Imported Horror

You can't understand the ways of the country. Satan lurks in the fields and the forests are full of deviants. This week, we explore the lesser-known middle entry of the "Unholy Trinity" of British folk horror, The Blood on Satan's Claw (1971), and pack our bags for the rural rape revenge flick Even Lambs Have Teeth (Canada & France, 2015). Also, "Swissploitation" hits VOD and how many timelines do you really need in a movie?

Articles mentioned in this episode:

"The haunted history of folk horror: Filmmaker Kier-La Janisse on the growing subgenre," by Doug Gordon for Wisconsin Public Radio

"How Piers Haggard's The Blood On Satan's Claw Became A Cornerstone Of Folk Horror," by Lee Adams for Slash Film

"Dutch Features signs Czech horror 'Repulse' at EFM (exclusive)," by Ben Dalton for Screen Daily

Need a fun gateway horror to watch with the kid(s)? Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai (2023) is full of Chinese folklore, classic chaos demons and a few genuine scares, plus killer performances from James Hong and George Takei. Want to watch something bat crap crazy after they go to bed? Hellhole (Poland, 2022) has wild and gruesome convent horror with a twisted sense of humor. Also - jungle terrors, urban sensory deprivation and radio station stalkers are all dropping this week.

Articles mentioned in this episode:

""Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai" – Showrunner Tze Chun on Joe Dante's Advice and Staying True to the 'Gremlins' Brand [Interview]" by Meagan Navarro for Bloody Disgusting

"Netflix Viewers Are Getting Nauseous Over This Terrifying Horror Movie," by Riley Presnell for Collider

"As Poland's first proper horror storms to No1 on Netflix, TFN talks to director Bartosz M. Kowalski about his ode to the B-films he grew up with," by Alex Webber for The First News

Is the British film industry terrible, or just very self-aware? This week, we dive into a pair of gruesome meta horrors from the United Kingdom. Scream of the Wolf (United Kingdom, 2022) is a throwback splatterfest combining old Hammer tropes, filmmaking stereotypes and a very hungry werewolf. Stalker (United Kingdom, 2022) locks a vain actress in a dingy elevator with her stalker, but is there a twist? We also preview Lithuania's first slasher flick and Lovecrafty body horror on the Porcupine River.

Scream of the Wolf: Motion Picture Terror Scale: 1.6. Quality: 3. Enjoyment: 4.

Stalker: MPTS: 3.5. Quality: 3.6. Enjoyment: 3.5

Articles mentioned in this episode:

"'Scream of the Wolf' Trailer – Indie Horror Movie Features an Impressive Practical Werewolf" by John Squires for Bloody Disgusting

"Wolf Manor Interview: Dominic Brunt – 'It's a very gory horror film, but there's a lot of goodwill'." by Garry Arnot for Cinema Perspective

"Interview: Director Steve Johnson, Writer Chris Watt & Actor Stuart Brennan discuss new thriller 'Stalker'" by Kat Hughes for The Hollywood News

Incantation: Motion Picture Terror Scale: 4.66. Quality: 5. Enjoyment: 4.66

Unwelcome: MPTS: 2. Quality: 2.66. Enjoyment: 2.33

Articles mentioned in this episode:

"The not-so-scary truth behind horror sensation 'Incantation'" by Emma Burleigh for The China Project

"'Incantation' actors reveal origins of chant that 'cursed' viewers," by Ryan General for Yahoo! News

"Behind The Scenes With INCANTATION VFX Team And Director Kevin Ko," by Angel Melanson for Fangoria

"Unwelcome's Jon Wright and Douglas Booth Address Murderous Goblins and the Influence of Gremlins," by Bryan Cairns for CBR

"Jon Wright & Douglas Booth Discuss Unwelcome & Horror Inspirations," by Grant Hermanns for Screen Rant

Be sure to close the blinds for this week's wild and saucy double feature. Red Nights (Hong Kong, France & Belguim, 2010) is a killer blend of Hong Kong mobster violence and European giallo style, but even though legendary category III star Carrie Ng is a bewitching femme fatale the movie isn't as sexy as it wants to be. Night of the Killer Bears (Thailand, 2022), though, gets right down to business with a slick cold open and a parade of shameless, creative kills. Turn off your brain and smile at all the nods to "Scream" and "I know What You Did Last Summer."

Red Nights: Motion Picture Terror Scale: 4. Quality: 3.5. Enjoyment: 3.

Night of the Killer Bears: MPTS: 2. Quality: 3. Enjoyment: 4.5

Articles mentioned in this episode:

"Julien Carbon et Laurent Courtiaud pour Les Nuits Rouges du Bourreau de Jade," by Julien for Le Blog du Cinema (read with Google Translate, so a lot could've been lost in translation)

"The 10 greatest erotic horror films of all time," by Swapnil Dhruv Bose for Far Out Magazine

"Exclusive: Night of the Killer Bears Producer Pays Tribute to Classic Thrillers," by Will Sayre for Movie Web

"Malaysian feminist body horror film 'Tiger Stripes' wins Grand Prix at Cannes Critics' Week" by Surej Singh for NME

International travel is scary. There are savage criminals, bloodthirsty cannibals and all sorts of nasty surprises out there. You should really just stay home, but if you do book a ticket with us, get ready for gleeful blood splatter in Project Wolf Hunting (2022), South Korea's joyful answer to the question "What if a 90s Nick Cage-y action flick had tons of gore?" After that, we watch a snarky anti-hero get his ass kicked in the bank heist / sarcastic comedy / cannibal horror mashup Bloody Hell (Australia, 2020). Also, get ready for Japanese body horror and British/Irish leprechauns (maybe?) in coming streaming drops.

