Recent French Horrors

[iluvdvds@Cult Labs]

Besides their stereotypical appetite for snails and berets, a new association with France has begun to emerge. Extreme horror.

Following the huge success of Switchblade Romance, there's been a whole flurry or gross, depressing, disturbing, shockng and plain brutal films emerging from the country often associated with romance. From Martyrs - the film that if you don't scream in horror, you're probably not human - to Xavier Gen's Frontier(s) and his latest The Divide, to zombie epic The Horde and the terrifying Inside.

What do you think of this new movement? What are some of your favourite extreme French horror films?

Share your thoughts here!




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The Divide (cert. 18) is released by Momentum Pictures and will open at selected UK cinemas on 20th April 2012. It will be available on Video On Demand from 30th April 2012 and available to Download and on DVD (£12.99) from 14th May 2012.

[Rhodes]

(possible spoilers ahead)

i've been really enjoying the french horror new wave, some thoughts..

i flat out think martyrs is a bit of a game changer and one of the best horror films there is. it took all the current overused horror conventions, did them better than anything else, and then morphed it all into something that was uniquely disturbing and intelligent and had *gasp* a point to it. top marks.

inside is great fun, beatrice dahl is mad as ever and it's all impressively nasty, but i could do without the cgi and it does all get a bit 'how much blood can we spray onto a white surface next?' at times. still great fun though.

(french-canadian i know, but i still count it) 7 days totally appealed to the ghoul in me, but then i think it sidestepped the obvious and made something quite thoughtful. i particualy liked the final line, pretty much summed it all up.

satan, just hilarious for vincent cassel. a bit all over the place though not quite there somehow.

the ordeal was..weird. i think i need to watch it again it seemed like a bad french texas chainsaw massacre but i think maybe i was watching it with the wrong mindset. was good to see brigitte lahaie though.

switchblade romance, great slasher with a stupid ending that made me like it less. the 'oh it was me all along' ending is done to death. awesome gore and grittily shot though, and i like piranha 3d and the hills have eyes remake quite alot.

trouble every day was probably my second favourite after martyrs, very hypnotic and the ending turns my stomach. gallo and dahl were magnificent as ever and a great pairing. love this film claire denis is a good film maker for sure.

dans ma peau i saw in the cinema and its the only film ive seen were multiple people walked out in the gory bits. i'm quite a fan of this unsung little gem, it's certainly a different take on the woman in trouble genre. i hope to see more from marina de van in future she's quite the auteur and has something weirdly special about her.

so that's all i've seen so far, still l have to check: them, the horde, the divide and maybe some others?

[iluvdvds@Cult Labs]

That post deserves a tonne of likes!

Great post Rhodes! There's a couple of films you've listen that I've yet to see - Satan and The Ordeal. I've got Trouble Every Day unwatched at home - after that quick review, I think I should give it a watch!

Have you ever seen Irreversible?

[sawyer6]

Originally Posted by iluvdvds@Cult Labs

Have you ever seen Irreversible?

I have!

[iluvdvds@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by sawyer6

I have!

Horray! Did you like it?

Not quite as gory as the films already listed, but still very shocking.

[Rhodes]

oh gosh irreversible is one of my favourite films ever! i didn't really count it as horror but i suppose it basically is a rape/revenge exploitation film at heart. but yeah irreversible changed how i think about life.. i dont have enough words to say how great i think gasper noe is, i only wish he would do more if irrevesible is in the list then it tops martyrs for me, simply one of the best films ever.
and yes please give satan and the ordeal a watch, they'd be good as a double bill i think, they're both quite a bit goofier than the other new french horrors and would complement eachother quite well i imagine. would be good to hear what you think anyway!
and trouble every day, you need to watch that when you can just zone out on the film and not be interupted. it's very slow and hypnotic and more or less wordless but as long as you like that sort of thing i highly recommend.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

I thought The Pack was a very good French horror which shifts direction half way through.

Others not already mentioned, but in my to watch pile are -

5150 Elms Way
Prey
Territories

[iluvdvds@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Rhodes

oh gosh irreversible is one of my favourite films ever! i didn't really count it as horror but i suppose it basically is a rape/revenge exploitation film at heart. but yeah irreversible changed how i think about life.. i dont have enough words to say how great i think gasper noe is, i only wish he would do more if irrevesible is in the list then it tops martyrs for me, simply one of the best films ever.
and yes please give satan and the ordeal a watch, they'd be good as a double bill i think, they're both quite a bit goofier than the other new french horrors and would complement eachother quite well i imagine. would be good to hear what you think anyway!
and trouble every day, you need to watch that when you can just zone out on the film and not be interupted. it's very slow and hypnotic and more or less wordless but as long as you like that sort of thing i highly recommend.

Irreversible is indeed an incredible film and very powerful. It's also geniusly directed, the reverse narrative, the sound and camerawork all designed to make you feel ill is just amazing! Did Noe direct Into The Void too? I've heard VERY good things about that from a certain member - Nekromantik

Awesome! I'll give TED a watch then Thanks Rhodes!

Originally Posted by Demdike

I thought The Pack was a very good French horror which shifts direction half way through.

Others not already mentioned, but in my to watch pile are -

5150 Elms Way
Prey
Territories

TERRITORIES! Now THAT is a great film! I watched that a while back, not knowing what to expect at all and was blown away by it. The Pack is another film, sitting on my shelf unwatched It looks like Pan's Labyrinth or something from the cover.

[Rhodes]

enter the void is masterful. gasper noe's films actually lead in to one another, each one basically ends how the next one begins so i think they're best watched in order and considered in relation to one another. his perspective is actually very optimitistic and buddhist, but he expresses it in the most shocking and brutal ways possible, absolutely love the guy. i remember him saying in an interview that he wants to make the most violent film ever made. now that i would like to see. nothing ever pushed it far enough for me, but gasper might be the man.

[iluvdvds@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Rhodes

enter the void is masterful. gasper noe's films actually lead in to one another, each one basically ends how the next one begins so i think they're best watched in order and considered in relation to one another. his perspective is actually very optimitistic and buddhist, but he expresses it in the most shocking and brutal ways possible, absolutely love the guy. i remember him saying in an interview that he wants to make the most violent film ever made. now that i would like to see. nothing ever pushed it far enough for me, but gasper might be the man.

ENTER the Void!! That's the one! Nekro's going to kill me for getting that wrong

At the start of Irreversible are the two guys talking from another film then? I swear I've heard that before.

I think I'll have to give that a watch TOO! Damn you Rhodes - my to watch list is growing and growing!