Italian Cinema and especially Italian horror is a wild and untamed world of filmmaking. It’s characterized by its beautiful imagery, excessive gore, and artful violence - often combined with a muddled and disordered plotline. ⁣

However, its influence should not be underestimated. Until today, modern filmmakers, such as Tarantino are still inspired by these films.⁣

These are our top 12 horror films from Italian Cinema that everyone should see

1. DEEP RED (Profondo Rosso)
Dario Argento - 1975

A psychic gets brutally murdered and the musician who discovered her body teams up with a reporter to solve the case. The chase turns into a classic cat and mouse game between the duo and the maniac.

Another masterpiece by Dario Argento. Deep Red is what’s known as a ‘Giallo’ film, another sub-genre in Italian horror. These films focus less on the absurd, but tell a classic who-done-it tale, spiced up with some intense kills in a beautifully styled setting. No one kills beautiful women in architectural masterpieces like Argento does. 

2. SUSPIRIA
Dario Argento - 1977

Suzy, an American ballet dancer moves to Germany to attend a famous German dance academy. Once she arrives, strange things start to happen. People disappear and Suzy starts to suspect the staff at the academy.

Part of Argento’s infamous ‘Three mothers Trilogy’ Suspiria is globally known as a film classic. Suspiria’s beautifully coloured photography, stylized and disciplined camera work, combined with an amazing soundtrack by Goblin creates a one of a kind atmospheric experience. Scary and suspenseful from the first shot until the last. This movie is a must-see and its influence reaches far beyond the realms of horror. This movie is an all-time masterpiece. Original and gripping and is the film that propelled the concept of violence as an art form.

3. CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST 
Ruggero Deodato - 1980

A notorious found-footage, jungle-cannibal, exploitation film about a group of documentary filmmakers that have disappeared in the Amazon Rainforest after coming into contact with a cannibal tribe.

Cannibal exploitation is a sub-genre of Italian horror and infamous due to the fact that it was presented to the world as actual found-footage. The actors actually had to show up in a courtroom to prove that they were in fact still alive. Another brutal aspect, and sadly a recurring theme in Italian horror is the mistreatment of animals. There are several real animal deaths in Cannibal Holocaust, including the tribe slaughtering a (real) giant tortoise, and the decapitation of a monkey that they had to shoot twice because during the first shot there was no film in the camera. Prepare yourself, this is not an easy watch.

4. CEMETERY MAN (Dellamorte Dellamore)
Michele Soavi - 1994

Based on the graphic novel Dylan Dog, Cemetery Man tells the story of Francesco Dellamorte, a Cemetery Caretaker. Together with his mentally handicapped companion Gnaghi he is tasked to kill every reanimated corpse in the graveyard. Dellamorte’s life is in a rut until a mysterious woman shows up and everything begins to spiral out of control.

What makes Cemetery Man so special is that Soavi combines an over the top, slapstick  Zomcom with an arthouse and gothic photography style. Throw in some over the top gore shots and some crazy eroticism in there and you get one of the craziest and strangest films of the ’90s. Even Scorsese named it one of the best pieces of Italian Cinema.

5. THE BEYOND (L'aldilà)
  Lucio Fulci - 1981

A woman inherits a hotel and finds out that it’s built upon the 7 gates of hell. Shocking events transpire and people begin to show up dead.

When you watch The Beyond, you won’t have any idea what’s going on. Fulci ignores the need for plot and focuses on atmosphere and gore. The film sets up a unique atmosphere with an intense and expressive soundtrack. It’s filled with set pieces of pure, disgustingly beautiful practical effects that will haunt your nightmares. An absolutely unique film experience. Just sit back, enjoy and don’t worry about logic.

6. BLOOD AND BLACK LACE (6 Donne Per L'assassino)
Mario Bava - 1964

Another Giallo film about a masked murderer who, you guessed it, goes after beautiful women. In this case the victims are all models, living together in a house filled with drugs, corruption and blackmail.

Ahead of it’s time, this proto-slasher mixes a film-noir atmosphere with gorgeous visuals and colorful accents. A very classy and sophisticated film that has a disciplined grip on storytelling and character building. It’s so much more than just your average who-done-it. A beautiful experience that keeps on lingering.

7. CANNIBAL FEROX
Umberto Lenzi - 1981

A jungle cannibal film that tells the story of an anthropology student that travels to the Amazon to prove that cannibalism doesn’t exist. 

Lenzi tries to outdo Deodato and shows a ton of horrifying and shocking deaths. Ferox is a trashy addition to Italian cinema and isn’t for the weak of heart. Grainy shots of the Amazon, disgusting characters and a vile atmosphere. Ferox gets under your skin and stays there.

8. ZOMBI 2
Lucio Fulci - 1979

A voodoo curse on a Caribbean island that reanimates the dead who start to feast upon the living. A scientist’s daughter decides to travel to the island after her father goes missing.

Originally a screenplay that was a sequel to Romero’s Dawn of the Dead (which was named Zombi in Italy) but ended up as a completely independent film. They did, however, keep the name of Zombi 2 for some reason. These zombies are the most disgusting you’ll ever see and well worth your time. Zombi 2 is also famous for having a zombie vs. shark sequence where an actor had to go underwater and fight a real, drugged, shark. 

9. YOUR VICE IS A LOCKED ROOM AND ONLY I HAVE THE KEY (Il Tuo Vizio è Una Stanza Chiusa e Solo io ne Ho la Chiave)
Sergio Martino - 1972

Oliviero is an abusive, burned out, writer who lives with his wife and cat (named Satan) in Venice. His mistress gets murdered and the police suspect him. His niece Floriana pays him an unexpected visit and things turn from strange to bizarre.

Another Giallo film with stunning cinematography and a story filled with eroticism, death, manipulation and symbolism. This movie is loosely based on Edgar Allen Poe’s Black Cat Story.

10. STAGE FRIGHT (Deliria)
Michele Soavi - 1987

During a rehearsal of a small-town production of a play, the actors get locked in with an escaped mental patient that turns out to be a murderer. 

Stage Fright is a dark slasher film that’s a non-stop suspense ride. The whole movie is set in a small theatre which gives it its signature claustrophobic overtone. The set, often looks gorgeous and the costume design of the masked killer is one for the ages. 

11. A BAY OF BLOOD (Ecologia del Delitto)
Mario Bava - 1971

A countess is murdered by her husband who is later murdered by an unknown third murderer. A series of murders ensues driven by greed.

A who-done-it filled with sex, violence, intrigue and a bunch of twists. A Bay of Blood is known to be Bava’s most violent film. The film feels sleazy but Bava’s photographic eye gives the film a lot of class as well. A Bay of Blood is filled with hyper-violent murder sequences that would inspire a ton of the 80’s Slasher horror films such as Sleepaway Camp and Friday The 13th.

12. OPERA
Dario Argento - 1987

The plot focusses on Betty, a young Soprano who takes over the lead in a production of Macbeth. She becomes involved in a series of murders that take place in an opera house. The murderer focuses on her by forcing her to witness how everyone she knows gets violently murdered before her eyes.

Argento has an eye for beautiful architecture, and the exuberant surrounding gives this film a one of a kind feel. Visually stunning, and a very entertaining entree in the Giallo genre. This film which feeds on paranoia is definitely the most sadistic of Argento’s oeuvre. 

Words by Lorenz Bungeneers