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Surgeons of Horror

~ Dissecting horror films

Surgeons of Horror

Tag Archives: The Babadook

The best bloody dozen Aussie horror films of the decade (2010 – 2019)

30 Monday Dec 2019

Posted by surgeons of horror in Australian Horror

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aaron glenane, aaron pedersen, abe forsythe, adelaide clemens, ashleigh cummings, ben howling, ben young, bianca bradley, cargo, carlo ledesma, damien power, Daniel Armstrong, emma booth, essie davis, hounds of love, ian meadows, jennifer kent, killing ground, little monsters, luke shanahan, martin freeman, noah wiseman, rabbit, robin mcleavy, roger scott, sean byrne, simone landers, stephen curry, Tarnation, The Babadook, the furies, The Loved Ones, the marshes, the tunnel, Wyrmwood, xavier samuel, yolanda ramke

As we encroach the end of another decade I felt that it was best to review the best Australian horror films from the past ten years. Australia continues to make a significant impact on the genre with its unique antipodean perspective on the world and the darker side of humanity, which I’m hoping the following list lays testament to.

The Loved Ones (2010)

Directed by: Sean Byrne

Byrne may have only directed two feature films thus far including The Devil’s Candy which is equally brilliant and keeps this resident surgeon awaiting what he will serve up next. For the list though, I have chosen his debut feature, purely for the way it perfectly encapsulates the insane drive of love, revenge, and proms. The cast (Robin McLeavy and Xavier Samuel in particular) are amazing and deliver on point performances that rip the heart of romance apart.

The Tunnel (2011)

Directed by: Carlo Ledesma 

Notable for its distribution method, through BitTorrent’s free internet downloading platform which provided the film to a much wider audience. The Tunnel is a compelling found footage film that is clearly produced by a highly-skilled and knowledgeable team who manage to wrangle out every ounce of tension and animosity through this low-budget feature that follows a camera crew investigating the disappearance of homeless people in the hidden tunnels beneath Sydney.

The Babadook (2013)

Directed by: Jennifer Kent

Despite dividing the horror-loving audience, this film took out our own poll for Best Horror film 2013 and for good reason as it tackles a sometimes taboo subject in society: depression, grief, and children with learning difficulties. The beautiful blend of stop-animation and stark reality ignites the emotions on screen and ably played by Essie Davies and Noah Wiseman.

Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead (2014)

Directed by: Kiah Roache-Turner

Take two brothers invested in a balls-to-the wall, action-packed zombie flick with pure bloody Aussie adrenaline pumping through its veins and you get this awesome fun ride in Wyrmwood. Such was its success on home soil and overseas that it’s little wonder that there has been talks of a sequel and/or tv series. If it does pick up, I’m sure it will be a glorious bloodbath of euphoria.

Hounds of Love (2017)

Directed by: Ben Young

Some may argue that this is more of a crime thriller, but the sheer terror that Ashleigh Cummings portrays as kidnapped victim Vicki, who is tormented by a disturbing Stephen Curry as John White. His wife and lover (Emma Booth) hangs in the balance of right and wrong, as she longs to please her husband, but struggles to adhere to his desires. The trio of performers are equally astounding, propelling the drama forward to a climactic conclusion that is both deeply satisfying and harrowing.

Killing Ground (2017)

Directed by: Damien Power

Damien Power’s direction shines the dark light on outback Australia that is gut-wrenchingly painful to endure. As we witness the destruction of the family unit at the hands of two deranged individuals in German (Aaron Pedersen) and Chook (Aaron Glenane) the audience is left pondering what is left to fight for when faced with a battle for survival.

The Marshes (2017)

Directed by: Roger Scott

In another tale of survival, The Marshes casts three biologists in the remote marshlands of Australia in what can be described as an environmental horror. Roger Scott tackles a topical subject and projects it into an untapped landscape that deserves to be displayed in celluloid form. It’s a powerful way to promote the true horrors of the world through the eyes of fantastical horror blended with folklore and mythology, and I can only hope that this film gets a decent release on demand and in front of a wider audience to spread this message further.

