The 7 Best Italian Horror Films

Italy has given birth to some of the most influential horror movie trends in history. In particular I would like to highlight the sub genre known as Giallo that became popular in the 70's, as well as the Grindhouse gore flicks that followed in the 80's.

Giallo is the Italian word for yellow, the term is derived from cheap mystery/crime thriller novels with yellow covers that were popular in Italy in the 1930's. Generally these films were distinct in their atmospheric visuals and tended to blend psychological tension with horror and sometimes excessive gore. Here's a list of 7 movies from this special time in cinema that you probably haven't seen.

7. Torso (1973)

Sergio Martino's Torso is an extremely interesting film for a number of reasons. The story revolves around a series of sex murders on a college campus by a black gloved, masked killer. The film really shines in the third act when the main characters seek refuge in a secluded villa in the country. After her friends are picked off one by one, the main charter Jane, engages in an intense game of cat and mouse with the killer providing some of the most suspenseful moments the genre has to offer.

Torso is filled with sleaze and graphic, over the top death scenes that still hold up pretty well today. In many ways this film doesn't get enough credit. While it's widely considered to be placed firmly within the Giallo category, it contains many of the elements of a slasher. A sub genre that would later be made famous by John Carpenter's Halloween.

6. Phenomena (1985)

Phenomena is a ridiculous movie, what makes it great is that its unlike anything Dario Argento had done prior. A swimming pool full of maggot infested corpses, a razor wielding monkey and grisly decapitations make this a must see for any fan of the genre. Staring Donald Pleasence, best know for his portrayal of Dr. Loomis in the Halloween movies, and a young Jennifer Connelly, the story revolves around a young girl who transfers to an exclusive Swiss boarding school. When a string of murders occur in the area, her ability to communicate with insects proves useful in solving the mystery.

One thing in particular that I appreciate about this movie is the score. It tends to switch back and forth between Motorhead and the synthie, atmospheric, trance sounds of Goblin, a band whose work had become a staple in Argento's movies by this point in his career.

5. Demons (1985)

This 80's gore fest was directed by Lamberto Bava and produced by Dario Argento, a name that appears on this list several times. The plot is fairly standard and doesn't give you anything more that you need, random people are invited to a screening at an old movie theater that has just reopened. As the film that's being viewed becomes increasingly violent, real life starts to imitate art and the movie goers soon find themselves trapped inside the theater with flesh eating demons.

The great thing about Demons is that is an absolute insane rollercoaster ride from start to finish, no unnecessary plot threads or character development, a great 80's soundtrack, stylish cinematography and excellent gore effects. What else do you really need?

4. Deep Red (1975)

Deep Red is considered by many to be Dario Argento's best film and a landmark in the sub genre of Giallo. The plot is centered around a jazz pianist who witnesses the brutal murder of a psychic that lives in his building. Haunted by his inability to understand the significance of a detail he saw at the crime scene, he partners with a journalist and attempts to solve the mystery. This textbook Giallo starts off relatively slow before developing into more of the most intriguing storylines you'll find in an Argento movie. Deep Red also marks the point in Argento's career when he started experimenting with new camera angles, lighting effects and the unique atmospheric set designs that he would later become known for.

3. Zombie (1979)

Lucio Fulci's Zombie was initially presented as a sequel to George Romero's Dawn of the Dead and titled Zombi 2 in Italy, the title was later changed for its release in the United States. But sequel or not this cult classic delivers everything you'd want in a zombie movie, inventive camera angles, a synthie 70's soundtrack, over the top gore and great custom design for the zombies. And while the bad acting, only made worse by the dubbing is a flaw that tends to be pointed out in this film, I would argue that it only aids in making the main characters zombie fodder for the over the top death scenes that Fulci clearly wanted to showcase.

There's also a scene where a zombie fights a shark...

2. The Beyond (1981)

The Beyond, in my opinion, is Lucio Fulci's best film and the work that cements his place in horror history. After a young woman inherits an old hotel in rural Louisiana, a series of supernatural events leads to the discovery that the hotel was built on top of a gateway to Hell. The Beyond's Lovecraftian plot makes it a bit more coherent that some of Fulci's other work, with all of the over the top gory imagery you'd expect, such as zombie attacks, eye gouging, a crucification and a rather uncomfortable sequence involving tarantulas. The film also has one of the bleakest endings ever, which is a staple of any good horror movie.

1. Suspiria (1977)

Dario Argento's masterpiece Suspiria is one of the best horror films ever made. Everything about this movie is absolutely perfect, creative set design with geometric patterns, some of the most colorful cinematography you will ever see, genuinely scary moments throughout the film and an incredible score by Goblin. The plot is simple yet effective: The main character, Suzy Bannion, travels from New York to Berlin to perfect her ballet studies at a prestigious school of dance. Upon her arrival a series of strange event begin to occur and through a bit of research she discovers the school is run by a coven of witches.

What makes Suspiria unique, aside from its elaborate death sequences and Alice in Wonderland-acid trip imagery, is the fact that it's a genre mashup, taking the murder mystery-thriller elements of the Giallo and combining it with elements of the occult. It proved to heavily influence the slasher genre that would later become wildly popular in the United States and is an absolute must watch for any horror fan.