The French Extremity movement, a fairly recent stylish sub-genre that pushes envelopes further than perhaps some might have wished to have gone, arose around the same time as when we in America were getting a glut of “torture porn” films, Paranormal clones, and remakes or reboots of some of our most beloved films.
While we were getting those, The French Extremity was in full swing. What we couldn’t get here, we could get from this movement, and I, for one, at that time was searching deeply for anything that would push those envelopes. If you are in the mood for something extreme, then keep on reading because I have chosen ten films from this movement that I recommend you check out if you haven’t already; and if you have, why not give them another viewing?
Frontier(s) (2007)
Starring: Aurelien Wiik, Samuel Le Bihan, Estelle Lefebure, Karina Testa, David Saracino, Chems Dahmani, and Maud Forget.
Directed By: Xavier Gens
Frontier(s) tells the story of a group of thieves who are on the run during the aftershocks of a political election in Paris. I have found that this film for the most part is quite divisive among genre fans; I have met just as many people who hate this film as those that love it. What I find interesting is that when you ask them why they feel the way that they do about it, they both pretty much have the same answer: It is incredibly violent! If you are in the mood for some torture porn with your dose of French cinema, then we may have found the film for you. I absolutely love this film and fall into the “love it” camp for the visceral violence that it depicts. This film truly is a shocking experience if you have not seen anything like it before, but for the bulk of us I feel like it is safe to assume that we are fairly initiated in the modern sense that we need more gore because we are just too desensitized to it all. However, even though there are only so many times that we can see the same things over and over, I feel like this film is the exception to that. If you have any interest at all in seeing Frontier(s), do not hesitate any longer!
Haute Tension (2003)
Starring: Cecile De France, Maiwenn, Phillippe Nahon, Franck Khalfoun, Oana Pellea, Marco Claudiu Pascu, Jen-Claude de Goros, and Bogdan Uritescu.
Directed By: Alexandre Aja
Haute Tension tells the story of two friends, Alex and Marie, who are on their way to stay at Alex’s parents’ house for the weekend to study. On the night that they arrive, however, a serial killer attacks the family and takes Alex with him. The film then follows Marie as she takes chase and tries to save her friend. All in all this film is a great foreign slasher flick but the ending is a bit off and it feels like it was just thrown on as a way to try to trick the audience. I feel like it is important to mention that a lot of people feel as though the filmmakers attached the ending that they did to deter any legal action due to immense similarities between this film and a novel by best-selling author Dean Koontz entitled Intensity. I cannot say for sure yet my personal opinion as a whole, but I am currently reading Intensity, and the similarities are definitely there. If you have seen the film, re-watch it and then read this novel and you can make up your mind as to where your opinion will lay. Haute Tension, though, is still a highly entertaining film and is full of nasty, violent bits that will keep your bloodlust satiated- strongly recommended!
Inside (2007)
Starring: Alysson Paradis, Jean-Baptiste Tabourin, Claude Lule, Dominique Frot, Nathalie Roussel, Francois-Regis Marchasson, and Beatrice Dalle.
Directed By: Alexandre Bustillo, and Julien Maury
Inside is a thoroughly loved film, and I am quite sure that many, if not all, of you have seen this gem! For those of you who haven’t, though, the film is centered around a pregnant woman who recently became a widow as she struggles against a strange woman who is desperately trying to get her unborn baby. It is intense and definitely deserves to be put on this list! This film, much like so many other greats, succeeds in my opinion on the simplicity of the premise- a pregnant woman is trapped in her own home with a strange woman who wants her baby. The film is not over-complicated and doesn’t drag on and on. It gets to point, and when it goes, it goes! This film is a must-see, not just for foreign horror fans, but for film fans altogether!
Martyrs (2008)
Starring: Morjana Alaoui, Mylene Jampanoi, Catherine Begin, Robert Toupin, Patricia Tulasne, Juliette Gosselin, Xavier Dolan, and Jean-Marie Moncelet.
Directed By: Pascal Laugier
This is another film that has been deeply loved by the horror community. Martyrs is the story of a young woman who seeks revenge against some people who kidnapped and tortured her as a child, leading her and a friend who was also abused as a child on an intense trip that is full of depravity. This film is fairly hard to watch, but I feel like it has earned the love that is has acquired. With the current state of where horror is at this time, I honestly feel that if horror is going to do what it is supposed to do – you know, horrify us – then we need more films like this. There is a very nice blend of different sub-genres peppered into the film so that it plays like something we haven’t seen before even though we have time and time again! There is an American reboot for this film, but I have yet to see it so I cannot honestly comment on it. Just be sure to see the original, though, because I think that this film right here is a shining example of what horror – true horror – is all about!
Livid (2011)
Starring: Chloe Coulloud, Felix Moati, Jeremy Kapone, Catherine Jacob, Beatrice Dalle, Chloe Marcq, Marie-Claude Pietragalla, and loic Berthezene.
