Top 10 really old horror films you must watch (2/2)

"Old" still doesn't equal "boring": Part two of "Top 10 really old horror films you must watch". 

In no particular order, here are five more great old horror movies. In case you missed the first five recommendations of this list, here's part 1 of the article.

Der Student von Prag (1926)

The first cinematic incarnation of "The Student Of Prague", a story loosely based on Edgar Allen Poe's "William Wilson", was made in 1913. It's a very nice watch, with some great special effects and atmosphere, but it's a bit limited in its vocabulary. Fast forward 13 years, to this 1926 adaptation of the material, directed by Henrik Galeen: The fantastic element is toned down a little, more implied than actually shown - but every other aspect is scaled up to the max. The advancement in storytelling is nothing short of mindblowing. This "Student Of Prague" has a little bit of unexpected gore effects, some dizzying, dynamic action, fully developed Expressionism (the German kind) visuals, a rhythm alternating between lighthearted and grave, natural acting, and so on - everything you expect from an eerie, exciting, and much (much!) more recent, movie. Outstanding!

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0017438/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Student_of_Prague_(1926_film)

 

L'Inferno (1911) 

From the infancy of cinematic storytelling comes "L'Inferno", directed by Francesco Bertolini, Adolfo Padovan and Giuseppe De Liguoro. Cinema had been invented only about 15 years earlier, and its roots in stage play are clearly visible in the film. It's Italy's first full length feature production, it's a bit slow, but the longer you watch it, the creepier it becomes. Once you've gotten into the "zone", and begin to see "through" the old film stock, you can fully appreciate and admire the rich mise-en-scene, with lots of infernal decor and strong silent-era make-up and overacting. There are some special effects and montages that wouldn't be possible on stage, creating some bizarre imagery, and of course all of it is Dante Alighieri's "Inferno", meaning hell, from his "Divine Comedy", resulting in an interesting, moody, spooky watching experience.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0002130/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%27Inferno

Watch the full movie for free in "Streaming Kino"...

Der Golem, wie er in die Welt kam (1920)

"The Golem: How He Came Into the World", directed by Paul Wegener and Carl Boese, is one of the archetypes of horror cinema. It's loosely based on the Jewish legend of the Golem, a clay statue, that is brought to life by sorcery. "The Golem" isn't the most experimental of German Expressionism films, but it's certainly expressionist enough, with the poster giving a surprisingly accurate hint at what you're about to see. It's a slicker version, more like a big scale fantasy epic, with lots of actors and large sets, and some powerful Golem action. The imagery is striking, and, from a modern viewer's perspective, might have some comic strip charm, the kind you'd see much later in movies by directors such as Sam Raimi, George A. Romero, or Peter Jackson.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0011237/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Golem:_How_He_Came_into_the_World

The Bat (1926)

Not only in Europe, also across the pond in the US of A, a powerful cinematic language was evolving during the 1920s. "The Bat", directed by Roland West, takes a good hint from the German films of the time, but creates its own, streamlined aesthetic, more reminiscent of printed graphic design, or cutout art. It's a comedy, and a classic crime story with a super-villain, robbery and murder, and it's exceptionally moody, mystical, and beautiful. "The Bat" really is a fun experience, with brilliant use of darkness, light, and camera, nice chills, and the light-footed pacing of a good Hitchcock movie.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0016629/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bat_(1926_film)

Alraune (1928)

"Alraune" translates to "mandrake", but the English title of the movie is "A Daughter Of Destiny". This film doesn't scream in your face at all. (Well, it's silent.) Quite the opposite, the horror is all beneath the surface. It's in the audacity of challenging God, and what could go wrong if you play with fire. Written and directed by Henrik Galeen, based on the eponymous 1911 novel by Hanns Heinz Ewers , "Alraune" is a mesmerizing, enchanting tale of science, morale, and responsibility. The beauty and elegance of some of the imagery is unreal. The eroticism, without being even remotely comparable to today's standards, will make the male viewer, and probably also the female viewer, blush. "Alraune" is dramatic, smooth, and sultry, best watched with a glass of red wine at room temperature - but you don't play God for nothing, and it all leads to a bitter end...

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0017621/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alraune_(1928_film)

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Click here for part 1 of this article, five more films!

