Ryan answers “I wish I could watch the horror films of...”

Jessica asked this question about Night Film:

I wish I could watch the horror films of Stanislas Cordova! Any suggestions for similar filmmakers I could try instead?

Ryan I felt the same way after reading this book. So, I looked up different lists of "most disturbing films" and came up with quite a few, but most didn't …moreI felt the same way after reading this book. So, I looked up different lists of "most disturbing films" and came up with quite a few, but most didn't seem very "Cordova". There was a lot of torture-porn, like "A Serbian Film" and "Human Centipede" (which is actually uber-gross comedy, at least that's how I viewed it.), some Japanese torture-horror, like "Audition" (which bored me, frankly). I just got the sense that while Cordova was very disturbing, he did it in a much more subtle way, leaving his gross scenes (fingers hacked off pressed against the car window) for when they'd be the most shocking and effective. I also felt like his films would be well plotted, and not overly artsy.

So I refined my search and came across this list: http://www.tasteofcinema.com/2014/25-...

This is more along the lines of what I imagine Cordova to be like. More Lynch/Argento/Hitchcock/Kubrick, and less Miike/Roth/von Trier.

For example, I just watched von Trier's "Antichrist" and had this to say to friends: "well, it'll be memorable, but that's about as much as I can say for it. There are better films out there that explore grief and loss, though none, perhaps, as artsy or graphic. I can't say as I recommend this film be watched by anyone. Someone I read described this film as "suicidal" and perhaps that's the best description. It's gross, overly-sexualized in a torture-porn sort of way, with scenes designed simply to shock and not as the result of what one could consider reasoned actions by the characters. If it has any redeemeing qualities, the acting by Charlotte Gainesbourg was really good. You believed her almost all of the way through this dark spiral."

So, if that's what you think Cordova would be like, check it out. If not, maybe try a few from the list linked above. Hope that's helpful!(less)

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