Cargo (2018)

Directed by: Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke

The strength of Australian storytelling is clearly evident in this post-apocalyptic tale that began as a short film in Tropfest before being crafted into a feature length story. Its genius casting in Martin Freeman as the lead helps elevate the film for a wider audience, and is further enriched by the Australian landscape, a beautiful performance from Simone Landers, and a refreshing take on a tired genre that pulls at the heartstrings. 

Rabbit (2018)

Directed by: Luke Shanahan

I’m a sucker for psychological horror and this narrative delightfully casts you down the rabbit hole as Maude (Adelaide Clemens) goes in search of her missing sister using that quirky psychic connection that often occurs in twins. This slow burn may not suit everyone’s tastes but I enjoyed the journey all the same, and believe Shanahan has a gift in accessing the recesses of a disconcerted mind. 

Tarnation (2018)

Directed by: Daniel Armstrong

What can be described as an Australian love song to Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead, Armstrong taps into a wild, strange, and deranged underworld. The off-beat, quirky humour is a perfect vessel to showcase Australia’s knack for macabre and fantastical stories and propels the audience through a delightful visual feast.

The Furies (2019)

Directed by: Tony D’Aquino

The deadliest game pitting women in a barren world to outwit, outlast each other using brutal methods throughout their ordeal. D’Aquino is not shy in delivering a bloody battle royale to cast his perception of the devastation that women are subjected to using the male gaze that society had come accustomed to. It’s a savage portrayal with plenty of punch to keep viewers squirming at the edge of their seat.

Little Monsters (2019)

Directed by: Abe Forsythe

Rounding out our bloody dozen is this delightful tale of down and out loser, musician Dave who learns that he must grow up fast when he attends his nephews school excursion to a farm during a zombie outbreak. Forsythe handles kids, animals, and zombies with enough care and dedication that proves his a natural in his game which belies his sophomore attempt in the director’s chair. Filled with pain and laughter this is a cracker of a movie that is amplified by Lupita Nyong’o’s performance as kick-ass teacher, Miss Caroline. 

  • Saul Muerte

18 movies that shaped Australian horror

26 Thursday Jan 2017

Posted by surgeons of horror in Australian Horror, Uncategorized

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Alison's Birthday, Bloodmoon, Body Melt, Lake Mungo, Long Weekend, Night of Fear, Patrick, Razorback, Roadgames, Saw, The Babadook, The Cars That Ate Paris, the Horseman, The Loved Ones, Undead, Wolf Creek, Wyrmwood

It’s Australia Day.

So here at Surgeons of Horror we thought that we would look across the years at the movies that helped shape the horror movie genre in our Southern Land.

So without further adieu, here’s our definitive list, let us know if you agree.

  1. Night of Fear (1973)
    Dubbed the first Australian film of the renaissance, (and closely resembling Texas Chain Saw Massacre in style, released another 2 years later) you can see why this movie is well respected among horror movie lovers.
  2. The Cars That Ate Paris (1974)
    The legendary director Peter Weir would debut with this fantastic comedy horror that he also wrote.
    Set in the fictional town of Paris where the towns inhabitants forage off the remains of car accidents, the movie has established something of a cult following.

  3. Long Weekend (1978)
    One of my favourites on this list and fittingly released on the year that I was born.
    Long Weekend wasn’t initially well received upon its initial release, but has a strong message from director Colin Eggleston, where nature fights back on a disrespectful couple.
    It has since been remade in 2008.

  4. Patrick (1978)
    The first of two films by Richard Franklin in our list, this science fiction horror is often cited by fans of the genre.
    Part of the Ozploitation movie scene, Patrick tells the story of a comatose boy with psychic powers.

  5. Alison’s Birthday (1981)
    It’s got all the right ingredients for a horror movie, with ouija boards, spirits from the beyond, demonic possessions, and that killer ending.
    All good reasons why this independent movie makes the list.

