Welcome to the letter R! This letter has some lovely films to discuss, from utter classics to sequels to brilliant international horror films to some utter nutty pieces of cinema. The letter R offers us a lot, so sit back and enjoy the chaos!

Just a note: this one is in alphabetical order, so if you do not see a film that should be here, it is probably coming in Part Two!

[Rec] (2007)

News segment reporter Ángela has been shafted with a late-night gig following professionals around while the rest of us are sleeping. This time, she is with firefighters who work the overnight shifts, and what should be the easiest of easy shoots turns into a nightmare when a simple call-out turns into something truly terrifying.

This Spanish film is quite possibly one of the best “found-footage” films ever made. It is to blame for a lot of nonsense from filmmakers who copied its style. Worst of all, it had one of the most meaningless English-language remakes of all time in Quarantine (nothing tops you Psycho remake, my stupid shot-for-shot baby).

By moving along at breakneck speed, we are never allowed to settle; even when the characters take a breath, you are on the highest of alerts. Manuela Velasco is as unbelievable as Ángela; she has you equal parts terrified for her and frustrated as hell as she still tries to film the career-making story that she has played out bloodily before her. [Rec] is one of those horror films that is as close to perfect as it can get, a truly unforgettable nightmare-fueled experience. Especially for those who live in apartment buildings. Does it need a sequel? Nope.

[Rec] 2 (2009)

Kicking off at the same time as the first film, we follow two stories. One of a group of teens who don’t understand that if police, etc., are around a building, it’s best not to go into the said building, then the SWAT team who go in just too late to affect what we saw happen in the original.

Oh. Well, we got that sequel I really thought we needed… Luckily, this one somehow ramps up what we experienced in the first film and just lets loose as much as possible. Keeping the found footage format, we instead get SWAT helmet cameras to help us see the madness of what is happening inside that apartment building.

Wisely, directors Paco Plaza and Jaume Balagueró realised that they needed to push the story forward, and opening up this world allows us not to get bored with what is occurring in it. It’s ridiculous, but because of how well done the film is, you forgive it and if anything, because we know what is happening in that building, we are even more scared of what could be around that corner, with another great third act. If the series had ended here, it would have been grand. Spoiler: it didn’t, but the 3rd and 4th centuries are sadly a bit of a diminishing returns situation, so we wrap it up here for [Rec]!

Rabid (1977)

When Rose gets into a horrific motorcycle accident, she is at a plastic surgery clinic when mad lad Dr Keloid decides that instead of the standard grafts that a burn victim would receive, Rose is perfect for a radical new procedure (Uh oh). Soon, she finds that her surgery has created a thirst within her that she cannot control, as her victims soon act like rabid zombies.

David Cronenbergs fourth feature was surprisingly a body horror, unsurprisingly though it’s a very good one. I wasn’t around in the 70s, but as much as people were terrified of getting into the water, they were terrified of women’s armpits in case there was an unsuspecting attack. How the Canadian Government in the film handle this rabies-like attack feels awful and close to something else from recent years.

The ending of Rabid is an utter stomach-sinker that just leaves you far more numb than you would ever want to feel. Marilyn Chambers is so good here; all you can do is pity her. Placed in a position she is blameless on, the world’s weight is on her, and we feel every pound of it. Ooof, what a film.

The Raven (1935)

A neurosurgeon who is a little too up himself comes out of retirement to perform surgery on a young dancer, falling head over head in love with her despite the dramatic age difference. After changing the face of a murderer in lieu of his services of capturing and helping torture those that stop his love from being with him, Jean, her fiancé and father have to try and survive the night at Dr Vollin’s home.

Thought we were done with crazy surgeons? Not a chance. This Edgar Allan Poe doc falls a little too hard for a patient and gets utterly wacky with his ideas. Any chance to have Boris Karloff and Béla Lugosi on screen together should be rewarded with all the love. Lugosi is all in on playing the obsessive and quite unhinged Vollin. At the same time, Karloff again shows his range as a repentant soul who is dragged along as a sidekick. The Raven again shows that these two horror icons were so much more than the two characters they portrayed, and thank goodness we got Universal gems like this to enjoy.

