Featured
James Whale
God of Monsters
Retrospectively seen to be saturated with queer subtext, James Whale’s films celebrate ‘the outsider’ figure that would characterise the horror movie genre for decades to come. Ygraine Hackett-Cantabrana explores the man and his monsters…
‘To be adored is something I recommend’: A Tom Baker Career
Graham Williamson looks at the career of the great Tom Baker, including his tenure as the Doctor...
A Bloodcurdling Cacophony: Dissecting Hellraiser (1987)
Graham Le Neve Painter dissects a classic of British Horror, 1987's Hellraiser...
Occult Uncle: Dennis Wheatley (Part two) – The Making of The Devil Rides Out (1968)
The second in a series of essays by K B Morris on the occult writer Dennis Wheatley explores his novel, The Devil Rides Out, and the making of one of…
An Essential Goodness: Attack the Block (2011)
Graham Williamson revisits Joe Cornish's 2011 council estate-set alien invasion film, Attack the Block, which brilliantly subverted the notion of faceless 'hoodie horror'...
Theatre of Blood (1973)
Paul Lewis revisits Vincent Price's vengeful thespian in Douglas Hickox's blackly comic 1973 horror, Theatre of Blood...
Another Santa Is Slain: Don’t Open Till Christmas (1984)
Jae Prowse heads back to 1980s Britain to look at the troubled production of much-derided festive slasher, Don't Open Till Christmas...
A Demon Writes: James Swanton on the Making of Host
Created during a nationwide lockdown in 2020, Host captured the zeitgeist to become one of the most popular and discussed horror films of the year. With its impending release on…
The Inspirational Dr Phibes
Filmmaker Alex Secker discusses how Vincent Price and Robert Fuest’s early 70s cult classics continue to influence the horror genre...
Alfred Hitchcock’s Frenzy (1972): The Master Goes Home
Jane Nightshade considers Alfred Hitchcock's last great film, 1972's Frenzy, and examines how this took him home literally, thematically, and stylistically...
The Train From Another World: The Odd Universe of Horror Express (1972)
Andy Roberts climbs aboard the Horror Express to explore the 1972 sci-fi horror favourite, which was not alone in taking inspiration (and plot points) from John. W. Campbell's influential novella,…
Corman In The Countryside: The English Poe Films
Johnny Restall explores Roger Corman's UK Poe Films: When American Gothic met festering English Arcadia...
The Last Horror Movie (2003)
Rebecca McCallum tackles the controversy of violence and audience complicity through an exploration of the bold and brutal The Last Horror Movie...
The Uniqueness of the Hammer Camera: Jack Asher and Arthur Grant
Jane Nightshade goes behind the camera to take a closer look at the cinematographers who helped give Hammer its 'bright, bold and scary' visual appeal...
Every Witch Way But Loose: Foreign Influence and Cinematic Reality in Norman J. Warren’s Terror (1978)
Andy Roberts enters the world of Norman J. Warren once again, this time exploring his 1978 descent into Terror...
The Enemy Within! Britain’s Most Dangerous Video Nasty
The only British video nasty judged to be legally obscene, Exposé (or House on Straw Hill) gets the Horrified treatment from Andy Roberts
‘A weakness can often be close to cruelty’: José Ramón Larraz’s British Films
In this in-depth essay on the work of José Ramón Larraz, Paul Lewis explores the director's work, focusing on his early films made in 1970s Britain...
Giving The Devil His Due: The demonic in British Horror Cinema
Johnny Restall grows horns and takes a personal look at the Satanic highlights of British horror cinema...
The Wicker Man at 50: Soundtrack to Summerisle
To celebrate The Wicker Man at 50, English Bob reflects on the soundtrack and the sounds that inspired Paul Giovanni, accompanied by a two-hour radio show ‘Soundtrack to Summerisle’...
Swinging The Hammer: Dracula A.D. 1972 Reconsidered
Unfairly maligned or a Hammer film low point? Johnny Restall heads back to swinging London for Dracula A.D. 1972...