Top 10 really old horror films you must watch (1/2)

"Old" doesn't equal "boring". If you think it does, you're missing out on some of the best horror movies ever. 

Movies that not only have become iconic over time, for their historical value and contribution to cinema, but are timelessly scary and exciting. 

In no particular order, here are five (=part one, link to part 2 at end of article) out of ten really old horror films you must watch:

Nosferatu - Eine Symphonie des Grauens (1922)

When speaking about horror films, "Nosferatu" has a bit of singular place in history. It's basically in the lineage of "Dracula", but changes to some elements of the story (e.g. name) put it into a different context. And director Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau managed to create some striking imagery that is unmatched to this day. Combined, "Nosferatu" is the Dracula that defies Dracula. A universe, such as Dracula's, with countless variations on the myth, was never created for "Nosferatu". It's just this singular, otherworldly nightmare put on film, that is unparalleled in its sinister aesthetic quality. The full original title translates to "A Symphony Of Horror", which is an accurate description of the movie. This Dracula doesn't beguile or enchant - he just stares into your soul, and wants to eat it.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0013442/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nosferatu (with streaming movie!)

If you like to watch "Nosferatu" make sure it's a long (>90min) version (e.g. the one on the Wikipedia page).

 

Häxan (1922)

In this quite unique production, directed by Benjamin Christensen, we get an analytic approach to the alleged phenomenon of witchcraft - "Häxan" is the Swedish word for "witches". Being a somewhat scientific document, there isn't much of a story, it just goes through some chapters exploring the material, and giving some commentary. Material, in this case, being a reference to folklore, and "Häxan" being the most expensive Swedish film production at the time. Add one to one - it's to witchcraft movies what "Saving Private Ryan" is to WWII movies. Did you ever want to see the actual devil, the one you were scared of as a very little kid? In "Häxan" you do - and then some.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0013257/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%A4xan (with streaming movie!)

 

Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari (1920)

Horror cinema wouldn't be the same without Dr. Caligari's infamous cabinet. Generations of filmmakers have looked at this movie as a guideline, and source of inspiration. It is basically the seed of the "psycho thriller", thus "slasher", genre, and a template for the modern script writer as well as the cinematographer. Also it's the most expressionist of German Expressionism films, almost completely dropping the ties with physical reality in its visual design. The psyche is everything, and everything is the psyche, in this creepy, pivotal masterpiece, directed by Robert Wiene.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0010323/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cabinet_of_Dr._Caligari (with streaming movie!)

 

Faust: Eine deutsche Volkssage (1926)

Another F. W. Murnau directed milestone of fantastic cinema, a drama of biblical proportions, and a stunning display of visual cinematic virtuosity. This adaptation of the classic Wolfgang von Goethe material is the "Star Wars" and "Lord of the Rings" of German Expressionism cinema. It opens with the Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse, riding through the misty clouds, looking... terrifying! And this is just the first minute of the movie. Rooted in religion and folklore, with overwhelming expressionist shapes of black and white, masterful use of composition, superimposition, and other effects, "Faust" is an array of beautiful, epic, nightmarish imagery that is guaranteed to crawl under your skin. "Faust", without a doubt, ranks among the top achievements in cinema history, and will forever do so.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0016847/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faust_(1926_film) (with streaming movie!)

Kurutta Ichipeji ("A Page of Madness", 1926)

Japanese experimental psycho horror film "A Page of Madness", directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa, is interesting, beautiful, and disturbing, all at once. Naturally, it has similarities with other productions of the time, but there's also a very distinct element to. The bizarre, stylized imagery, and the sometimes dizzying, unsettling editing is unique to Japanese cinema, and is still seen today in everything from "Tetsuo" (1989) to "Ringu" (1998) and beyond. "A Page Of Madness" is a groundbreaking, mesmerizing visualization of a mind falling apart at the borders between reality and imagination.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0017048/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Page_of_Madness (with streaming movie!)

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  Click here for part 2 of this article, five more films!

Another Top 10 horror films you've never heard about (2/2)

There's always some more.

France, Italy, Japan, Spain, China, Germany, India, Russia, of course the USA and Britain, ... - every nation has a film industry, and in every part of the world hidden gems of horror film are produced, and sometimes forgotten.

