Back in October of 2010, I started a Spotlight on Horror series that focused on select films of note from various Horror sub-genres. I’d like to continue this year with a few more. This time I’ll be starting off with the particularly creepy sub-genre of Religious Horror. Find out which films I included and why!
Religious Horror is defined as a “subgenre of horror that relies on presenting the motifs of a real-life religion as fact within the story’s universe.” Any religion can lend itself to these films but Christianity is probably the most common religion used within the subgenre. Here’s the spotlight.
THE EXORCIST (1973)
This, of course, is the obvious inclusion for this genre. Religious elements notwithstanding The Exorcist is, by large, considered to be one of the scariest films of all time. Centering around a young girl possessed by a demon, the movie is terrifying for it’s portrayal of lost innocence and warns the audience of the uncontrollable power of the purest form of evil. The film from director William Fredkin is exceptionally well made and features amazing performances for all actors involved. Close Attention: There are a lot of nuances in the film to notice including background demon apparitions and other spooky imagery but if I had to narrow down one of the film’s most important ingredients I would choose the music. Listen below to the instantly recognizable and most bone-chilling horror score ever produced.
ROSEMARY’S BABY (1968)
The Roman Polanski classic is always mentioned in the discussion of religious horror films. The movie centers around the meek, inexperienced housewife Rosemary who movies into a new apartment with her husband Guy, a struggling actor. After Rosemary becomes pregnant, a multitude of strange happenings cause her believe that something demonic or occult has impacted the pregnancy. The movie plays deep psychologically with the viewer and constantly questions the protagonists sanity. The idea of a cult tampering with something as pure an unborn child is terrifying though, so it’s easy to become just as scared as Rosemary. Close Attention: The film has a mystery element to it which masterfully builds tension but it’s the ‘possible demonic rape’ that will be the lurid scene you won’t be able to forget.
FRAILTY (2001)
This a fantastic thriller starring Bill Paxton and Matthew McConaughey. In the movie, McConaughey plays Fenton, a man that believes his brother is a prolific serial killer. The film plays back through the story of the brother’s childhood with their single parent father. After what the father believes to be a genuine religious experience, he convinces the boys that they are to help him ‘exercise demons’ which equates to them killing ‘bad’ people. The film is in part a crime story but also a human drama that unfolds through the manipulation of the children. Frailty has few dull spots and is a movie that will be worth the full viewing. Seek it out if you have yet to watch it. Close Attention: Noticing how the two boys react to their father and the killings is pretty fascinating and after the credits roll there will surely be a lot on your mind.
THE LAST EXORCISM (2010)
One of the more recent films on the list, The Last Exorcism is simple but delivers some effective creative spins on an old tale. Told in the now familiar hand-held camera/documentary style, the movie follows a minister that decides to participate in a documentary that sets out to disprove the occurrence of real exorcisms. The minister is Reverend Cotton Marcus (played brilliantly by Patrick Fabian) and he admittedly performs fake exorcisms for people under the belief that it can serve to help individuals deal with various troubling issues. During filming he agrees to conduct one of these ‘exorcisms’ on a young girl named Nell Sweetzer, but this particular case quickly becomes both complicated and dangerous. The movie really surprised me and is a very well-made scare piece. If you are looking for something a little different in your religious horror, give this movie a shot. Close Attention: There are a lot of small twists in the film that will make you second-guess what’s actually happening with the Sweetzer family but the film’s climactic conclusion is one for the books.
THE OMEN (1976)
One of my favorite horror films, The Omen is one of the most chilling religious horror stories ever put to screen. What if a father made the difficult decision to adopt a child without the mother’s knowledge, the same night her baby died after childbirth? What if a few years later you started to suspect that child was literally the Antichrist? Yeah “FML” is a bit of an understatement. With meticulous film making and Mise en scène at the forefront of The Omen, the devious plot is certainly not wasted. Close Attention: Scene after scene, The Omen is loaded with memorable moments. From “Look at me, Damien! It’s all for you!” to ferocious Rottweilers to all the mysteries uncovered, it’s hard to narrow down a highlight.
MARTYRS (2008)
Martyrs that is a film I don’t actively recommend because it’s so polarizing. In fact, I don’t really even like the entirety of this movie all that much. But it’s included in the spotlight because it scores some serious ambition points in it’s aim to look at religious horror from a completely new perspective. What’s challenging about Martyrs is that it’s probably a film that would greatly benefit from a second viewing but it’s also a movie I would never want to endure again. Does that make a lick of sense? Alright, well it’s difficult to explain the movie without (a) giving away some of it’s more important religious elements, or (b) making it sound like it’s a completely different film than what it is. I think that if you are up for a challenge, Martyrs will definitely give some perspective on the entire sub genre of religious horror. Close Attention: It’s best not to mention specifics here as to avoid spoilers, but I do want to point out how awesome the first 1/3 of the film is. That said, you can consider this a warning: expect that to change.
This post is part of the Countdown to Halloween blogathon, a month-long blogging marathon dedicated to honoring the Halloween season. For more information and a full list of participating sites, please visit www.countdowntohalloween.com.