The Most Haunting, Nightmarish Film Ever Made is Now Free to Stream
A former Dread Central writer, Matt Serafini, once penned the idea of the “nightmare” film. The idea is a horror movie whose ethos is so psychedelic and dream-like, they both defy reality yet feel firmly planted in it, much like how a nightmare feels real, at least as long as you’re asleep. It’s a nebulous atmosphere that’s hard to explain, and I think it’s best conceptualized by the movies that achieve that feeling. Think It Follows or Carnival of Souls as two examples on opposite ends of the horror spectrum, and you’ll hopefully get an idea of what Serafini was outlining.
It’s arguably one of my favorite horror evocations. I don’t own and regularly rewatch J.S. Cardone’s The Slayer for nothing. Once you really think about it, everything from Don’t Look Now to Hour of the Wolf will make sense. Probably the preeminent example is Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz’s Messiah of Evil. It’s subjective, sure, but I don’t think any film gets nightmares, or feels quite as nightmarish, as this haunting classic. To see for yourself, why not check out Messiah of Evil, now streaming free on Tubi?
Per Tubi: After receiving unsettling letters from her artist father, a woman travels to a seaside California town to find it governed by a strange, undead cult.
Messiah of Evil is surreal and incomprehensible, and that’s largely the point. Katz and Huyck would later shift into more mainstream territory, scripting films like American Graffiti and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and later helming Howard the Duck of all things. Yet, among their diverse filmography, Messiah of Evil ranks at the top for me.
Writing about the film in 2020, contributor Michael Gursky shared, “This surreal, coastal-set tale of the undead isn’t merely underrated, it’s perhaps the most criminally underseen 70s horror in existence,” later adding how Messiah of Evil is “among the best atmospheric horrors of all time.” It’s a personal favorite of mine, a surrealist odyssey into the undead, cults, and coastal mysteries. Messiah of Evil is so distinctly ‘70s, culling from the best Italian horror movies for a sumptuous, visual feast. It’s so underrated, and absolutely needs to make its way to the top of your list. It’s a bad dream you’ll never want to wake up from.
What do you think? Any plans to check out the film streaming for free on Tubi? Are you a fan of Messiah of Evil? If you’ve never checked it out before, I want to hear your first-time watch thoughts over on @Chadiscollins.
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