Summary
Cults make for a fascinating subject and many films within thehorror genreuse them within their stories. Based on various factors audiences assume of cults, it makes sense why they are such a captivating subject for horror films. A powerful leader with immense control over group members makes for a chilling life to witness.Cult stories have been the subject of horror films for years due to the endless storiesand perspectives to be told. Two common perspectives are used in such films, with the first being the point of view of members currently existing within a cult.
Films similar toThe Other Lambdetail members' day-to-day lives and the eventual attempt to escape. The second perspective is told from an unsuspecting outsider who slowly discovers the threat that surrounds them, found in films likeMidsommar. The reason why cults are a captivating premise for horror films is that, regardless of the protagonist’s position in the group,parts of the disturbing truth emerge piece by piece, which calls for the appreciated anxiety-inducing thrill of a horror film.
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Apostle
Cast
In the year 1905, a man travels to a remote island to rescue his sister, who’s been kidnapped by a religious cult. Netflix picked up the film in March 2017, about a month before production began. It had its world premiere at the 2018 Fantastic Fest.
Known for directing and choreographing a few action films during his career, Gareth Evans’Apostlewas quite the departure.The horror film follows Thomas (Dan Stevens) as he travels undercover to a remote island to rescue his sister, Jennifer (Elen Rhys), who had been kidnapped by a cult. While on the island, Thomas meets Malcolm (Michael Sheen), the leader of the cult, and other strange individuals.
Much like Thomas' experience, audiences are slowly introduced to the strange workings of the cult. Most horror films go straight for jump scares or gory scenes, butApostletakes its time with worldbuildingandthe shift in the film’s tone ends up feeling more rewarding. While not as thrilling as other horror films,Apostle’s intriguing cult characters and violence are disturbing and enough to satisfy any fan of horror.
9The Other Lamb (2019)
Directed by Małgorzata Szumowska
Operating as their own society, hierarchies are bound to form within cults, andThe Other Lambby Polish director Małgorzata Szumowska explores just that.The Other Lambfollows a polygamist cult led by a man known as the Shepherd(Michiel Huisman), where women are split into two groups: the wives and the sisters. All the women are exceedingly loyal to the Shepherd, except for Selah (Raffey Cassidy), who wakes up to his enduring abuse and begins to question his power.
The Other Lambis a more stylized horror film and engagingly examines the women’s lives in the cult. Though it’s from Selah’s point of view, audiences can understand howthe older and younger women interact with one another, experiencing jealousy over what they’re not able to providefor the Shepherd.The Other Lambalso interpolates horror sequences from Selah’s imagination that appear as the only world she’s known begins to unravel.
The Invitation
The Invitation is a Horror film starring Logan Marshall-Green and Tammy Blanchard. The premise follows a man that visits his ex-wife with his new girlfriend for a dinner party, and unveils the plot of a sinister cult.
The Invitationis set in one location for nearly the entire film: a supposed dinner party at Eden (Tammy Blanchard) and David’s (Michiel Huisman) house. Karyn Kusama directs the film from the perspective of Will (Logan Marshall-Green), the ex-husband of Eden, and audiences join him in uncovering the purpose of the evening. As the night progresses,Will becomes increasingly suspicious of the party guests and their odd behavior.
The Invitationhas a slow, unsettling build that suddenly becomes a fight for survival for the film’s characters attempting to escape the threats of a cult.As character motives become clear, the thrill of the film increases and tensions rise untilthe ending ofThe Invitation. Kusama, along withThe Invitation’s writers, Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi, provide an unexpected twist that is somehow more harrowing than the action-packed events that took place minutes before.
The Wicker Man
The Wicker Man is a horror film released in 1973 and follows Police Sergeant Neil Howie, who heads to an island on the coast of Scottland in search of a missing girl. Howie discovers that the disappearance is related to a pagan society that conflicts with his Christian values - but his continued search leads him to the heart of something sinister.
Appreciated for being one of the best examples of folk horror in film,The Wicker Manfollows Sergeant Neil Howie (Edward Woodward), a police officer who travels to an isolated islandafter being alerted of a missing girl. While on the island, Howie comes across a cult led by Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee), one of thescariest zealots in horror films. Summerisle and the cult members deny the existence of the missing girl when questioned by Howie, causing him to become suspicious of the group’s way of living.
Due to its popularity, a remake was made in 2006 starring Nicolas Cage but received widespread negative reviews.
The Wicker Manis a highly influential film within the horror genre, especially those focused on cults, and hasbecome increasingly appreciated as more time passes since its release.The Wicker Man’s use of suspense and the imagery within the film, particularly the final shot, have made the film a favorite of many horror fans. Due to its popularity, a remake was made in 2006 starring Nicolas Cage but received widespread negative reviews.
Rosemary’s Baby
Directed by Roman Polanski and starring Mia Farrow, Rosemary’s Baby chronicles the chilling tale of Rosemary Woodhouse, the wife of an actor who, after finding out she is pregnant, begins to suspect that her unborn child is something far more sinister than a normal baby. John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer, and Maurice Evans also star.
Considered to be one of the best horror films,Rosemary’s Babyis an unsettling exploration of women’s liberation and a Satanic cult. The titular character, played by Mia Farrow, becomes an expecting mother and grows paranoid of her husband and neighbors, believing they have malicious intent towards her and the baby. Rosemary’s terrors are downplayed by her husband, andshe’s made to believe everything she’s experiencing is strictly her imagination.