A new British horror studio? An interview with Lawrie Brewster
Lawrie Brewster has huge plans for the British horror film industry. But can the UK return to the halcyon days of Hammer and Amicus? Horrified's editor, Jae Prowse spoke with…
The online horror of Host (2020)
HOST was the horror phenomenon of 2020, not least because it reflected our own status quo. Here are Andy Roberts' thoughts on the brilliant British horror...
An interview with filmmaker Lucy Rose
Ellis Reed reviews She Lives Alone, a rural gothic short from emerging filmmaker, Lucy Rose. He also discusses the film with Lucy for Horrified...
The Curse of the Werewolf (1961): Hammer Icons: Part three
In the final part of Jonathan Clode's ode to Hammer films monsters, he looks at their one-and-done take on the werewolf legend with The Curse of the Werewolf...
Revenge of the Nerd: Slaughter High (1986)
Slaughter High was Britain's answer to the influx of US-made slashers during the 1980s, but was it actually any good? Chris Andrews goes behind the mask...
The Horror Films of Charlie Steeds
Horrified catches up with Charlie Steeds, the man behind Dark Temple Productions, for an exclusive interview with the wunderkind of neo-retro British horror...
Subverting Genre: Peter Strickland In Film
Peter Strickland has forged a career from a desire to reconfigure whichever genre he works in. In this essay, Graham Williamson discusses the British director's work...
Night of the Demon (1957)
Jenny Davies recalls fond memories of 1957 classic Night of the Demon and how trouble behind the scenes have not detracted from a piece of perfectly crafted storytelling...
Making films in the post-cinema/post-horror age: Sarah McGregor on making The Fable of Isabella
Filmmaker Sarah McGregor discusses the trials, tribulations and creative joy of making feature-length folk horror film, The Fable of Isabella...
Digging Through Horror on the London Underground
In a companion piece to her absorbing exploration of The Thames and the horror film, Lauren Jane Barnett essays how London and its underground system are deeply intertwined, in life…
Revisiting The Little Stranger (2018)
Nick Bartlett looks back at the 2018 adaptation of Sarah Waters’ gothic novel, The Little Stranger, and posits a theory of who (or what) is haunting Hundreds Hall...
Repulsion in the age of Coronavirus
Alex Secker discusses how Roman Polanski’s 1965 horror has been recontextualised by the Coronavirus pandemic...
Representations of male friendship in Dog Soldiers and The Ritual
Emma Platt heads off the beaten track to explore the divergent relationships between the male friends of Dog Soldiers (2002) and The Ritual (2017)...
Stephen Weeks’ Ghost Story (1974)
Paul Lewis' absorbing essay on Ghost Story (1974), takes an in-depth look at Stephen Weeks' independent haunted house film and its profound sense of Englishness...
Robots, Aliens, Monsters, and Surreal Trips: An interview with Terry Cooper
We talk to Terry Cooper about his forthcoming horror comedy, Bloody Students, which is now in development...
Come, Devil, Come: Suffer Little Children
Gavin Whitaker takes a very deep dive into the infamous 1983 shot-on-video British horror, Suffer Little Children...
Duality in The Descent (2005)
Blurring the line between hero and villain, monster and human. Emma Louise Platt examines the gendered duality of 2005's The Descent….
Fabulous Beasts: Neil Jordan, Interview with the Vampire & Byzantium
With the passing of Angela Carter and plans for a cinematic Vampirella abandoned, director Neil Jordan nonetheless produced two films examining vampire lore. Graham Williamson discusses how the spirit of…
Baby On Board: A Production Diary
Andrew David Barker shares this ongoing production diary charting the making of the short film Baby On Board, written by Stephen Volk and directed by Andrew...
The Banality Of Evil: 10 Rillington Place (1971)
Johnny Restall examines Richard Fleischer's seminal 1971 British murder masterpiece, 10 Rillington Place...
Laughing & Screaming: Comedy-horror and The House in Nightmare Park (1973)
Should comedy and horror ever occupy the same space? David Evans-Powell believes so and presents his case with a look at 1973's The House in Nightmare Park...
The Importance of Presentation: Peter Cushing in Corruption
It's safe to say, British exploitation shocker, Corruption, was not a favourite of its star, Peter Cushing. Jamie Evans looks at Cushing's turn as the damaged doctor, Sir John Rowan...
