Grade Eh Horror
10 Canadian Horror Movies You Should Check Out This Halloween
A fall chill has finally swept across the city, being back at school is no longer fun, and pumpkin spice has been injected into everything; it is officially Halloween, and with that proclamation comes the need for a good list of horror movies. This year, make your horror movie night a patriotic one and check out these 10 Canadian horror movies.
1. Cannibal Girls (1973)
A movie whose trailer promises a bell to warn the audience of its especially erotic or gruesome nature. With a guarantee like that it is a must see! From director Ivan Reitman, Cannibal Girls tells the story of a restaurant haunted by three cannibal ghost women; while not the highest-ranking film, this low budget horror debuted Canadian greats such as Eugene Levy and Andrea Martin. If you’re a fan of the cannibal slasher this is surely one to check out.
2. Deathdream (1974)
Also known as Dead of Night, Bob Clark,director of A Christmas Story, first appearance on this list is his allegorical film for the horrors of returning from the Vietnam War; represented by returning as a flesh hungry zombie. Anti-war at its most horrifying, Deathdream is a unique spin on the zombie genre and a must watch for any zombie fans.
3. Prom Night (1980)
While many of seen the remake, Prom Night is familiar with the cinema proverb “the original was better.” A staple in any slasher fans video diet, Lynch’s Prom Night is much different than the remake, as this is a revenge story that would inspire later films such as I Know What You Did Last Summer, as the four main characters who are responsible for the accidental death of a classmate 6 years earlier are hunted by a masked killer at their senior prom. Featuring horror icon Jamie Lee Curtis, this film is a delight for old school horror fans.
4. Ginger snaps (2000)
A reintroduction of Canada to the horror scene after teh horror-less 90s, John Fawcett uses a werewolf transformation as an allegory for puberty in this fantastical, gory horror.
5. The Changeling (1980)
While Canada certainly had a place in the slasher subgenre Medak’s The Changeling, gave us a place in the haunted house and spectre subgenre as well, as our main character is haunted by a ghostly presence in a historical mansion.
6. Dead Ringers (1988)
Twins, doctors, psychological deterioration, oh my! This unique thriller is a perfect balance of drama and horror as we watch two identical twin brothers lose their minds- quite literally- over the same girl. Not the first time Cronenberg is on this list, or has made a splash in the horror genre, Dead Ringer is a wonderful display of his unique vision and directorial talents.
7. Deranged (1974)
Gillen and Ormsby’s Deranged, full title Confessions of a Necrophile, is based on the Ed Gein case, the case which also inspired Texas Chainsaw Massacre. While Texas Chainsaw has become a cult classic, Deranged, which was actually released months before, has become largely forgotten. This Halloween, travel to the universe where Deranged is the quintessential Ed Gein film and give this slasher gem a watch.
8. Videodrome (1983)
A visual delight, Videodrome echoes the aesthetic sensibilities of Stanley Kubrick filling your screen with style and substance- but what is really behind your screen? Videodrome is a professor’s delight as it analyzes technology and the effects it has upon us, psychologically and … physically. Cronenberg is a master when it comes to making public paranoias into the surreal, and Videodrome is the best showcase of this; this Halloween let Videodrome control your mind … long live the new flesh!
9. My Bloody Valentine (1981)
A personal favourite of mine, the original My Bloody Valentine is a feast for the eyes, and heart, with some of the most iconic imagery to grace horror. George Mihalka’s masterpiece implements the best the slasher genre has to offer with small town charm, the sullying of a beloved tradition (valentines), unique gory visuals, and a deranged killer. This Halloween “cross your heart… and hope to die.”
10. Black Christmas (1974)
The crown jewel, Bob Clark’s slasher masterpiece was a genre defining work responsible for many of the tropes and clichés associated with slasher films. I could describe the film but you’ve seen it all replicated and rein-acted in every slasher film to come after it. Black Christmas is not merely just a landmark Canadian film but a staple in any horror fan’s collection. Black Christmas is to slasher what Hitchcock’s Psycho was to horror.