In no particular order, here are five more (=part two) out of another ten horror movies you've probably never heard about:

I Bury The Living (1958)

Director: Albert Band

Working at a cemetery certainly isn't for everyone. "I Bury The Living" is a simple and cheap, but incredibly well made little movie. There's not too much spectacle going on here - but what is going on is surprisingly captivating due to the clever premise, and convincing acting of the main character. There's an underlying sense of inspiration and enthusiasm in "I Bury The Living", somehow similar to "The Evil Dead" (1981), "Assault on Precinct 13" (1976) and other such cult b-movies, only in a kind of minimalist way. This little psycho trip will not traumatize you for decades, but it will drag you in and give you pleasant chills like few other movies of that kind do.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051755/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Bury_the_Living

Вий (Viy) (1967)

Directors: Konstantin Yershov, Georgi Kropachyov

 

Based on the eponymous Nikolai Gogol horror novel from around 1835, this is a fantastic movie from Russia - probably the first Russian horror movie ever. The story is packed with Gogol's imagination, and spooky Russian folklore. "Viy" is a gothic movie, similar to some British Hammer studio productions, but obviously with a different background. Russia has an outstanding culture of the fine arts, and it totally shows in the film. "Viy" looks like an old painting come to life, and takes a couple of clues from drama and ballet dancing. It's partly scary, partly funny, and always perfectly executed, making it an exceptionally entertaining movie to watch.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062453/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viy_(1967_film)

 

It's Alive (1974)

Director: Larry Cohen

The tagline says you shouldn't see this film alone. Agreed - but maybe this is not a great movie for a woman expecting a child, so choose your company wisely. "It's Alive" is a dark, nasty, sad, touching, outrageous, slightly gory, and somehow hysterically grotesque low-budget shocker. It was quite a box office success when it came out, got two sequels and a remake, but is rarely seen on current best-of lists. Which is a bit surprising, because the story has actual profoundness, the casting and acting is outstanding, the "monster" couldn't be more iconic, and the way it is put on film is just brilliant. We don't wanna give you too many hints about what to expect from "It's Alive" - it's a damn fine piece of low budget filmmaking, and it's scary as hell.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071675/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_Alive_(1974_film)

Les Diaboliques (1955)

Director: Henri-Georges Clouzot

 

"Les Diaboliques" was and still is highly acclaimed, often said to be the best Hitchcock movie he never made, was a box office success, got remade in 1996 in the US - and a lot of people still have never heard about it. This thriller from France goes boldly into horror territory, and has an ending you won't forget. That sounds a bit like "Psycho", which is 100 percent correct in terms of suspense, and in fact "Psycho" author Robert Bloch was a huge fan of "Les Diaboliques". But it's a very different experience - Simone Signoret's screen time alone is worth watching "Les Diaboliques", the French style and precision of the movie is just beautiful, and it has it's own original story. Briefly, it's one of the best psycho horror thrillers ever.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046911/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Diaboliques_(film)

 

Porno Holocaust (1980)

Director: Joe D'Amato

 

To finish up this list, here's the true gem among trash movie gems. There are a lot of enjoyable or maybe not so enjoyable z-movies worth a recommendation, but... well, I guess somebody just had to do it, go there, film it. The title and poster art literally say it all. It's a Joe D'Amato movie, and yes, he totally went there. The undead apparently are making efforts to reproduce. Or: is making efforts to. It's... beyond words. Mr. D'Amato certainly was a capable businessman. This is by no means a good movie, but if you're a true hardcore (no pun intended) (well - pun intended) trash horror movie geek, then you just must not miss this one.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0235686/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porno_Holocaust

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Thanks for reading!

 

Click here for part 1 of this article, five more films!

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Click here for the first "Top 10 horror films you've never heard about" article

 

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Top 10 Horror films you've never heard about (2/2)

Part two of "Top 10 Horror films you've never heard about". In no particular order, here are five more outstanding, yet underrated and undeservedly unknown horror movie gems.

In case you missed the first five movie recommendations on this list, here's part 1 of this article.

