World Cinema; Is Australian Horror The Best?

Like many countries across the world, Australia has seen a resurgence of horror films in the past decade, with a range of titles now reaching us from down under. As with any country, these vary in quality somewhat but there are some gems to be found if you're a dedicated horror fan. I've chosen three of my favourite Australian horror films to determine whether the country that also gave us Kylie and Neighbours could really be the best at horror worldwide. My first choice is...

The Loved Ones (2009)

 

'The Loved Ones' completely took me by surprise one night, as I discovered it late on Film4 and decided to give it a go. The plot begins like a typical teen film, starring heartthrob Xavier Samuel...from Twilight. Now I know what you're thi- wait! Come back! As I was saying, 'The Loved Ones' starts off like this but quickly descends into a hellish old-school video nasty when the lead character Brent is kidnapped by a deranged girl named Lola and her father. Lola is mental. She is also one of my favourite characters from a horror film in quite some time. Obsessed with the idea of having the 'perfect dance', Lola wears a beautiful prom dress and tortures the suitors that her father brings for her. And believe me, you don't want to see what has happened to the previous victims, who still reside in a cellar below. 'The Loved Ones' is a smart indie horror that takes a great premise and just runs with it, shocking and surprising the viewer at every turn. Hats off to Sean Byrne, who wrote and directed the film, which has become one of my favourite horrors of the past few years. And for those of you who have seen it already, doesn't it give you the creeps now every time you hear the song 'Not Pretty Enough', by Kasey Chambers?

Scariest Moment: The sheer insanity of Lola and her father is beyond freaky but their scariest moment has to be when they decide to lobotomise Brent. In one of those horrendous 'can't watch' moments, Lola takes a drill and begins making a hole in Brent's head, so that they can pour boiling water directly onto his brain. How else can you hold down a man eh? I found myself grabbing my forehead subconsciously throughout the scene, just in case Lola burst in with her creepy ass drill.

Wolf Creek (2005)

 

When I was younger, I would often fantastise about having enough money one day to travel to Australia and backpack across the outback with a friend. Upon seeing 'Wolf Creek' in the cinema, my dream instantly died. Such is the power of this film. The plot begins by following a couple of female British tourists who have set out to explore the Wolf Creek National Park with their Australian friend. As a romance develops between two of them, the trio meet a stereotypical 'Crocodile Dundee' guy who is out travelling on his own. Foolishly, our beloved heroes drink some water offered to them by the stranger and then all kinds of hell breaks out when they wake up imprisoned and tortured. The initially slow pace might put some viewers off but I think that this helps us relate to the characters, so that when things do go wrong, we care far more about what's happening. If you're not a fan of gore, then I would probably not recommend 'Wolf Creek' but otherwise, you should definitely give it a go. I would have to say though that this is a film I would not watch more than once, as it makes for some seriously uncomfortable viewing. Enjoy! 

Scariest Moment: As a whole, 'Wolf Creek' is an unsettling watch, reminiscent of 70s classics like 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre', but if I had to pick one standout scary moment then it would have to be from towards the end, after Liz has escaped. In the garage, she comes across a number of video cameras and when she begins to watch one, Liz realises that they weren't the first ones to be duped by the psychopath. As if that wasn't chilling enough, another camera then reveals that Mick had been following the trio far longer than any of them had realised. It's not the goriest moment by any means but it affected me more psychologically then the torture. Messed up! 

Celia(1988)

 

 

For the few people out there who may have actually seen this film, 'Celia' might seem like an odd choice. 'Celia' isn't technically a horror film and actually, it's supposed to be aimed at children but its strange atmosphere does produce some disturbing moments and in some regions, it was even called 'Celia: Child of Terror', so that'll do for me. This little oddball of a movie is set in the 50s, amidst Communist paranoia and a rabbit plague, which affects  9 year old Celia and her family in a number of ways. Without giving away too much, Celia's reactions to these events eventually causes tragedy to strike. What really makes this film a horror for me though is the inclusion of some ghastly creatures known as the Hobyahs. Apparently based on a real folk tale, these horrendous things snatch old people and children from their homes in the dead of night and while they are grounded only in Celia's imagination, they are a truly terrifying creation for children and yes, perhaps even some adults. 'Celia' is a hidden gem of a movie, one of those incredible coming of age films that defies classification in any one genre and luckily for you, it is now available on DVD in the UK so rent, lovefilm, download or buy to see this strange, haunting film.     

Scariest Moment: The scariest moment from 'Celia' surely has to include the Hobyah's and while the farmhouse scene is creepy, the most unsettling bit of the film for me is actually part of a dream. Celia hears a knocking at the window of her bedroom, which turns out to be her dead grandmother. Charming kids film, I know. Upon opening the window however, Celia's grandmother is gone and in her place is a demonic Hobyah, who puts a sack over Celia and grabs her, just before she wakes up. You won't catch Disney adapting this sweet little tale anytime soon! 

So, do you think Australia produces the best horror films? And do my picks represent the best of what Australian horror has to offer? Let me know your thoughts and remember to like and share. Thanks!