Berlin Syndrome
If you're in the market for horror film recommendations to get into the Halloween spirit, I'm your girl.
Beyond the Gates (Netflix)
While browsing through my local video store as a kid, I was obsessed by the amazing VHS cover art in the horror section. This method of choosing titles introduced me to some of my favorite movies:
The Gate,
Phenomena, and
Halloween, for starters.
Beyond the Gates is a throwback to that time period of a certain lovingly visceral artistic style. Two brothers discover a VCR board game (yes, those existed) they have to play in order to save their father's soul. The pink and purple lighting alongside comical gore transport you back into the nostalgia of Eighties horror. Essentially, it's
Jumanji meets old-school horror effects complete with a killer synth score and starring Barbara Fucking Crampton.
Black Sabbath (Shudder)
Also known as
The Three Faces of Fear, this 1963 horror film is a low-budget anthology directed by Mario Bava. A certain heavy metal band appropriated their name from this film, and if that doesn't pique your interest, I don't know what will.
Boys in the Trees (Netflix)
Damn, this Australian film gave me all the feels. It's an emotionally poignant story anchored on friendship lost and growing up as an outsider. The narrative is creepy yet cathartic, which pairs perfectly with the highly stylized and dreamlike cinematography. Writer/director Nicholas Verso created a beautiful tale mixing juvenile antics on Halloween night as well as paying homage to Ray Bradbury's novel
The Halloween Tree and the folklore of the holiday itself.
Berlin Syndrome (Netflix)
Give me all the ghosts, werewolves, and witches because, frankly, realistic horror freaks me the
fuck out. This film is so cringe-inducing and disturbing in its plausibility, I could barely stand it. However, it was refreshing to watch a film tackling the whole "independent girl travels abroad only to get kidnapped" paradigm through the eyes of female director Cate Shortland. This twist on Stockholm syndrome provides a singular serving of tension and suspense that will haunt you long after the credits roll.
