Ya gotta admit that this year has been a little lackluster in the horror release department. Sure, we got It Follows, but for every It Follows, it seems like we’re getting five Unfriendeds! Since the pickings are slim in the first half of 2015, I thought I’d put together some of my favorite genre films that may have flown under many of your radars.
I’m sure there are a few on here you have seen, but for the ones you haven’t yet seen or maybe haven’t even heard of, get them on your list!!
Joshua (2006); directed by Travis Betz
Please, please, please pay attention to the director and year this one came out. You don’t wanna end up getting one of the other “Joshua” flicks that are out there (there’s a total of six films with the title Joshua). This version, though, is definitely the most depraved and fucked up of the lot. Done on an estimated budget of $200,000, Joshua tells the story of a serial killer… or does it? There’s so much more going on here. It’s a familiar setup: A guy returns to his hometown to attend a funeral, and once there he must confront his personal demons. But again, there’s so much more going on here. The secret will sicken you and, if you’re a parent, will get under your skin and haunt you long after seeing it. Trust me.
Neighborhood Watch (2005); directed by Graeme Whifler
Wow, this is one twisted flick. Pair together a young, naive couple who move to a new town with a guy whose hobbies include poisoning people and self-surgery, and you get one sick fucking film!! Director Whifler spares us no detail as we see the results of him poisoning the young couple, and you’ll be watching the self-surgery/masturbation scene with your mouth wide open (and if you’re like me, you’ll be watching it a few times). Don’t miss this one.
Bad Biology (2008); directed by Frank Henenlotter
Henenlotter, the director of the three Basket Case films, Brain Damage, and Frankenhooker, came back onto the horror scene with a vengeance!! This is a twisted tale of sexual deformity and one woman’s search for the perfect guy who can keep up with her unique condition. Jennifer (Charlee Danielson) is a woman with 7 clits; Batz (Anthony Sneed) has a monstrous cock with a mind of its own (made monstrous through injecting steroids into it). They are each on their own paths to try to satiate their sexual hungers, and you know it’s gonna be fucked up when they finally meet. Most of this film is simply beyond description and must be seen to be believed. This is a must-see!!
Trailer Park of Terror (2008); directed by Steven Goldmann
Based on the Imperium Comics series of the same name, this is a hugely fun horror flick with great makeup and special effects, a fantastic plot, and a great overall feel. Six high schoolers’ bus crashes, and they make their way to the titular trailer park, where all hell breaks loose. There’s plenty of gore, dark humor, and fun for everyone. There’s also a scene where one of the trailer park residents demonstrates how he makes beef jerky… using another human being. This flick is definitely worth your time.
End of the Line (2007); directed by Maurice Devereaux
I love, love, love this film!! It’s one part old-school slasher, one part killer cult, one part apocalyptic, and a whole bunch of parts fun. The story is brilliant and will keep you on the edge of your seat, and the gore is second to none. Writer-director Devereaux avoids the typical pitfalls of this type of film and really gives the viewer something unique in the end. There are also more than a few “show-stopper” moments, and the ending is fantastic.
Long Pigs (2007); directed by Nathan Hynes & Chris Power
The second indie horror film on my list (the first being Joshua), Long Pigs has the by now familiar setup of a documentary crew following around a cannibalistic serial killer (played brilliantly by Anthony Alviano). What could have easily turned into a spoof of the genre ends up being an extremely insightful examination of a serial killer, his motives, and what makes him tick. Full of great dialogue and gore effects, you’ll be curious how the filmmakers pulled this one off on an estimated budget of $250,000 (Canadian). The scene where the crew takes the killer to interview his first victim’s father… well, it’ll send chills up and down your spine. This is a great film that totally works.
The August Underground Trilogy (2001, 2003, 2007); directed by Fred Vogel
Buckle up your seat belts and be prepared for a barrage of some of the most intense, violent, sadistic, and brutal scenes ever to be put on film… and the camera never flinches or turns away. All the death and torture are right up in your face. Two serial killers grab a video recorder and film their killing spree. That’s the plot. You’ll be disgusted and sickened, but you’ll never forget this trilogy. You’ve been warned.
The Cottage (2008); directed by Paul Andrew Williams
This is another of those mish-mash movies that combine two genres. This time it combines the kidnapping and the slasher genres and does it extremely well. Two guys kidnap the daughter of a mob boss, hoping to get a huge ransom for her. Little did they know she is one of the most foul-mouthed, pain-in-the-ass broads who won’t listen to a word they say. What makes matters worse is they take their victim to a remote location where the only other property around them is a cottage. And just wait until you see what’s waiting for them in that cottage!!
Pontypool (2008); directed by Bruce McDonald
In this film, perhaps the most original take on the zombie genre ever (even though they never use the word “zombie”), the fantastic Stephen McHattie is a shock jock in a remote radio station in Canada. Reports start slowly coming in about some kind of outbreak that’s causing people to become extremely violent and even kill each other. The brilliance here is that the viewer finds out the info the same time McHattie’s character does so we are in the dark just like the other characters are. Just wait till you find out what the cause of the “infection” is. This is one of the smartest horror flicks out there. Don’t miss it.
Mutants (2009); directed by David Morlet
The French put their two cents in on the zombie genre and do it with great results. We follow around a couple as they try to contact the military in the “safe zone” to be rescued, but things don’t go exactly as planned. We get to see one of the couple bitten and slowly change into a “mutant.” There are some great performances and special effects, and the filmmakers really make this feel like a unique film.
Vinyan (2008); directed by Fabrice Du Welz
This is one of those films that will crawl deep under your skin and stay there for a long time. Here we follow a couple as they search for their son, who they thought died in a tsunami that hit many years ago. But while watching a documentary on the area, the wife believes she sees her son in the background. What follows is a nightmarish descent into the Thai-Burmese jungles. Vinyan isn’t very gory, but it will stay with you for a long time as we watch the couple’s sadness and guilt tear them and their sanity apart.
Vindication (2006); directed by Bart Mastronardi
Another indie horror flick that took a long time to get completed… but damn, it was worth the wait. This is more of a psychological horror flick as we follow a young man who’s having a really horrible life. One day he finally just gives up and commits suicide, but he can’t even do that right. He survives, but his failed suicide attempt results in his guilt becoming real and manifesting in the world. This might be labeled a psychological horror film, but Mastronardi gives us a lot of truly terrifying images and some really fun gore. I love everything about this film.
Sweatshop (2009); directed by Stacy Davidson
Wow, I have a lot of indie horror films on my list. I saw Sweatshop at 2010’s Texas Frightmare Weekend, and it absolutely stole the entire show. This is one gory (very gory) ride as we follow around a group of 20-somethings as they prepare a (supposedly) abandoned warehouse for a rave. But we all know it’s not abandoned; in fact, it houses a fucking maniac whose weapon is a huge steel pipe connected to a gigantic fucking anvil, and damn if he doesn’t use that thing often!! This is a really fun slasher flick full of drugs, sex, titties, and lots and lots of gore. Seriously, there’s a lot of gore.
Which of these have you seen? What did I leave off my list? Sound off below!!