‘From The Eternal Sea, He Rises’: 45 Years of The Omen
Johnny Restall celebrates 45 satanic years of British horror classic, 1976's The Omen...
Tyranny, Patriarchy and Coercion: Ritual Control in A Dark Song (2016)
Joe Howsin explores themes centred around the notion of control in Liam Gavin's 2016 British horror, A Dark Song...
Collective dreams: an interview with Michael Fausti
Ellis Reed interviews Michael Fausti, director of the psychosexual thriller, Exit...
Finding Meaning in Ben Wheatley’s In The Earth (2021)
Caitlyn Downs returns to the films of Ben Wheatley, this time exploring the search for meaning in his 2021 psychedelic folk horror, In The Earth...
Genuine Horror in Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Parody or pastiche? Nick Bartlett revisits Shaun of the Dead to explore the balance between horror and humour, finding it a heartfelt homage to Romero's vision...
Of Dogs, Dreams and Doom: The Appointment (1981)
Ray Newman examines Lindsey C. Vickers' obscure 1981 British horror, The Appointment. With a recently announced BFI Blu-ray coming in 2022, the film is notable for being Vickers' one and…
The Discomfort Zone: On The Wicker Man (1973)
James Fleming unpacks the alienating experience of Robin Hardy's 1973 folk horror classic, The Wicker Man...
Dead of Night (1945)
Nick Bartlett returns to one of the great British horror anthologies, 1945's Dead Of Night, in this article for Horrified...
Eye of the Devil (1966)
Jane Nightshade revisits Eye of the Devil: an early, often overlooked example of folk horror cinema…
The Thames: Uncertain Depths in Horror Cinema
Lauren Jane Barnett explores how the Thames of horror films is given agency, acting on the narrative aiding both good and evil in films from Hitchcock’s 1927 silent, The Lodger,…
The Monster Club (1981): An overlooked portmanteau?
Huw Lloyd presents his argument in defence of the 1981 horror anthology, The Monster Club...
Séance On A Wet Afternoon (1964)
Johnny Restall revisits drab, wet London for Séance On A Wet Afternoon, a 1964 psychological thriller with supernatural undertones...
Horror in the Britcom: The League of Gentlemen’s Metapocalypse
In the latest entry for his Horror in the Britcom series, writer A.J. Black explores the transition from beloved television comedy to the big screen with 2005's The League of…
Subterranean Savagery: A Ride On The Death Line (1972)
Carriages, Cannibals & Corrupt Capitalism! Johnny Restall takes a ride through the Tube's tunnels of terror with 1972's Death Line...
Exploring ‘Hoodie Horror’ and the Class Politics of Eden Lake
Eleanor Miller discusses 'Hoodie horror', Eden Lake and the media demonisation of British youth for Horrified...
Outsider view: an interview with George Popov
An interview with Rubicon Films' George Popov, director of Hex (2017) and The Droving (2020)...
Top 50 British horror films
Readers of Horrified have come together to choose their favourite British horror films, so here is the ultimate top 50 list of British horror films, as chosen by you....
Odd Little Films: an interview with Grant McPhee
Ellis Reed chats to director Grant McPhee about his film, Far From the Apple Tree, low-budget filmmaking, and collaboration...
Is Witchfinder General (1968) historically accurate?
Witchfinder General is an undisputed classic of British horror, but is it entirely historically accurate? Tristan Shaw goes back to history class to find out
David Lowery’s The Green Knight (2021)
Graham Williamson digs into the 2021 adaptation of the Arthurian legend...
The Spectre of Freud in Peeping Tom (1960)
The mild-mannered serial killer who is obsessed with his parents is such a prevalent horror trope it's easy to overlook how it came into being. Here, Hollie Starling looks at…
‘Sunlight and terror’: Commemorating 50 years of The Blood on Satan’s Claw (1971)
David Evans-Powell explores Piers Haggard’s 1971 folk horror classic, The Blood on Satan's Claw, and offers some reflections on the more troubling aspects of the film...