In addition to the themes of satanism,Rosemary’s Babyis largely ahorror film about parenthood. Due to the lack of control in Rosemary’s life, her final decision in the film’s memorable ending is one she makes with her child in mind.Control inRosemary’s Baby, and the absence of it in Rosemary’s life, have become more prevalent as the years passand play a large part as to why the film remains culturally significant.
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The Ritual
After traveling to Sweden, Luke reunites with his old college friends for a fun trip. But things quickly turn south when they realize something in the forest is stalking them. The Ritual was a Netflix original movie released in 2017 and was directed by David Bruckner, who would go on to direct Hulu’s Hellraiser film.
A Netflix original,The Ritualfollows a group of friends on a hiking trip in honor of their deceased friend. While on their journey,the men come across strange symbols and sculptures linked to a nearby cult. One by one, the four friends come face-to-face with a dangerous, mysterious creature, known as a Jötunn.
As a horror film, it would be easy forThe Ritualto rely on jump scares to engage the audience. However,The Ritualinstead creates an unsettling and eerie atmosphere with an expansive outdoor setting, amplifying the horrors of the unknown. Additionally,The Ritualuses mythologyto explain Jötunn’s origins and special effects make the creature as disturbing of an image as one’s imagination could conjure up.
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The Sacrament
The Sacrament is a horror-thriller film directed by Ti West. Released in 2014, the story follows two journalists who pursue a friend into the remote confines of an isolated commune. As they investigate the community led by a mysterious figure known as “Father,” they uncover disturbing secrets that challenge their perceptions of safety and trust.
Ti West is known for his work in horror films and is most recently recognized for writing and directing theXfilm series. His 2013 film,The Sacrament, is inspired by the real-life events of the 1978 Jonestown Massacreand follows Jake (Joe Swanberg) and Sam (A.J. Bowen) as they join their co-worker’s search for his sister. According to the sister’s letter, she’s residing in a community known as Eden Parish, founded by a man known as Father (Gene Jones). Eden Parish has all the makings of a cult, so Jake and Sam conduct interviews with members to learn more about the community.
The scary nature ofThe Sacramentcomes from its mirroring of real life, rather than riveting action sequences or bloody visuals. Until its ending, the horror inThe Sacramentlargely lies within its suspense as Jake and Sam gradually become skepticalabout what Eden Parish is. The stylized use of found footage and the steady uncovering of the truth makeThe Sacramenta unique experience and one ofTi West’s best films.
The Empty Man
The Empty Man is a horror film directed by David Prior, adapting Cullen Bunn’s graphic novel. It follows ex-cop James Lasombra, played by James Badge Dale, who investigates the mysterious disappearance of a friend’s daughter. His search uncovers a secret urban legend known as “The Empty Man,” leading him into a dark world of supernatural phenomena and cult activity.
Having performed poorly with critics and upon its box office release,The Empty Manonly began to find its audience once it was available to stream at home. As David Prior’s feature film directorial debut,The Empty Manfollows James (James Badge Dale) after he’s tasked with searching for his friend’s missing daughter. James learns the daughter was attempting to summon the titular urban legend and the path that James follows leads him to discover a cult.
an ambitious attempt that delivers a creepy ambiance and bizarre horror sequences
For his first venture into the horror film genre,Prior excels at avoiding unnecessary shocking scares and instead establishes a frightening atmosphere that leaves audiences feeling uneasy. There’s validity to many of the criticisms towards the runtime and writing ofThe Empty Man, but it’s an ambitious attempt that delivers a creepy ambiance and bizarre horror sequences.
Midsommar
Ari Aster’s Midsommar follows a group of American college students who travel to a friend’s isolated rural hometown in Sweden to experience their renowned midsummer festival. What starts out as idyllic quickly becomes a disconcertingly violent pagan ritual, with the friends engaged in a ruthless competition that will test more than just their friendship. Florence Pugh stars alongside Jack Reynor, Will Poulter, and William Jackson Harper.
As Ari Aster’s follow-up to the 2018 filmHereditary,Midsommarcontinues the director’s streak with peculiar horror films.Midsommarstars Florence Pugh as Dani and follows her as she joins her boyfriend and his friends on a trip to a festival in Sweden. Sinister undertones start to creep up in what started as a welcoming community and Dani realizes the truth about the cult.
Midsommar’s scariest scenesare intense and explicit as the cult’s traditions and mode of punishment are revealed. Intertwined within the shocking images,Midsommarhas something to say about the emotional arc of Dani. The final scene inMidsommarandwhere Dani ends up at the end of the film is equal parts freeing as it is hard-hitting, making for one of the mosteffective horror movie endings.
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The House of the Devil
The House of the Devil is a Horror film starring Greta Gerwig, Tom Noonan, Mary Woronov, and Jocelin Donahue. The film was released in 2009 and was written and directed by Ti West. Blending together the “haunted house” and “slasher film” genres, this Horror ride takes place in a remote mansion and follows a student named Samantha Hughes that accepts a babysitting job and gets more than she bargained for.
The House of the Devilis one of Ti West’s earliest films and follows a college student, Samantha (Jocelin Donahue), who takes up a babysitting job as a way to make money. While babysitting, Samantha fights to survive and avoid a satanic ritual performed by unlikely individuals.The House of the Devilis a tribute to the styling of horror films from decades prior andcombines the slasher and haunted house subgenres of horror without ever feeling disordered.
Similar to other horror films about cults,The House of the Deviltakes its time to establish the truth behind the alarming antagonists, much to some critics' displeasure. There are clues that Samantha finds throughout the film, but she isn’t entirely aware of the threats that lurk within the home. For patient audiences, the suspense inThe House of the Devilleads to a final action sequence that is acute and satisfying.
