10 Best Indie Horror Movies Of All Time
5. REC
Found footage horror is often one of the simplest ways to deliver an undercooked premise, and jump scares are the last refuge of the creative scoundrel. Somehow, though, 2007’s low budget Spanish hit Rec transcends both of these limitations to deliver an inventive and genuinely terrifying movie.
The Barcelona-based film takes place in an apartment block where a local documentary crew is shadowing the fire service. Called out to investigate a panicked elderly lady, they are plunged into crisis when the building’s inhabitants succumb to a virus that turns them into zombie-like creatures.
However you want to categorise the monsters (there’s a demonic possession angle which is explored further in the sequels), they’re some of the most frightening undead types seen on screen. They’re perfectly performed, lurching and crawling like the stuff of nightmares; in one of the most shocking moments, a creature gets its hands on a hammer, which leaves an indelible image on the viewer.
The sequels, while diminishing in their returns, are worth watching for horror heads, but the original is a must-see for any audience with a strong constitution and no pre-existing heart problems.