Utter madness: exploring Hammer’s ‘mini-Hitchcocks’
Adam Jezard discusses how classic European psychological horror-thriller Les Diaboliques influenced Hammer’s series of psychological dramas...
Last Night in Soho (2021): Last Night in Giallo?
Matt Rogerson asks: is Edgar Wright’s surreal psych-horror Last Night in Soho a love letter to Swinging Sixties’ London or a celebration of the giallo?
Top 50 British horror films (honourable mentions)
Top 50 British horror films Top 50 British horror films (honourable mentions) Here are the best of the rest – the films that received votes, but not quite enough to…
Disney Does Horror: The Watcher in the Woods
Leeroy Cross James takes a retrospective look at the House of Mouse’s dip into the horror genre, and how they used genre tropes to their advantage...
Neither the Sea Nor the Sand (1972)
In this in-depth essay, Paul Lewis examines Tigon Productions' penultimate film, Fred Burnley's 1972 'coastal gothic', Neither the Sea Nor the Sand...
God Rest Ye, Bloody Gentlemen
With the festive season upon us, what better way to celebrate than with MJ Simpson's curated selection of British Christmas horror? There's one each for the 12 days of Christmas,…
Celebrating The Invisible Man (1933)
Celebrating the British influence in Universal's Classic Monster stable, Johnny Restall explores James Whale's 1933 adaptation of H.G. Wells' The Invisible Man...
Night of the Eagle (1962)
K B Morris explores Night of the Eagle where a college professor vies with his wife who has turned to witchcraft to further his career. The article examines rationality versus…
Freddie Francis: There and Back Again
Freddie Francis' cinematographic brilliance is undisputed but his sojourns into directing produced some British horror favourites among fans. Jane Nightshade selects 10 of his best...
Dracula: Hammer Icons – Part two
Horrified's Jonathan Clode dips into the Hammer monster archives again, this time inviting Dracula in...
Inspiring Rewilding (2023)
As the folk horror anthology Rewilding lands on Prime Video, its director Ric Rawlins discusses ten of its key inspirations – from Moomins to M.R James…
Childhood Influences: A Personal Reflection on Horror Films on British Television (1975 to 1984)
Sarah Johnson presents a personal reflection on the films that contributed to her appreciation of the horror genre.
‘A Very Serious Relapse’: Pete Walker & David McGillivray’s House of Whipcord, Frightmare and House of Mortal Sin
Paul Lewis latest essay for Horrified is an extensive exploration of the work of director Pete Walker and his collaboration with screenwriter David McGillivray, focusing on three of the former's…
The Devil’s Footprints: An interview with Dean Puckett
Graham Williamson speaks with filmmaker, photographer and lecturer, Dean Puckett about his work, particularly the five folk horror shorts including the recently completed, The Devil's Footprints..
Scare Tactics: An interview with Matt Glasby
Ellis Reed caught up with author Matt Glasby to discuss his latest work, The Book of Horror: The Anatomy of Fear in Film...
The Nightcomers (1971): Brando Does British Horror
Jane Nightshade recounts the story of Marlon Brando's strange sojourn into British horror for Michael Winner's The Nightcomers...
Disturbing the Fairy Tale in The Company of Wolves (1984)
Lakkaya Palmer examines how The Company of Wolves subverts the conventions of the traditional fairytale...
The Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue (1974)
Paul Lewis explores the oddly prescient The Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue, Jorge Grau's 1974 zombie film that explores both the urban and the rural, centre and periphery -…
Addictive, intriguing and complicated: Terry Cooper talks indie genre filmmaking
Horrified interviewed filmmaker Terry Cooper in 2021 whiles in the early stages of development for his next feature, Bloody Students. As he gears up to make the film, Terry gives…
Never look back, Lawrence – In defence of The Wolfman (2010)
In the first in an occasional series on less-heralded mainstream horror, Jonathan Clode explores the rather maligned update of Universal's Classic Monster, The Wolfman...
Fabulous Beasts: Angela Carter, Vampirella & The Company of Wolves
Graham Williamson inspects the late author Angela Carter's Vampirella, its abandoned cinematic dramatisation and how more of her exquisite horror tales remain curiously unmade...
