Top 5 Horror Films Of 2008
2008 was a pivotal year in Horror films that served to create new standards in what a Horror film is, and what it could be. All five films are Foreign with only a single entry originating from Sweden and the other four from France. Perhaps this is a byproduct of a country so heavy on film censorship. This years films pushed boundaries in their respective genres and in some cases, the best cases, even transcended them. So without further adieu my top five horror movies of 2008 are as follows.
—–
5. A L’Intérieur [Inside/US Title] (France)
Directors: Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury
A L’Intérieur (Inside) takes place for the most part on a Christmas eve confined to the rooms of a small house where a pregnant woman (Alysson Paradis) grieves over her recently deceased boyfriend. All is calm until a strange woman knocks on the door in the middle of the night and chaos ensues. This movie carries with it an “idiot plot” where the viewer can’t help thinking that the characters onscreen should be smarter. They should have heard that scream! Why didn’t she pick up that gun? Why are the cops so fuckin stupid! As most horror movies go the “idiot plot” only serves to lead the victims to a timely and predictable demise and in any other movie this would be totally laughable if it wasn’t for the sheer visceral brutality that the victims in A L’Interieur (Inside) are dispensed with. It is in that brutality that the directors force the viewer to take the movie’s context seriously, culminating in an unforgettable finale.
—–
4. Frontiere(s) (France)
Director: Xavier Gens
I grew up in a largely multicultural suburb of Toronto called Scarborough. I even grew up in Malvern, the most multicultural area of this suburb. Malvern was home to many different cultures and ethnicities including East and West indians, Asians, Africans, a huge Sri Lankan community and a very small German community. Most of whom disappeared after being arrested for war crimes as part of the Third Reich’s scientific research division. If Nazi scientists can hide out in Toronto’s asshole bordering God’s country then fuck me if I ever decide to stay at a bed and breakfast in the Parisian countryside. However, that’s just what a gang of young teens decides to do after fleeing Paris during a political upheaval following the election of an unfavorable individual to the Presidency of France. There they become victim to a family of inbred Nazi war criminals masquerading as hoteliers and have to escape their torturous confines. The tension is thick and the blood is plentiful but what really stood out to me was the performances behind the villains and their subtle nuances and intricacies. Definitely some of the most interesting characters I’ve come across in a horror movie to date. Also impressive was the league of inbred cave dwelling children kept in a maze of caverns beneath the bed and breakfast. Lots of interesting things going on here.
—–
3. Vinyan (France)
Director: Fabrice Du Welz
A couple played by Emmanuel Béart and Rufus Sewell lose their child during the Tsunami in Thailand. 6 months later at a charity video presentation on impoverished Burmese villages they think they see their lost son in the background on the tape. This sparks a relentless search into the Burmese jungle fueled by false hope and a mother’s bond to her lost child. Beautiful cinematography by Benoit Debie coupled with the sound design of Francois Eudes makes for probably the most intense assault on the senses on film this year. It’s a bleak movie that is brilliantly acted as it slowly detaches you from reality and immerses you in the couples hellish struggle through the jungle. The last couple of years the new scary place to visit for Hollywood was South Africa or the middle east so it’s nice to see a movie change the scenery a bit without exploiting the location or the tragedy that befell it. The environment is the perfect compliment to what the couple is struggling through, the Tsunami ravaged backdrop is meant more to provide an atmosphere of hopelessness which, at its core, I found to be the most prevalent and driving theme in Vinyan.
—–
2. Let The Right One In (Sweden)
Director: Tomas Alfredson
The title is based on Morrissey’s “Let The Right One Slip In” and tells the story of a 12 year old boy Oskar who lives with his mother and is bullied and alienated at school by his peers until a 12 year old girl, who is also a vampire, named Eli moves in next door. What follows is a truly touching children’s tale about falling in love amidst the backdrop of a cold Swedish winter. Alfredson and cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema have a great sensibility when it comes to capturing the moments between Oskar and Eli. Lingering on takes and choosing interesting focal points with which to drive a shot. The whole movie has this air of childhood innocence that translates well to Vampire ethics and is executed flawlessly by all involved. Permeated by memorable scenes throughout, this is a movie that truly has it all culminating in an ending I can only describe as the most righteous conclusion to a film I’ve seen in recent memory.
