Sacrifice (2021) (originally titled The Colour of Madness)is the sophomore effort of directors Andy Collier and Toor Mian, adapted by Paul Kane’s folk-horror novelette, Men Of The Cloth. Inspired heavily by the monstrous mythology of HP Lovecraft and, while not without its merits, frequently struggles to break through the earth’s-mantle barrier which limits most, if not all screen translations of cosmic horror.
Young couple Emma (Sophie Stevens) and Isaac (Ludovic Hughes) return to Isaac’s Norwegian family home after a twenty-five year absence. The townspeople, including their sprightly sheriff played by horror heavyweight Barbara Crampton (of such masterpieces as Re-Animator (1985) and From Beyond (1986)), become increasingly familiar with Isaac as strange and terrible secrets about his family’s history unfold. In no time at all (from the first thirty seconds of the trailer in fact) we learn that the uncanny Norwegian folk worship an entity that early-horror aficionados will recognise as none other than Cthulhu himself.
Having never read the source material, I was more than ready to enjoy an atmospheric horror with the A24-feel and Lovecraftian overtones the trailer hinted towards. In a sense I got what I wanted, though by the credits I had realised that in terms of ingredients I need a lot more than just those things. Sacrifice’s story unfolds through a series of meandering conversations and repetitive dream sequences that reduce its slow-burn to a dying spark of infrequent, moderately effective chills. True effort is shown by the handful of actors attempting to keep an ironically shallow script afloat as scene after scene of derivative half-scares trickle by, the surprise climaxes of which are likely to have dawned on you moments before they happen.
Conceptually this is my type of film, and there are elements here to enjoy. Isaac’s growing obsession with the cultish townsfolk and their customs is a great angle and offers some interesting visual and psychological ideas to be employed, even if he began to border on cartoonishly arrogant in the final act. Inspiration being taken heavily from Lovecraft’s work allowed some tantalising points regarding science, religion and cultism to be explored, though again not quite to the extent that might satiate true ‘intronauts’. These pondering breaks still offer enough intrigue to keep viewers guessing up until the climactic turnaround. Sacrifice’s ending is fun, though nothing too thought-provoking, and features a quietly effective final shot that would have been all the more powerful had I not seen an almost identical one in 2017’s Hagazussa.
Sacrifice offers some sharp and vividly colourful imagery aided by striking views and focused cinematography. While the editing can be erratic in places, and some instances of coloured lighting feel less purposeful than their inspirational counterparts, the film’s overall aesthetic does warrant the majority of its artistic choices. The lake itself is vast and ominous and many lines uttered by its worshippers are devilishly thought-provoking. The finished product sadly feels underdeveloped, had it not repeatedly fallen into the same handful of formulaic choices over its brief runtime, I’m convinced Sacrifice could have been an effective psychological horror about obsession with the deep, dark and unknown.
Joe first knew he wanted to write in year six after plaguing his teacher’s dreams with a harrowing story of World War prisoners and an insidious ‘book of the dead’. Clearly infatuated with horror, and wearing his influences on his sleeve, he dabbled in some smaller pieces before starting work on his condensed sci-fi epic, System Reset in 2013.Once this was published he began work on many smaller horror stories and poems in bid to harness and connect with his own fears and passions and build on his craft. Joe is obsessed with atmosphere and aesthetic, big concepts and even bigger senses of scale, feeding on cosmic horror of the deep sea and vastness of space and the emotions these can invoke. His main fixes within the dark arts include horror films, extreme metal music and the bleakest of poetry and science fiction literature. He holds a deep respect for plot, creative flow and the context of art, and hopes to forge deeper connections between them around filmmakers dabbling in the dark and macabre.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise is filled with horrifying costumes, effects, props and furniture. Some of the wretched home decor is scarier than the rest…however, almost all of the home furnishings found throughout the Sawyer (or Hewitt) residence is absolutely unnerving. After wreaking decades of havoc on travelers through Texas, the wicked killers have collected a number of creepy artifacts. Analyzing any of the furnishings in Leatherface’s home during any film will reveal the true sadistic nature of the family of cannibals.