James Whale: God of Monsters
James Whale is a megalith of early horror cinema. An out gay man, he direct some of the greatest gothic horror films Universal Pictures would ever produce. Retrospectively seen to…
Ancient Terrors – or the Terror of Ancientness? Archaeophobia in British Film and TV
Francis Young explores whether the distant past, in and of itself, can be a source of horror, leading to a distinct fear of the past: archaeophobia...
The Morbid Urge to Gaze in Peeping Tom and Perfect Blue
If the hills have eyes, so do the houses: an exploration of voyeurism and the urban Gothic from 1960s London to 1990s Japan
Don’t you know how to drink tea? The Five British Video Nasties
The infamous 'video nasties' list of the early-80s was in fact two separate lists containing five British films. Graham Williamson inspects them for Horrified...
Don’t Look Now (1973): Horror as High Art
Jane Nightshade explores the rich, red tapestry of horror that is Nicolas Roeg's Don't Look Now...
An interview with Norman J. Warren
In a previously unpublished interview from 2018, Martin Parsons spoke with legendary director Norman J. Warren about the 70s horror industry, dog-faced aliens and women in peril...
Phibes Lives! – 50 Years Of Dr Anton Phibes
Johnny Restall celebrates 50 years of Dr Anton Phibes - Malevolent Master of Music & Murder...
Urban Ghost Story (1998)
Paul Lewis dives deeply into Urban Ghost Story, an undeservedly obscure film set in Glasgow...
Folk Horror Foundations in Hot Fuzz
Devin McGrath-Conwell explores the sophomore effort in Edgar Wright's 'Three Flavours Cornetto' trilogy with 2007's Hot Fuzz and finds the film nestling comfortably within the folk horror canon...
Kill List (2011): the ruinous nature of neo-folk horror cinema
Grace Britten explores Ben Wheatley's Kill List (2011) through a contemporary lens, highlighting the brutal discourse and exposing its neo-folk commentary...
The Retreat: an interview with director, Marcus Anthony Thomas
Director Marcus Anthony Thomas, speaks with Christina Brennan about his short film, The Retreat, and the impact of online platforms...
Banality and Liminality: Assessing Throbbing Gristle Through ‘After Cease To Exist’
Throbbing Gristle have left an uncertain legacy; this piece from Declan Cochran examines that legacy, via the short film After Cease To Exist...
Does a horror film have to be scary? Revisiting The Awakening (2011)
Nick Bartlett returns to The Awakening, finding a subtle and affecting ghost story beyond the genre tropes...
Bernard Cribbins: The Lost Interview
A never before published interview with the late Bernard Cribbins, originally conducted almost 30 years ago by Adam Jezard, in which the actor discusses his work in the genres of…
An Appreciation Of Borley Rectory (2017)
Johnny Restall dares enter Ashley Thorpe's 2017 recreation of Borley Rectory - the Most Haunted House in England...
Creeping through the countryside
At once sublime and horrifying, the English countryside is increasingly the backdrop in horror that explores a growing unease about our place in the world. Melissa Elborn digs deeper into…
The Innocents (1961)
Jane Nightshade looks back at possibly the best cinematic ghost story ever made, Jack Clayton's 1961 masterpiece, The Innocents...
Hammer Films Icons: Part one – Making a Monster
In the first of a new series, Jonathan Clode explores the monstrous Hammer films icons, beginning with Frankenstein (and his monsters)...
Syringes, crucifixes and (un)therapeutic whirlpools: The social and medical horror of Saint Maud (2019)
Joe Howsin explores the 'social horror' of Rose Glass' excellent British horror debut film, 2019's Saint Maud...
‘A tuppence where yer ’eart should be’: Andy Milligan’s British horror films
American filmmaker Andy Milligan's extremely low-budget work was consigned to his homeland until 1968 when he ventured to the UK and made five horror films over a two-year period. Paul…
Amicus Productions rises from the grave
After decades in the shadows, the legendary Amicus Productions is set for a grand revival thanks to the team at Hex Studios. Their upcoming film, 'In the Grip of Terror',…
Xtro (1982): An exercise in sadness
Often, somewhat justifiably, derided as a low-rent video nasty, Xtro is a piece of British horror that looks unflinchingly at grief and trauma...
