10 French Horror Movies You Need To Watch

Even though some classic horror movies were controversial back in the day, they can be considered tame by today's standards. However, 1971's Mais ne nous délivrez pas du mal, aka Don't Deliver Us from Evil, would likely cause a furore if released nowadays, considering it centres around teenage Satanists who entice men with sex before murdering them. 

Joel Seria's horror drama caused such strife upon its release, it was banned in its native country, causing the infamous feature to be labelled as "The French film banned in France". That the lead actresses, who were adults during filming, are utterly convincing as young teens makes it even more unsettling to see them slaughter their victims with boundless glee and malice.

The supernatural elements here are never clean-cut, but that only makes things creepier since viewers with no belief in the paranormal are fully aware the events in this story could actually happen. And as unnerving as the subject matter is, Don't Deliver Us From Evil saves its most chilling moment until the very end.

Though France has garnered a reputation for risky horror in recent years, this gem proves the nation has had a knack for the genre for over half a century.