Satanico Pandemonium: La Sexorcista (1975)

Director: Gilberto Martínez Solares

Another Mexican film about catholic repression and sexual awakening, and this one is even more blasphemously offensive than "Alucarda". The title and poster pretty much say it all - "La Sexorcista", yeah. Need we know more?

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cf/Sat%C3%A1nico_pandemonium.jpg

So the subject and message are quite obvious here. No, we don't need to know more, we know everything we came here for. "Satanico Pandemonium" is a cheap, wild little ride through the fantasies and fears of girls in puberty and their mothers, where curiosity and lust clash with protection and belief in the most blunt ways possible. There's an undeniable stylistic quality to the movie, with its beautiful main actress, the convent setting and nun dresses, and plenty of iconic, allegorical scenes, all of which makes "Satanico Pandemonium" a very well watchable low-budget shocker.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070636/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sat%C3%A1nico_pandemonium

 

Freaks (1932)

Director: Tod Browning

If you're into horror cinema history you certainly know this one, but if you're the casual online-streaming horror fan you probably don't. While Karloff's "Frankenstein" and Lugosi's "Dracula" have survived in various cinematic reincarnations, "Freaks" has completely dropped out of the public eye. It never became a franchise, or a household name, it didn't win any awards, in fact it caused serious outrage and was downright rejected upon first release, it cost director Tod Browning his job, it got banned for decades, and it never got remade or re-imagined or re-whatever since.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Freaks_%281932%29_original_one-sheet.jpg

It even doesn't fully qualify as a horror film, but don't worry, this one is gonna crawl under your skin like very few others do. Have you ever seen a limbless man light a match? "Freaks" is deeply humane, but also highly challenging. Watch it, and you will find out how challenging - and horrifying - a black-and-white film from 1932 can be. "Freaks" is the "Cannibal Holocaust" of its time. It's exploitative, gut-wrenching, disturbing and beautiful all at the same time. The message is simple, and when it arrives, it does so in big, bold letters.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022913/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freaks_(1932_film)

Non si deve profanare il sonno dei morti (1974)

a.k.a. The Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue / Let sleeping corpses lie

Director: Jorge Grau

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/77/Do_Not_Speak_Ill_of_the_Dead_poster.JPG

If you've been searching for the one George-Romero-style zombie film you haven't seen yet, here it is. This little gem made by an Italian/Spanish team won a couple of prizes at the Sitges Film Festival 1974, is a nice variation of the Romero-esque ideas, is politically correct, and has a couple of innovative ideas in cinematography and direction. And, yeah, the entire zombie thing just works here, for the same reasons it works in Romero's movies: it's actually a decent, well thought-out, and very creepy movie!

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071431/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let_Sleeping_Corpses_Lie_(film)

Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht (1979)

a.k.a. Nosferatu the Vampyre

Director: Werner Herzog

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/95/Nosferatu_Phantom_der_Nacht.jpg

Of course you know German expressionism masterpiece "Nosferatu" from 1922, directed by F. W. Murnau, featuring the incredible Max Schreck as the vampire - still one of the creepiest movies ever made. But did you know there's a remake that's pretty much on par with the original? Yes, it's "Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht" by Werner Herzog, featuring legendary actor Klaus Kinski as the vampire. Herzog plus Kinski alone would make this movie a must-see classic, but there's more: Isabelle Adjani plays Lucy Harker, and Bruno Ganz plays Jonathan Harker. Now that's a lot of high-quality personnel here, and it shows in the movie. Of course it's very different to the 1922 version, but then it's also very similar in terms of atmosphere and creepiness.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079641/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nosferatu_the_Vampyre

4 Mosche di Velluto Grigio (1971)

a.k.a. Four Flies on Grey Velvet

Director: Dario Argento

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5e/Quattro_mosche.jpg

Argento's first horror film, the awesome "4 Mosche di Velluto Grigio" from 1971, was a big success when it was first released, but today is completely overshadowed by his later efforts like "Profondo Rosso" (1975), "Suspiria" (1977), and "Tenebrae" (1982). "4 Mosche..." is a classic giallo, certainly one of the best ever made, packed with mystery, horror, and nail-biting suspense. The story takes place in artist circles, which gives the movie quite a unique feel - if you're a jazz musician, you'll find some of the scenes especially appealing. Set design, lighting, cinematography and music create an incredible atmosphere, and then there's this genius script that almost physically pulls you into the story, and gives you sweaty palms... "4 Mosche..." is the kind of movie that gives you serious goosebumps long after it's over. And, by the way, Bud Spencer is in it.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066735/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Flies_on_Grey_Velvet

 

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Thanks for reading!

