Take a look at the best from abroad ““ foreign horror films that made the grade.
“Audition,” directed by Takashi Miike, 1999
One of Quentin Tarantino’s favorite movies, “Audition” is the creepy tale of a widower’s attempt to find a new wife by holding a fake audition. Things go horribly wrong when he falls for the seemingly shy and beautiful Asami, whose hatred toward men and penchant for torture devices knows no bounds. Even horror fans well-accustomed to blood and gore will have a tough time stomaching the famous piano-wire scene at the end.
“A Chinese Ghost Story,” directed by Siu-Tung Ching, 1987
The first horror movie hailing from Hong Kong to make any impact in the West, “A Chinese Ghost Story” balances a tender love story with horrific monsters and themes of redemption and self-sacrifice. Leslie Cheung plays a poor monk who comes across a harem of female ghosts that first seduce men with their beauty and then proceed to suck out their souls. Things inevitably get more complicated when he falls in love with one of the girls, leading to an epic battle against the demon of all demons.
“Thirst,” directed by Chan-wook Park, 2009
Forget “Twilight” ““ “Thirst” packs in more punch and twice the excitement with a story revolving around a vampire priest who reinforces the widely accepted notion that yes, vampires do in fact drink blood. (How about that, Edward Cullen?) Park, most famous for his “Vengeance” trilogy, returns with a new bout of twists and squeamish moments in this redemption tale. Most accurately characterized as dark humor with a slight flair of romance, “Thirst” is both visually stunning and thoroughly enjoyable.
“A Tale of Two Sisters,” directed by Ji-woon Kim, 2003
Although not as logically sound as its North American remake, “The Uninvited,” “A Tale of Two Sisters” is notably creepier in two ways. First, the archetypal step mom is noticeably crueler from the get-go, thus heightening the already tense vibe of the film. Secondly, the ending is way less predictable and in some ways, much more satisfying. Based on a famous Korean folk tale, “Sisters” follows Su-Mi and Su-Yeon, two sisters who must deal with the aftermath of their mother’s death in a creepy house and well-worn family politics.
“The Orphanage,” directed by Juan Antonio Bayona, 2007
Produced by Guillermo Del Toro (“Pan’s Labyrinth”), “The Orphanage” has all the conventions of a typical horror movie ““ a troubled kid, creepy house and an unsolved mystery ““ but the way in which the elements combine result in a story not commonly told. Laura, a former orphan, returns to the orphanage where she was raised with her adopted son Simon and loving husband Carlos. Things are picture-perfect until Simon begins playing with invisible friends and suddenly vanishes, leaving Laura to unravel a chilling mystery that dates back to her childhood.