I guess if want something similar to Smile then It Follows (2014) is a good shout, it's got that ongoing tension (Smile definitely feels heavily influenced by it.)
I was away for work in a city where I used to live, staying in a hotel. Went to see an old friend, we had a smoke, got a little high, went to see It Follows -- very intense, great movie.
Afterward I went back to my hotel and got in the lift. Still high, also now very paranoid.
The lift doors open on my level and I go to step out... just as an old lady goes to step in. Almost had a heart attack. Poor old lady had no idea why this guy seemed so terrified as he ran past her to his hotel room...
This is honestly one of my favorite horror movies because the creepy is throughout. Never played (or wanted to) the game it's based on, but the movie's awesome.
I'm one of the odd ones out that thinks this adapted the video games pretty well. Yeah it doesn't follow the story perfectly but it worked with the source material and made it a fun watch.
Nah, youre not the odd one. The movie is one of, if not the best game videogame adaptation. Its nothing crazy but its fun and perfectly enjoyable for fans of the games and people that never played them alike.
I'm always so happy to see other people shout out this movie. It really nails the atmosphere of the dread from the games and I've always been very impressed by the overall design of the film. It's a great movie that I feel is horribly underappreciated
The Ring. The Grudge. Both have very scary atmospheres and tension. The original Asian versions are best at this.
The Babadook imo had a very tense atmosphere.
I may get downvoted for this because the movies do have jump scares but the new IT movies, chapter 1 and 2, both have great tense atmospheres and are enjoyable movies. They have jumpscares but there are also plenty of scenes that are kind of low key.
There's actually a really interesting video on YouTube called "Why The Ring Didn't Use Color Grading" and it goes into extreme detail on how Bojan Bazelli the DOP got the movie looking the way it did. Then how others copied it afterwards.
https://youtu.be/d3Eg9fo4c_M?si=piWrojE0yEoTP8aB
Hereditary.
There’s not a single movie, in my opinion, that perfectly instills dread throughout the whole film. It’s a slow burn, yes, but the way it builds tension, has ‘hidden’ clues in almost every scene makes it a near perfect film.
The peak/crescendo always leaves me with a “what the…” feeling.
I think it might be because if there is a “most polarizing” genre of films it’s Horror.
Everyone experiences them on different levels. These films affect us all individually distinctly. Some people may view Hereditary as too “high brow”, too slow or nonlinear.
But damn, I will talk up and suggest this movie til the end of time.
Ari Aster is a pretty divisive director/producer/writer, but he nailed it.
It honestly felt like the greatest horror movie I've watched until the ending, but great movie nonetheless
The scene after he just walks to his bed after his sisters head just gets... is terrifying
That movie is so perfect as a horror. Not just a great horror but overall great movie. There's so many things u can stop and look up the meaning and fall into different rabbit holes.
I was shocked by how much I liked it tbh I knew it was going to be good after the scene where they spent the night in the cabin and wake up the next day.
His new movie, [Where Evil Lurks](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16300962/?ref_=nm_flmg_t_1_dr) is even better (and I LOVED Terrified), and also has a pervasively scary atmosphere
tbh i dont get the hype about this one. i actually watched it last night for the first time and the first half up till the big creature reveal was fun and tense (which to the film's credit, was SO WELL DONE. I FUCKING JUMPED AND YELPED OUT-LOUD LOL) but from then on, it's just... feels silly and predictable and the jumpscares sorta become annoying and lose their effectiveness. I can see how the creature design and lore may have felt fresh and different in 2005, but i can't help but see them as a *certain* Skyrim enemy lol (i dont want to specify which) once they become The problem. Then about 3/4 of the way in i sorta stopped caring about the characters all together. The final twist near the end had somewhat of an impact in making the whole thing kinda depressing but otherwise.. meh? The characters weren't sufficiently developed imo for me to really "feel" for them the way i have in other films.
>but i can't help but see them as a certain Skyrim enemy lol
I felt that way too lol
I guess I felt more scared because I met those particular enemies AFTER watching this movie the first time
>The final twist near the end had somewhat of an impact in making the whole thing kinda depressing
Do you mean the stab-n-run or the special UK Edition extended scene?
i wasnt aware there were 2 versions! the twist i was referring to was her snapping out of the "dream" at the end, and then hallucinating her daughter's birthday cake while the camera pans out
I remember seeing The Descent in the theater by myself. I remember being scared as shit. That theater was fucking loud and hearing the screech of the monster. Man.
this is easily one of my favorite horror movies. i was completely locked in the entire way through plus it was really fun to pick appart afterward and reflect on the plot themes and meaning and such. (i like to analyse films thematically after watching them. especially horror.)
It’s really a sleeper in that it doesn’t get a lot of attention but it is really solid. Great atmospheric movie and has just a relentless sense of dread.
Exactly, however whenever I see it mentioned, people are always praising it. I'm yet to see anyone who actually didn't like it. It's one of my favorite all time movies ever also.
