Sartaj Singh
Gary Shore’s ‘Haunting of The Queen Mary’ takes viewers on a cinematic suspenseful horror cruise of the real-life haunted ship, RMS Queen Mary. The movie’s shooting was done entirely on the historic vessel, which saw its maiden voyage in 1936. The Ship served in the Second World War as a naval vessel carrying 800,000 soldiers. Over its near century-spanning service, it has been the unfortunate site of the deaths of 16 crew members and 41 passengers. This haunted backdrop gives the film a perfect stage for it to spin its eerie tale.
Drawn by the ship’s notorious reputation and seeking to propose a more modernized tour system, writer Anne, her on-and-off boyfriend Patrick, and their 8-year-old son Lukas board the ship to speak with the Captain. Before they have any time to settle in however, the ship’s malicious intent manifests, threatening to trap their souls there, forever. Shore delivers an atmospheric, claustrophobic, and creepy feature. One which is reminiscent of some other bone-chilling horror movies deserving of our fear.
8. The Amityville Horror (1979)
A large house on the Coast of Long Island looks like the dream for George and Kathy Lutz. It’s perfect for their family of five. The real estate agent warns them of his concerns—a brutal massacre by the previous owner of his entire family. George is unconcerned saying “Houses don’t have memories”, as he enters his worst nightmare. The true story aspect of the film based on its location along with creating a dark and eerie atmosphere lends itself to similarities with ‘Haunting of The Queen Mary’
Stuart Rosenberg brings us ‘The Amityville Horror’ based on real events as claimed by writer Jay Anson. Although not actually filmed in Amityville but rather in New Jersey, the house itself is undeniably eerie, especially in its nocturnal scenes. Those two windows take on a persona of their own, seemingly peering out into the darkness and instilling an unsettling sensation of being watched. Furthermore, there’s a substantial amount of paranormal activity occurring in the story to maintain your interest. However, the supernatural occurrences don’t commence immediately. Instead, they develop intermittently, crafting a fantastic sense of foreboding.
7. The Rite (2011)
Michael Kovak is a skeptical exorcist in training under veteran Jesuit exorcist, Father Lucas Trevant (Sir Anthony Hopkins). He oversees the exorcism of a 16-year-old girl who loses her life. Before the demon can take another victim, Michael must renew his faith and face the terrible evil. From the Director of ‘Evil’ and ‘1408’ (Mikael Håfström), the psychological horror film is praised for its cinematography and a stellar performance by Sir Hopkins. With its claim of being based on the experiences of exorcist Father Gary Thomas and its investigative nature into the supernatural, the film is sure to interest audiences reeling from ‘Haunting of The Queen Mary’.
6. Deliver Us from Evil (2014)
From the Director of ‘Sinister’ (Scott Derrickson) comes a unique true-crime horror film. In the bustling metropolis of New York, Ralph Sarchie, a troubled police officer, grapples with his own inner demons while delving into a string of perplexing and unsettling criminal incidents. His path crosses with an unorthodox clergyman well-versed in the ancient art of exorcism, and together they confront the nightmarish and demonic possessions plaguing their urban landscape. The skin-crawling scratching of the possessed along with the story being based on real cases creates a sense of building fear which viewers of our subject film are sure to relish.
5. The Fog (1980)
A dark coastal town, with violent waves harassing its shores and thick clouds glowering down, is hit with a menacingly advancing fog in the dark of night. Some of the old residents are aware of such an incident taking place over a 100 years ago, of evil, hiding within the thick mist. ‘The Fog’ by John Carpenter is a masterclass in atmospheric horror, and with its terrors crawling out of the depths of the sea, a chilling retrospective for viewers of Gary Shore’s work.
4. The Entity (1982)
Sidney J. Furie’s ‘The Entity’ brings us a truly unsettling experience of psychological horror based on real events. Struggling to rebuild her life and support her three children, Carla Moran faces an inexplicable supernatural occurrence that blurs the lines between reality and fantasy. Mysterious break-ins and unexplained bruises pointing to molestation challenge her grasp on logic. When psychotherapy proves ineffective and the paranormal attacks escalate, Carla seeks assistance from a team of parapsychologists, her last hope for a solution. The film’s basis in reality and a feeling of helpless dread mirrors that of our feature film on the RMS Queen Mary and will leave viewers with a newfound fear.
3. Dead Silence (2007)
Known popularly for ‘Saw’ and ‘The Conjuring 2’ Director James Wan creates classic horror at its finest in ‘Dead Silence’. Jamie and Lisa Ashen are living a happily married life in a new town. Unbeknownst to them, there is an urban legend in this town. Mary Shaw, a ventriloquist who used puppets, was accused of kidnapping a child. Her tongue was cut out and she was buried with her puppets. The saying goes “If you see her in your dreams, be sure to never scream, or she’ll take your tongue”. A doll arrives at the couple’s doorstep and soon, the screams begin. As expected of Wan, the film nails its atmosphere and build-ups to jumpscares. For audiences of ‘Haunting of The Queen Mary’, ‘Dead Silence’ will cover all the horror bases, delivering a goosebump-raising experience.
2. The Mothman Prophecies (2002)
Supposedly based on true events, the movie brings to life the urban legend of the “Moth Man”, an ominous being that appears right before life-threatening accidents and even whispers to some who have had near-death experiences. Reporter John Klein is in a car crash with his wife. Before dying, she tells him of two glowing red eyes and an inhuman entity staring at her. John travels to the town of Point Pleasant, seeking to unravel the mystery of the Moth Man, with madness in store for him. Mark Pellington uses the Moth Man’s prophecies to build a thrilling sense of foreboding. With brilliant performances by the cast and its eerie origins in West Virginia, the film will likely crawl into the watchlist for audiences of Gary Shore.
1. Triangle (2009)
A group of friends on a yacht find themselves stranded on the high seas after their boat capsizes. An oceanliner comes to their rescue, or so they thought. The ship is completely deserted with all the clocks on it having stopped. The group realizes they are being hunted by someone or something. Christopher Smith’s Triangle is probably the first film that comes to mind as a recommendation after having watched ‘Haunting of The Queen Mary, with the ominous ship, reality-bending scenes, and an intelligent plot that comes full triangle.
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