Top 5 Most Underrated Horror Movies
Everyone likes a good scare. I found it fitting to talk about the five most underrated scariest movies you may or may not have heard of. Some of these on the list aren’t high budget or made their way into the movie theater, but you don’t need a high budget to create terror. These are in no particular order:
2001 Maniacs: If you like Saw-like deaths and gore, 2001 Maniacs is a good choice. This movie focuses on a group of college students who go out on Spring Break, but get detoured to an odd town where deaths start to take place in the most cruel and unusual manner. This is not the town to go to if you’re searching for southern comfort.
Carnival of Souls (Original–1962): This movie combines psychological horror with suspense. The movie follows a young woman who emerges from a car accident only to find things don’t appear to follow reality. She is mysteriously drawn to “The Man” who is representative of the devil. The young woman, who is an organist, represents a much more sinister plot than what is presented on screen.
Battle Royale: Battle Royale is a Japanese film where a high school class is captured by the Japanese government. The only way to be set free of the abduction is to battle to the death and the last one standing gains freedom. The film not only provides a good deal of gore, but the meaning behind the film brings out issues of morality and greed. Could you kill your best friend? Is there a such thing as loyalty? Is society individualistic?
Deathwatch: A group of British soldiers fight their way through enemy lines only to get lost. They come across a trench where they set up camp only to tart hallucinating and doing things they ought not to. Something evil lurks in the trench itself, but the lone German soldiers who knows what lurks in the trench is killed the British soldiers are left to their own devices to figure out who or what it is and find a way to kill it. The gore level is quite low, but it is very suspenseful.
Cube: This movie was done on a very low budget but it delivers on more than one level. It is based inside a large cube where its origins are unknown. The people left in the cube are left to find a way out, if there is one, and no one trusts the other. Those who enter into an incorrect cube or room, they’re fate is either sealed or a clue is left as to where to go next. The conclusion of the film is mind boggling and left to interpretation.
Horror movies take new direction
The 2008 After Dark 8 Movies to Die For series is slated for a January release in select theaters. The Horrorfest series, since its inception in 2006 has had mixed reviews due the content and nature of the films presented. In 2006, over $15 million was invested to promote and show the movies. The investment proved a worthy investment as the ‘fest of 2006 netted over $50 million in ticket and DVD sales. Those numbers have risen in it’s sophomore venue and it expects to grow for its third. So, why are the Horrorfest movies so popular anyway?
Many of the movies in the horrorfest are either too graphic for theater release or the budgetary limits of the movies don’t make it a necessarily pleasing movie to watch, aesthetically speaking. Over half of the movies in the fest are independently made movies that have no major producers have taken, but has made waves with After Dark Productions founded by Courtney Solomon, who produced, wrote, and directed the 2000 film Dungeons & Dragons. Its popularity extends beyond the budgetary production limitations that are presented. In a society where big budget horror movies with “A” list actors and directors overwhelm the big screen independent movies are given the same recognition.
Its popularity has developed amongst younger viewers, allowing them a chance to see horror and science fiction from another perspective. The predominant age range of watchers of the After Dark Horrorfest is between the ages of 18-32. How influential is it?
Ghost House Pictures, a new movie label created by director Sam Raimi was created this year with eight movies on slate that are in the same vein as the After Dark movies. In 2009 Raimi will attempt to bring out eight more movies to compete with the success of the After Dark Films.
While independent horror films are far and few between, the inception of these movies are growing at an alarming rate. Soon, very soon, you will be able to see a wide range of horror movies that will test the proverbial MSRP ratings. While I do not condone or favor all the movies that are released through the After Dark or Ghost House series, I will, however, give them kudos for at least attempting to bring n a different, albeit sometimes strange twist to the genre. All movies can be purchased as a box set at your local video store.