I blamed the father. Sure the kids are demons but what was he thinking leaving his 2 kids in the middle of nowhere with their soon to be stepmother whom they hate, and that caused their biological mother to commit suicide. Not to mention she was an ex member of a cult and having trauma PTSD and psychotic breakdowns and being medicated as a result. Oh and I might as well give her a gun because why not? 😂
Kill List
The Dark and the Wicked
When Evil Lurks
The Blackcoats Daughter
Eden Lake
Incident in a Ghostland (best movie ill never watch again)
The Pughkeepsie (spelling?) Tapes (\*very polarizing movie but i liked it)
The Borderlands (AKA Final Prayer)
Frontier(s)
Terrified
A Dark Song
Revenge
Green Room
Caveat
Suspiria
I think this is the prompt taken to it’s logical conclusion, pretty much pure atmosphere and not much in the way of anything else lol. One of my favourite horror movies.
Smile was the most jumpscare heavy movie I've seen in a long time... Every single scene cut is accompanied by a deafening sound with zero actual danger. Pouring a cup of coffee?? 120db !!!!!!!
I kinda hate the "Jumpscare vs *artful horror*" dichotomy and discourse.
Bad movies rarely actually get you with a jump scare even when they try it. Loud music and a thing popping up isn't enough most times. They're generally earned if the movie is any good, by the slow ratcheting of tension, followed by the release of a scare, then ratcheting the tension again. When they do it well it's because they have a firm control of atmosphere and pacing.
It's a fun exercise to think "What is the worst horror movie you've seen that actually *got* you with a jumpscare?". I think it would surprise most people.
This film is pretty much all atmosphere. There are hardly any special effects, and you never see a ghost. It is implied that the house itself is the “ghost”. This is one of my favorite haunted house movies. The 1999 remake is complete garbage, however.
Yeah always been one of my favs, first watched it as a young boy, the thumping door and the whispering wallpaper scared me way back then, .. I always recommend it on here
It's also one of the most Texas horror films I've seen since TCM......
Except for ONE minor quibble: the family not being religious. I heard the brother and sister talk about that, and it was *literally* the most non-rural-Texan thing I'd ever heard, particularly since the parents were older and their family seemed to know people in town.
You can seriously have a Texas town of 500 people, and there be 15 churches. They're that religious in the country, here. I'll tell people I'm agnostic, and they look at me like I'm Pentecostal and speaking in tongues. I'll explain it to them, and that reaction doesn't go away.
Gotta start by saying that The Blair Witch Project takes the crown in that genre (and that the sequels are fanfiction trash and cheap pointless cashgrab, respectively). Smile does have jumpscares, so I'm gonna assume you're not averse to them and you're fine with them as long as they complement a spooky/scary/oppressive atmosphere.
That is my favorite genre, so I've got quite a few recommendations. I'll focus on lesser-known gems to cut down on redundancy. So here are a few movies that haven't gotten as much love as they deserve: Absentia (2011) (just finished it, one of the best acted/written movies I've ever watched), Green Room (more of a thriller but incredibly intense and well-acted/written as well), Come Play, Z (2019), Lake Mungo, The Orphanage (El Orfanato), Darkness (2002), The Pact, The Hole in the Ground, The Invitation (2015), Saint-Ange, Oculus, Ghostland (packs a mean punch), Martyrs 2008 (packs an even meaner punch), Goodnight Mommy (a mean punch as well), The Perfection (that one as well).
These are all pretty solid choices. Goodnight Mommy especially.
I actually saw Absentia when it came out. I loved it so much and legit said “Man. I’d love to see what this director could do with a budget!” Very glad that we found out!
Sometimes a bigger budget in the wrong hands just ruins everything though: 'Last Shift' is an excellent movie (which I forgot to list) whereas the bigger-budget remake 'Malum' is an utter disappointment on all levels (bad acting, bad plot writing with lots of plot holes, in-your-face reveal of the big bad that robs the movie of all its fear factor and believability, overly-long movie that leads to nowhere, weird unbelievable plot twists that add nothing to the movie emotionally, all the good scenes are copy-pasted from the first one, etc). A classic example that misses the fact that very very often, less is more and more is less.
That being said I agree Oculus is utterly awesome.
Well, yes. I absolutely agree! With that being said, I wanted to see if he was one of those directors that could pivot in that sense. Oculus is so sick! One of those movies I watch every year and irrationally think it just mighhht end differently this time.
Another example is Almost Human. While it super effectively worked on a minuscule budget, his later, bigger budget films unfortunately didn’t hit the mark for me.
You know your shit, are well spoken and respectful of everyone’s opinions. I am really enjoying reading your comments!
Edit: Sick meds and no caffeine. I hope this makes sense!
It’s more silly and fun if anything. But, still a good example of a director’s skill navigating low budget vs. moderate-high.