Directed By: Alexandre Bustillo, and Julien Maury.
Livid is the follow-up to Bustillo and Maury’s abovmentioned Inside. The film has been compared to the works of directors Guillermo del Toro and Dario Argento but has also had its share of negative reviews. Parts are just silly, but the film is entertaining if this is something that you are in the mood for. Livid follows a young woman named Lucy on her first day in training as an in-home caregiver; she visits Mrs. Jessel, an old woman who is in a cerebral coma all alone in her large house. Lucy learns that Mrs. Jessel is a former dance teacher and supposedly possesses treasure somewhere in her home, which Lucy and her friends decide to go on the hunt for, uncovering a series of supernatural events that Lucy was not prepared to face. The film is enjoyable, but as I said, it is something that you would have to be in the mood for. Even so, it earns a recommendation from me!
In My Skin (2002)
Starring: Marina de Van, Laurent Lucas, Lea Drucker, Thibault de Montalembert, Dominique Reymond, Bernard Alane, and Marc Rioufol.
Directed By: Marina de Van
It has been stated that during screenings of In My Skin, people were reportedly walking out of the theaters and couldn’t handle the imagery. I can understand why; in this day and age we are all so used to seeing people tortured and mutilated, but not very often does this mutilation come in the form of self-mutilation. Sure, this has been depicted in various films before, but it doesn’t happen very often, and more often than not, it’s when a victim is trapped and has to saw his own foot off to escape. In My Skin, however, is slightly more of a drama than a horror film, but it is certainly horrifying nonetheless! The film is definitely thought-provoking and not for the faint of heart.
In Their Sleep (2010)
Starring: Anne Parillaud, Arthur Dupont, Thierry Fremont, Jean-Hugues Anglade, and Leo Moser.
Directed By: Caroline du Potet, and Eric du Potet.
In Their Sleep gives us the story of Sarah and her husband, who have moved to a house in the country. Their son, Loic, is a college student who chafes at the isolation; and shortly after that a tragedy befalls the family. A year later, Sarah is living alone in the house now and is constantly distracted by her grief, leading her to be sent home from her job at the local hospital. On her way home some police officers warn her of burglaries in the area. Sarah gets flagged down by a young man who reminds her of her son, and we learn that he has surprised a burglar at his home and is being chased. Sarah gives him a lift and is being stalked by another vehicle, starting off a night that she won’t soon forget. In Their Sleep is a tense, but fun film. It’s been called disturbing and difficult to watch, but I didn’t find it to be all that disturbing. As a parent I could see some things that were hard to watch, but other than that, I enjoyed the film immensely and recommend it if you’re in the mood for something like this.
Them (2006)
Starring: Olivia Bonamy, Michael Cohen, Adriana Mocca, Maria Roman, Camelia Maxim, Alexandru Boghiu, and Emanuel Stefanuc.
Directed By: David Moreau, and Xavier Palud.
Them is a short, but fun ride that follows Lucas and Clementine, who live in an isolated country house. One night they wake up to strange noises and quickly realize that they are not alone but are being stalked and attacked by a group of attackers who make their night a living hell! Them is another film that is loved by horror fans all over. It came out ten years ago, but I wasn’t aware of the film until about a year ago, and it was exactly what I needed to see at that moment. The film isn’t “extreme” in the sense that its full of gore, but it definitely deserves to be mentioned among the other great French Extremity films. If graphic gore isn’t your kind of thing and you’re seeking out a tight home invasion type thriller, then this may be the one for you!
Mutants (2009)
Starring: Helene de Fougerolles, Dida Diafat, and Francis Renaud.
Directed By: David Morlet
Mutants is a great little zombie flick where a virus has transformed the majority of the population into the titular creatures. We follow Marco and Sonia, a young couple trying to survive while on the run from these mutants, who are headed to the safety of a military base. Unfortunately, Marco becomes infected after being attacked, and now the pregnant Sonia has to deal with this situation. I highly enjoyed this film; it is a take that we have seen time and time again in films that are similar, but something about it was highly enjoyable. If you’re a zombie nut, then you need to seek this one out and add it to your collection; it should be right up your alley!
The Horde (2009)
Starring: Claudia Perron, Jean-Pierre Martins, Eriq Ebouaney, Aurelien Recoing, Doudou Masta, Antoine Oppenheim, and Jo Prestia.
Directed By: Yannick Dahan, and Benjamin Rocher.
The Horde is a film that showcases an end of the world battle with gangsters, cops, and zombies! What more can you ask for? When a detective is found murdered by a gang, four more detectives decide to avenge the death of their fallen comrade. The vigilantes go for bloodshed, executing gang members, but then the tables turn when the watchman arrives and the gang subdues the quartet and begins torturing them. In the middle of all of this, they begin to be attacked by a horde of walking dead; and the gorefest begins! If you are in the mood for a blood-soaked, completely over-the-top zombie flick, then you most definitely need to look into seeking this film out!