—–
1. Martyrs (France)
Director: Pascal Laugier
Martyrs tells the story of Lucie, a young girl played by Mylene Jampanoi, who escapes a slaughter house where she endured unspeakable acts of torture from her captors. After a fruitless police investigation, no evidence is found as to whom her captors where or what their motivation for the torture was. There was no evidence of sexual assault and no trace left behind for the police to build a case on. Lucie grows up in a home for psychologically disturbed children where she befriends Anna played by Morjana Alaoui. Years after her escape from her captors Lucie see’s a newspaper article with a picture of who she thinks are her captors. With the help of Anna, Lucie sets out to exact revenge on the people who tortured her so long ago.
When I saw this film at TIFF this past year the anticipation had been building for me for some time. I had read about it a year before, heard the buzz around it at Cannes, and heard the running comparison that it made Frontiere(s) and Inside look like The Sound of Music. So naturally when time came to plant ass in front of a screen and finally see this film I could not have been more excited. I did not know what I was in for. I don’t think anyone in the audience knew what they where in for. It was the first screening I had been to where everyone not only stayed for the Q&A but had an almost heated debate about the film with each other and the director. Miraculously, two people threw up and one fainted, but besides them I can’t think of a movie as brutal where most of the audience stayed for the whole film. I had seen more people walk out of Hostel than I saw walk out of Martyrs.
I think for the most part, people’s views on Martyrs seem split right down the middle. You either hate it, or you think it’s the most insane horror movie you’ve ever seen. I am of the latter point of view. I have never seen a movie of any kind that twisted a genre and threw you for a loop as much as Martyr’s did and then to top it all off – justified what you just saw onscreen. I will finish by saying this: If you’ve ever experienced human suffering first hand then you may find that watching this film touches a nerve, however if you watch the film to its completion then you may find that it hits on something deeper and more profound.
- Notorious P.I.G.
December 18th, 2008 at 11:29 am
I’m sold on Frontiers. Anything involving Nazi’s, torture, and extreme amounts of creative violence wags my tail.
Thank god I’m not white. My affinities might have found me in some sort of trouble with the law.
December 18th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
DUDE MARTYRS, I HAFTA HAFTA SEE THAT
December 18th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Do you think the ineptitude of the cops in “Inside” is an homage to “Eyes Without a Face?”. Either that or writing cops for horror writers poses some challenge we’re not seeing OR Inspector Clouseau was an accurate portrayal and all French cops are just bumbling.
December 18th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
I thought INSIDE was garbage actually. Aside from the make-up and effects, it was standard psycho-horror, even the decent twist at the end couldn’t save this one. The Polly Jean Harvey stand in who played the antagonist annoyed the shit out of me, and once I realized she wasn’t a ghoul or goblin — but just a psychopath — it became less compelling of a film to me . Great gore though. But that doesn’t make it a must see.
On the other hand, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN In was superb. Tone, Script, Direction, Cinematography…all A++. It was like a horror 400 Blows. Loved it. Even the locations where they shot were phenomenal.
I’ll check out the other ones
December 18th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
I thought that the gore in Inside was enough to make it a must see over most of the other garbage I’ve seen this year. I saw it in a theatre though, so it had more visual impact/atmosphere than a living room would. That said, it was enough to put it at #5 but nothing higher.
Yes. I believe that question came up in the audience Q&A and they said that “Eyes Without a Face” was a huge influence on them and the movie.
December 18th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
yo no doubt Frontieres kills it,
any big fan of the OG texas chainsaw will trip.
insane gore and amazing locations…
french horror is the future.
December 18th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Haha, France über alles!
December 18th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
hey guythz, wathz there any monthterthz in any of theeeeth movEEEthz
December 18th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
“Let the Right One In” is just an amazing film, and not just a great “horror” film.
“Inside” however is a great slasher, and and absolute must see for any gorehound or b-movie buff. It should be judged on those merits because in no way do I think it’s filmmakers were looking to make anything more that that.