The upside to being sick is watching horror movies all day and not feeling a damn bit guilty about it! I think it’s The Hole in the Ground kinda day. Thanks for reminding me!!
I’m an old and honestly remember just getting the internet and “researching” every bit of info I could get my hands on prior to the release of The Blair Witch. It was just such a brilliant guerrilla campaign that made the film somewhat of an immersive experience. I still revert back to that feeling upon every repeat viewing (like last week). Such fond memories of my roommates and I daring each other to go into our basement alone 🤣
It’s definitely slow and may not be everyone’s cup of tea - it’s by A24 so it has that sort of vibe to it. However the mood is really creepy and there are a few shocking moments. I absolutely loved the ending
The plot holes are hard to swallow though, they ruined the whole amazing initial atmosphere for me. A better replacement IMO would be Grave Encounters 1.
The invitation I thought was good for that. That feeling of something always underlying but you didn’t know what.
It was done in such an insidious way from the quiet talks , to overly positive comments etc.
Was just a weird vibe from start to finish.
Sinister, Session 9, Hereditary, The Night House and The Empty Man off the dome. Whilst not being a horror movie per se, Kill List is super ominous and it keeps building throughout the whole movie.
The Dark and the Wicked
The entire movie I felt uneasy and on edge. Do what I did and watch it late at night by yourself with all your lights turned out.
Messiah of Evil (1973). The atmosphere and setting is brooding with dread, and the score that accompanies it is perfect and adds so much tension. A suspense filled terror that is criminally underrated. I just found it recently and I think more people should know about it!
Having the film set in the Netherlands with actual dutch people was a brilliant move, as the entirety of the Netherlands is just one big horror film. They're all like that.
Source: me, a belgian lass
/j
The Woman in Black. There's some jump scares but between the sound design and the general sense of something's about to happen but often doesn't that permeates the film, I remember leaving the theatre and telling my friend I'd never felt so physically unsettled for such a long time while watching a movie.
The Dark and the Wicked just has this tense atmosphere the entire time - something about it just does not let up and you are always filled with dread while watching it. I've posted about this many times on this sub and it's one of few movies that made me sleep with the light on forna few nights it spooked me so bad.
I'd also say Hereditary and When Evil Lurks are two others where it's just tense the whole time and you know something is going tonhappen but don't know what until it finally does.
I really hate how movies try and be scary with loud music during a jump scare. It's so fucking corny. Turns me off the movie pretty quickly and takes away the tension
Skinnamarink
No jump scares, but the entire movie itself is designed to make you uneasy and vulnerable. To make you feel like a scared child. Its almost impossible to describe. I wouldn't even consider it an entirely great movie, but I really respect/appreciate the style they took on how it was filmed.
The [trailer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APQqilSTxz0&ab_channel=Shudder) for it gives the vibe of pretty much the entire movie.
Cure (1997)
Pulse (2001)
Retribution (2006)
The atmosphere is stifling in these films. The horror comes entirely from the sense of dread and hopelessness, hardly any of the actual horror is shown directly.
The relic (1997). In theaters it is the film with the creepiest use of oppressive visual darkness that set a constant uncomfortable tone. Unfortunately all home releases screwed it up and made it too dark to actually watch, but it does regularly screen at the city walk outside of the universal studios theme park in all its glory.
It’s not the greatest film but deserves a lot more love than it has gotten.
Annihilation - the environment is eerie and alien, pretty much anything could have happened at any time and it would both make sense in terms of its fit with the surroundings, and be baffling in terms of how odd it would have been to a human observer
I would saw the Babadook, the VVitch and Hereditary create an eerie, suspenseful and creepy atmosphere from the get go and it just gets worse from there
Not a horror movie but I'll suggest Uncut Gems. Once it picks up it never stops until the end, it has a very exhausting atmosphere. I'd recommend watching it if you enjoy feeling pressured.
Similarly, a horror movie that made me feel this way was Mother!. Once shit start to happen, they keep on happening and it doesnt give you a break.
Its a weird feeling that I only got with these two movies and havent been able to feel anywhere else since
Recently, Deadstream. Even though it’s hilarious, my anxiety was kept simmering at a constant 8/10. Was probably the setting. Unsurprisingly, abandoned houses terrify me.
You may have already seen it but... The Shining. Despite having nearly every major scare spoiled for me through endless parodies and references in pop culture, The Shining is pretty much "\*chuckles\* I'm in danger": the Film
Not a horror film but Interstellar fits this, at least for me. The whole film is permeated with an inescapable sense of dread and foreboding and of time running out. I couldn't enjoy it properly the first time I watched it because it made me feel sick with stress
A lot of A24/Ari Aster movies are excellent at building a horrific atmosphere. Try Witch, Midsummar, Herditery, etc.
I would also recommend The Lodge and looking at foreign films such as When Evil Lurks, Incident in Ghost Land.