The Darling Buds of Slay
The most celebrated of ‘serious’ British directors have taken detours into horror over the years, often producing some of the most thoughtful, nuanced and impactful genre highlights committed to celluloid.…
Two Girls, One Fox: Portrayals of Masculinity and Femininity in Prey (1977)
Andy Roberts revisits Norman J. Warren's 1977 Sci-Fi horror, Prey, to discuss the film's 'contrasting depictions of gender, sexuality and the role of animals' amid an exploration of human nature...
The Making of To the Devil…a Daughter (1979)
The final of three essays by K B Morris on occult writer Dennis Wheatley explores Hammer Productions’ final '70s horror film, To the Devil... a Daughter, loosely adapted from Wheatley's…
12-Note Lizzie, the Horror Queen: Elisabeth Lutyens’ British Horror Legacy
Steve Kilpatrick conducts a whistle stop tour of avant-garde composer Elisabeth Lutyens’ musical scores for British horror cinema giants, Hammer and Amicus...
‘Come and have a dance with Andy’: Exhibit A (2007)
Dom Rotheroe's EXHIBIT A (2007), isn't often the first found-footage title that springs to mind, but Duncan Gates argues that it stands head and shoulders above a number of better-known…
Ten Classic British Ghost Stories That Need Onscreen Treatments
Jane Nightshade looks at 10 British ghost stories that deserve adaptation for the big (or small) screen...
The Renata Road: An interview with Ed Greenberg and C.J. de Mooi
Mark Anthony Ayling interviews director Ed Greenberg and actor/executive producer C.J. de Mooi about ‘psychological enigma’ The Renata Road...
Kitchen Sink Horror: The Short Films of Ben Steiner
Ellis Reed examines Ben Steiner’s short horror films, available now via YouTube, and speaks to the British filmmaker about his work...
Horror in the time of Corona: An interview with Host’s Jed Shepherd
Horrified's Kira Comerford chats with co-writer and Executive Producer of HOST, Jed Shepherd, about the lockdown horror phenomenon.
The Haunting of the Lady-Jane: An interview with Kemal Yildirim
Ellis Reed interviews the indie filmmaker, Kemal Yildirim about his horror film, The Haunting of the Lady-Jane...
Kindred: How to Make a Micro-Budget Feature Film
Indie Filmmaker David Bryant talks about his new psychological chiller Kindred and gives the low down on how to craft a DIY genre film.
New Musical Horror Express: An interview with Pat Higgins
Horrified's Dean Newman interviews award-winning British horror writer and director Pat Higgins about his forthcoming horror musical, Powertool Cheerleaders vs the Boyband of the Screeching Dead...
The Natal Terror of Inseminoid (1981)
Andy Roberts dives head-first into the schlock-and-gore of Norman J. Warren's alleged 'Alien knock-off', 1981's Inseminoid...
Under The Skin (2013): The planet she fell in love with
Graham Williamson explores Jonathan Glazer's 2013 unsettling sci-fi horror, Under The Skin...
Psychomania (1973)
Emily McQuade celebrates the absurd delights of the cultish, kitsch and unique Psychomania (1973)...
The Borderlands (2013) Revisited
Ellis Reed returns to the 2013 British horror classic The Borderlands, a found footage film bringing fresh ideas (and scares) to the sub-genre...
Sitting amongst your demons: Unbelonging and unforgetting in His House (2020)
David Evans-Powell tackles displacement, trauma and ghosts in His House, the 2020 debut film from writer/director, Remi Weekes...
Howling with Laughter and Fear: 40 Years of An American Werewolf in London (1981)
Dean Newman offers his thoughts on the seminal lycanthrope film, An American Werewolf in London (1981) which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2021
Hell Comes to Fog Town: North London and the horror film
Lauren Jane Barnett explores the filmic horrors of North London and Highgate Cemetery...
The Vampire Lovers: A Fiftieth Anniversary Retrospective
In an in-depth feature, cultural historian John J Johnston looks back at the inception of Hammer’s most important productions of the 1970s, and endeavours to reassesses the film’s reputation, fifty…