By Brutal As Hell staff – intro by Ben Bussey
And so it begins: our top 20 movies from the lifetime of Brutal As Hell.
When we decided to mark five years online by compiling a list of our overall favourite films to come out in this time, I always knew it was going to reap some interesting results. Over the days ahead, in four instalments, we will relay this list to you along with some thoughts from those among our team with a particular liking for the film in question – and while there will doubtless be some films you might have expected to see listed, I suspect there are also some inclusions that just might surprise you.
One important thing to note going in: these are not in preferential order. We decided against that almost immediately, as that might imply that these choices were in any way unanimous, which they most definitely weren’t. Indeed, there are those among us who actively dislike some of the films which made the cut (why, there’s a film on this very page which I for one don’t like at all).
But this, I think, is one of the strengths of Brutal As Hell. We don’t toe a party line. We don’t write to reflect the opinions of anyone but ourselves as individuals – and very often we disagree with one another. But we’re united in our devotion to the horror genre, and our commitment to always saying what we think. (Incidentally, Tristan’s recent piece on the most divisive horror films of the last five years lists several which came close but didn’t quite make the cut.)
Of course, sometimes we find that our feelings about certain movies are quite similar – so you may see some similar observations made. What can we say, sometimes great minds just think alike. And ours, too.
Also, the more observant among you may note that we have a couple of films which were actually made prior to 2009, the year BAH went live. This was another point of some discussion, and we came to the conclusion that if the film in question was not widely available (i.e. on DVD or theatrical release) prior to 2009, then it was fair game. In any case, I think all the pre-2009 films listed are ones we would have been remiss to leave out.
Anyway, enough of my yacking. Here comes the first five of our top 20 – once again, in no particular order:
Let the Right One In (2008)
Nia: Let the Right One In is one of those achingly beautiful films that succeeds in being entirely effective rewatch after rewatch. While Tomas Alfredson’s direction is tight – as he proved again with Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy in 2011 – there’s no doubting that the incredible performances of the film’s two young leads make the film what it is. That two then twelve-ish year olds give such mature and complex performances is quite remarkable. Kåre Hedebrant imbues lonely and bullied Oskar with such vulnerability that it’s impossible not to feel a deep sympathy for the twisted child. Lina Leandersson’s performance as Eli is perhaps even more complex – she utterly convinces as a decades-old supernatural killer, and yet retains a degree of youthful innocence still. Eli’s expert manipulation of her ward, Hakan, is as much childish as it is vampiric. The moments in which Oskar and Eli are together are when the film truly soars. The scene in which Eli tells Oskar “Hit back, hard” is one of my favourites in the entire film, and it both demonstrates Alfredson’s directorial skill and the intensity of Hedebrant and Leandersson’s performances. Shot in extreme close-up, and their faces partially obscured, the young actors convey the intimacy of the scene, while Alfredsson deftly and subtly contrasts the two, all the while bringing them closer together. Sublime.
Ben: Mention vampires, and watch eyes roll. Hear the grumbles of “seen it all before.” Wait for someone to invoke the ‘T’ word. Yet not only did Let the Right One In prove that there is indeed still life in the vampire: it also used the archetype to craft easily one of the finest horror movies – indeed, one of the finest movies overall – of our time. Poignant, sensitive and heartfelt without getting slushy, and often surprisingly savage and gruesome without lapsing into cartoonish excess, Tomas Alfredson’s film is the benchmark by which any contemporary horror is measured, should it aim to resonate on a personal, emotional level. (I hear the remake wasn’t bad, but I still haven’t seen it; ultimately, I see no reason to.)
Read Marc’s review and Dustin’s review from 2009.
The House of the Devil (2009)
Steph: This was my first introduction to Ti West and the ‘mumblegore’ sub-genre as it has now been termed, and I was really taken aback by its sheer originality and ambition. For such a young filmmaker West has a singular vision and that is to be admired. It’s important to horror that we have people like West, along with Adam Wingard, E.L. Katz, Simon Barrett et al., who give viewers who don’t want to see the likes of Insidious or yet another Hollywood remake something to get excited about. The House of the Devil has a note perfect period setting, strong performances and it is genuinely creepy, proving that the slow burn is often the most effective way of creating tension, not just a cheap jump scare every ten minutes or so. Young indie filmmakers need to be applauded and supported by the fans, which is why I’m happy to see this film on the list. After this, The Innkeepers and soon The Sacrament, West is on a roll and I’m excited to see what he does next.
