive Barker’s misunderstood masterpiece about misunderstood monsters was an oddity in the slasher swamped eighties and tanked largely thanks to its studio’s mishandling. An intriguing central concept, eye-catching visuals, typically great Danny Elfman score and the bizarre, but inspired casting of David Cronenberg have seen this elevated to the cult status it deserves, but it still isn’t even available on dvd in the UK. Hopefully fan power will lead to a home release of the newly restored “Cabal” cut.
Trivia: Suzi Quatro had a role which was completely cut by the studio.
Trick R Treat
My favorite anthology horror movie, with a series of interlinking stories all taking place on Halloween night. The standouts are Anna Paquin’s red riding hood being stalked by a big bad wolf in the shape of a vampire and Brian Cox being terrorized by ultimate trick or treater, the diminutive but deadly “Sam”. Needs both a follow up and a UK blu ray release please.
Trivia: Based on the animated short “Season’s Greetings”, which also features Sam.
Tales From The Crypt: Demon Knight
A group of colorful characters find themselves holed up in a run down motel besieged by Demons thanks to the presence of a mysterious drifter and the mystical key he’s sworn to protect. This has everything you want from Tales from the Crypt: gore, shocks, hammy performances and plenty of laughs. Features the always watchable William Sadler and a surprisingly entertaining Billy Zane.
Trivia: This was the first in a trilogy, followed by Bordello of Blood and Ritual. Ritual was recut and released as a standalone movie after Bordello bombed, then in 2006 the Cryptkeeper sequences were restored for its dvd release.
Night of the Creeps
Gruesome and funny Fred Dekker (The Monster Squad) B-movie homage where slug alien brain parasites infect a whole college campus on prom night, turning their victims into Zombiefied slug spewing, time bombs while a never better Tom Atkins sets out to exterminate the infestation between dry quips.
Trivia: The director’s cut and theatrical endings for this movie are drastically different.
The Mist
Drawing on everything from Night of the living Dead to the Fog, this King adap divided audiences with it’s downbeat and pessimistic portrayal of people under pressure, as a small community seek refuge in a supermarket from a freak mist only to find themselves besieged by a series of bizarre and deadly creatures emerging from the mysterious vapor.
Trivia: The dvd and blu ray release offer a black and white version which is how director Frank Darabont originally intended the movie to be seen.
…more underrated horror here
…and here
There are some really chilling moments in the underrated third entry of the Exorcist series and some great performances from George C Scott, Brad Dourif and Jason Miller, plus a few interesting cameos you can have fun spotting. It still feels heavily edited though and it’s such a shame the missing footage could not be recovered for a special edition.
Bizarre fact: This is the favorite film of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.
Stark Reviews: Bug
Psychological drama from the director of The Exorcist. A young drifter seeks refuge with a lonely woman, only to drag her into his world of paranoid conspiracies as they fend off a growing insect infestation within their motel room.
A twitchy, explosive Michael Shannon and a career best Ashley Judd descend into hysteria through William Friedkin’s voyeuristic lens. Gripping and unflinchingly intense. Bug will get under your skin and you won’t be able to dig it out!
stark.
8 Underrated horror Movies
Dread
The absolute pinnacle of the “torture porn” trend in my opinion. Far better and more intelligent than all the Saws and Hostels rolled together. Adapted from a classic Clive Barker story about an experiment in inflicting a person’s worst fear, this movie takes the concept, expands on it and changes just enough so to surprise fans of the book.
Blood Creek
Brothers Henry Cavill and Dominic Purcell head out on a mission of vengeance but soon find themselves caught up in an occult experiment headed by Michael Fassbender’s undead Nazi. An action horror with Zombie horses starring Superman and Magneto is a movie you shouldn’t miss.
Session 9
Creepy atmosphere tinged with a looming dread pervades every shot of this feature as an asbestos removal team go to work in an abandoned asylum and uncover chilling secrets. Stars David Caruso, Josh Lucas and Peter Mullan.
Cruising
Cop Al Pacino goes undercover in New York’s gay S&M subculture to track a killer targeting homosexuals. Every scene oozes menace, whether it’s a threat to our protagonist’s life or to his sexual identity. Directed by William Friedkin (The Exorcist) and boasting an excellent supporting cast and quality soundtrack. This is also one of Quentin Tarantino’s favorite movies.
Prince of Darkness
Carpenter’s most overlooked yet one of his best. Priest Donald Pleasence assembles a team of physics students to try and prevent the Devil returning to Earth. Has everything you love about Carpenter films, plus Alice Cooper.
Antichrist
Psychiatrist Willem Dafoe takes wife Charlotte Gainsbourg out to a cabin in the woods to help her overcome grief for their lost son. She is haunted by a sense of a lurking malevolence within the woods a sense that drives her to some extremely disturbing behavior. Director Lars Von Trier presents an intelligent, arty yet unflinchingly extreme horror you won’t forget-but might want to.
The Broken
Following a car accident Game of thrones’ Lena Headey is haunted by visions of a woman who looks just like her. She soon finds all of her acquaintances begin acting strangely, but is it all in her head? A little seen gem, another with a tense, claustrophobic atmosphere.
Feast
Gory, anarchic fun in the vein of Evil Dead 2. A group of various stereotypes and archetypes hole up in a bar in the middle of nowhere as flesh eating monsters lay siege from outside. Also stars one of my personal heroes Henry Rollins playing against type as a sleazy, dimwitted life coach.
stark.