Click here for part 1 of this article, five films more!

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This article has a follow up:

Another Top 10 horror films you've never heard about

Top 10 Horror films you've never heard about (1/2)

Some movies make it big, some don't - and some just get lost along the way, but deserve to be much bigger than they are.

Horror movies are a special kind of movies. They're more or less obscure by definition, as they deal with the uncomfortable side of our psyche. But this inherent obscurity opens the doors to the bizarre, the extreme, and the experimental, creating movies that do not attract the masses, but in some cases are brilliant, sometimes unique, little or not-so-little pieces of work with qualities unseen in any other genres. Some of these films never reach a wider audience due to their unusual content or style - others just get forgotten, overshadowed by bigger productions, or washed away by the flood of output from the film industry.

Whatever the reason, some unknown horror movies have spectacular camera work, plot twists you cannot forget, outstanding acting, or just insane amounts of gore, pure outrageousness, breaking your last taboos, and need to be seen for exactly these qualities.

In no particular order, here are five (=part one, link to part 2 at end of article) out of ten lesser known horror movies you should not miss:

I corpi presentano tracce di violenza carnale / Torso (1973)

Director: Sergio Martino

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4f/I-corpi-presentano-tracce-di-violenza-carnale-italian-movie-poster-md.jpg

Aah, good old 1970s gialli. You've probably seen the brilliant Dario Argento ones, but you might not have heard of this one. As with every giallo, it's a twisted story involving murder, and beautiful girls. This time, a scarf and a mirror are the keys to stop the killer. But beware, there's a lot more going on in between, and some of the visuals will probably stay with you for a long time. Awesome camera work and settings, a script that would make Alfred Hitchcock proud, Suze Kendall, and when a saw is involved things get really ugly... - "I corpi presentano..." has everything, from sleazy nude scenes, to hair-raising suspense and violence. This is serious sex & crime cinema from Italy at its very best.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069920/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torso_(1973_film)

Tesis (1996)

Director: Alejandro Amenábar

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/17/Tesis1996.jpg

"Tesis" is a clever film, but it doesn't come across as overly intellectual. Its subjects - questions about media and responsibility, cinema's relation to its audience, and the voyeuristic motivation inside of us - are nicely interwoven with a sensitive, totally non-soap love story, and an intense, suspenseful, scarily realistic thriller. On top of that it has a couple of nicely surprising ideas in direction, making it one of those rare little low-budget gems that are highly capitvating in both form and function. "Tesis" is not a pure horror film, but it easily fits the horror department. There is not much gore here, but with its serious approach, and ugly subject (you can make a guess from the poster), it's certainly still not for the squeamish. High tension!

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117883/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesis

Alucarda (1977)

Director: Juan López Moctezuma

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d5/Alucardaposter.jpg

So you thought the Italians had nailed the catholicism thing the darkest possible ways in cinema. Well, you're wrong, the Mexicans did. One of them is director J. L. Moctezuma, his "Alucarda" just oozes guilt, sexual repression, and blasphemy. The imagery ranges from dreamy to nightmarish, it'll almost make you forget the story is more or less set in the present day.

Actress Tina Romero plays the title character with passion and conviction, the setting couldn't be more medieval, the age of enlightenment seems to have never happened in "Alucarda". Just like the movie poster, the entire film is a bold, relentless vision of the dark ages, with an ultimately simplistic story, but one that many will be able to relate to. It doesn't go into the psychological details of each of its characters, but the result speaks for itself: pain, blood, fire, sex, and the Devil. "Alucarda" is a dangerous, evil, and sad, fairy-tale for grown ups, that might shake your beliefs. Or just give you excellent nightmares with it's surreal images.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075666/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alucarda

Messiah of Evil (1973)