“Frontiere(s)” is very similar in those regards. It’s beyond gory and has a good deal of camp to it. Truthfully it was a much better done film in the conventional sense than “Inside” because it didn’t have the whole idiot-plot notion. But I personally LOVE idiot plots… they’re a device that I feel when done right is fantastic. “Inside” did just that.
Plus as excellent of a film “Frontiere(s)” is, I just find the whole inbred psycho family homage to Texas Chainsaw thing a bit overdone in horror. “Inside” on the other hand had premise that was absolutely brutal and just something I don’t think many horror films have the balls to take things that far! That and it’s pay-off at the end was beyond awesome!
December 18th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
…and then when you see Martyrs you will forget about all the horror movies you’ve seen this year. You will just want to hug a pillow.
December 19th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
i’m dying to see “martyrs” and “let the right one in”…huntington cinema arts centre is supposed to get “let the right one in” soon… i want to screen them here!
December 20th, 2008 at 1:41 am
just saw “frontiere(s)”….thoroughly enjoyed and i feel very uneasy now. thanks for the recommendation
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:25 pm
I can’t help but notice females are central characters (read: victims of extreme violence) in almost all of these films. Not that I understand torture-porn or extreme violence in horror films, but I really struggle with understanding the role women in the genre and even more with the French obsession with rape-revenge based narratives.
December 23rd, 2008 at 5:44 am
A good observation. However, Females are also the villains in almost all of these films. Also, none of these movies are rape-revenge based narratives so I don’t know that that term applies here. (these movies have nothing in common with Baise Moi, or Irreversible) The term “torture porn” however has been the subject of much debate. I don’t think it applies to any of these films personally and personally I only think it’s torture porn if you get off on it and that’s really based on the individual. Otherwise I think the term dumbs down, and writes off what some of these movies are trying to get across. (Namely Martyrs, which I have heard the most in unision with the term “Torture Porn”)
December 28th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Good response. I always revert to the classic debate on Salo’s merits when contemplating films that can be categorized as torture porn… the exploration of human capacity and deviation in film is important, but contextually speaking, there’s a difference between the sickout factor and the cold critique of what the narrative is really getting at.. I don’t necessarily think getting off can be easily categorized, and I think the term torture porn is legit, especially in the absence of a connect with the viewer in terms of a larger theme/message..
Interesting to think about though. Thanks again for your response.
December 29th, 2008 at 4:44 am
last week i saw “let the right one in” and i really hope it gets the recognition it deserves. i was floored and surprised by how touched i felt after.
and now we just watched “inside” which was so much fun to watch. couldn’t breathe a lot…was really squirmy..and now i totally get why the “idiot plot” thing is a device.. it made it so frustrating that people would verbalize that and break the tension..or in some cases enhance it.. which made the whole experience more fun.
December 30th, 2008 at 9:49 am
I am out of the country right now but will type a response on Friday when I get back. I think this topic deserves some intelligent discussion. Ok, maybe Saturday when I shake the jet lag off. In the meantime Pooks, thanks for your response and thank you for engaging in a dialogue about this issue. You raise some valid points.
January 18th, 2009 at 7:24 pm
I just watched Frontiere(s)..and what a great scary film. Just loved it. For once this film wasn’t actually predictable, you never knew if the girl was going to escape or not. Was great. Great acting too.
Shows just how creepy some hostels/B&B could be!! I am traveling Europe this year, now im a little nervous ha
April 1st, 2009 at 9:55 am
check out donkey punch!!! Great Horror Flick
June 6th, 2009 at 9:35 am
Martyrs is well-made thought provoking movie that you could talk about for hours. Pretty sure I saw the Rated-R version though, for whatever difference that makes.
But I thought “Let The Right One In” was a far superior film. Absolute class.
July 13th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Let The Right One In was excellent. From now on, I’m only taking my movie recommendations right here on the Bloglin because this is the best source for good movies as far as I’m concerned…
July 1st, 2010 at 2:42 pm
[...] in Twilight frenzy, this was bound to happen. I’m going to keep the faith here… Let the Right One In was practically flawless so translating it for an American audience seems like it’s doomed to [...]