Quin: The House of the Devil is a slow and quiet horror film that has the look and feel of something from the late 70s or early 80s. For such a quiet, slow burning film, it uses sound beautifully to enhance the overall effect – whether it be the lack of music in most scenes, or the sound effects and editing. It gets the look of the period right and uses filmmaking techniques from the era, much like The Sleeper – but where that film has the look, it remains pretty shallow. The House of the Devil is much deeper. Ti West is without a doubt my favorite horror director of the last five years, and the acting in the film is flawless – from the newer faces like Jocelin Donahue, Greta Gerwig and A.J. Bowen, to cult favorites Mary Woronov, Tom Noonan and Dee Wallace. This is one of the best films of the last decade as well as one of the best films inspired by Satanic panic ever made. It’s also worth noting, while David Cronenberg’s A History of Violence has the honor of being the last film to get a VHS home video format release, The House of the Devil is available in a VHS/DVD bundle, you know, to enhance the experience. It’s a gimmick that is certainly not needed, but I sort of appreciate it too.
Read Dustin’s review from 2009.
Martyrs (2008)
Nia: My favourite cinematic experience involves watching Martyrs for the very first time. A full house of horror fans, almost all of us, I’m sure, not entirely sure what to expect. I’d known at the time that Martyrs had encountered some controversy on its domestic release in France. No amount of hype could have prepared me for the ensuing 90-ish minutes. The enduring memory, outside of the film, might be the direct aftermath – an audience of hardened horror fans, shuffling out of the cinema in hushed shock. I don’t remember anyone uttering a word until outside the cinema, and even then, I recall one of the few instances in my life where I was literally at a loss for words when someone asked me, ‘what did you think?’ Uniformly the people I spoke to felt a generally pleased sense of shock. In discussions since, I’ve learned that some long-time horror fans I know had been on the verge of walking out of the film – not out of disgust or outrage, but because of the sheer unbearableness of certain sequences. Martyrs is not a film for the faint of heart. It’s barely a film for the normal-of-heart. What starts off as an effective yet relatively standard horror formula becomes a stunningly brutal home invasion scenario, before descending into an existential ordeal in the belly of hell itself, its lofty philosophy made terribly immediate. The devils and monsters and victims of the film are all terrifyingly human, the entire piece coming together as a fable or fairy tale taken to its uttermost extremity. I’ve rewatched the film several times – many people I’ve known have outright said they would never watch the film again, despite being utterly engrossed upon first viewing – and although its initial impact has only very slightly diminished, it nevertheless remains powerful, moving and utterly terrifying.
Steph: Martyrs is a tough film to love; in fact, upon first viewing I wasn’t won over by it at all and was left wondering what all of the fuss was about. However, after revisiting the film on a number of occasions I’ve come to admire it very much, and I think it is perhaps the strongest film in the recent influx of extreme French cinema (Switchblade Romance, Inside, Frontiers etc.) As a woman and a fan of horror and cinema in general I’m often saddened by the lack of strong and interesting female characters, and here we have three of them. Anna and Lucie are both sympathetic, complex characters and the Mademoiselle is easily one of the most despicable bad guys (or ladies) ever committed to film. Obviously not for the faint of heart, Martyrs broke new ground and divided audiences. It proved to be a talking point amongst fans, and love it or loathe it you cannot deny the impact it has had in recent years.
Comix: Wow, what can I even say about this movie? The first time I saw it, I literally had to go outside and walk around just to make sure the world was still spinning. It was like nothing I had ever seen before, an incredibly visceral experience that put you right in the shoes of the girl who is experiencing it. Not only that, but it went beyond a horror movie and almost became philosophical, exploring the true depths of human fear. There was no flinching away at the bloody parts, no questioning what is happening, just simply a “can’t look away” horror film that makes you feel bad for everyone in it. Martyrs is beautiful and depressing all at the same time, like Requiem for a Dream but even more of a bummer. I’ve watched it twice and am too scared to watch it again.
Read Annie’s review from 2009.
REC Trilogy (2007/2009/2012)
Ben: Okay, so technically this trilogy began before Brutal As Hell came online – but I think we’re all agreed that for most if not all of us, it’s by far our favourite horror movie franchise of recent years. Fascinating really, as it takes two of the most overused tropes of the past decade – found footage, and zombies (let’s just call them that to keep it simple) – but manages to use them in such a way that it feels fresh, fun and thrilling, and at times truly scary. I know REC3 divided opinion by ditching found footage and going more comedic, but I loved it perhaps even more than the first two; it’s easily the most enjoyable Evil Dead 2-esque, tongue-in-cheek blood orgy of recent years, and Leticia Dolera’s chainsaw-wielding bride is surely the most iconic horror heroine of the century thus far.