Directors: Willard Huyck, Gloria Katz

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/34/Messiahevilmargreer.jpg

The entire "Messiah of Evil" is almost literally a nightmare, in the best possible sense. This movie is a weird beast, somewhere between modern art, and a zombie movie, but without zombies. There's an artistic beauty between the lines, it's clearly a labour of love, but also feels disjointed and plain hellish, and is probably intended to be like that. At no point in the movie you'll feel safe, it eliminates the classic roles a viewer will identify with, and the classic way of telling a story that evolves towards some conclusion. Rather it sucks you in, deeper and deeper, not knowing where this will lead to, a nightmare that's not supposed to end quickly... "Messiah of Evil" is a true one-of-a-kind low budget masterpiece that defies classification, has tons of atmosphere, and some really disturbing scenes. The Messiah comes to town. Be strong, bear up. You have been warned.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071396/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messiah_of_Evil

Le notti del terrore / Burial Ground: The Nights of Terror (1981)

Director: Andrea Bianchi

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/86/Burial-ground.jpg

"Le notti del terrore" is a bit like "Hell of the Living Dead" on LSD - a must-see for low budget zombie movie geeks, it's certainly the most outrageous of the Romero-style ripoffs. It also draws some elements from Lucio Fulci's work, and even the gothic horror line of ideas, but ultimately it sits somewhere in-between, with added hints of the base motives sometimes seen in cannibal or nazisploitation movies. Cheap thrills, cheap sets, (very) uncomfortable love scenes, lots of gore and guts, slow zombies, even slower victims, all put into slightly surreal images and delivered in diffuse rhythm - "Le notti..." is a weird experience. It's a bad movie, but it has some stylistic qualities, intended or not, and gets some of the creepy atmosphere just right. But most of all it's just bizarre, sometimes disturbing. It's one of those movies that just aren't for everyone. But for those who are into the lows of humanity, it's a feast.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081248/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burial_Ground_(film)

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Click here for part 2 of this article, five films more!

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This article has a follow up:

Another Top 10 horror films you've never heard about

Best outbreak movies to watch during COVID-19

What do you do when you're done with your home office work the best you can, have cleaned the entire house for the third time today, have checked the latest numbers on COVID-19 spread, and properly washed your hands (again!)? Watch a proper movie!

COVID-19 currently has pretty much the whole world in its grip. Many countries have restricted public life, to varying degrees, but one thing is very common these days: a huge number of people need to stay at home. A lot. This of course sets some limitations on how people can spend their day - and as we all know, movies are a great way to kill large amounts of time, and keep your head occupied when there's really not much else to do.

Here are some recommendations for chilling, sometimes outrageous or shocking, and entertaining movies that will certainly NOT get your mind off the current situation:

The Crazies (1973)

Director: George A. Romero

George A. Romero was a brilliant observer of human psychology and social dynamics, no surprise you'll find a couple of his films on this list. A virus outbreak pushes a community to its limits - it theatens the very nature of living together. Romero's "The Crazies" is a bold attempt to picture the catastrophe on many levels. It's a low budget movie, and it has its flaws, but nontheless it's a fascinating and chilling look at how society disintegrates when individual survival collides with social requirements.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyHyp7hmmsA

> Streaming Kino: Watch "The Crazies" (1973) full movie for free

Outbreak (1995)

Director: Wolfgang Petersen

An outbreak movie with Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, and Morgan Freeman, directed by the guy who made "Das Boot" and "In the Line of Fire"? You certainly can't go wrong with this one. "Outbreak" is a big budget, full scale Hollywood production, it's to outbreak movies what "Saving Private Ryan" is to WWII movies. It might not be as realistic as "Saving Private Ryan" in every aspect, but if it happens that way, that's how it's gonna look and feel. The race to find the host of the virus, and save a town and its people from destruction will make you hold your breath until the end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5povsMKfT4

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outbreak_(film)

Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Director: George A. Romero

The king and queen of all outbreak movies is Romero's "Dawn of the Dead". Never before, and never again, has the social apocalypse been dissected that precisely and spectacularly. This is the virus taken to the extreme, humankind on the brink of extinction, death is everywhere, and it's spreading, fast. What will you do? Will you run? Will you shoot? Will you dig in? Why will you do so, and why will you succeed, or fail? A pop-art masterpiece, "Dawn of the Dead" is the best outbreak movie and best zombie movie ever - in bright colors, with iconic characters, and some of the most memorable images ever put on film, it explores the roots and branches of social interaction under exceptional circumstances. And it's a hugely exciting movie to watch, it's fast, atmospheric, touching, gory, funny, sad, visionary, and what not else. You must not miss this one.