List of Scary Furniture Found in Texas Chainsaw Movies
These are some of the scariest horror decor and flesh inspired furniture found throughout the Texas Chainsaw Massacre films.
Furniture Made of Bone
A lot of the furniture throughout the Sawyer (or Hewitt depending upon the movie in the franchise) residence are outfitted with bone or actually made from human bones. The lamps are sometimes made from bones. All types of bones are used in the furniture, rib cages, ribs, knees, arms, legs, skulls…just about everything.
Bone Chandelier
A bone chandelier like the one in the dinner scene of Texas Chainsaw Massacre III instill real fear in the audience. This chandelier is comprised of so many bones (arms or legs it looks like), that it implies many victims have seen the dinner table before.
Animal Skull Centerpieces
The dinner table is can be seen affixed with an animal skull or two. This is a very respectable dinner table centerpiece in the house of a cannibal family.
Filthy Antiques
There is a lot of fear to be had in old, antique, rusty and filthy pieces of furniture. Not to mention a chainsaw collection including the chainsaw he used to saw up all those unfortunate teenagers. Old, unkempt furnishings and horror decor are everywhere in a Texas Chainsaw movie.
Human Flesh and Face Lamps
There are lamps seen throughout the films that are made using human flesh. Sometimes, they are made using the flesh of a human face.
Standing Skeletons
The cannibals have claimed many victims and have an array of skeletons littered throughout the residence along with them. Many of the skeletons are fixated in a standing position.
Hanging Bones and Skulls
As if full size human skeletons weren’t enough, there are always all types of weird fixtures hanging from the ceilings in select rooms. These are presumably Leatherface’s idea of home decor, however, they are horrifying and made of skulls and bones and dead animals.
Final Notes About Texas Chainsaw Massacre Decor
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a terrifying franchise and often all the credit goes to Leatherface and the chainsaw, and maybe his cannibalistic family. People hardly attribute any of the fear to the furnishings and horror decor throughout the Sawyer/Hewitt residence, but these furnishings play an important role in the buildup of fear. And the collection of Ed Gein-style furniture and horror decor show that Leatherface and family have been doing this for a while.
Tritone’s love of horror and mystery began at a young age. Growing up in the 80’s he got to see some of the greatest horror movies play out in the best of venues, the drive-in theater. That’s when his obsession with the genre really began—but it wasn’t just the movies, it was the games, the books, the comics, and the lore behind it all that really ignited his obsession. Tritone is a published author and continues to write and write about horror whenever possible.
There are nine films featuring the finger-bladed Nightmare on Elm Street killer, Freddy Krueger. Out of the nine films, some performed better at the box office than others, and some were ultimately scarier than others. And while Freddy Krueger may always draw a crowd…he was much more entertaining in some films. Some of the special effects and changes in production throughout the Nightmare on Elm Street movies have contributed to varying levels of terror felt within the audience. And they can be ranked!
Ranking the Nightmare on Elm Street Movies by Scariest Movie
Freddy Krueger always comes back, which is why there are so many Nightmare on Elm Street movies! So without further ado, Horror Enthusiast ranks the Nightmare on Elm Street movies in order of scariest to least scary.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
#1 Scariest Nightmare on Elm Street Movie
It is truly hard to beat an original. The original Nightmare on Elm Street was revolutionary. Wes Craven (the director and writer) and Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger actor) made the horror slasher an instant icon. This movie offers the least effects of any of the movies…but Horror Enthusiast ranks this film, by far, the scariest of them all.
Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994)
2nd Scariest Nightmare on Elm Street Movie
Returning to write and direct A New Nightmare, Wes Craven built a brilliant, real-life Freddy Krueger. In this movie, the real life actors from the original film experience the fictional character, Freddy Krueger, breaking into their real world. This movie made Freddy Krueger more real than ever before and absolutely secured its place as the second scariest Nightmare on Elm Street film in the franchise.
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)
3rd Scariest Nightmare on Elm Street Movie
This D&D-like edition to the Nightmare series was absolutely entertaining. With characters that had special powers to keep the audience interested in between Freddy scenes, and extremely exciting death scenes, Nightmare 3 had it all!
