To celebrate unique chillers and thrillers you may not have seen, Moviefone is spotlighting the best foreign horror films in a variety of categories. If you're up for a good scare -- and don't mind reading the occasional subtitle -- then consider this a world history lesson.
Today's lesson: vampires and werewolves, two mythic creatures whose beastly attacks have terrorized generations of audiences around the world. In America these legends of folklore are portrayed by emo teenagers arguing over who can pout their lips the hardest. And our second-best scenario (Kate Beckinsale starring in a 'Matrix' rip-off) isn't much better. But these five films from around the world highlight the monstrous potential of these two creatures -- with plenty of fangs, blood and torn limbs.
Country: Great Britain
Director: Neil Marshall
What's It About? A British squadron is dropped into the Scottish Highlands for a routine training session but quickly finds the slaughtered remains of the previous squadron, who went missing in action. To their astonishment, the thing responsible for the gruesome crime is a werewolf -- actually a whole family of werewolves. The soldiers fight for survival in unfamiliar terrain, getting picked off one by one, not realizing that the wolves are backing them up right into the monsters' lair.
Why Is it Awesome? Neil Marshall -- who has quickly gained a rep for being one of the most kinetic action directors -- made his debut on this bloody, violent film. Taking cues from movies like 'Predator' and 'Aliens,' he loads the movie with tough heroes who refuse to become just another batch of horror movie victims, resulting in a battle where man and monster go to great lengths to destroy one another.
Buy or Rent 'Dog Soldiers'
Country: South Korea
Director: Park Chan-wook
AKA: 'Bakjwi'
What's It About? Sang-hyun, a devout priest finds himself with two very troubling dilemmas. First, after hoping to find a cure for a rare disease, he volunteers himself as a test patient, infecting himself with the fatal illness. A mysterious blood transfusion saves his life and removes all symptoms of the crippling disease, but in order to continue warding off the effects of the disease, he must now feed off of human blood. And if that wasn't enough to agonize over, Sang-hyun also finds himself attracted to his friend's wife, who is all too willing to let him give into his sinful temptations.
Why Is it Awesome? 'Thirst' is a perfect demonstration of Park Chan-wook's visual style: depicting extreme violence with intense intimacy, while framing each moment like a stylized portrait. But beyond the film's look, the movie indulges in all the forbidden taboos that exist with the ancient vampire myth. 'Thirst' is a modern but timeless look at flawed people who succumb to supernatural vices and lose all humanly control.
Buy or Rent 'Thirst'
Country: Canada
Director: John Fawcett
What's It About? Ginger and Brigitte play two morbidly-obsessed sisters, who happen to be total outcasts at their high school. However, Brigitte feels the two of them growing distant after Ginger begins puberty -- and after she is attacked by the Beast of Bailey Downs, suffering the curse of lycanthropy in the process. As Ginger begins indulging in sex and drugs, and feeding on fellow students, Brigitte has to find a way to save her sister, stop the bloodshed and convince people that Ginger's new attitude isn't just a case of growing pains.
Why Is it Awesome? In addition to genuine scares, the film has a lot of dark humor about the awkward pains of puberty. Featuring great performances from a young cast, and awesome-looking creature effects, it's like 'An American Werewolf in London' by way of John Hughes.
Buy or Rent 'Ginger Snaps'
Country: Germany
Director: Werner Herzog
AKA: 'Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht'
What's It About? It's legendary director Werner Herzog's interpretation of Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' -- as channeled through a remake of/homage to the 1922 silent German classic 'Nosferatu.' Dracula travels from Transylvania to Germany, bringing a plague of rats and ship full or corpses with him.
Why Is it Awesome? It's one of movie history's rare instances of a remake being as good as the original. The original -- which is available for free in the public domain -- is one of the art form's first horror films, and Herzog's remake pays tribute to the pioneer with the added benefits of moody color cinematography, a lavish production budget and eerie sound design. And it's capped off by notorious big-screen madman Klaus Kinski donning pale white make-up and fangs to portray the iconic vampire lord.
Buy or Rent 'Nosferatu the Vampyre'
Country: Sweden
Director: Tomas Alfredson
AKA: 'Låt Den Rätte Komma In'
What's It About? Young Oskar is a timid, lonely boy in 1982 Stockholm. He suffers constant bullying from his classmates, and fantasizes about revenge. His luck begins to change when Eli, a cute, quiet girl moves into the apartment next to him. Oskar finally gets a close friend who looks out for him, and encourages him to stand up for himself. But Oskar is unaware that the innocent-looking Eli also lives with a strange man who is killing local residents so that Eli can feast on their blood.
Why Is it Awesome? Even if the film didn't have shocking images of a young 12-year-old-looking "girl" preying on unsuspecting victims -- which it totally does -- the film would still be noted for its striking, stylized depiction of a tender friendship amidst a beautiful, snow-filled setting. Alfredson deliberately toned down the horror elements and concentrated on the friendship between its two lead characters, resulting in a story about what appears to be two sweet-looking children taking care of each other, with an underlying and inevitable doom approaching closer and closer.