  6. Roadgames (1981)
    It’s the movie most noted more recently because of its vocal nod from Quentin Tarantino.
    Starring Stacy Keach and Jamie Lee Curtis it follows a truck driver and a hitch hiker who take it upon themselves to track down a serial killer on the loose.
    Oh and yet another soundtrack from Brian May.

  7. Razorback (1984)
    Australia’s creature feature and our very own Jaws movie albeit about a wild boar on the loose.
    Say all you like about it, but this is a classic in its own right.

  8. Bloodmoon (1990)
    This slasher film may have come late to the Ozploitation, but such was its impact and not necessarily in a good way that it nestles amongst some great titles here purely for its shocking comedy.
    So bad, it’s positively good.
    And features music from Brian May.
    Again this might not necessarily be a good thing.

  9. Body Melt (1993)
    The influence of Peter Jacksons early work is evident to see in this satirical horror.
    It’s got gore to the max and delights in every possible way.

  10. Saw (2003)
    Yet another Australian horror film that would ignite a genre with horror porn, which some don’t have the stomach for.
    In this instance it generated a horror icon in Jigsaw with its glorious deadly traps and launched the careers of both James Wan and Leigh Whannel.
    It also spawned a massive franchise with a success that only falls short of being the best in the entry by The Friday the 13th movies.
    All that could change though come the release of the next instalment, Saw: Legacy this year.

  11. Undead (2003)
    This movie should be better than it is, and goes all guns blazing in the first third of the film before losing the plot entirely.
    Film critic Roger Ebert to say it’s so bad that it’s bad, but despite its flaws, the film still resonates and is a bit of fun at the end of the day.
    And it did launch the careers of the Sperig brothers, who have gone on to direct bigger movies with a lot more fan fare.

  12. Wolf Creek (2005)
    Inspired by the afore-mentioned Roadgames, director Greg McLean has made a strong name for himself in the horror genre with movies such as Rogue, Wolf Creek 2 and the eagerly anticipated The Belko Experiment.
    Part of its appeal was capitalising on the daunting and dangerous world of the Australian Outback and made Mick Taylor on of modern horror movies most glorious villains thanks to John Jarratt’s chilling performance.

  13. Lake Mungo (2008)
    One of a couple of movies on our list to adopt the doco style of storytelling, Lake Mungo received fairly positive reviews of a family coming to terms with the loss of their daughter, hinged on a supernatural component.
    It’s a slow film but worth the wait for its gripping climax.

  14. The Horseman (2009)
    A revenge thriller with violence dialled to the extreme and may not be everyone’s taste.
    Personally though, I feel that this film speaks to the fringes of human emotion, evoking rage, heartbreak and empathy all in the space of its 96 minute running time.

  15. The Loved Ones (2010)
    Sean Byrne is still a director to keep an eye on and I for one can’t wait to see his follow up Devil’s Candy.
    His debut feature though would gain a huge following with its gender swap of a damoiselle in distress and a female killer played by the delightful Robin McLeavy.

  16. The Tunnel (2011)
    The second movie to adopt the doco style of storytelling, but through the medium of found footage horror.
    The Tunnel shook up the movie industry with its new approach to distribution, allowing viewers to buy frames from the movie as a means to raise the quota to cover the budget and leave room for a little profit.
    It was a business model that was both brave and rewarding for the producers, but more importantly, the film itself seemed to echo that sentiment.
    It’s a bold movie that keeps you hooked as a camera crew delve into the hidden tunnels beneath the city of Sydney only to find more than they bargained for.

  17. The Babadook (2013)
    One of the more recent movies to make the list and one that has the Surgeons sitting on both sides of the fence.
    Jennifer Kent’s debut feature deserves the recognition though as this psychological horror starring Essie Davis tackles a strong subject matter and tells it in a unique fashion.

  18. Wyrmwood (2014)
    Rounding out our list is this balls-to-the-wall bloody fantastic roller coaster of a movie.
    There is nothing predictable about this movie about a zombie horde let loose.
    Rumours are abound that there is a sequel in the works too.

    • Paul Farrell

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