I thought it might be a good idea to have a thread where we can recommend horror movies that are a little bit obscure and that other members might not have seen. I say horror, but personally I don't differentiate between horror/thriller/suspense or anything like that - as long as it gives me a good fright, I'm happy!
With that in mind, my first recommendation would be Spoorloos, a really wonderful Dutch/French film from 1988. It is about a man whose finance is abducted from right under his nose one day (they are at a busy motorway service station, she goes off to pick up a few things from the shop, and... vanishes). When he finally realises that she is gone, he is frantic, running all over the place, causing a fuss, calling the police, etc - but all to no avail.
Fast-forward a few years, and he is slowly rebuilding his life after this awful tragedy when he suddenly starts to receive cryptic letters from somebody who claims to be her abductor. This is when the story of the film really begins.
I honestly cannot praise this film enough! There is nothing silly or over the top about it - no car chases or unrealistic rescue missions or anything like that. It is more of a realistic adult drama about a man who is being played with by a psychopath (not a "movie" psychopath, but a believable narcissistic human being), wrapped around a fascinating mystery. The mystery gets solved slowly, step by step, and the ratcheting-up of suspense is SO well done - once you start to watch, you won't be able to switch it off until you have followed the journey through to its end!
This film reminds me why I love French cinema. Their use of silence is wonderful and creates so much dramatic tension (in direct contrast to the "bombard the audience with noise and movement every single second" of most films); their dialogues are realistic and understated. In other words, they treat their audience like intelligent adults, and their films are all the better for it.
The wikipedia page is here - but please don't spoil it for yourself by reading the ending!
The Vanishing (1988 film) - Wikipedia
I would love to hear everyone else's recommendations for films that are slightly "off the radar", and will give you a good old scare!
Much love,
Hol
With that in mind, my first recommendation would be Spoorloos, a really wonderful Dutch/French film from 1988. It is about a man whose finance is abducted from right under his nose one day (they are at a busy motorway service station, she goes off to pick up a few things from the shop, and... vanishes). When he finally realises that she is gone, he is frantic, running all over the place, causing a fuss, calling the police, etc - but all to no avail.
Fast-forward a few years, and he is slowly rebuilding his life after this awful tragedy when he suddenly starts to receive cryptic letters from somebody who claims to be her abductor. This is when the story of the film really begins.
I honestly cannot praise this film enough! There is nothing silly or over the top about it - no car chases or unrealistic rescue missions or anything like that. It is more of a realistic adult drama about a man who is being played with by a psychopath (not a "movie" psychopath, but a believable narcissistic human being), wrapped around a fascinating mystery. The mystery gets solved slowly, step by step, and the ratcheting-up of suspense is SO well done - once you start to watch, you won't be able to switch it off until you have followed the journey through to its end!
This film reminds me why I love French cinema. Their use of silence is wonderful and creates so much dramatic tension (in direct contrast to the "bombard the audience with noise and movement every single second" of most films); their dialogues are realistic and understated. In other words, they treat their audience like intelligent adults, and their films are all the better for it.
The wikipedia page is here - but please don't spoil it for yourself by reading the ending!
The Vanishing (1988 film) - Wikipedia
I would love to hear everyone else's recommendations for films that are slightly "off the radar", and will give you a good old scare!
Much love,
Hol