Nia: I first saw REC on a laptop in student digs. Not the ideal way to watch a claustrophobic and frenetic found footage film, maybe, but boy did it get me good. I loved it, bought it, showed it to friends. I saw REC2 in the same manner, a film which managed to freak me out so much that I had to pause at one moment in order to catch my breath. What a joy, to experience a modern horror sequel which is equally as good as the first. The third film I also saw on DVD (on a TV this time, at least), and while the change in style and tone didn’t please everyone, I for one loved every silly second of it. For me then, this is a franchise that hits 3 for 3, Plaza and Balaguero providing scares and entertainment with supreme gusto. The consistent quality of the REC films is reflected in the fact that not only is it the only franchise to have made it into our top 20 (and only one other came anywhere close), but that it ranked so highly among our votes. It also highlights the disparity between found footage done very, very right, and the vast majority of the subgenre which ends up being done so very, very wrong. That the franchise itself hasn’t continued with the found footage device is indicative of thoughtful and talented filmmakers at work, ensuring that the conceit has never outlived its welcome. All this doesn’t half place a lot of pressure on the forthcoming REC4: Apocalypse, but on the strength of the franchise, I’m not too concerned that Balaguero won’t deliver (especially following the excellent Sleep Tight he’s made in the meantime since REC2). I also hope, hope, hope that REC4 is finally a REC film I get to see on the big screen!
Tristan: An admission to start with – I came to the REC films late. Last year in fact. Part of this was my reticence to jump on a bandwagon that everyone else seemed to be gladly clambering on (an extremely self-defeating attitude, especially as popularity often points to quality – although not always!), and part because, even five years ago, I was already getting a little sick of zombies and found footage. What a fool I was. Even after another five years of being bombarded by low budget horror films endlessly recycling the same tired ideas, REC feels fresh and smart, boasting a sly script, note perfect pacing, and, in Manuela Velasco, an engaging protagonist who goes from perky reporter to – well, no spoilers. The first sequel builds upon the basic premise of the original but manages to surprise the audience with various little twists and unexpected moments, and comes off very nearly as enjoyable as the first film. REC3, with a different director, cast and setting, attempted a change of tone for the lighter, and, although it counts other BAH writers amongst its fans, stands nowhere near the greatness of the previous entries for me. Thankfully original director Jaume Balagueró is back on board for the darker climax to the series, REC: Apocalypse, due in 2014.
Read Ben’s 2009 review of REC, Dustin’s 2010 review of REC2, and Nia’s 2012 review of REC3.
Some Guy Who Kills People (2011)
Annie: A splattery serial killer slasher film with a big candy heart, Some Guy Who Kills People is packed with quirk, spilling over with sweetness and brimming with big buckets of bloody guts. It’s everything a horror/comedy should be: funny as fuck, its three-dimensional characters brilliantly portrayed and its violence over the top gross-out perfect. This features one of the last appearances by horror icon Karen Black, although Barry Bostwick just about jerks the entire film out from under everyone as an irreverent sheriff.
Tristan: The horror genre’s dealings with mental illness over the years have generally left a lot to be desired – from the ‘escaped mental patient’ trope, to the sort of things (such as Polanski’s Repulsion) which place us in the downward spiral of madness, we’d be forgiven for thinking poor mental health equated with death and destruction in most instances. For this reason, among others, Some Guy Who Kills People blindsided me. Not only is it a genuinely sweet romantic comedy, it’s also a slasher movie which doesn’t skimp on the gore, features a cracking cast (shouts to Barry Bostwick’s scene-stealing performance, and the late Karen Black proving what a talent was taken from us in 2013), and places a damaged character at the centre of proceedings, treating him with sympathy and respect and making sure the laughs come from the right places. Now we can only live in hope that other film-makers will ease off on using the mentally ill as the bogeyman to frighten us with.
Ben: It’s no secret that a lot of us who get deeply into horror aren’t necessarily the most well-adjusted people. We’re all carrying variable weights of emotional baggage, from which we get some release via these ridiculous little films – but we’re still ordinary people living in the real world. Some Guy Who Kills People speaks to that wounded soul more directly and effectively than pretty much any other film I can think of from recent years, and most importantly it does so with a light heart and an optimistic outlook. And, of course, it’s bursting with hilariously funny dialogue, exemplary performances, and great splatter.
Read Annie and Ben‘s reviews from 2012.
So that’s the first five – read on for part two…