Buy or Rent 'Let the Right One In'
Check back every day this week, for more installments of Moviefone's best of international horror. Coming up tomorrow: the best supernatural movies.
Comments (18)
I like Near Dark... it's a great Vampire flick. There's also the Brit mini series Ultraviolet. Part of the fun is that the word "vampire" is never spoken in it. Fans of True Blood should check it out because it features Stephen Moyer, who plays Bill Compton.
ReplyNear dark was excellent. Never saw a Lance Hendrickson film I didn't like. (Was if foreign?)
Let The Right One In was a brilliant piece of work. Haven't seen the remake yet, but the original was remarkable.
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I went to see Let the Right One In after hearing all the hype about it and it was the most disappointing movie experiences I've ever had. I can't remember the last time I saw a slower-paced movie that just dragged like this one.
ReplyWell its not all about vampires eating people , "let the right one in" thats more concentrated on the love and romance then vampire side which many ppl enjoy it!
I have all three "Ginger Snaps" movies on DVD. Both sequels are as good as the original. The third "Ginger Snaps Back" is my favorite. I saw "Let Me In" the remake of "Let the Right One In" recently. I like the innocence of young love contrasted with the animalistic predatory violence of the vampire attacks.
ReplyThe movie of Let the Right One In may be a bit slow and not the usual gorefest that horror lovers are used to, but let me tell you, the book has all the gore and delious creepinesss anyone would want. And, as a special bonus it is well written too! This book stays with you, read it.
ReplyDog soldiers and Ginger Snaps both suck. B movies at best. Is this the best foreign horror film makers have to offer?
ReplyWARNING, SPOILER for those who haven't seen Let the Right One In
ReplyIt's a great movie, but like most other reviewers, I believe you got the message wrong. It is not about 2 sweet kids. There's one damaged neglected kid who is groomed by a vampire in a 12 year old's body (not a 12 yr old girl)as a successor for her aging familiar. Yes, she's kind to him, maybe naturally, or maybe because she needs him to have a strong emotional connection because she will depend on him to feed her and protect her during the rest of his life.
Spot on analysis.....this is the same conclusion I came to. She saw a weak, vulnerable boy who obviously was smitten with her who would become her companion then and her 'go-for' later. Her being in a 12 year old body just made it easier for her to relate to him and him to her. Especially after he found she was a vampire and was still taken with her. Thats predator and prey of a different kind. To me that was more horrifying than the rest of the movie. Glad someone else saw it the same way.
I agree, what you say is true but, to me, the reason that the horror works so well is the contrast between their relationship and her extreme violence. At 12 years old his is innocent puppy love while she, who has been 12 for a long time, is a predator.
Bravo for Låt den rätte komma in (Let the Right One In). I'm a huge fan of Vampir flicks and this was no slouch. I loved the story and apparently I'm not alone. Since it was recently remade in an American setting to exploit the brilliant story lost on those to lazy to read subtitles, Hollywood too saw the story's value. Do yourself a favor and see this movie. It may shake your tree in the same vein as "The Bad Seed".
ReplyAs previously mentioned, Near Dark is an excellent film. My all time favorite. Visually and the story line really did alot to bring the vampir into the present day setting. Bill Paxton ads a gorey humor that steps up the entertainment value. Joshua Miller turned in one of the first recent roles of the prepubecent monster that Låt den rätte komma in exs so well.
The entire Hammer Films library is discounted here. Horror of Dracula and Curse of the Werewolf were both excellent.
ReplyI have to be honest--I think it's almost impossible to do anything very original with the vampire theme at this point and we don't need any more vampire flicks. I say so in my song "Vampire Glut" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hs0xbq4mr8 on YouTube.
ReplyHerzog's "Nosferatu" moves the action to Delft, The Netherlands, not to Germany. The reason this is interesting is because of Herzog uses Delft's amazing beauty as a counterpoint to the ugliness and evil of the story. In a similar way he plays Kinski against Isabelle Adjani's beauty. Herzog even released neutered rats into the city to the chagrin of the people of Delft.
ReplyThis is an interesting inclusion. It was not all that well received when it was first released.
While it is true that the movie was filmed in Delft for budgetary reasons, it's still set in Wismar, Germany -- the site of F.W. Murnau's original 'Nosferatu.'
I'm not a big vampire film lover (I like werevolves more) but 30 Days of Night, Fright Night and Salem's Lot have been the best I've seen!! Near Dark and others were ok but not as good as the three I mentioned.
ReplyCan't wait to see Ginger Snaps, Let Me In and, Dog Soldiers and see how they match up!
I'm sorry but Dog Soldiers beats all three of the ginger snaps movies.
ReplyAnyone who has seen these movies knows that.