Nato – Berberian Sound Studio
I was going to recommend a silly zombie comedy called Detention Of The Dead for my last pick, being nothing but a funny laugh-fest I had an absolute blast with, but I have to give Berberian Sound Studio props because writer/director Peter Strickland created an homage to an era that actually became its own incarnation of horror. If you want the simple watch, take Detention Of The Dead for a spin. But for those willing to have their intellect challenged and prodded by Strickland’s challenging material, I highly encourage you give this a try.
Strickland tells the story of a sound engineer (Toby Jones) who gets stuck working on a 1970’s Italian “Giallo” horror film in a poorly run studio, and the deterioration of his sanity as he gets farther and farther into the job. To do this, Strickland starts blending elements of the movie Jones is working on into his daily life, until scenes representing both are almost indistinguishable. Is Jones’ character stuck in the movie? Is he in some kind of dream state? It’s a serious mindf#ck of a film, but one that’s done with a distinctively magnificent style and with genre bending poise. The deeper you get into Strickland’s film, the more it will confuse (in a good way), hypnotize, and overtake you.
Don’t you love a filmmaker who doesn’t resort to babying his audience?
Have you seen any of this year’s lesser known horror films? Did we miss any gems you think belong on this list? Let us know in the comments!
*A special thanks to Remy for stepping in to guest write! Feel free to follow either of us on Twitter for even more insanity and updates:
Matt Donato Follow @DoNatoBomb
Remy Carreiro Follow @RemyCarreiro
Like what you read? Check out last week’s article where Remy and I create our own highlight reel of Friday the 13th franchise kill scenes!