These Films Are Proof That France Absolutely Smashes The Horror Genre

Being an absolute horror junkie, I’ve spent a significant chunk of my free time watching horrors. I love ‘em all – b-movies, torture porn, psychological, thriller, slasher – it all floats my dark and creepy boat. But out of all of the many films within the genre I have seen over the years, it’s the French ones that always stand out in my mind.

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It’s almost like ‘French’ is a genre of its own. Unlike the jump-per-second scenes, stereotypical actors and loose dialogue of the U.S. blockbusters that plague the cinemas today, French directors are far more subtle with their storylines. They get into your head and plant a disturbing seed that grows into a monstrous tree, leaving you crying into your pillow and questioning humanity once the 90 minutes is up. The gore is more gruesome and the acting is realistic. The French have a noteworthy quality of mixing psychological fear with the hyperbolised terror found in regular horrors, portraying contemporary society as isolating and incredibly threatening. I think writer Harriet Williamson sums up French horror in the best way possible:

[French horror films] while bloody enough to satisfy fans of exploitation horror, don’t excite a level of bland disgust in the way that something like ‘The Human Centipede: Full Sequence’ does.

Disappointing performances and indolent stereotyping do not occur in these films. They seem to grab the viewer by the throat whilst still retaining a kind of artistry rarely seen in the horror genre.

Beautifully put. So in light of this opinion (which is almost definitely correct) let’s take a look at some of the best horrors to come out of France:

Switchblade Romance/High Tension

‘High Tension’ (or ‘Switchblade Romance’ as it was released in the UK) is a 2003 movie directed by Alexandre Aja, starring Cecile de France and Philippe Nahon. It follows two college friends, Alexia and Marie, who go to Alexia’s parents’ house to study for their final exams. However, after turning in for the night, things take a turn for the worse when an unexpected visitor arrives and the girls are thrown into a nightmarish game of survival.

This film does an amazing job of paying homage to the classic horrors such as ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ while also remaining an original work. It creates a sense of dread and terror that will leave you on the edge of your seat until the final climax, when the director throws in the twist to end all twists. Oh yeah, and it’s one of the goriest films you’ll ever see.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLIWKCrNfOY

Martyrs

Where to even start with this movie? Not only is this the best horror I’ve ever seen (I mean that) but it’s probably in my top 5 movies of all time. I don’t want to say too much at risk of giving it away, but the overall film is an exploration of the idea of a martyr – someone who dies for their religious beliefs.

Directed by the hitherto obscure Pascal Laugier and starring unknown actresses Morjana Alaoui and Mylene Jampanoi, the film follows two young women who are tracking down the people responsible for torturing one of them as a young child. As they search through the home of the perpetrators, the sinister purpose behind their organization comes to light. This movie is a triumph, often hailed as the best horror movie ever made. If you’re going to watch it, for the love of god don’t mistake the French 2008 original with the recent, watered-down American remake. That was a pile of dogshit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7Qx2dT-lUw

Irreversible

Some would argue that this isn’t a horror film, but more of a drama or a thriller, but I am going to place it here as anyone else who has seen this film would agree that it creates more dread and terror than most slasher gore-fests.

This film follows the horrific events over the course of a night in Paris, but in reverse-chronological order. So the first scene is the last and vice-versa- make sense? ‘Irreversible’ has been described as a movie so violent and cruel that most people will find it unwatchable – particularly when it comes to the 11 minute long rape scene. That’ll bring a tear to the eye of even the hardiest of horror buffs.

Inside

Another personal favourite is ‘Inside’ – a movie that steals the real-life story of a barren older woman trying to steal a baby… from a pregnant woman. This is probably one of the most gory movies I’ve personally ever seen. Similarly to ‘Martyrs’, ‘Inside’ utilises the talent of truly authentic actors, hiring Beatrice Dalle (‘Betty Blue’) as the psychopathic woman who will stop at nothing to get what she desires. This movie is so horrific, it might put you off getting pregnant for a long while.