The best French horror films: list and annotations

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Not everyone knows that the birthplace of horror films is not America, but France. It was in France back in 1896 that the first horror film, The Devil's Castle, was filmed. The film was directed by Georges Méliès, a well-known magician at the time. Almost until the 1950s, Méliès made films, most of which were science fiction and horror films. There was practically no competition from Georges Méliès, since during the Second World War other directors left for prosperous America, where they continued their work in Hollywood.

But things began to change in the 1950s, as talented new French directors became addicted to making horror films. By the 70s, a French tradition had developed: 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 read their summary and choose the one they like to watch.

List of the best French horror films

• "Eyes without a face"(1960).
• Grave of the Living Dead (1981).
• "Possessed" (1981).
• "Belphegor - the ghost of the Louvre" (2001).
• The Book of Shadows (2002).
• The Hills Have Eyes (2006).
• Martyrs (2008).
• Vertigo (2009).

Eyes without a face

Professor Genesier's daughter is kidnapped and killed. Having identified her body, her father organizes the funeral. In fact, the girl did not die. Genesier is trying to restore her face, disfigured in a terrible car accident. The professor's faithful assistant, Louise, lures the girls to his house by cunning, where they become material for Genesier's insane plastic surgeries.

Grave of the Living Dead

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 the soldier who finds out about the gold kills him.

Years have passed. An expedition is sent to Africa in search of gold. They have to face an army of Nazi-turned-zombies guarding their gold.

Possessed

Cult French horror film with one of the most beautiful actresses of French cinema - Isabelle Adjani - in the main female role. The main male role was played by the wonderful actor Sam Neill, who is known to modern viewers for the Jurassic Park trilogy, in which he plays Dr. Alan Grant.

Anna and Mark are happy spouses. They havehas a ten-year-old son, Bob. Mark works for the special services, so he often travels on business trips. One day, 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 Anna's lover, he begins an investigation that reveals the terrible truth to him and entangles him in bloody events.

Belphegor - 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 Belphegor is waiting in the wings. He inhabits the girl Lisa, while granting her a terrible supernatural power. To save Lisa and the museum staff from certain death, you need to unravel the mystery that will help get rid of the demon.

Book of Shadows

One of the scariest pictures from the list of French horror films. There are four prisoners in the prison cell: Carrer, a director of a firm convicted of fraud, a mentally retarded Marigold, Marcus, a transsexual who wants to change sex, Lassalle, an elderly intellectual convicted of killing 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 contains spells that will help the prisoners escape. But after a mysterious find, terrible events begin to happen in the chamber.

The hills have eyes

One of the most popular French horror films -joint work of French and American film studios. The Carter family goes on a trip to America. On the way, their car breaks down. Carters find themselves on the territory of the nuclear zone, which is completely cut off from the civilized world. But the seemingly desolate area is inhabited by terrifying mutants who begin hunting down the unsuspecting Carters.

Martyrs

Incredibly mysterious French horror film. On a country road, little Lucy appears, who had gone missing a year before. The girl is in a state of shock and cannot answer questions about what happened to her. The police are able to establish that Lucy was being held captive in an abandoned slaughterhouse. It is obvious that the girl could not get out of her imprisonment for a long time. She is very thin, her body is dirty and dehydrated. But the attacker did not commit sexual violence against her. No one understands how Lucy was able to escape. What will help solve a strange crime?

Vertigo

Friends on vacation go to the mountains. But the climb turns out to be steeper, more unpredictable, and more dangerous than they expected. In addition, it turns out that the guys are not alone in the mountains. A fun adventure turns into a nightmare.