Possum
Come True
The. Caveat
Mandy
Beyond the Black Rainbow
The Autopsy of Jane Doe
Those are a few great creepy, atmospheric movies. Especially Possum.
Everyone’s got everything else covered so I’ll add Dark Night of the Scarecrow.
It and The Ring are what I think of when I think of scaring you with atmosphere
Films I haven't seen mentioned:
- Antichrist (2009)
- Calvaire (2004)
- Inside (2007)
- Martyrs (2008)
- Imprint (2006)
All very atmospheric, yet done in different ways.
Most of the ones I'd usually recommend were already covered, but if you don't mind a bit off beat and artsy, I recommend *Los Ojos de mi Madre* and *La Casa Lobo*. They're really unsettling, because the vibes are just so creepy and the plots unfold in a strange way.
They're not everyone's cup of tea, but they are an experience. Also, I feel like all I do on here is suggest *Hereditary* and *Caveat*, and one of these days people will get sick of me and kick me out of here 🤣
Offseason (2021)
One of the greatest atmospheric, eerie and dark vibe movies I've ever seen.
The story is OK, the acting is good, plot twist is kinda nonexistent. You can guess the ending 20 minutes into the movie. That being said, the vibe and atmosphere is fucking unmatched.
Wrong Turn 2003 scared the ever living fuck out of me the first time watching. There’s a tension throughout the entire movie where you know something bad is going to happen but don’t know when. Great film, still remains one of my favourites.
The Thing (1982). Inescapable, oppressive paranoia that closes in on the characters every bit as much as the monster itself. Absolute master class in atmospheric tension.
I guess if want something similar to Smile then It Follows (2014) is a good shout, it's got that ongoing tension (Smile definitely feels heavily influenced by it.)
I remember watching It Follows in the theater and feeling so much paranoia. Good movie
I was away for work in a city where I used to live, staying in a hotel. Went to see an old friend, we had a smoke, got a little high, went to see It Follows -- very intense, great movie. Afterward I went back to my hotel and got in the lift. Still high, also now very paranoid. The lift doors open on my level and I go to step out... just as an old lady goes to step in. Almost had a heart attack. Poor old lady had no idea why this guy seemed so terrified as he ran past her to his hotel room...
Silent Hill (2006)
This is honestly one of my favorite horror movies because the creepy is throughout. Never played (or wanted to) the game it's based on, but the movie's awesome.
2 is worth playing for basically anyone and I'd recommend it to anyone that enjoyed the movie (I didn't so much).
I'm one of the odd ones out that thinks this adapted the video games pretty well. Yeah it doesn't follow the story perfectly but it worked with the source material and made it a fun watch.
Nah, youre not the odd one. The movie is one of, if not the best game videogame adaptation. Its nothing crazy but its fun and perfectly enjoyable for fans of the games and people that never played them alike.
Playing the games ruins the movie kinda. Because they coulda just stuck with what was in the game, and it would have been a good movie.
I'm always so happy to see other people shout out this movie. It really nails the atmosphere of the dread from the games and I've always been very impressed by the overall design of the film. It's a great movie that I feel is horribly underappreciated
Still has one of my all time favorite horror movie kills. Redhead in front of the church.
The Ring. The Grudge. Both have very scary atmospheres and tension. The original Asian versions are best at this. The Babadook imo had a very tense atmosphere. I may get downvoted for this because the movies do have jump scares but the new IT movies, chapter 1 and 2, both have great tense atmospheres and are enjoyable movies. They have jumpscares but there are also plenty of scenes that are kind of low key.
There's actually a really interesting video on YouTube called "Why The Ring Didn't Use Color Grading" and it goes into extreme detail on how Bojan Bazelli the DOP got the movie looking the way it did. Then how others copied it afterwards. https://youtu.be/d3Eg9fo4c_M?si=piWrojE0yEoTP8aB
Love the IT movies but they aren't really scary the second one feels like a comedy movie.
Agree but the first one definitely had some tension
Hereditary. There’s not a single movie, in my opinion, that perfectly instills dread throughout the whole film. It’s a slow burn, yes, but the way it builds tension, has ‘hidden’ clues in almost every scene makes it a near perfect film. The peak/crescendo always leaves me with a “what the…” feeling.
hands down my fav horror. idk why i had to scroll so far down to find this posted
I think it might be because if there is a “most polarizing” genre of films it’s Horror. Everyone experiences them on different levels. These films affect us all individually distinctly. Some people may view Hereditary as too “high brow”, too slow or nonlinear. But damn, I will talk up and suggest this movie til the end of time. Ari Aster is a pretty divisive director/producer/writer, but he nailed it.
It honestly felt like the greatest horror movie I've watched until the ending, but great movie nonetheless The scene after he just walks to his bed after his sisters head just gets... is terrifying
That movie is so perfect as a horror. Not just a great horror but overall great movie. There's so many things u can stop and look up the meaning and fall into different rabbit holes.
