South African Horror Essentials

It’s a fact that South Africa isn’t exactly known for quality cinema. The “best” South African film, after all, is widely reputed to be Jamie Uys’ patronizing and nonsensical comedy THE GODS MUST BE CRAZY. With that in mind it’s hardly a surprise that when choosing worthwhile South African horror flicks the pickings tend to be slim…

THE WARD

This may seem like just another trashy potboiler of the type you see dozens of each year, and in many respects that’s just what it is

MOSQUITO

The full title of this 1976 Swiss curio is MOSQUITO DER SCHAENDER (MOSQUITO THE RAPIST), meaning it is NOT to be confused 1995’s big bug bummer MOSQUITO

MORGIANA

A memorable exercise in gothic excess whose fabulously baroque visuals and a deliriously melodramatic storyline make for an interesting and enjoyable viewing experience

THE MOOR’S HEAD

A somewhat uneven but undeniably affecting work from Austria that depicts a seemingly contented man’s descent into hallucination, paranoia and, finally, total insanity