Not everyone knows that the birthplace of horror films is not America, but France. It was in France in the distant 1896 that the first horror film - "The Devil's Castle" was shot. The director of the film was the then-famous magician Georges Méliès. Almost until the 1950s, Méliès made films, most of which were science fiction and horror films. Georges Méliès practically had no competition, since during the Second World War other directors left for prosperous America, where they continued their work in Hollywood.
But in the 1950s, the situation began to change, new talented French directors became interested in making horror films. By the 70s there was a French tradition: the dominance of styles and images over the plot and acting, eroticism, explicit violence. The best French horror films are discussed in the article. Each potential viewer will be able to familiarize themselves with their summary and choose what they like to view.
List of the best French horror films
- “Eyes without a face” (1960).
- "The Tomb of the Living Dead" (1981).
- “Obsessed” (1981).
- "Belfegor - the ghost of the Louvre" (2001).
- The Book of Shadows (2002).
- “The Hills Have Eyes” (2006).
- Martyrs (2008).
- “Dizziness” (2009).
“Eyes without a face”
Professor Gennesye is abducted and killed by her daughter. Having identified her body, her father is organizing a funeral. In fact, the girl did not die. Genesis tries to restore her face, disfigured in a terrible car accident. The faithful assistant to the professor - Louise - by cunning lures the girls to his home, where they become the material for the crazy plastic surgery of Gennesier.
"The Tomb of the Living Dead"
The Second World War. Hot African desert. A group of Nazis is transporting a precious cargo - gold. The Nazis are attacked by partisans. After a fierce battle, only the commander of the partisan detachment remains alive. But a soldier who finds out about gold kills him.
Years passed. An expedition sets off in search of gold in Africa. They have to face an army of Nazis who have become zombies who guard their gold.
Obsessed
A cult French horror film with one of the most beautiful actresses in French cinema - Isabelle Adjani - in the main female role. The main male role was played by the wonderful actor Sam Nill, who is known to modern audiences for the Jurassic Park trilogy, in which he plays Dr. Alan Grant.
Anna and Mark are happy spouses. They have a ten year old son, Bob. Mark works for special services, so he often goes on business trips. Once, returning from another business trip, he notices the strange behavior of his wife. She began to treat her husband coldly and leave home more often; she often has tantrums. Suspecting the appearance of a lover in Anna, he begins an investigation, which reveals to him the terrible truth and embroils in bloody events.
"Belfegor - the ghost of the Louvre"
One of the most famous French horror films. In the ancient Egyptian mummy, which is located in the Louvre, the demon Belfegor is waiting in the wings. He instills a girl Lisa, giving her a terrible supernatural power. To save Lisa and museum workers from imminent death, you need to unravel the mystery that will help get rid of the demon.
Book of Shadows
One of the most creepy pictures from the list of French horror films. Four prisoners are in the prison cell: Carrer - the director of the company, convicted of fraud, the mentally handicapped Daisy, Marcus - a transgender, eager to change sex, Lassalle - an elderly intellectual convicted of the murder of his wife. They find an old diary kept by a prisoner who was in this cell at the beginning of the last century. The diary has spells to help prisoners escape. But after a mysterious find in the cell, terrible events begin to occur.
“The hills have eyes”
One of the most popular French horror films is the collaboration of French and American film studios. Carter family travels to America. On the road, their car breaks down. The crankcases find themselves in the territory of the nuclear zone, which is completely cut off from the civilized world. But terrible mutants live in the seemingly deserted territory, which begin the hunt for unsuspecting Carters.
Martyrs
Incredibly mysterious French horror movie. A little Lucy appears on a country road, who was missing a year before. The girl is in a state of shock and cannot answer questions about what happened to her. Police manage to establish that Lucy was kept in confinement in an abandoned slaughterhouse. Obviously, the girl for a long time could not get out of her confinement. She was very thin, her body was dirty and dehydrated. But the malefactor did not commit sexual violence. No one understands how Lucy was able to escape. What will help solve a strange crime?
"Dizziness"
Friends on vacation go to the mountains. But the climb is steeper, unpredictable and dangerous than they expected. Moreover, it turns out that the guys are not alone in the mountains. A fun adventure turns into a nightmare.