Top 10 Best Italian Horror Movies
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Suspiria
One of the best horror movies ever made in general. This movie really scared me. The music, the colors, the sets, and fairytale-esque simplicity of the film will stay with you forever.
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Black Sunday
Black Sunday, also known as The Mask of Satan, is the debut film of the original master of Italian horror cinema, Mario Bava. Containing an incredibly Gothic mood that stemmed straight from Bava's imagination, this film has been cited among Director Tim Burton's favorites. Its influence can still be seen throughout many obscure works from mainly European directors.
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The Beyond
The plot is fairly complicated but not essential. Fulci's main intention was to create a hell on earth of grotesque, but strangely beautiful imagery, and obliterate any horror standards that had been set beforehand. This he does to great avail, and The Beyond should be considered one of the greatest horror movies ever made, period.
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Cannibal Holocaust
Billed as 'The Most Controversial Movie Ever Made', this is one movie which actually lives up to its reputation. The final twenty or so minutes are among the most horrifying you will ever witness.
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Tenebre
Tenebre is in most ways a typical giallo: visually extremely stylish, with imaginative, sometimes stunning cinematography. Mysterious, gruesome murders often occur in picturesque locations. At the end, the identity of the murderer is disclosed in a scene destined to terrify and surprise.
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Zombi 2
Cashing in on the success of Dawn of the Dead, Fulci's gore-fest contains a scene with a zombie fighting a shark and an infamous eyeball-meets-splinter encounter and has become a classic in its own right.
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Demons
With a tagline that great, as well as the coupling of cinema legends Dario Argento and Lamberto Bava, how could this film not be on the list? It's atmospheric, energetic, gory, and has influenced several films, such as Robert Rodriguez's entertaining masterpiece: From Dusk Till Dawn.
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Phenomena
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Deep Red
This is considered by some to be Argento's true masterpiece, and it's not hard to see why. The tension he creates is enough to literally put the viewer on the edge of their seat. The way in which the mystery is unraveled has the power to enthrall even those uninitiated with the director's work.
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Black Sabbath
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Bloody Pit of Horror
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Twitch of the Death Nerve
I'm surprised I had to add this, especially since it's the movie that inspired the Friday the 13th trilogy. Most of the kills in Friday the 13th were taken directly from this.
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Kill, Baby, Kill
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Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom
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Opera
Dario Argento was always the best when it came to Italian horror cinema! Truly creative! Visionary in every sense of the word! Masterful eye for color, lighting, and sound. Opera was just one of many! His films will always be loved and NEVER forgotten. - J Counsell
Often referred to as Argento's last truly great film, this is perhaps also one of his most personal. A love letter to the musical genre, it has been prominent in most of his work.
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Don't Torture a Duckling
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City of the Living Dead
Just the weirdest atmosphere - unique!
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The Bird with the Crystal Plumage
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Blood and Black Lace
This is perhaps the purest Giallo ever made, containing all of the essential ingredients which make up the sub-genre: beautiful victims, a hidden killer, an intricate musical score, and mystery and suspense. This is a somewhat forgotten must-see for all fans of Italian horror.
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The Church
Originally intended as the third film in the Demons trilogy, this now exists as a stand-alone horror movie, and in terms of mood, atmosphere, and visuals, is one of the best there is. The film is in constant motion from the first frame to the last, and the sense of dread that accompanies it rivals anything ever made.
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Four Flies on Grey Velvet
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The Psychic
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The New York Ripper
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The House by the Cemetery
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The Torturer
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Shock
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The Cat o' Nine Tails