A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)
4th Scariest Nightmare on Elm Street Movie
The Nightmare on Elm Street remake highlighted many aspects that made the original film so great. Character development was perfectly deep, without wasting too much time on any one character. The audience feels immersed. The chilling story line is thorough, from start of the film to finish. And Freddy Krueger (a new actor, Jackie Earle Haley) did a great job of bringing on the fear. It was not the same as the traditional Freddy Krueger, but it was admittedly pretty good!
A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)
5th Scariest Nightmare on Elm Street Movie
The fourth movie in the franchise is decent. In “Dream Warrior” fashion, the idea of the characters having powers in their dreams is still an important part of the plot. Freddy Krueger takes out nearly everyone in this movie in spectacular, terrifying fashion…hunting the heroine for last and solidly securing the 5th scariest Nightmare on Elm Street rank!
A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989)
6th Scariest Nightmare on Elm Street Movie
This movie simply wasn’t as scary as the better half of the Nightmare on Elm Street movies. It was meant to be scary, but seemed to drain an already dying story line. The movie is a little weird, focusing on the fetus of pregnant fourth movie heroine, Alice. Weird is not exactly scary, maybe creepy, but not nearly as scary as the other movies.
A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985)
7th Scariest Nightmare on Elm Street Movie
This movie received mixed reviews. Some fans claimed it was attempting to push gay rights. Ultimately, however, it did not seem as scary as the other films. The emphasis on the characters was too great and the audience mostly lost track of the horror slasher in between his appearances altogether.
Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)
8th Scariest Nightmare on Elm Street Movie
Literally, Freddy’s Dead was an attempt to ride the franchise into the grave: this film was meant to be the last Nightmare on Elm Street movie. It was also one of the least scariest. The production quality felt cheesy and rather crude. The series seem to be relying more on Freddy’s humor than ever before. Freddy Krueger comedy is good, but Freddy Krueger scary is better!
Freddy vs Jason (2003)
9th Scariest Nightmare on Elm Street Movie
Although Freddy vs Jason was a whole new level of excitement for the fans, it was ultimately much less scary than the other films. The cinematic effects were focused on building the anticipation of the fight between the two horror slashers. The story line may have provided a few victims, but ultimately, it was all centered on pitting the two horror movie killers against one another. Even with Jason Voorhees making appearances throughout the film, it is simply less scary than the true Nightmare on Elm Street films.
Freddy Krueger is Always Scary
Whether the movie is the scariest in the franchise or not, every Nightmare on Elm Street movie features a fantastic Freddy Krueger. And even the weakest movies in the franchise offer a strongly entertaining death scenes and Freddy’s quirky sense of humor. As one of the smarter horror movie slashers, Freddy has held the limelight throughout all of his movies. All of the Nightmare on Elm Street movies have a unique feel that cannot be ignored: they are simply some of the best horror movies to grace the industry!
Tritone’s love of horror and mystery began at a young age. Growing up in the 80’s he got to see some of the greatest horror movies play out in the best of venues, the drive-in theater. That’s when his obsession with the genre really began—but it wasn’t just the movies, it was the games, the books, the comics, and the lore behind it all that really ignited his obsession. Tritone is a published author and continues to write and write about horror whenever possible.
You’ve likely seen the Instagram memes about the millennials who go crazy any time a new serial killer documentary drops on Netflix. But have you met the eye-rolling horror fanatics who are eager to tell you that they loved horror documentaries way before they went mainstream? And not just about The Night Stalker or Zac Efron’s version of Ted Bundy, but also the demon house, killer clown, and paranormal investigation that didn’t make the news. These chilling tales happen every day, and many have been made into terrifying horror documentaries that indulge your passion for true crime while frightening you way more than Making a Murderer or any scary documentary ever has. Why? Because while many horror flicks claim to be “based on a true story” (don’t get us started,) the things that transpire in paranormal documentaries actually happened. Truth is stranger than fiction, and you’ll be kept up at night after you watch the most terrifying horror and paranormal documentaries below.
