10 Terrifying British Horror Movies You Probably Haven’t Seen
These British horror flicks are certainly no tea and crumpets.
When people think of British filmmaking, a variety of contrasting images are conjured up. Some will picture elegant period dramas based on the country's classic pieces of literature. In contrast, others will imagine the likes of Vinnie Jones slumming it out in gritty crime dramas directed by Guy Ritchie. However, there is a seething underbelly to British cinema that focuses on something altogether more terrifying than gangsters and poor social etiquette - that being horror.
Every country with a filmmaking reputation has its own unique spin on the spooky genre. Hollywood creates scary blockbuster epics, Japan conjures up unsettling ghost stories, and even countries with smaller cinematic exploits, like Taiwan and New Zealand, have strong identities in the medium, and Britain is no exception. The horror movies of the United Kingdom take the best British filmmaking staples and convert them into pure nightmare fuel.
The UK has created many haunting horror flicks throughout the years, and sadly, a handful of them have slipped under the radar. While they might not get the same attention as large-scale Hollywood blockbusters like The Conjuring or Saw franchises, these terrifying British movies will still leave you awake at night in fits of sweat.
10. Deathwatch
The horrors of war are so universally feared that many movies focusing on thlowe deadly history of the world feel like accidental horror films. This 2002 British flick furthers that idea by giving the battlefield a pure shot of supernatural terror.
Deathwatch follows a collection of World War I soldiers - including popular British actors like Jamie Bell, Kris Marshall and Andy Serkis - who take shelter within an abandoned bunker in enemy territory. However, once night falls, they find that the threat of German soldiers is not the only thing they need to be afraid of, as an unknown force picks them off one by one.
This movie is dripping with atmosphere as it juggles between leaving you in paranoia and chucking scares your way. The creativity of the concept carries the film as it takes the horrifying idea of the trenches and turns them into a demonic labyrinth full of madness. Plus, besides the supernatural thrills, there is a focus on the brutality of war that keeps the flick grounded.
Make sure you don't sleep on this one, especially if the likes of 1917 and Dunkirk weren't spooky enough for you.