Raw (2016)

For Justine, it is her destiny not only to become a veterinarian but also to maintain a vegetarian lifestyle. You see, her entire family is both, and it just makes sense that she follows suit. Yet, Hazing listens to no one’s ideals, and soon, she is forced to eat raw meat for the first time. Maybe, just maybe, her family was right to keep her vegetarian…

Julia Ducournau didn’t just meander into the horror scene; she smashed down a wall and made herself a name with her debut film feature, Raw. While it is said to be a tough watch, it generally isn’t. Instead, it is more an intense one; it doesn’t shy away from anything that Ducournau wants to depict, and you have to love it for that boldness. It’s a coming-of-age story with a sexy tinge of cannibalism thrown in there for good measure. Raw is a female-driven, empowering horror explosion that rocks you.

Ready or Not (2019)

Grace has just gotten married, and life could not be better; she is married to a guy who is from a rich family, but that doesn’t really matter to her. Unbeknownst to her though, that family is rich for one reason and as a tradition on the wedding night, instead of having a bit of quiet (or not) time with her new husband, she has to play a game of hide-and-seek, that has far darker consequences than she could ever imagine. In laws, am I right?

Samara Weaving nails it here, bringing enough comedy and terror to Ready or Not that you will struggle not to be cheering her on as she battles through this family of maniacs (also for those who are not fans of their in-laws (not me, love mine, hi Heather!) then this is everything you could ever wish for). With great death scenes and blood by the gallon, Ready or Not is an utter crowd-pleaser.

If we did not have the pandemic, be assured there would have been many, many women dressed in wedding dresses drenched in blood hitting up parties. It is a vibe that you cannot and do not want to shake—a film that nails the concept and then some.

Rear Window (1954)

In a neighbourhood where blinds seemingly weren’t invented yet, bored, temporarily wheelchair-bound pervert L.B Jefferies has gotten to the stage in his recovery where he is just flat-out spying on his neighbours in his block. One night, he sees something he shouldn’t have when he suspects that one of his neighbours has, in fact, committed a murder. Has his boredom gotten the best of him, or has he actually seen what he thinks?

James Stewarts Jefferies is the epitome of a curtain twitcher; we all have them in our street, and we are most likely one ourselves (waves at my wife). So what do you do when you are utterly bored in a day? You look out the window. Hitchcock is at his suspenseful best here as he takes our own natural voyeurism and ramps it up to the highest level. He has Jefferies so distracted that he can’t see his walking Goddess of a partner wanting to “nurse” him because all he wants to do is see what could very well not be there.

It’s the contradictions and projected nature of the film that have us even doubting what we think we saw ourselves. When you become so convinced of something, how do you cope when you are told otherwise? Do you admit you must be wrong, or do you double down? If you have never seen a Hitchcock film, there are worse options than Rear Window to start off with. It’s a razor-sharp film that utilises tension to a level few directors, even 70 years later, can achieve. From a technical standpoint, it’s a masterpiece in how we can be so affected by a film that has 99% static shots. You must watch Rear Window.

Re-Animator (1985)

Maverick med student Herbert West has moved back to the US and is resolute in continuing the experiments he and his mentor were conducting before a terrible incident occurred. He is dragging his fellow students, new housemate Dan, and girlfriend Megan into his schemes.

It’s a horror film where you can only be grinning from ear to ear the entire time due to its wonderful, campy nature. Stuart Gordon has filled his film with so much crazy charm that even stealing Psycho’s theme tune results in a shrug as we just revel in it all. He also doesn’t hang around with Re-Animator, where others would have a slow opening act to get us acquainted, Gordon just chugs along at a relentless pace and simply does not slow down for a second as bodies and plots are just thrown everywhere.