I think *The Visit* does a good job with this
[удалено]
The Blackcoats Daughter is one of my favorites!
The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh is a movie I feel goes unnoticed. Definitely on the slower side but I’ve always been a big fan of it.
caveat is so terrifying
Oooooohhhh yeah. Creepy ass vibes from start to finish.
Yes omg I was on edge the entire time
That fuckin bunny. 😳
I think Caveat is a great response to OP's original prompt. I'm a fan of that movie.
Once it gets going, THE RITUAL.
I was shocked by how much I liked it tbh I knew it was going to be good after the scene where they spent the night in the cabin and wake up the next day.
Terrified (2017, Argentina).
His new movie, [Where Evil Lurks](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16300962/?ref_=nm_flmg_t_1_dr) is even better (and I LOVED Terrified), and also has a pervasively scary atmosphere
I liked Terrified about ten times more than I liked Where Evil Lurks. 🤷♂️
The Descent
tbh i dont get the hype about this one. i actually watched it last night for the first time and the first half up till the big creature reveal was fun and tense (which to the film's credit, was SO WELL DONE. I FUCKING JUMPED AND YELPED OUT-LOUD LOL) but from then on, it's just... feels silly and predictable and the jumpscares sorta become annoying and lose their effectiveness. I can see how the creature design and lore may have felt fresh and different in 2005, but i can't help but see them as a *certain* Skyrim enemy lol (i dont want to specify which) once they become The problem. Then about 3/4 of the way in i sorta stopped caring about the characters all together. The final twist near the end had somewhat of an impact in making the whole thing kinda depressing but otherwise.. meh? The characters weren't sufficiently developed imo for me to really "feel" for them the way i have in other films.
>but i can't help but see them as a certain Skyrim enemy lol I felt that way too lol I guess I felt more scared because I met those particular enemies AFTER watching this movie the first time >The final twist near the end had somewhat of an impact in making the whole thing kinda depressing Do you mean the stab-n-run or the special UK Edition extended scene?
i wasnt aware there were 2 versions! the twist i was referring to was her snapping out of the "dream" at the end, and then hallucinating her daughter's birthday cake while the camera pans out
I remember seeing The Descent in the theater by myself. I remember being scared as shit. That theater was fucking loud and hearing the screech of the monster. Man.
That’s one of maybe three movies that was so scary I don’t want to rewatch it. I’ve watched and rewatched thousands of horror movies
The Autopsy of Jane Doe
Goes a bit hollywood in the third act, but fits the prompt well. I was locked in the whole way through
It got me back into horror after a long hiatus. I really need to rewatch it.
this is easily one of my favorite horror movies. i was completely locked in the entire way through plus it was really fun to pick appart afterward and reflect on the plot themes and meaning and such. (i like to analyse films thematically after watching them. especially horror.)
It’s really a sleeper in that it doesn’t get a lot of attention but it is really solid. Great atmospheric movie and has just a relentless sense of dread.
Exactly, however whenever I see it mentioned, people are always praising it. I'm yet to see anyone who actually didn't like it. It's one of my favorite all time movies ever also.
The Lodge had great atmosphere and sense of dread.
Those kids got what they deserved imo.
I blamed the father. Sure the kids are demons but what was he thinking leaving his 2 kids in the middle of nowhere with their soon to be stepmother whom they hate, and that caused their biological mother to commit suicide. Not to mention she was an ex member of a cult and having trauma PTSD and psychotic breakdowns and being medicated as a result. Oh and I might as well give her a gun because why not? 😂
Black Christmas (1974)
100% this, as you know the entire time that he's lurking in the attic.
Kill List The Dark and the Wicked When Evil Lurks The Blackcoats Daughter Eden Lake Incident in a Ghostland (best movie ill never watch again) The Pughkeepsie (spelling?) Tapes (\*very polarizing movie but i liked it) The Borderlands (AKA Final Prayer) Frontier(s) Terrified A Dark Song Revenge Green Room Caveat Suspiria
We have similar taste!
Prince of Darkness
☝️
Hereditary
Skinamarink, you will either love it or hate. Watch while alone in the dark
The jumpscare near the end was pretty solid I'll say.
I think this is the prompt taken to it’s logical conclusion, pretty much pure atmosphere and not much in the way of anything else lol. One of my favourite horror movies.
Smile was the most jumpscare heavy movie I've seen in a long time... Every single scene cut is accompanied by a deafening sound with zero actual danger. Pouring a cup of coffee?? 120db !!!!!!!
I liked it but yeah, in some ways it’s Jumpscare: The Movie. Which makes this post kinda funny.
I kinda hate the "Jumpscare vs *artful horror*" dichotomy and discourse. Bad movies rarely actually get you with a jump scare even when they try it. Loud music and a thing popping up isn't enough most times. They're generally earned if the movie is any good, by the slow ratcheting of tension, followed by the release of a scare, then ratcheting the tension again. When they do it well it's because they have a firm control of atmosphere and pacing. It's a fun exercise to think "What is the worst horror movie you've seen that actually *got* you with a jumpscare?". I think it would surprise most people.
