10 Modern Horror Films with Awesome Practical Effects Part 2
Matt Molgaard
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V/H/S/2: The best of the franchise, V/H/S/2 showed improvements in screenwriting, technical camera techniques, and concepts in general. It’s an eclectic blend of shorts, and just about every single one proves to be more entertaining than the films featured in V/H/S and – especially – V/H/S Viral. The greatest part of the entire anthology, however, is the consistently impressive special effects. From severed eyeballs to the nastiest bike ride conceivable to true mass carnage, this one considers no territory too taboo; and the visual style of the picture echoes that. This is a damn disturbing film that definitely deserves its place on this list.
Planet Terror: Planet Terror is quite the disgusting film. Especially for a flick that earned a fairly wide theatrical release. In stark contrast to its Grindhouse co-feature, Death Proof, the film leans on insane visuals and a frenetic pace rather than glorious monologues and slow-burn tension. Together they make for a fantastic pairing, but if you’re out for a quick thrill with insane practical effects, there’s no need to tune in to Death Proof. Planet Terror has all the grim visuals one could ask for. From enormous festering boils to melting genitals, this is an insane joy ride of nauseating visuals.
Clown: In some ways, the practical effects in Clown are extremely subtle, and in some ways they’re not. The transformation that Kent undergoes feels very gradual, but when you really take in the final appearance of the man, and the wrath of all things clown, it’s pretty fucking gruesome. In fact, it could be called stunning. There are no punches pulled throughout the production’s runtime, and there is no one on the sidelines waiting to apologize for a devastatingly blunt and damaging feature. The movie shocks, but it isn’t completely without respect to the audience, which comes as a startling surprise.