Jeffrey Combs is at his best in Re-Animator, and thanks to writers Dennis Paoli, William Norris and director Stuart Gordon, he has some fantastic straight-faced lines that just crack you up. “Who’s going to believe a talking head? Get a job in a sideshow” is just one of many that just take you out for a second for how you don’t expect it. In a perfect world, we all know a Herbert West, but in a nightmare world, we also all know a Herbert West. Bruce Abbott, the always great Barbara Crampton and David Gale keep the film going, but goodness, this is really the Jeffrey Combs show, and we should all be here for it.

A Record of Sweet Murder (2014)

Believing God has sent him on a mission to kill 27 people in return for giving him back a lost loved one, Sangjoon has fully lost the plot, so much so that he wants a childhood friend who is now a journalist to document his bloody story.

Framed as a one-shot found footage film (something director Kōji Shiraishi is well acclimated to), A Record of Sweet Murder is a brisk and compelling nightmare. What makes this work as well as it does is the performances; they are so integral to a found footage film like this succeeding, and luckily, it has been cast. Yeon Je-wook treads the tightest of tightropes by playing a serial killer who we should have absolutely no love nor care for due to how psychotic he is. Yet we are sympathetic to him; he isn’t well; he is still mourning and just cannot get through it on his own.

What makes the film all the more remarkable is that with the story that it has, and the turns the film takes, it somehow sticks that landing better than Simone Biles. While not as brutal as other Shiraishi films, this is still an uncomfortable viewing, but what horror thriller isn’t?

Red Dragon (2002)

Former FBI agent Will Graham is trying his best to live a quiet life. After all, he captured Hannibal Lecter, and he deserves it. Sadly, the FBI has other ideas and drags him back to help find a new serial killer. The extra kick in the teeth? He needs Hannibal to help him and must face his foe one final time.

Now, it might be difficult to recommend the third best version visual version of this story (Manhunter and the second half of season three of Hannibal are fantastic iterations) but bear with me, as there is still a lot to like about this Brett Ratner film (he is still a dick though). The screenplay is the real shining light here, and despite Ratner’s best efforts to make this film as flat as possible with his direction, some good things shine through.

Does Red Dragon verge on being a more flashy-looking version of Red Dragon? Sure, but with some solid performances from a great cast, it’s difficult not to enjoy it enough as its own film. As with most versions of these Hannibal films, Hopkins is the worst part of them (still the third-best Hannibal Lecter, in my opinion). It’s a film that should be far better, and with any other director at the helm, it would have been. The best scene is still with Ralph Fiennes and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Relic (2020)

Edna has dementia and has been living alone for a bit too long for it to be okay. One day, she mysteriously disappears, so her daughter Kay and granddaughter Sam come looking for her; they find a house falling to pieces. Alarmed at what they see, they realise that the dementia isn’t just with Edna but seeped into the house itself.

Up there with one of the best horror films of 2020 and, in truth, this decade so far, Relic breaks you. This is a slow burner of a psychological horror, and it makes qualms about that fact. For those wanting a Hereditary should look elsewhere. What Relic does so well is that it just throws the horror, the fears of your parents or loved ones growing old and not only becoming dependent on others but forgetting you.

This is a film that isn’t about the jump scares; it is about the never-ending impending sense of dread that just overcomes you when you are placed in this situation; only Relic takes those fears and makes them as visually depressing and harrowing as it can. It consumes you, taking its time to envelope you before it is too late. That is what is impressive about this film: it isn’t a scary old person or overly supernatural film; it’s about the horror in our real lives and how we are never too far from it. Relic is one hell of a debut from Natalie Erika James. It is so immensely uncomfortable from an emotional standpoint that it will leave you drained and astounded.

The Relic (1997)

When an anthropologist drinks a soup made by a tribesman in South America, which you know probably isn’t the wisest thing to do when they are making a big song and dancing about it as if it’s a ritual, he boards a boat back to Chicago, but when the boat returns with all the crew dead, a detective and biologist must figure out what went on in those days before docking. All the while, a mysterious creature (always a cheeky mysterious creature) is killing people in an awfully similar way to how the men on the ship died.

