Welcome to Horror Cult the column dedicated to exploring the horror films that have shaped the genre’s history. We will delve into the depths of classic thrillers, rediscovering films that have left an indelible mark on the cinematic landscape.
The film begins with a series of brutal murders terrorizing a university in Perugia. The victims are young female students, and the killer’s particularly macabre method is strangling them with a red scarf. The police are in the dark, unable to find a connection between the murders.
A Lizard in a Woman’s Skin is a 1971 film directed by Lucio Fulci, one of the undisputed masters of Italian horror and thriller cinema. This film stands as an icon of the psychedelic giallo genre, known for its intricate plot, surreal atmosphere, and hypnotic soundtrack. Lucio Fulci, with his narrative skill and mastery in creating tension, presents a work that explores the boundaries of the human mind and the thin line between dream and reality.
The Phantom of the Opera is a 1925 silent film directed by Rupert Julian and based on Gaston Leroux’s novel of the same name.
Returning after a long absence to his family’s wealthy estate, a young man meets a girl for whom he feels a strong attraction. Despite her engagement, the girl succumbs to his charm.
One evening, the young man, the girl, and her friend go into the woods to have their fortunes told by gypsies.
*Cat O’ Nine Tails* is the second film in Dario Argento’s so-called “Animal Trilogy,” preceded by *The Bird with the Crystal Plumage* and followed by *Four Flies on Grey Velvet*. Released in 1971, this giallo thriller perfectly exemplifies Argento’s talent for creating suspenseful and mysterious atmospheres. With an intricate plot, complex characters, and an evocative soundtrack, the film stands as a landmark in Italian genre cinema.
The Man Who Laughs is a 1928 silent film directed by Paul Leni and based on a novel by Victor Hugo.
In 1690, Lord Clancharlie returns to England after exile but is accused of treason and captured by James II of England.
Set in 1968 in the French Alps, a little girl is murdered by a mysterious figure dressed in black, a serial killer in female attire. Her nanny, Ginevra Storelli, soon moves to Venice, and the case is closed. Four years later, the nightmare repeats…
On the outskirts of London, journalist Alan Foster is tasked with interviewing Edgar Allan Poe.
The journalist remains skeptical when Poe reveals that his stories are based on real events and, therefore, he doesn’t consider himself a novelist but merely a chronicler.
The story revolves around an American archaeologist, Jason Porter (played by Alex Cord), who arrives in Italy to study ancient Etruscan tombs. During the excavations, Porter and his team uncover an ancient Etruscan sarcophagus containing a mysteriously preserved corpse. This discovery coincides with a series of brutal murders that seem linked to an ancient Etruscan curse.
The story revolves around English nobleman Alan Cunningham (played by Anthony Steffen), who is tormented by the death of his first wife, Evelyn. Afflicted by psychological trauma and obsessed with the memory of his deceased wife, Alan begins inviting young women to his family estate, only to torture and kill them.
