To start 2013, here is a list of 13 horror films that feature one of my two favorite colors. The idea for this list came from one about "colorful movies" I did for horrornews.net, which can be viewed in my author archive.
Black Swan (2010)
I'm still not sure what to make of this.
Black Sunday (1960)
Titled "The Mask of Satan" in Italy, starring Barbara Steele, and directed by Mario Bava, "Black Sunday" tells the story of a vampire-witch who is killed by her brother and returns 200 years later to murder the last of her family descendants. You’ve seen this movie, right? If not, shame on you! It’s so great, and Bava is undoubtedly one of the Masters. As with the previous entry, and the one below, black may not technically be a color—it’s an amalgam of all colors—but, as I said earlier, there’s nothing that better exemplifies horror movies than the color black (unless we’re talking about red).
Red Eye (2005)
Cillian Murphy embraces his unfortunate typecast role of villain, while also embracing every girl's desire to see his beautiful face.
The Masque of the Red Death (1969)
St. Louis' own Vincent Price, Tarot, Satan, and the Plague. Yes, yes, yes - and yes, this movie is awesome. If there was any color to represent the genre, red would be it; black, maybe, but I think we can agree blood is the cornerstone of our appeal. Red is also my favorite color, so there you go. The Masque of the Red Death can also refer to a story by Poe or what the Phantom of the Opera dons when he confronts his inferiors at the masquerade - all three are creepily brilliant.
The Black Cat (1934)
Of the several films Karloff and Lugosi did together where neither plays a monster, this is the best. And it’s about necrophilia, no less. Heavy stuff for a ‘30’s movie. It’s also a standout on this list because it’s in black and white. (Interesting trivia: this film is one of the only made in the early 1930’s that features a continuous background score; this one was composed by Heinz Eric Roemheld.) The plot starts out conventionally: two honeymooners are on vacation and, due to a mix-up with their reservation, are forced to share their train car with someone they don’t know. Then the film gets a bit out of control, spiraling into a mishmash of iconic horror themes: war crimes, former atrocities must be paid for, people get injured, and there’s a good old Satan ritual thrown in for good measure. (Another interesting fact: this film has nothing to do with Poe’s “The Black Cat,” but he’s mentioned in the credits.)
The Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)
Red State (2011)
Kevin Smith took a break from podcasting and made a horror movie; surprisingly, it is AMAZING.
Deep Red (1975)
Master of horror Dario Argento's masterpiece, Profondo Rosso. Also known as "The Hatchet Murders," this film is a classic giallo. The movie follows music teacher Marcus Daly as he investigates the violent murder of psychic medium, Helga, which he witnesses in an apartment building. After his attempt to rescue the medium fails, Daly realizes he could have seen the killer’s face in a group of portraits on the wall of the victim’s apartment, but is unable to find or recognize it when the police arrive. In typical Argento fashion, one murder leads to a series of others as his obsession with this vital clue that he cannot understand endangers his life and everyone he meets. Things spiral out of control, and the movie ends with Daly staring into a pool of blood - a pool that is deep red.
Red Blooded American Girl (1990)
I have never seen this movie, and frankly, it looks terrible.
The Black Torment (1979)
I haven't seen this film either, but the poster says it's presented in "diabolicolor" so I'm in.
Red White & Blue (2010)
I'll warn you in advance: I know we need the first 30 minutes or so to establish character, but really, all they needed to say was, "this girl likes to sleep around." I'll also warn you that this is one of my favorite movies of all time. I waited for over a year to see this, and streamed in on Netflix as soon as it was released. Noah Taylor is beyond menacing as the stranger who befriends our harlot, Erica, and the melding of three plot lines is done seamlessly. Taylor's Nate befriends Erica, and is there when one of her many one night stands comes back to haunt her. He then goes on a 40-minute hunt to track down Erica and kill everyone involved in her kidnapping. It is gruesome, slow-burning, and downright red hot.
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