British Horror Films
British Horror Films
The Brits have had a major impact on the film industry dating all the way back to the Hyde Park inventor who developed the first moving pictures on celluloid. And things have only gotten better from there, with our pals across the pond giving us such cinematic geniuses as Alfred Hitchcock, Charlie Chaplin, David Lean, Ridley Scott, and Michael Powell.
They’ve also contributed their fair share in the realm of nightmares, with British horror films offering up everything from high-minded psychological terror to cheeky zombie spoofs. While far from comprehensive, the following list details a few of my favorite horror movies from Britain.
Feel free to offer your own suggestions in the comments section. After all, that’s what it’s there for, guv’ner.
- The Wicker Man (1973) - Whatever you do, skip the awful 2006 remake starring Nicolas Cage. Instead, catch the original version featuring Edward Woodward as an uptight police officer investigating the disappearance of a young girl on an isolated island filled with pagans. Once described as “the Citizen Kane of horror movies,” the film co-stars Christopher Lee as the wild-haired leader of the island. There’s plenty of naked flesh to be ogled, including the lovely Britt Ekland. But Woodward is the real star of the show, stomping about the island and voicing his disapproval at the decidedly un-Christian behavior of the locals. Only when it’s too late does he realize what’s really amiss, and his cry to the heavens is one of the most powerful and genuine moments in horror movie history.
- 28 Days Later (2002) - Zombie movies made a major comeback in the early 2000’s, and this Danny Boyle film played a large part in the resurgence (even though it‘s not technically a zombie movie). Cillian Murphy stars as a bicycle messenger who wakes from a coma to find the streets of London abandoned. The cause: a potent virus that makes its victims into nothing more than raging killers. Fleeing for his life, our hero bands together with fellow survivors (including Naomi Harris and Brendan Gleeson) and sets off in search of the source of a military broadcast promising safety amidst the carnage. Mixing a powerful score with bloody action and moments of humanizing characterization, 28 Days Later is a cut above.
- Peeping Tom (1960) - Now considered a masterpiece of British cinema, Peeping Tom was initially met with a critical and fan backlash that destroyed director Michael Powell’s career in the United Kingdom. Carl Boehm stars as Mark Lewis, a disturbed young man who murders women and films their final moments. To make his home movies even more powerful, he mounts a mirror on top of his camera so the subjects of his snuff project can watch the life drain from their punctured bodies. Audiences were outraged by this voyeuristic approach to filmmaking, but Peeping Tom would set the stage for later first-person horror masterpieces such as Halloween and Black Christmas.
- Dog Soldiers (2002) - Have you ever wondered who would win if well-armed UK soldiers butted heads with a pack of werewolves? Wonder no more, as this Neil Marshall film presents the smackdown in all its bloody glory. The fine cast includes Kevin McKidd, Sean Pertwee, Liam Cunningham, and Emma Cleasby.
- Shaun of the Dead (2004) - Director Edgar Wright helped revitalize the zombie genre with his irreverent tale of Brits trying to survive an undead apocalypse and enjoy a few pints of beer in the process. Simon Pegg gained international attention as the likable Shaun, a guy trying to win back his girlfriend while simultaneously keeping her from being devoured. A number of UK comics and TV stars make appearances, including Dylan Moran, Nick Frost, Lucy Davis, Julia Deakin, Reece Shearsmith, and Matt Lucas. Wright’s frantic camerawork careens from one hilarious scene to the next, and hardcore zombie fans will appreciate a script loaded with tributes to past genre classics.
- Repulsion (1965) - The first film shot in English by director Roman Polanski, Repulsion spins the tale of Carol (Catherine Deneuve), a London-based manicurist with an intense fear of men. When her sister and roommate leaves on holiday, Carol’s fears spiral out of control and result in unpleasant ends for members of the male gender. Shot in black and white, Repulsion features some of the most intense and disturbing dream sequences ever captured on film.
- An American Werewolf in London (1981) - A British-American production directed by John Landis, An American Werewolf in London was a precursor to the present-day films mixing dark comedy with generous amounts of gore. David Naughton stars as David Kessler, an American student who’s attacked while backpacking across the English moors with his pal, Jack Goodman (Griffin Dunne). His buddy is killed outright, and David later learns that his attacker was actually a werewolf. Shacking up with a pretty nurse he meets (Jenny Agutter), David copes with horrific nightmares as the full moon prepares to rise. Rick Baker’s makeup work changed the face of cinematic special effects, and the script is as razor-sharp as you’ll find. This one gets my highest recommendation.
- Witchfinder General (1968) - Renamed The Conqueror Worm for release in the United States, this Michael Reeves film stars the legendary Vincent Price in one of his most memorable screen roles. He plays Matthew Hopkins a real-life 17th century witchhunter who descends on one European village after another, bringing nothing but superstition, cruelty, and sexual debasement. But when he brutalizes the lover of an English soldier (Ian Ogilvy), Hopkins soon finds that he’s the one being hunted. Considered unusually sadistic for its time, the film was met with controversy and censorship issues upon its release. It has endured, however, influencing subsequent generations of film and gaining a certain level of popularity with musicians such as Rob Zombie.
- Dracula (1958) - No list of British horror films would be complete without a Hammer production starring Christopher Lee as the bloodsucking nobleman from Transylvania. This happens to be the first in the series, and it roughly follows the plotline set forth in the Bram Stoker novel. Peter Cushing co-stars as the heroic Doctor Van Helsing, and Melissa Stribling is the victimized Mina. Lee steals the show, however, giving Dracula a kind of erotic sensuality previously unseen on the big screen.
As you can see, Great Britain has far more to offer than just Monty Python, Benny Hill, and David Beckham. In fact, the excellent British horror films listed above should serve as a springboard to a whole host of other frightful UK motion pictures.
This entry was posted on Friday, March 4th, 2011 at 8:16 am and is filed under Horror Movies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.