Demon House
Released: 2018
If you thought the Amityville house was haunted and terrifying, just wait until you watch one of our favorite paranormal documentaries and true crime stories about the Ammon family. This tale of paranormal activity and demonic possession took place only a decade ago in Indiana, and while some had their doubts about the Ammon family’s claims of levitation, death threats, and ghostly shadow figures… you can’t ignore the facts of Demon House. Paranormal investigator Zak Bagans shot this documentary on the property, only to have it demolished just two years later due to the terrifying events. Dread Central’s Steve Barton calls Demon House “one of the single most compelling horror documentaries on the existence of the supernatural that I’ve ever witnessed,” and Puzzle Box Horror definitely agrees.
Beware the Slenderman
Released: 2016
Slenderman, the infamous creepypasta character with mile-long limbs and no face, stepped out of the shadow of internet forums and into the spotlight with this documentary – and the crime that inspired it. Remember the two 12-year old girls from Wisconsin who stabbed their friend 19 times in 2014, only to say that it was an order from the Slender Man? This documentary tells you all the details of that horrifying day – with interviews, creepy footage, and background on the Slenderman. How did he go from being a supernatural, suit-wearing stalker that only lived on internet forums, to one of the most terrifying fictional monsters of the 2010’s? They aren’t kidding when they say that the internet is a scary place!
Cropsey
Released: 2009
Without giving too much away, anybody who has seen Cropsey knows that it’s not a supernatural tale in its entirety. It’s also a bit confusing – mixing true crime with the paranormal to leave you wondering who is the true villain in this tale. Is it Cropsey, the boogeyman-like urban legend of Staten Island that people used to scare their kids into being good? Or Andre Rand, the real-life version of the monster who began kidnapping kids and causing terror left and right? This is one of the best horror documentaries that was made before Netflix and Hulu started pumping them out on a regular basis, and you’ll want to watch it five more times just to get every last detail.
Hostage to the Devil
Released: 2016
Exorcism stories aren’t exactly new in the horror genre. There’s only about a million horror movies about possessed children and the priests who try to free them. But horror documentaries about real-life exorcisms in which the devil literally locks you in a room for days on end? That’s a little more rare, and exactly why you need to watch Hostage to the Devil on Netflix. Based on the book of the same name, this terrifying documentary shares the details of a battle between good (okay, this is debatable) and ancient evil as they fight for the soul of a possessed child. After you watch the documentary, be sure to start Googling all the extra details that didn’t make it on your screen. You’ll never be able to watch horror movies about exorcisms the same way again.
My Amityville Horror
Released: 2012
Amityville isn’t just your typical haunted house story, it’s the demon house story. Any real horror fan knows the tale of the original demon house – how Ronald DeFeo Jr. murdered his entire family in cold blood, one year before the Lutzes moved in and went running after experiencing insane amounts of paranormal activity and ghostly events. There has been an entire lineup of horror movies (and a lot of skepticism) in the decades since the Lutzes ran for their lives, but there’s something that sets My Amityville Horror apart. It features Daniel Lutz, the oldest member of the family who experienced these horrific events in the demon house firsthand. While he stayed silent for nearly 40 years, he doesn’t hold back in this documentary about America’s most famous haunted house, and you’ll have chills running down your spine with every word he speaks.
Killer Legends
Released: 2014
If you loved reading the Scary Stories to Tell In The Dark book series as a child (and who didn’t?), then you’re going to love Killer Legends. Ghosts, demon houses, and serial killers all come together with this documentary that dives into the real-life origins behind the world’s most famous urban legends. You know – the murderous mental patient with a hook for a hand, the killer clown, the babysitter who gets a call coming from inside the house. Some are paranormal, and some aren’t… but each one will give you a glimpse of real-world terror that brings back major memories of telling these stories around the bonfire. This is the meta scary documentary if you are looking for variety.
Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror
Released: 2019
“Delving into a century of genre films that by turns utilized, caricatured, exploited, sidelined, and finally embraced them, Horror Noire traces the untold history of Black Americans in Hollywood through their connection to the horror genre.” Perhaps one of the most modern horror documentaries on this list, Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror features a lineup of Black horror enthusiasts (including scholars like Tananarive Due and creators like Jordan Peele) to tell the story of Black Americans in a supernatural world. While it’s less scary and more informative, this eye-opening documentary will help you see films like Get Out and Blacula in a whole new way. Grab your popcorn and save up all your mental energy, because you’re going to need it for this mind-blowing horror documentary.
The Nightmare
Released: 2015
Sleep is an escape from the horrors of everyday life, right? Not when you have sleep paralysis, a terrifying condition that makes you unable to speak, move, or have any control over their body while waking up or falling asleep. The lack of control is frightening enough, as it’s the foundation in which we live our lives – but what do you do when you start imagining ghosts, shadow figures, and supernatural beings in the corner of your bedroom when you can’t move a muscle? That’s exactly what you’ll discover with The Nightmare, a mix of real-world and supernatural horror that interviews those with sleep paralysis to discover the terrifying worlds they’ve created in their minds. You’ll never want to fall asleep again after watching this horrifying documentary, and we mean that literally.
A Haunting in Connecticut
Released: 2002
No, we’re not talking about the super underrated 2009 scary documentary The Haunting in Connecticut… as this 2002 documentary told the ghost story from your living room first. The Snedeker family moves to Connecticut and finds a beautiful house that they think is a major steal, only to discover that it used to be a funeral home as they experience terrifying visions and paranormal activity from every corner of the property. Awesome. Unlike the movie, this paranormal documentary details how the family called in expert ghost hunter Ed and Lorraine Warren (of The Conjuring fame) to rid the house of demons. Like most demon house stories, the Snedekers haven’t gone without a bit of skepticism… but this is a tried-and-true ghost story that any paranormal lover will love watching on a Friday night.
The Enfield Poltergeist
Released: 2002
Even the Brits have their ghosts and supernatural fixtures, and The Enfield Poltergeist is definitely proof. Back in 1970’s London, two young sisters started acting strangely – and that was just the beginning of it. There was also moving furniture, levitation, shadow figures and disembodied voices that many came to believe was a poltergeist. Or in other words, a troublesome ghost that has nothing better to do with its time. As one of the original poltergeist tales, this scary documentary is a must-have for any ghost enthusiast.
I am a lifelong pop culture junkie with immense passion for all forms of art and entertainment. On a typical weekend, I can be found at a concert or musical, chasing ghosts on the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland, or watching way too many makeup tutorials on YouTube.
With film making becoming more accessible everyday the amount of material on the web has grown significantly. There are now thousands of horror shorts out there and some are definitely worth watching. So here are the scariest, the funniest and what we think are the best horror short films on the web right now.
Let’s kick it off with Zombie Kangaroo’s.. see what I did there? Octopod Films and Veritas Entertainment, in association with Deadpan Films, are proud to bring you ‘Waterborne‘ – the world’s first zombie kangaroo film, and a prequel for a feature film currently in development 2014. – It looks like the film has not yet made it to full feature still but the short sure is fun. Enjoy.
MAMA – Guillermo del Toro. When he first saw this he stated it was one of the “scariest scenes he had ever seen.” Later he used it for a feature film.
MAMA Short film
From Director AJ Briones Comes the TheSmiling Man 1 and The Smiling Man 2. Pennywise has forever changed smiling clown like faces and nothing is creepier than the cryptic grin. Enjoy.
Lasiurus – Directed, produced, edited, written, shot and visual effects by Marcus Alqueres. End of times and you are one of the last to know. Beautifully shot and directed. I hope to see more horror from Marcus in the future.
Wicken from Hashmic House Films. Would you really do that to someone you loved?
Tritone’s love of horror and mystery began at a young age. Growing up in the 80’s he got to see some of the greatest horror movies play out in the best of venues, the drive-in theater. That’s when his obsession with the genre really began—but it wasn’t just the movies, it was the games, the books, the comics, and the lore behind it all that really ignited his obsession. Tritone is a published author and continues to write and write about horror whenever possible.
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