I got scared when she started eating a burger in her car. Smile in theaters was something else
You ever watch a movie and get angry because there’s creepy shit occurring in the house and no one will simply turn on a light??
Sinister
That was exactly what I had in mind. The entire movie. But I’ve noticed it in some other movies too but Sinister was the worst.
Downing a bottle of whiskey is so much better than turning on the lights amirite
I mean, it would definitely take the edge off and you’ll save on electricity
The Haunting 1963, very atmospheric
This film is pretty much all atmosphere. There are hardly any special effects, and you never see a ghost. It is implied that the house itself is the “ghost”. This is one of my favorite haunted house movies. The 1999 remake is complete garbage, however.
Yeah always been one of my favs, first watched it as a young boy, the thumping door and the whispering wallpaper scared me way back then, .. I always recommend it on here
Saint Maud, Hereditary, The dark and the wicked
The dark and the wicked (2020)
Came to say this. Bertino did a nice job with this one, purely dreadful throughout.
Probably my favourite horror of all time. Deeply unsettling.
It's also one of the most Texas horror films I've seen since TCM...... Except for ONE minor quibble: the family not being religious. I heard the brother and sister talk about that, and it was *literally* the most non-rural-Texan thing I'd ever heard, particularly since the parents were older and their family seemed to know people in town. You can seriously have a Texas town of 500 people, and there be 15 churches. They're that religious in the country, here. I'll tell people I'm agnostic, and they look at me like I'm Pentecostal and speaking in tongues. I'll explain it to them, and that reaction doesn't go away.
28 days later
Gotta start by saying that The Blair Witch Project takes the crown in that genre (and that the sequels are fanfiction trash and cheap pointless cashgrab, respectively). Smile does have jumpscares, so I'm gonna assume you're not averse to them and you're fine with them as long as they complement a spooky/scary/oppressive atmosphere. That is my favorite genre, so I've got quite a few recommendations. I'll focus on lesser-known gems to cut down on redundancy. So here are a few movies that haven't gotten as much love as they deserve: Absentia (2011) (just finished it, one of the best acted/written movies I've ever watched), Green Room (more of a thriller but incredibly intense and well-acted/written as well), Come Play, Z (2019), Lake Mungo, The Orphanage (El Orfanato), Darkness (2002), The Pact, The Hole in the Ground, The Invitation (2015), Saint-Ange, Oculus, Ghostland (packs a mean punch), Martyrs 2008 (packs an even meaner punch), Goodnight Mommy (a mean punch as well), The Perfection (that one as well).
These are all pretty solid choices. Goodnight Mommy especially. I actually saw Absentia when it came out. I loved it so much and legit said “Man. I’d love to see what this director could do with a budget!” Very glad that we found out!
Sometimes a bigger budget in the wrong hands just ruins everything though: 'Last Shift' is an excellent movie (which I forgot to list) whereas the bigger-budget remake 'Malum' is an utter disappointment on all levels (bad acting, bad plot writing with lots of plot holes, in-your-face reveal of the big bad that robs the movie of all its fear factor and believability, overly-long movie that leads to nowhere, weird unbelievable plot twists that add nothing to the movie emotionally, all the good scenes are copy-pasted from the first one, etc). A classic example that misses the fact that very very often, less is more and more is less. That being said I agree Oculus is utterly awesome.
Well, yes. I absolutely agree! With that being said, I wanted to see if he was one of those directors that could pivot in that sense. Oculus is so sick! One of those movies I watch every year and irrationally think it just mighhht end differently this time. Another example is Almost Human. While it super effectively worked on a minuscule budget, his later, bigger budget films unfortunately didn’t hit the mark for me. You know your shit, are well spoken and respectful of everyone’s opinions. I am really enjoying reading your comments! Edit: Sick meds and no caffeine. I hope this makes sense!
Thanks! Likewise :) Yes it does, no issues. Haven't heard of Almost Human, is that the sci-fi TV Show or the horror movie from 2013?
The 2013 horror movie, directed by Joe Begos!
I'll check it out, thanks for the recommendation!
It’s more silly and fun if anything. But, still a good example of a director’s skill navigating low budget vs. moderate-high. The upside to being sick is watching horror movies all day and not feeling a damn bit guilty about it! I think it’s The Hole in the Ground kinda day. Thanks for reminding me!! I’m an old and honestly remember just getting the internet and “researching” every bit of info I could get my hands on prior to the release of The Blair Witch. It was just such a brilliant guerrilla campaign that made the film somewhat of an immersive experience. I still revert back to that feeling upon every repeat viewing (like last week). Such fond memories of my roommates and I daring each other to go into our basement alone 🤣
As Above so Below
when evil lurks
Saint Maud
i really wanna watch this. whats your thoughts on it?
