French Horror Movies

Each decade has a horror brand that influences other horror films of the time and in the future: Italian horror in the 60's and 70's lead to the American slasher films of the 80's. American grindhouse/drive-in movies of the 70's lead to the indie exploitation and "torture porn" (I prefer "gore-nography") films today. The last fad-slash-craze was Asian Horror, primarily Japanese and Korean: RINGU (remade as "THE RING"), "ONE MISSED CALL," "SHUTTER," "DARK WATER," and "THE EYE." The best J-horror flick was also the best remake, "JU ON" and "THE GRUDGE" respectively. The second best J-horror movie, "TALE OF TWO SISTERS," was remade very well as "THE UNINVITED. The third best, "PULSE," had a remake of its own which should've been re-titled "THEY 2." (The fourth best J-horror flick, "SUICIDE CLUB," was never remade, which isn't surprising as most Asian Horror movies are usually the same - first half of the movie, great; second half, "huh?")

Now comes a new trend, French Horror, but I don't see Hollywood remaking any of these ultraviolent and terminally bleak movies. My first French Horror movie (naming it would give it too much credit) was one of the most overhyped and overrated horror movies I've seen. Shamelessly stealing from the classic Dean Koontz novel Intensity, this wasn't a movie as much as it was an exercise in horror movie mechanics.

Unlike Asian Horror, which wasn't always successful but never uninteresting, I wasn't rushing to see my next French Horror movie. Then, I saw the spooky ghost story, "SAINT ANGE." What came after are four of the best horror films in the past twenty years:

"ILS" (THEM) is creepy and psychologically claustrophobic - a home invasion movie by invaders who are seen as just shadows in the hallway, sounds in the other room, blurs outside. "ILS" is a great companion piece to the underrated "THE STRANGERS," both harrowing home invasion flicks, for different reasons.

"INSIDE" is one of the most gruesome movies ever made. Also a home invasion flick,
"INSIDE," unlike "ILS," is not implied and understated. It is unrelentingly violent, one of the bloodiest movies I've seen. It's also the best horror movie since "THE DESCENT," and one of the best slasher movies.

"FRONTIER(S)" is the French's answer to the America's horror subgenre of locals, usually hillbillies, terrorizing unsuspecting visitors or people "just passing through." Here, the sadistic family is lead by a deranged, creepy grandfather, who's a former Nazi war criminal. Taking more than a few cues from "THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE," "FRONTIER(S)" is intensely suspenseful and gory. The skincrawling twist of a Nazi war criminal leading the clan is brilliant.

"MARTYRS" is haunting, harrowing and ultimately jaw-dropping with its final revelation. It's the most intellectual, in its ideas, of the four, and the most disturbing when its overall purpose is stated.

I've since seen "SHEITAN," which I despised. And I've yet to see "CAVALAIRE." Others are in the pipeline.

While I don't particularly like the unrelenting nihilism of French horror flicks - these movie are as pessimistic and bleak as it gets - I appreciate the fearlessness of the filmmakers and their willingness to try to truly frighten and disturb you.