A pretty decent creature feature, The Relic surprises with just how solid it is. Stan Winston’s practical effects are on full show once again, and even if the late 90s special effects are not as up to scratch as Winston’s practical, it doesn’t overly detract from the overall film. We get a slow build as everyone tries to work out the connection; even if you figure it out early on, the sheer level of death that the creature lets loose on the exhibition crowd is a dimly lit delight.

The Relic takes its time, but like many films before and after it, it’s the last act that delivers most of the goods, and with this one, it delivers it in fistfuls. It’s an underrated surprise.

Repulsion (1965)

Carol has a horrible phobia of interacting with men and thoroughly disapproves of her sister’s boyfriend. When her sister leaves for a holiday, fears and visions of rape and violence against her swarm Carol’s mind, leaving her in a nightmarish situation she finds herself trapped in.

It’s always difficult to recommend a film from a filmmaker who you would rather ignore, in this case, Roman Polanski. I can easily throw in a little line about how Repulsion and Polanski go hand in hand, but most have done it better than I could. Yet, this film should not be forgotten due to how phenomenal Catherine Deneuve is in it. She is so uncomfortable at all times that it begins to affect you.

A disturbing descent into paranoia that takes your breath away, sound is one of the integral cogs to Repulsion. Often silent, it’s the sounds we, as Carol, hear all around her in the apartment. She is trapped within herself, and she simply cannot figure out how to get out of it, allowing the sounds and thoughts to overcome her. It’s utterly shattering.

It’s possibly one of the best psychological horrors of all time. If you can get past who the director is—though I wouldn’t blame you in the slightest if you couldn’t—then this needs to fly to the top of your watchlist.

Resident Evil (2002)

Scientists are doing that typical scientist thing and messing about with things they shouldn’t. Lo and behold, the world is in danger when that virus leaks, even a million floors underground. Sent in to stop anything involving that virus from escaping is an elite military team who almost certainly will not be killed in weird and wonderful ways until a small group remains to fight in the finale.

No disrespect to the rest of this franchise, but nothing comes close to this one, and the fact that it went to number six is a miracle of perseverance for horror fans. By taking the haunted house trope deep underground and making it a fancy lab, W.S. Anderson almost sabotages his film by allowing all the worst parts of his directorial personality to come to the fore.

Somehow, though, this stupid film survives, and what we get is a rubbish film, but a very enjoyable one. In the end, if we are not going to get a balls-to-the-wall terrifying Resident Evil film, it has to be entertaining, and with some great deaths, this ticks that box.

It’s a film for those who are fans of a superhuman in a dress kicking a zombie Doberman square in the head.

To check out our previous letters have a click below! Come back for the letter S, tomorrow.

Horror films to watch: Letter A

Horror films to watch: Letter B

Horror films to watch: Letter B (Part 2)

Horror films to watch: Letter C

Horror films to watch: Letter D

Horror films to watch: Letter E

Horror films to watch: Letter F

Horror films to watch: Letter G

Horror films to watch: Letter H: Part 1

Horror films to watch: Letter H: Part 2

Horror films to watch: Letter H: Part 3

Horror films to watch: Letter I; Part 1

Horror films to watch: Letter I – Part 2

Horror films to watch; Letter J

Horror films to watch; Letter K

Horror films to watch: Letter L

Horror films to watch: Letter M

Horror films to watch: Letter M (Part 2)

Horror films to watch: Letter M (part 3)

Horror films to watch: Letter N

Horror films to watch: Letter N (Part 2)

Horror films to watch: Letter O

Horror films to watch: Letter P (Part 1)

Horror films to watch: Letter P (Part 2)

Horror films to watch: Letter Q

Horror films to watch: Letter R (Part 1)

Horror films to watch: Letter S (Part 1)

Horror films to watch: Letter T (Part 1)

Horror films to watch: Letter U

Horror films to watch: Letter V (Part 1)

Horror films to watch: Letter W (Part 1)

Horror films to watch: Letter X

Horror films to watch: Letter Y

Horror films to watch: Letter Z

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