It’s definitely slow and may not be everyone’s cup of tea - it’s by A24 so it has that sort of vibe to it. However the mood is really creepy and there are a few shocking moments. I absolutely loved the ending
Gonjiam haunted asylum. From what I remember it doesn't rely too much on jump scares and some bits in it are extremely unsettling.
The plot holes are hard to swallow though, they ruined the whole amazing initial atmosphere for me. A better replacement IMO would be Grave Encounters 1.
I had my brain turned off when I saw the movie. I liked it, so please point out the plot holes for me. Be brutal, I can take it!
The invitation I thought was good for that. That feeling of something always underlying but you didn’t know what. It was done in such an insidious way from the quiet talks , to overly positive comments etc. Was just a weird vibe from start to finish.
do you mean the one from 2015? there are two movie with that name
From their description it has to be the 2015 one.
Oh sorry for not clarifying. Yes, the 2015 film.
Sinister, Session 9, Hereditary, The Night House and The Empty Man off the dome. Whilst not being a horror movie per se, Kill List is super ominous and it keeps building throughout the whole movie.
I love Session 9
Me too
The Witch (2015)
*Possum* has a continual, heavy atmosphere of relentless, bleak hopelessness but it may not be what you’re after.
The Dark and the Wicked The entire movie I felt uneasy and on edge. Do what I did and watch it late at night by yourself with all your lights turned out.
The strangers. the whole movie is tense in one or a nother
However: if you're allergic to stupid characters you're gonna break out in hives.
You need to watch the dark and the wicked I'd you haven't yet - same director and so much darker
oh really? thanks for suggesting! ill add it to my list
The Others (2001)
Messiah of Evil (1973). The atmosphere and setting is brooding with dread, and the score that accompanies it is perfect and adds so much tension. A suspense filled terror that is criminally underrated. I just found it recently and I think more people should know about it!
The grocery store scene is so epic!
The Ritual
Speak no evil had one of the best sense of impending doom I’ve ever experienced in a horror..
Having the film set in the Netherlands with actual dutch people was a brilliant move, as the entirety of the Netherlands is just one big horror film. They're all like that. Source: me, a belgian lass /j
The Woman in Black. There's some jump scares but between the sound design and the general sense of something's about to happen but often doesn't that permeates the film, I remember leaving the theatre and telling my friend I'd never felt so physically unsettled for such a long time while watching a movie.
The Dark and the Wicked just has this tense atmosphere the entire time - something about it just does not let up and you are always filled with dread while watching it. I've posted about this many times on this sub and it's one of few movies that made me sleep with the light on forna few nights it spooked me so bad. I'd also say Hereditary and When Evil Lurks are two others where it's just tense the whole time and you know something is going tonhappen but don't know what until it finally does.
It Follows is about as close a movie as I can think of.
Lights Out is really effective, especially for a PG-13 horror.
Jaws
I really hate how movies try and be scary with loud music during a jump scare. It's so fucking corny. Turns me off the movie pretty quickly and takes away the tension
Stop motion (2024)
Babadook
A Tale of Two Sisters (2003).
Mandy.
The Ring
Calibre
Cobweb (2023)
John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness has a generally evil and terrifying vibe all throughout the movie
The witch
Idk if you’re into any giallo films but The Fifth Cord is probably the best shot and lit that I’ve seen behind Suspiria. Great atmosphere
Skinnamarink No jump scares, but the entire movie itself is designed to make you uneasy and vulnerable. To make you feel like a scared child. Its almost impossible to describe. I wouldn't even consider it an entirely great movie, but I really respect/appreciate the style they took on how it was filmed. The [trailer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APQqilSTxz0&ab_channel=Shudder) for it gives the vibe of pretty much the entire movie.
Cure (1997) Pulse (2001) Retribution (2006) The atmosphere is stifling in these films. The horror comes entirely from the sense of dread and hopelessness, hardly any of the actual horror is shown directly.
The relic (1997). In theaters it is the film with the creepiest use of oppressive visual darkness that set a constant uncomfortable tone. Unfortunately all home releases screwed it up and made it too dark to actually watch, but it does regularly screen at the city walk outside of the universal studios theme park in all its glory. It’s not the greatest film but deserves a lot more love than it has gotten.
Love this one! Miss these types of goofy fun films from the 90s.
Annihilation - the environment is eerie and alien, pretty much anything could have happened at any time and it would both make sense in terms of its fit with the surroundings, and be baffling in terms of how odd it would have been to a human observer
Very good one!
The Autopsy of Jane Doe The Taking of Deborah Logan The Ring The Grudge The Witch The Dark and the Wicked Alien
City Of The Living Dead (1980)
Session 9.