Project Wolf Hunting: Motion Picture Terror Scale: 2. Quality: 4.33. Enjoyment: 4.

Bloody Hell: MPTS: 2.33. Quality: 4.66. Enjoyment: 4.66.

Articles mentioned in this episode:

"EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW AND CLIP: WRITER-DIRECTOR KIM HONG SUN ON PROJECT WOLF HUNTING," by SciFiNow

"Bloody Hell Screenwriter Robert Benjamin Reveals the Roots of the Horror Comedy," by Cynthia Vinney for CBR

It's the Summer of Subspecies as we are shook, once again, by the fantastical terrors of Radu Vladislas. Subspecies V: Bloodrise (Romania & USA, 2023) is a pulpy re-prequel with the soul of an early 90s straight-to-VHS flick, but modern cinematography and a surprisingly compelling story. Next, we also explore the most sinister performance of Vincent Price's storied career and unpack the surprising queer history of Bloodbath at the House of Death (United Kingdom, 1984), a wild horror spoof clinging to a wafer-thin plot. Move over, Scary Movie.

Subspecies V: Motion Picture Terror Scale: 0. Quality: 4.33. Enjoyment: 4.66.

Bloodbath at the House of Death: MPTS: Pancake! Quality: 3. Enjoyment: 4.66

Articles mentioned in this episode:

"Talking 'Subspecies V: Blood Rise' With Writer/Director Ted Nicolaou," by Gareth Von Kallenbach for SciFi Radio

"Kenny Everett - The best possible way to remember a true pioneer," by James Rampton for The Independent

"The Best of the Kenny Everett Television Shows (Mon 25th Sep 1995, BBC One)" on YouTube

Holy unresolved emotional baggage, Batman! This week, we unpack two genre mashups about the terrors of living in the past with a southern action horror mashup Saloum (Senegal & France, 2021) and the body snatched alien robot comedy The World's End (United Kingdom, USA & Japan, 2013). Also, we offer a dramatic reading of the epic IMDB summary for the upcoming Subspecies V: Blood Rise and chat about Gremlins: Curse of the Mogwai and Mad Heidi.

The World's End: Motion Picture Terror Scale: 1.66. Quality: 5. Enjoyment: 5

Saloum: MPTS: 3. Quality: 4.66. Enjoyment: 4.33

Articles mentioned in this episode:

"WELCOME TO 'THE WORLD'S END': A CONVERSATION WITH EDGAR WRIGHT, SIMON PEGG, AND NICK FROST," by Bryan Bishop for The Verge

"TIFF Interview: Jean Luc Herbulot Discusses 'Saloum' and his Visions for African Cinema and Culture," by Shane Slater for Awards Radar

"Fantastic Fest 2021 Interview: Co-Writer/Director Jean Luc Herbulot Discusses SALOUM," by Heather Wixson for Daily Dead

Are you trapped in an alternatve universe filled with grayscale cosmic horror? Are you being stalked by an ancient vampire who loves tall shadows and quirky antiques? Either way, we hope you're in the mood for some throwbacks this week as we unravel vintage conspiracies with "History of the Occult" (Argentina & Mexico, 2020) and play with "finger demons" with the deliciously campy "Bloodstone: Subspecies II" (Romania & USA, 1993). We also preview acclaimed foreign horror flicks "Huesera: The Bone Woman" (Mexico & Peru, 2022), "Project Wolf Hunting" (South Korea, 2022) and "Subspecies V: Blood Rise" (Romania & USA, 2023).

History of the Occult: Motion Picture Terror Scale: 1. Quality: 3. Enjoyment: 3

Bloodstone: Subspecies II: MPTS: 1 lol. Quality: It's a 1993 straight to video vampire movie, what do you expect? Enjoyment: 5++

Articles mentioned in this episode:

"'History of the Occult' – Lovecraftian Horror from Argentina Now on SCREAMBOX!" by Brad Miska for Bloody Disgusting

"History of the Occult Investigates a Conspiracy of Doom" by Cheryl Eddy for Gizmodo

"Chuck Norris vs. Communism" from Vernon Films on Vimeo (full documentary for rent)

"The voice that brought Hollywood films to communist Romania's TV screens" by Kit Gillet for The Guardian

"Opinion: 'VHS vs. Communism'" by Ilinca Calugareanu for The New York Times

"Last Bite" by Ashley Seering on AudPop

Get ready to hide your popcorn and clutch your pearls, y'all - Imported Horror is back. We're relaunching the show after a six month-ish baby break and we're ready for all sorts of savage kills, gruesome thrills, insidious folklore and spicy villians. This week, we're breaking down the 2023 Chainsaw Awards. Is Saloum this year's Marisa Tomei? Is the Best International Film category too heavy and grim? Should the best wide release go to Barbarian or The Black Phone? We also talk about the show and what we've got planned this year.