SUNSHINE's Top 20 Favorite Foreign Horror Movies

Halloween is getting closer and as people start to make their lists of horror movies to watch this month, it seems that our films from across the pond tend to get forgotten. So here are my list of Top 20 Foreign Horror Movies.

20. Dead Snow (2009) - Norway

Dead Snow is campy, silly, gory, and a lot of fun. Plus, it has Nazi Zombies.

19. What We Do In the Shadows (2014) - New Zealand

This is just a smart and fun vampire comedy that deserves the watch. Jemaine Clement and Taika Waitit do a great job in delivering a horror-comedy that is self aware and touching.

18. Dead Alive; aka “Braindead” (1992) - New Zealand

Before Peter Jackson was directing epics in Middle Earth, he put together this outlandish and extremely gory zombie flick. This low-budget outing is just good-ole’ campy fun that is guaranteed to satisfy anyone who can handle it.

17. Audition (1999) - Japan

What starts as an engaging drama quickly turns to an unsettling horror film that is violent and disturbing. One watch is enough for this stomach-churning film that you can’t unsee.

16. Eden Lake (2008) - United Kingdom

This tale is effective in its ability to make the audience feel just as trapped as the victims on screen. It also helps that the film is propelled by the extreme talents of Michael Fassbender and Kelly Reilly.

15. Hounds of Love (2016) - Australia

This psychological thriller will leave you with a queasy feeling afterwards. This is not due to severe gore, but more due to the strong performances that make it feel so real. The content is tough to stomach because of how this movie mirrors reality.

14. Under The Shadow (2016) - Jordan

This is one of the coolest ghost stories in recent memory. It’s an intimate horror film that feeds on the fear of shame and inadequacy, set against an interesting backdrop and layered with strong performances and deep social commentary.

13. Eyes Without a Face (1960) - France

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This chilling fairy tale of guilt and obsession, that made audiences faint when it was first released, still holds up almost 60 years later and is poetically horrific.

12. The Host (2006) - South Korea

This genre-bending monster movie is delightful and a fun ride from start to finish. It's a bizarre and wild mix of slapstick comedy and terrifying paranoia.

11. Peeping Tom (1960) - United Kingdom

Setting the stage for Point of View Horror, Peeping Tom was the first film to put you in head of the killer as it captures fear in its own unique way.

10. Lake Mungo (2008) - Australia

A strong story that uses the framing of a documentary to help shape a creepy movie-going experience that is guaranteed to satisfy those who are patient.

9. The Wicker Man (1973) - United Kingdom

Don’t let the terrible remake overshadow how great the original truly is. The performances in this one are subtle in their delivery. The film is well crafted as the audience knows that something isn’t quite right from the get go and the ending is memorable, to say the least. .

8. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014) - United States

So I cheated with this one. AGWHAAN is technically an American film, shot in California, but spoken entirely in Persian. It paces itself with its terror as the horror elements are well sprinkled throughout but it is incredibly engaging and pulls at the heart strings.

7. The Loved Ones (2009) - Australia

The Loved Ones is horrifically mesmerizing and filled with so many WTF moments that you will wonder why you are still watching but won’t want to turn away.

6. Suspiria (1977) - Italy

This movie is as aesthetically beautiful as it is gory. Argento is a master of lighting and space with a strong use of vivid colors which helps to make Suspiria the stylish classic that it is.

5. Let the Right One In (2008) - Sweden

Let the Right One In might be one of the best love stories ever written. It is heartbreaking and touching with horror elements that leave a strong impression. The story is underlined with hope even though the audience leaves with the feeling that history will be doomed to repeat itself.

4. Thirst (2009) - South Korea

This unique story adds a refreshing breath of life into the Vampire film that has been poorly done so many times before. Add Chan-Wook Park’s insane ability to make every frame breathtakingly beautiful and you have a movie that shouldn’t be missed.

3. Diabolique (1955) - France

A noir mystery thriller that is exceedingly good at keeping you guessing throughout. It's dangerously cruel and with no “jump” scares, it's the suspense and chilling tone that leaves you frightened at the end.

2. 28 Days Later… (2002) - United Kingdom

A political allegory with a zombie film layered on top. This grizzly flick was on the front end of the zombie resurgence in horror, pushing it back into the forefront of the genre while showing us how destructive fear can really be.

1. Raw (2016) - France

This film is slathered with terrifying imagery that might be best viewed on an empty stomach. It is deliciously unsettling with strong performances that will stick with you long after the movie is over.