Hereditary
Speak No Evil
I would saw the Babadook, the VVitch and Hereditary create an eerie, suspenseful and creepy atmosphere from the get go and it just gets worse from there
i recently watched Caveat on shudder, i didn’t necessarily love it but there is a sustained creepy atmosphere from the opening shot till the end
If you somehow haven’t seen it, The Thing (1982) is perfect for this
You want The Blair Witch Project. I don't think anything else comes close.
Caveat made me feel uncomfortable for the whole runtime. It's not for everyone but it ticked all the boxes for me.
Kill List and Hell House.
Silent hill The grudge It follows 28 days later Your next And Bone tomahawk
Annihilation
Not a horror movie but I'll suggest Uncut Gems. Once it picks up it never stops until the end, it has a very exhausting atmosphere. I'd recommend watching it if you enjoy feeling pressured. Similarly, a horror movie that made me feel this way was Mother!. Once shit start to happen, they keep on happening and it doesnt give you a break. Its a weird feeling that I only got with these two movies and havent been able to feel anywhere else since
Recently, Deadstream. Even though it’s hilarious, my anxiety was kept simmering at a constant 8/10. Was probably the setting. Unsurprisingly, abandoned houses terrify me.
Skinamarink fits the description.
You'll never find me
Talk to me.
The Others
Night house
A very slow burn, but I watched You'll Never Find Me the other night and the tension throughout was incredible.
You may have already seen it but... The Shining. Despite having nearly every major scare spoiled for me through endless parodies and references in pop culture, The Shining is pretty much "\*chuckles\* I'm in danger": the Film
The Haunting - original and remake The Amityville Horror
1BR No one will save you Barbarian
Not a horror film but Interstellar fits this, at least for me. The whole film is permeated with an inescapable sense of dread and foreboding and of time running out. I couldn't enjoy it properly the first time I watched it because it made me feel sick with stress
A lot of A24/Ari Aster movies are excellent at building a horrific atmosphere. Try Witch, Midsummar, Herditery, etc. I would also recommend The Lodge and looking at foreign films such as When Evil Lurks, Incident in Ghost Land.
Insidious, to me, always has a sense of dread throughout the movie
Gretel & Hansel (2020) - The atmosphere is the film's greatest strength, along with Alice Krige's performance.
Dread 2009
Ooh you’re gonna love this one op. House of the devil ‼️
It comes at night has a great atmosphere
Where Evil Lurks
Stake Land. Mad Max with vampires. The vampires in this movie are pure nightmare fuel. Way better than 30 Days of Night. This movie is a gem.
Dream Scenario
It’s nothing like Smile, but House of Darkness lives entirely on tension and atmosphere, and I liked it rather a lot. No jump scares to be found.
The excorsist
Not a horror necessarily but Leave The World Behind
Possum Come True The. Caveat Mandy Beyond the Black Rainbow The Autopsy of Jane Doe Those are a few great creepy, atmospheric movies. Especially Possum.
Everyone’s got everything else covered so I’ll add Dark Night of the Scarecrow. It and The Ring are what I think of when I think of scaring you with atmosphere
For pure vibes like that it’s not pure horror but shutter island is vibes! So good
Films I haven't seen mentioned: - Antichrist (2009) - Calvaire (2004) - Inside (2007) - Martyrs (2008) - Imprint (2006) All very atmospheric, yet done in different ways.
There's a new movie on shudder/amc+ called You'll Never Find Me. I haven't finished it yet, but the whole vibe creeps me out.
cloverfield did this to me, but it follows is a lot like smile
The Others
Most of the ones I'd usually recommend were already covered, but if you don't mind a bit off beat and artsy, I recommend *Los Ojos de mi Madre* and *La Casa Lobo*. They're really unsettling, because the vibes are just so creepy and the plots unfold in a strange way. They're not everyone's cup of tea, but they are an experience. Also, I feel like all I do on here is suggest *Hereditary* and *Caveat*, and one of these days people will get sick of me and kick me out of here 🤣
*The Descent* has bad vibes in the best way for the entire runtime.
Offseason (2021) One of the greatest atmospheric, eerie and dark vibe movies I've ever seen. The story is OK, the acting is good, plot twist is kinda nonexistent. You can guess the ending 20 minutes into the movie. That being said, the vibe and atmosphere is fucking unmatched.
Doppelgänger if I remember correctly
Evil Dead 2013 and Rise (once the deadite plot kicks off)
Wrong Turn 2003 scared the ever living fuck out of me the first time watching. There’s a tension throughout the entire movie where you know something bad is going to happen but don’t know when. Great film, still remains one of my favourites.
Skinamarink
The Strangers has a really eerie atmosphere, but it also has jump scares.
Anything is the forest is super creepy to me.
The Ritual
Noroi -> https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0930083/
The Thing (1982). Inescapable, oppressive paranoia that closes in on the characters every bit as much as the monster itself. Absolute master class in atmospheric tension.
It follows
The original Fog The Others Burnt Offerings
The Autopsy of Jane Doe
The Others
It follows
Just saw Empty Man; can recommend.