A note on the many different cuts of the film: get the "US theatrical" or "Euro-Cut/Argento" version, or just watch both. Avoid the "extra long"/"Langfassung"/Oliver Krekel "Ultimate-Final-Cut"/FSK16 cuts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_EviQj5tvA

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawn_of_the_Dead_(1978_film)

The Crazies (2010)

Director: Breck Eisner

"The Crazies", again? Yes, it's a remake - and, yes, it's a good one! George A. Romero's cult classic got a new treatment in 2010, and they nailed it. It's different from the original, very different, but the mood is completely there - and then some. Everything is bigger, more polished, more stylized - but it still feels right. So what happens when the TRIXIE virus spreads, and people meet the "crazies"? Well, things don't look too good, in fact they look dead serious and horrific.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7w9uWFIMBs

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Crazies_(2010_film)

The Andromeda Strain (1971)

Director: Robert Wise

Based on Michael Crichton's book of the same name, "The Andromeda Strain" borders on a horror movie, with it's sometimes surreal, always stylized images. At each instant you expect a giant bug to leap into frame and eat someone. Yes, it's a creepy movie, but there are no giant bugs. Rather it's a fascinating, detailed look at the methodology and mindset of a set of scientists. The horror crawls up from inside of you, realizing the lengths and dangers involved in the process of examining the alien substance, and trying to uncover the mystery of "The Andromeda Strain".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmGK95ueF7c

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Andromeda_Strain_(film)

Shivers (1975)

a.k.a. "They came from within", "The Parasite Murders" - Director: David Cronenberg

"Shivers" is a weirdly dark, claustophobic, creepy movie, and a clever one, too. David Cronenberg has never failed to create an oddly believable and intellectually stimulating setting for his ideas, and "Shivers" is no exception. Sexually charged infected roam the streets. Think about it, the concept might sound absurd on first thought, but then - heck, it's an intriguing idea, assuming THAT's where the infection strikes, people driven mad by the need to reproduce. Anyway, watch it. It's a kind of low-fi movie, the sober tone only David Cronenberg is capable of creating, as he would later do in "Rabid" and "The Brood" and pretty much all of his movies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6B4oZhFaFI

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shivers_(1975_film)

Ebola Syndrome (1996)

Director: Herman Yau

Now this one is really hard to stomach. The trailer doesn't do it justice at all. Trust me, tastelessness has never been written in such bold letters. If "Ebola Syndrome" won't make you choke with hysterical laughter and repulsion at the same time, I don't know what will. Among all the mayhem, there's a simplistic, but decent story that has the potential to make you think, but ultimately it just adds to the insane cynicism. This movie will scare the Devil out of you, by the Beelzebub. COVID-19 is a walk in the park compared to "Ebola Syndrome". Happy Quarantine. You're gonna need it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frsAko2Ab28

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebola_Syndrome

Diary of the Dead (2007)

Director: George A. Romero

It's 2020, people are restricted to their homes due to COVID-19 outbreak. The internet has become the prime source of information. Bloggers and Vloggers start to question and rival offical channels and education. - George A. Romero at it again, he saw it coming, long before it happened. "Diary of the Dead" re-visits the days (or nights) of "Night of the Living Dead", the early days of the outbreak, only in a slighly updated setting: We're not experiencing the apocalypse first hand, but second hand, through the eyes of digital social media. "Diary..." is overshadowed by its predecessors, but it will be recognized as a prophetic vision, and a milestone, just like "Night..." would be, many years after being released.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEvN2erclUU

https://myspace.com/diaryofthedead

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diary_of_the_Dead

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Thanks for reading!

What do you think? Which are your favourite outbreak movies?

The best found footage films

The "Blairwitch Project" (1999) made found footage movies a worldwide phenomenon. Before that, a couple of films had chosen to present a fictional storyline in documentary or first person view realism, but the enormous success of the "Blair Witch Project" started an ongoing wave of titles that intend to copy or reinvent the format.